lou's library

Hi there! I recently stumbled upon the Off The Top Of Your Head tag, which Gina at The Library Mouse @TheLibraryMouseGina on Youtube came up with. I haven’t looked at the questions beforehand and am just gonna answer with whatever book comes into my head first.

What was your favourite picture book as a child?

I feel like I’m forgetting a really important one, but the only picture book I can think of right now is The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew it was None of his Business by Werner Holzwarth and Wolf Erlbruch. I’m not sure how popular it is outside Germany, but here it’s a proper classic all about a mole trying to figure out who took a dump on his head (okay, writing it outl ike that makes it sound really weird but as a child I think I did think it funny?).

What series did you love as a child?

The Wilde Hühner series by Cornelia Funke, a popular German children’s and young adult writer. It’s about a group of girls going on adventures and looking back, I’m really glad I had these books to read as a girl. They’re fun and wholesome and really centre friendship.

The worst book you have read or tried to read?

Oh I bet there were so many during my English degree, but I honestly can’t think of one right now where I truly think it was just a bad book and not a case of it not being the right book for me or me not understanding it. Also, I don’t like to speak badly of books because I respect the work that goes into writing one. All that being said, let’s just say I’m not a fan of the Colleen Hoover books I’ve read…(BUT I DO RESPECT WHAT HER CONTRIBUTION TO GETTING YOUNG KIDS BACK INTO READING, OKAY?).

Your favourite reading or book memory?

As a kid and teenager, I’d go on holidays to Italy with my sister and best friend and we’d spend two weeks reading by the lake, swapping books and just read as much as we’d like. Looking back, it was complete bliss. I remember reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green for the first time on one of those holidays and making my sister and best friend read it too so we could be sad together. Bliss!!

A book you loved as a movie?

Narnia!!! The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe was adapted beautifully (the latter movies were less great, admittedly) and I also can’t wait to see what Greta Gerwig will make out of the series once her adpatation comes out.

A book you wish they would make into a movie?

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini!!!!! I have been obsessed with this series since it came out eons ago and all I wanna see is my two favourite star-crossed demigods fall head over heels for each other on the big screen!! Someone make this happen @hollywood!!!!

A book character that you would like as a friend?

Probably Emma Morley from One Day. Has anyone ever seen a more loyal and kind person?? I THINK NOT. She’s also incredibly funny and learns not to take anyone’s shit (looking at you, Dexter (you have my heart anyway, silly boy)). She’s also so smart??? I’d love to talk to her about books until the cows come home. I’m gonna stop now because I’m starting to get sad (not spoiling anything, but if you know, you know).

A place you want to visit because of a book you read?

Prince Edward Island in Nova Scotia, Canada because of Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. And maybe, just maybe, that will actually happen in 20205!!!! AAAAH I will lose my shit if I can make that happen hehehee.

A nonfiction book you would recommend?

UUUUH, I love me some nonfiction!! The first book that comes to mind is A Voyage Around The Queen by Craig Brown. It’s a biography of Queen Elizabeth II and is really fun to read! So many fascinating insights into her life and how she shaped and changed Britain and the world! It’s unlike any other biography I’ve ever read in that it includes things such as reports of dreams people have had in which the Queen appeared. It’s an unusal approach that works so well and I now really wanna check out the author’s other biographies.

If you could hang out with an author all day who would you pick and why?

Maggie O’Farrell, because her mind must be FASCINATING!! All the books I’ve read by her have been both very different and yet very Maggie O’Farrell. No one breaks my heart quite like her, and her books are so full of wisdom and I’d love to pick her mind and ask her so many questions!!

There you have it! Let me know which author you’d like to spend all day with and why ❤