Once upon a time, in faraway land…don’t those words just thrill you to pieces?  It’s amazing the way I can lose myself in the world of a book and love a character so much that I feel as if she is my best friend.  There really are few things better than curling up on the sofa with my ultra fuzzy socks, a cup of tea in hand, and a wonderful novel to escape into.

I learned to read when I was four. My mom couldn’t believe I was reading and thought I had just memorized the books we read together.  I guess she finally believed it when I read to her from a newspaper.  But when you have a bossy, older sister who comes home from school and makes you be the pupil to her teacher, I guess some of that soaks in.  I’ve been a reading machine ever since.  Hmmm, I never have thanked my sister for those tortuous times playing school.  Probably should do that.

As a Neurotic Disney Person, you can imagine my excitement when Disney created a character who loves to read.  And not just a token character, but a main character!  Plus, she gets to experience some of the adventures she’s been reading about all of her life. Of course I’m referring to Belle from Beauty and the Beast.  I completely relate to this character and loved her from the start.  Her reaction after receiving a book as a gift is excitement and thankfulness.  She’s impressed when Lumiere and Cogsworth tell her that Beast’s castle holds a library and is overwhelmed later in the film when Beast gives her the whole room as a gift.  Even in Beauty and the Beast–The Enchanted Christmas, her gift to Beast is a story she had written.  Books are treasures to Belle, and they are to me, too.  I’ve never been able to travel the world, discover an enchanted castle, or meet a prince in disguise, but through books, I can have my adventure in the great, wide somewhere!

Don’t you want to have that adventure too?   Then, join me!  Isn’t one of the best parts of reading a story when you talk about it with someone else who is reading it, too?  I love to hear how someone else thinks about a character, how they feel when certain events happen, or if they see something differently than I did while reading.  Every month I’ll be reading a book that somehow relates to Disney.  I want you to read along with me.  We’ll read a few chapters a week and talk about them together.  We’ll begin with comments on the Disney Driven Life blog and monthly chats are being planned as a way to meet together as a club and hash out the books we read.  As Mama Odie says, “This gonna be goooooood!!”

March’s book of the month is the classic story, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.  Several movies have been made based upon this work of children’s literature, so the story and characters are probably familiar to you.  The basic storyline revolves around the adventures Alice has after she’s tumbled down a rabbit hole.  She happens along fantastical creatures and oodles of nonsense, but don’t let that fool you.  Lewis Carroll has all sorts of satire and parodies up his sleeve, and he’s hidden them throughout his Wonderland fantasy.  So gear up for sublime imagery and diving into where the impossible becomes possible because Carroll’s classic will lead you through it all. Curiouser and curiouser!

Walt Disney said, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” I’m looking forward to finding that treasure together. Happy reading!

Reading for week one:  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Chapters 1-3

Where to find it:

• Dust off that library card and check it out from your local facility.  Use their online request system to reserve your copy
• Several editions are available on Amazon including paper or hardback, collector’s editions, and annotated versions
• Digital versions available include a free Google ebook or free through Project Gutenberg
• Available for download to Kindle and Nook.

Contributed by: Lynnette Johnson (NDM#271) Lynnette is the DDL Book of the Month Blogger.

Lynnette J. (NDM#271)

Lynnette’s love of all things Disney grew out of the close connection it had to good times spent with her family. Whether that was loading up the car to go see the latest Disney film at the drive-in, watching World of Disney every Sunday night together, or pouring over the newest Grolier Disney book to show up in the mail, it always included time spent together. As a native Southern California girl, her family took yearly trips to Disneyland. Those memories gave her a greater love for the Magic that continues today. Lynnette is a mom of two, an elementary school teacher, and avid reader.

If you liked this, be sure to check out:

PREPARING TO RUN MY FIRST 5K 999 HAPPY HAUNTS INNER MOUSE 21 – COLLECTION INNERVENTION YIKES! THERE’S A MONORAIL IN MY HOUSE A CONTEMPORARY VIEW