Seven Days by Rebeka Shaid
We have a special guest blog from author, Rebeka Shaid, around her favourite classic children’s books from her childhood. It is always fascinating to see what classics were read by popular authors!
The children’s classics I loved growing up by Rebeka Shaid
I grew up in a home full of books. History books. Art books. Books about architecture, religion, classical myths, languages, fairytales, folklore – you name it. And while I (weirdly) enjoyed leafing through lexicons and dictionaries, as a bookish kid I was mainly drawn to tales of adventure.
No wonder then I was fascinated by Astrid Lindgren’s colourful collection of children’s classics. I devoured most of her novels, from ‘The Brothers Lionheart’ to ‘Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter’ and ‘Madita’ – all of which feature determined and courageous children.
One could hardly talk about Astrid Lindgren without mentioning ‘Pippi Longstocking’, which remains a firm favourite of mine. Red-haired and feisty, independent and funny, Pippi is a quirky character who has superhuman powers – I mean, she can lift her horse! Of course I loved Pippi. She is so different. What child lives in a house by herself, with a monkey and horse to keep her company?
I had so many questions about Pippi, also known as Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmind Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking. She struck me as wild, kind, clever and playful. All in all, she is an unusual character and today I’d label her as eccentric. And a rebel. She doesn’t fit into gender roles, refuses to live up to societal norms, opposes adultism and is charmingly naughty.
It was only years later that I realised that anarchistic Pippi was inspired by another fictional heroine I was intrigued by as a child. Anne of Green Gables. Anne and Pippi share the same hair colour, wear braids, are freckled orphans (although in Pippi’s case there is a plot twist regarding her father’s absence), and they are both ahead of their times.
Like Pippi, Anne Shirley is initially out of place when she arrives at the home of two middle-aged siblings, who had expected a boy and not an impulsive eleven-year-old girl to help out on their farm. And like Pippi, she is unconventional but her kindness eventually wins over hearts.
Anne’s story is one of coming of age and she remains a highly dynamic character throughout the novel. I think I was fascinated by timeless protagonists like Pippi Longstocking and Anne Shirley because they are free-spirited individualists curious about the world. They might not be perfect but are both loveable in their own right.
Another classic novel that left a lasting impact on me as a child is Judith Kerr’s ‘When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit’. The story is in part autobiographical, following nine-year-old Anna and her Jewish family as they flee Germany in the days leading up to World War II. It highlights important themes, including antisemitism, life as a child refugee, and the power of resilience. The novel offers a glimpse into history and deals with real-world issues that are still topical – maybe now more than ever.
All of these children’s classics exude a sense of otherness, but they do so with warmth and wonder, leaving young readers with something to think about. For instance, how to stand up for yourself, that it’s okay not to fit in, and that we can achieve our goals if we set our minds to it. To me, these novels are well worth adding to any home library.
Seven Days by Rebeka Shaid is available now.
