Our family loves books. We are a family of readers. Case in point, Joshua earned a bit of money. The next day he spent nearly the total amount on two paperback books that he has already read previously. He read them both by the next day.

We have tried to embrace our time here in the UK by exploring history around us. As we have done so many books of Classic children’s literature have opened up to us in new ways. Literary references come alive when read inside the places they were written.

As a family we read Charles Dickens’, Christmas Carol over the Christmas break.

Joshua is reading Oliver Twist now.

Elementary Watson

He and Rob have previously enjoyed a bit of Sherlock Holmes.

They both enjoyed visiting Baker Street together.

I plan to re read Anna Sewell’s classic, Black Beauty.   Ms. Sewell lived not far from here. After visiting Beamish Museum I am recalling many references in that book that I have now seen with my own eyes.

I was walking into the livery in the Beamish Town and wandered about enjoying the soft crunching of the horses eating their hay.

I glanced inside an empty stall and noticed the bricks in the floor.  There is a part in Black Beauty about a horrible place he lived when the stall wasn’t properly cleaned and the groom blamed his resulting hoof disease on the “drains” in his stall.

Brick floor system referenced in Black Beauty

The owner had the bricks pulled and found nothing wrong.  I had never seen a brick drain system in a stable floor before so I had not fully understood this reference.   This period livery stable I found quite interesting.

I now better understand the fiction account of a dog traveling a great journey from the Scottish Highlands to her original home in the Yorkshire Dales.  Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight contains a great deal about the area topography which we have gained greater understanding while living here.

It is a great treat to open a book and travel to another place and time.  I am glad this year has given the kids and I more opportunities to read together.  It has been an added bonus to walk the places from the books along the way.

Cheers,

Beth