Dandelion

By Don Freeman

Copyright 1964

Don Freeman is better known for writing the delightful picture books about Corduroy, a little girl’s stuffed bear.  I hadn’t heard of Dandelion until my own children were young.  This book has what I consider one of the most important life lessons, but one that the youngest children already instinctively know.  Be yourself.  So simple, yet so quickly forgotten by many of us as we get older.  

Dandelion is excited to be invited to a “come as you are” tea-and-taffy party at his friend’s house.  He thinks it fortunate that he had already planned to get a haircut, since he wants to look his best.  Unfortunately, he listens to his barber’s advice to get a new curly hairstyle just like one in the fashion magazine for lions.  His fancy new hairstyle leads him to think he should have a fancy new outfit to match.  Add a cap and a cane and he becomes quite the dandy lion.  

Dandelion shows up on his friend’s doorstep for the party, but he looks so different that Jennifer Giraffe doesn’t recognize him and shuts the door in his face!  Dandelion paced back and forth, sad and unsure of what to do.  As he paced, a storm blew in.  The wind blew away his snappy cap, the rain washed out his new hairstyle, and he got so wet he took his fancy jacket off.  When the sun came out again, Dandelion sat down on his friend’s doorstep to dry, then rang the doorbell again.  Jennifer Giraffe was so pleased to finally see her good friend arrive at her party!  All the guests greeted him heartily as they sat down to enjoy their tea.  

Dandelion learned his lesson.

“And I promise you I will never again try to turn myself into a stylish dandy,” said Dandelion as he sipped his tea.  “From now on I’ll always be just plain me!”

Dandelion now knows that conforming to another person's ideal will only make him look silly and feel out of place.

Don’t have the "right" clothes?  Don’t look like the people in that magazine?  If you wear a smile, anyone who matters won’t notice you don’t have the latest styles.  Young children already know this.  It’s the rest of us that may have to relearn this lesson!

Creativity and Mother Goose

 by Mother Goose and Mother Claus

Looking at this photo of Adam and me holding a pail of water while walking up the hill in front of our house, I estimate that this book is close to forty years old.  How is it possible that I can remember an event from forty years ago?  Why is it that my memory of that day is so clear?  Maybe because I thought it was really special that I was able to help my Mother with her school project for a change.  Or perhaps it was fun getting dressed up and having my picture taken.  

With further thought, I realize it’s probably because of lessons learned that day.  

• ·         School projects can be fun.

• ·         You are never, ever too old to play.

But especially:

• ·         Creativity makes the world a better place.

Looking closely at the photos of me and my siblings acting out Mother Goose rhymes for my Mom’s book, I see some very familiar items.  My brother’s Mellow Yellow record player is sitting on a table in his room.  I remember listening to John Denver albums on it.  I have fond memories of that old playhouse that used to be in the back yard!  And that child-sized rocking chair?  It’s still in my parent’s living room!  What’s really scary is that I think I still have the wig that I’m wearing in the photo depicting “There was a little girl who had a little curl”.  Maybe it’s time for a re-creation of that photo!

 

 

The biggest surprise was seeing my old Raggedy Ann doll sitting atop a pumpkin shell for “Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater”.  I just wrote about Raggedy Ann recently and there she was, smiling at me from an old photograph. 

The most creative part of this old book is the last several pages where Mother Claus wrote in a few original rhymes and limericks.

Here's an example:
       
          There was a young man named Andy
          Who climbed every hill that was handy,
          On arriving up there
          He breathed in the air
          And said, "Wow, I feel just dandy."

Mother Goose rhymes can teach young children so much - rhythm and rhyme, counting skills, memorization, beginning storytelling – just to name a few.  But they can also just be fun!

Be Nice to Spiders

By Margaret Bloy Graham

Copyright 1967

 

No matter how small – no matter how unpopular – every one of us has a unique and important contribution to make.

In Be Nice to Spiders, the head zookeeper learns this lesson the hard way.  When Billy leaves Helen, his pet spider, at the zoo because he can no longer care for her, all the animals soon become much more comfortable.  Pesky flies loved to bother the animals, and fortunately Helen loves to eat flies.  As Helen moves from one animal house to another, setting up her intricate webs, life becomes easier for the zoo’s residents. 

Unfortunately, when the mayor is coming for a zoo inspection, the zookeeper orders all of the messy spider webs swept away.  He wants the mayor to see a clean zoo with happy animals.

Much to his dismay, once the mayor leaves, flies return to the animal homes.   After realizing that Helen with her webs was the key to keeping the flies away, he orders all his keepers, from now on, “Be nice to Spiders!”  From then on, not only is Helen happy, but the whole zoo works much more smoothly. 

This lesson applies to the animal world and the delicate relationship each living thing has with the others, but I think it applies just as readily to people.  Each person’s worth may not be obvious to us at first glance but that doesn’t mean they are worthless.  Be nice to people!  The whole world will work more smoothly if we are!

Adventures of Raggedy Ann

Written and illustrated by Johnny Gruelle

 

Almost before I can remember, I was a fan of all things Raggedy Ann.  I have a few items around my home that will never let me forget that time in my life.  One is my favorite Christmas ornament – this pink paper mache Raggedy Ann.  Another is this little round Raggedy Ann rug that was always on my bedroom floor.  I have no idea how it has survived the years in such great shape!  My original Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls have long since gone to rag doll heaven.  This one pictured here is a recent acquisition from a thrift store.  She was lying forlornly on a shelf, begging to be taken to a loving home filled with children’s books.  That’s my story and I’m sticking with it!

 

The book pictured here is from my childhood.  It is a collection of some of Johnny Gruelle’s original Raggedy Ann stories that were first published in 1918.  

Raggedy Ann, while on her exciting adventures, often runs into some problem that she needs to solve.  She sits down quietly, rubs her yarn hair with her rag hands and all the other dolls knows she is thinking.  Sometimes, a hindrance interferes with her thoughts.  It may be a rip in her rag head.  Or it may be that her cotton fluff brains have become soaked.

Whatever the problem is, she stops to get it fixed.  Her friend the French Doll closes up the rip in Ann’s head with a pin.  A caring adult replaces her wet fluff with brand new cotton. 

Clearing our own heads is not always as simple as closing up a rip with a safety pin or sewing in some new fluffy cotton.  Still, we can take a lesson from Raggedy Ann.  If your thoughts feel scattered, take some time to refresh your mind.  It may be a walk in the outdoors, a cup of hot tea, or an afternoon nap.  Then return to your thoughts.  You just might find the obstacles you face a little easier to deal with.