Peter Rabbit and Other Stories

by Beatrix Potter 

I was inspired to revisit Peter Rabbit and other stories after reading a book that was given to me by my niece.  Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell is full of photos of Potter and her gardens, and also beautiful examples of her original art work.  I learned about a fascinating woman through the stories of the flowers and gardens that she loved.  

 

For the first time in many years, I read the tale of the iconic Peter Rabbit.  First published in 1902, Potter had originally written the story in a letter to a sick child to cheer him up. 

Unlike his obedient siblings, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, Peter decided to venture into Mr. McGregor’s Garden, even after warnings of danger and death.  Mr. McGregor spots Peter and chases after him.  Caught in some netting by the buttons on his coat, Peter despairs and gives up hope until some friendly sparrows implored him to try harder to escape.  Escape he does, but not before losing his jacket and shoes, which Mr. McGregor uses to make a scarecrow.  Peter returns home exhausted and is put to bed and given a dose of chamomile tea while his good little siblings feast on bread and milk and blackberries.  

Two lessons I’ve taken from Peter’s adventures:

1) Don’t give up so easily.  Don’t despair at the first sign of trouble.  Like those friendly sparrows said to Peter, exert yourself.  You can get out of the dreadful situation you’re in.  

2) A cup of chamomile tea is good for whatever ails you.

Games to Play in the Car

By Michael Harwood

Illustrated by Susan Perl

Copyright 1967

This book immediately caught my eye when I spotted it at the local Goodwill store.  The drawings are by the same illustrator of a well-loved book from my childhood, Sparrows Don’t Drop Candy Wrappers.  Susan Perl had a gift for depicting raw emotions in people’s faces.  Just look at the cover of Games to Play in the Car.  Can’t you feel the sense of despair and bewilderment in the parents’ faces?

Written before the seat belt laws went into effect, this book starts out with some safety tips.  Don’t let your children stand up in the back seat, lie on the back window ledge, or sit on the driver’s lap.  Seat belts are really the best way to keep a child seated, we are instructed.  Those of us over 30 or so will remember the days of jamming as many kids into the car as possible, lying down across the back seats, and even climbing from the front to the back.  This book was ahead of its time!

Also written before in-car DVD players, IPads, etc., the author gives many ideas for creatively keeping children busy.  The standards are included.  Find all the letters of the alphabet on signage and license plates.  Look for cars from all fifty states.  I spy.  I remember playing all of these, both as a child and later as a parent.  

My favorite from this book is one I’ve never played before.  Who Lives There? exercises the powers of imagination and observation.  Point out a house and then go on to describe what you think it looks like inside, who lives there, and what they like to do.  You may want to start out inferring from the home’s exterior and cars or toys in the yard who really might live there, but I can imagine, at least with my family, this could get pretty silly.  After all, that satellite on the roof may just give a clue that aliens live there. 

So next car ride, put away the smart phones, gaming systems, and tablet computers and start talking to each other!

Go, Dog. Go!

By P.D. Eastman

Copyright 1961

With rhythmic repetition of words and simple silly phrases this I Can Read It All By Myself Beginner Book is a winner.  It introduces colors and prepositions with words and pictures and shows a wide diversity of dogs – all colors and sizes. 

As a child, this book was one of my favorites.  I liked when it was read to me and it was easy to read by myself, perhaps because I knew the text by heart.  I can remember my favorite picture was the dogs all snoozing in one big bed – except for the one dog with his eyes wide open while his friends all sleep.  I could relate to that insomniac dog!

The “do you like my hat” sub plot is fun. 

 Do you like my hat?  I do not like it.  Good-by! Good-by!  

Anyone familiar with this book remembers that cute little girl dog trying to impress the boy dog with increasingly fancy hats.  In the end, she finally gets him with an elaborate party hat. 

 

“I do.  What a hat!  I like it!  I like that party hat!” he states just before they ride off into the sunset together.  

This is an effective and fun book for children just learning to read and certainly no life lesson is necessary. 

But hey, girl dog – if you like your hat and he doesn’t – stop trying to impress him and either go to the dog party by yourself or find yourself another dog that does like your hat!

The Twenty-One Balloons

By William Pène du Bois

Winner of the 1948 Newbery Medal 

Last weekend I had to take advantage of the 50% off all books at my local Savers store.  I mean, with children’s books normally .99, I really couldn’t pass it up!  This time, I was lucky to find quite a few older Newbery winners.  A goal of mine is to read every Newbery winner since the American Library Association awarded the first in 1922.  My trip to Savers will help me fulfill that goal.

The Twenty-One Balloons, first published in 1947, tells the story of Professor William Waterman Sherman who intends to fly across the Pacific via hot air balloon.  After years of teaching mathematics to children, he feels in need of both solitude and a change in scenery.  He gets much more adventure than he expected and the solitude is short-lived.  After crashing on the island of Krakatoa, he discovers a sophisticated society of people living around an active volcano and operating with the wealth of their limitless secret diamond mine.  

The inhabitants have formed an unusual society.  Particularly intriguing is the island’s restaurant government in which each family owns a different themed restaurant.  With twenty families, each one only needs to cook on every 20^th day.  Variety and plenty of time for fun and relaxation – a great combination!

Of course, living on a volcanic island has its drawbacks.  The periodic shaking of the earth takes some getting used to.  Professor Sherman takes some time to get his “mountain legs”.  Unfortunately, the fictional Sherman happened to land on Krakatoa shortly before the real-life 1883 eruption.  Fortunately, the island inhabitants had an elaborate escape plan all worked out.  

In the end, Professor Sherman did not get what he expected from the trip.  He got something better.  Accidental discovery is the key.  What really matters?  It’s the journey, not the destination.