Now that I have a little bookworm I’m spending more time in the chapter book aisles at the library. I came across one of my old faves near the Junie B. Jones books: Lisa and Lottie, by Erich Kästner. He also wrote Emil and the Detectives and an amazing book called The Little Man. There’s a scene from The Little Man that haunts me still.

Lisa and Lottie is the original book on which the movie The Parent Trap is based. You know the story: the twins meet at camp, trade places, and eventually get their separated parents back together again. However, this story takes place in post-war Europe (Lisa lives in Vienna; Lottie in Munich), and there are all sorts of charming details; you know, wiener schnitzel, etc. I had never heard of the movie when I first read the book, and I found it absolutely entrancing. Thirty years later, it’s still entrancing.

I’m sure this bound-to-stay-bound volume that I’m holding in my hands right now is the very same one I read (several times) as a kid. The illustrations, too, were old friends.