The chicken pocks itched like mad. Frightened of infection, my friends refused to call. I felt lonely and sorry for myself. The VHS recorder had been invented, but no one had heard of it yet. I had read my Enid Blyton collection too many times.
My mother presented me with a dusty old copy of Johanna Spyri’s Heidi. The blue hardback book didn’t have a front cover or a blurb. My mother explained how the book had inspired her. At seven years old, I felt I was far too grown up to read about a mere five year old child. In the end, she read the opening of the book to me and we discussed the setting and ‘gruffly’ grandfather.
I wondered if Heidi would be safe. I followed the ‘footpath through the green shady meadow at the foot of the mountains’ and thus began my interest in travelling. Absorbed in the book, I stopped complaining about the itching. The book presented a character whose ‘heart was full of gladness’, and I adored the positivity. 
While reading the book I could smell the sweet smell of the cheese melting in front of the open fire, then I realised my mother had made me some cheese on toast. Reading connected with my senses, and my reading journey commenced.
Written in 1891, Heidi established my commitment to the classics. At seven, I realised a book cover hinted at the promise of a book, but reading the words took me to the actual destination. I discovered: The Secret Garden, Little Women and Anne of Green Gables. Alas, the dusty copy of Heidi fell apart and the innocence was replaced with romances. At thirteen, I was wooed by the brooding Healthcliff. Tempted by Lady Chatterley’s Lover, I told my parents it was on the exam syllabus. At the time, I wondered why they both laughed at me.
Reminiscing about my reading addiction, made me curious about people’s reading. I asked the esteemed book blogger, Anne Williams, which book commenced her reading journey. She explained:
‘Once I grew out of Enid Blyton, I turned to the classics and devoured them, then nearly killed my love of reading by taking a degree in English and finding it impossible to read for pleasure any more – I picked up my all-time favourite, Wuthering Heights, after a ten year drought, moved on to bonkbusters and chick lit, rediscovered the joy of reading, and have never been without a book in my hands ever since.’
I was delighted to find a parallel in our stories. Anne is a prolific reader. I am in awe of the number of books she reads and reviews. Books do not exist until a reader brings them to life, thus I want to present a tribute to readers. I asked Anne to send a photo of Wuthering Heights in her favourite bag along with a tagline. Anne’s Wuthering Heights and my Heidi will launch a new page dedicated to readers, Reader Recommends.
Readers,
I want to know which books have fed your reading addiction habit. Send a photo of your favourite book, in your bag/handbag and I will display it in my new gallery. It could be the very first book you read, your all-time favourite or one that has influenced you – you decide.
Write a couple of sentences, up to 100 characters, to explain how the book inspired you. Present your book in a handbag.
It is time to celebrate Reader Recommends!
Please see my new Reader Recommends page, my Handbag Adventures page and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.
As we crossed the Severn Bridge, the clouds hovered on the horizon. I stopped off at my favourite butchers, in Newport, to buy some of their gorgeous spicy South African sausages. A South African friend introduced me to these sausages. I hoped that Patricia would like them. On returning to my house, I organised a large pot of coffee and we started to chat. As we chatted, the neighbour’s dogs barked at Patricia as if they knew that she would be a great friend. Then, I cooked the sausages and served with a mustard sauce and a large salad of lettuce, melons, cucumber and herbs. This was served with some fresh whole meal bread that my husband had prepared. We drank a sweet, white Romanian wine.
Patricia: Do you know that feeling you get when looking back on your children’s toddler years or on your pet’s time as a puppy? Children are big now; they have their own lives and dreams and don’t seem to need you all that much. Surely not to hold your hand or seek your body for comfort. Your dog might even take over your favourite chair at times, forcing you to seek comfort elsewhere as you have a sudden flashback of this clumsy puppy fitting perfectly in your lap, while still leaving space for a book and a coffee mug
Today, I am handing over this blog to talented, nine-year-old author, Ella Lopez. 
Jennifer, Ella and Jessie were having a good ole chat online about our writings, great books we’ve read and even cultural travels, when suddenly the internet line began to crackle. Their laptop screens went dark, but they could still hear each other faintly…they also heard some sort of bells ringing subtly from inside the screen and a jolly deep laughter- on both ends of the line. Jennifer, stared at the screen in disbelief as a faint image of Jessie grew larger out of the blackness. Suddenly, Jessie popped right out of the computer- and joined us. They were all together now, staring at each other in disbelief. Completely befuddled, they looked around. They heard bells and the sound of jolly laughter. They had all been transported through cyberspace when Ella pressed ‘escape’ on the laptop.
Voice of Christmas: Welcome, Bienvenidos, Croeso! You three have arrived in the land of Nadolexmas. This is the land of celebration where we merge experiences and cultures- a blending so unique and filled with pure beauty. You were transported here because the three of you have an immense appreciation of culture that encourages others to feel it too. We want you to spread good cheer, and Nadolexmas beautifully blends both your loved cultures :Wales and Mexico. Please, sit down for your first meal.
Ella and Jennifer looked a little dubious at the green laverbread, but always willing to try new things- they placed some on their plates. Jessie tried to think of something served by her Spanish sister-in-law then presented some additional prawns, with the shells on, cooked in garlic and chorizo. She was thrilled with the scrumptious holiday dishes she’d dreamt into reality, but was still looking for the turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.
Ella: Mama look! It’s Beams! It is the dragon in my story.
Jennifer and Ella: We have something here for you now, Jess.
But I received an education in opportunity through William’s eyes. It warmed my heart when William delighted in his full belly and compared Aunty Betsy’s Christmas feast to the meagre ‘turnip and potato soup’ that he was accustomed to.
One is shocked, educated and made to feel compassion like the central characters. I tasted ‘the grit and grime’ of the novel from the safety of my armchair, and felt the warmth of ‘the straightforward good folk with no pretentions or guile’. Yet, I did want to get on my soap box and rant on behalf of my ancestors who would have struggled as ‘wealth and poverty oozed through the smoke from the chimneys.’ I wanted to call on Sir Titus Salt for help!
Ally Bunbury 
Ally commented that her character, Gilda, would adore the Grand Hotel and we drank some Bolli in her character’s honour. A man was playing jazz on the piano as we sipped the champagne in the conservatory as we looked at the sea. Finally, we commenced out chat about Ally’s debut novel, 
Ally: I feel like the stars aligned, whilst I wrote 
Patricia Furstenberg is a bestselling children’s author and her work is an absolute joy. My interactions with her over the last couple of months have been an inspiration. I was honoured when she asked if I would reveal the covers of her new trio of books. As an avid reader, I believe that the children’s authors are word magicians and dream weavers. Once upon a time, children’s stories commenced my lifelong reading journey thus they have a special place in my heart. Children’s writers inspire the future readers and writers.
I know that Patricia will inspire children aged three to seven years with her trio of stories: ‘
Children’s love of stories comes from an innate desire to discover the truth, supported by their confidence that they will succeed in this endeavour because they feel protected in the safety of their lives. I like to think of children’s books as a magic trick. You have the instant surprise and joy, yet in the long run, besides the lingering amazement and awe, there are countless benefits. Reading improves a child’s vocabulary, thus his self-esteem. Reading is linked to EQ (Emotional Intelligence); a high EQ can positively assist a child in a bullying situation. 
Animals are very important in children’s lives. From an emotional level, as they teach youngsters empathy and responsibility, to a more cognitive one. So many life lessons can be taught if we sugar-coat them in a puppy or bunny shape. The same goes for Young Adult books. Think of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, a sheer lesson about the will to live and how our perception of reality changes when beasts are involved, whether they are imaginary or not. Animals always do unexpected and extraordinary things in order to survive and often they become a symbol of our most profound fears and battles; yet animals never judge. My second book, 
At times, an animal pops up in a story because of cultural perceptions, such as in Jerome K Jerome’s witty Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog). Other times the animal itself brings the fiction to life, if you think of Dion Leonard’s wonderful Finding Gobi or of my next trio of children’s stories 
