We hardly warmed up in London when Danny was sulking in the farthest seat. We looked forward to a literary tour, but my parents didn't want to see my younger brother in such a state. He was insisting on Legoland. And they were leaning to a visit to Windsor the day after tomorrow. The free games (on the iPad) bored him (during the flight), and he wasn't interested in reading "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid." I could only think of other titles to amuse him.
It would be unusual to see a lad interested in the Big Ben unless he saw the Disney version of "Peter Pan." Moreover, Danny seemed oblivious to Arthurian romance. This would mean that Stonehenge might not be part of our itinerary, but I knew that such things weren't written on stone. We might make a pass on the penultimate day. My parents were reading later that night, while my kid brother hardly moved in his corner of the bed. I was hooked on the iPad, as I was searching for books for a boy who loves history. I wouldn't be one of those lads, as I listened to the ghoulish novellas of Roald Dahl and the fantastic adventures of Sinbad. Danny would lean to Harry Potter, and I should expect it from other boys of his age.
I would expect a reader from the (European) continent to fall for a historical book at such a young age, but it could be a challenge for someone from the other side of the Atlantic. I don't recall studying it. (I would ask my tutor about it after our return.) The Harry Potter series would reveal the history of magic, but it won't be good enough. It took me ten minutes or more. And then I figured out that there were other titles. It would require further classification:
For boys who can't get enough of Harry Potter. My housemate would treasure his hardbound collection of "A Series of Unfortunate Events", where he described Daniel Handler's narrative as inventive and wonderfully arch. And he finds Rowling's style to be repetitive and baggy. I thought he was such a snob until my first night in London. How many lads would aspire for authorship?
How about a classic? I couldn't think of a better title than "Oliver Twist." I saw the musical, which surprised me. (Charles Dickens wouldn't mind if the social themes were substituted for hearty tunes.) I was certain about an animated version, which my brother would love to see.
The perfect bedtime story. My tutor mentioned Elizabeth Laird's "Shahnameh", but I have reservations. I rather go with Sinbad. Homer couldn't think of out-of-this-world scenarios like a belly of a whale disguising as a desert island. And it would be the most popular tale from Arabian Nights. I rather not think of the polarizing views on the Middle East.
This is my favorite Christmas book. Boys will still enjoy the customs that define the Christmas season. Don't be surprised if "A Christmas Carol" won't be my recommended title. It's rather "Father Christmas" by Raymond Briggs, which would feature a grumpy Santa. Briggs narrowly beat Dickens on this one.
How about a book without vampires? The lads may be curious about mystery titles. I wasn't interested in Agatha Christie's detective novels back then, and I didn't give the Hardy Boys a chance. I was drawn to Jules Verne's descriptions of the Hollow Earth, even the recesses of the oceans. I could only wish for a trip around the world in 48 hours or less.
It was past 12 midnight. We must be up early. There were tens of castles in England, and we were hoping to set foot on several of those structures. We don't know that it was a tall order.
