Kate Greenaway’s Book of Games

1977 edition of 1889 book 

I’ve had this little book since childhood.  My name is printed neatly inside and my nameplate is pasted in.  I do remember reading through it often and looking at the drawings of Victorian era children in their long, confining dresses.  Some of the games, such as hopscotch and follow-the-leader, I also played as a child and children are still playing today.  In some cases, the game is similar, but the name is different.

I always enjoyed a good game of Telephone, whether played at a party or in girl scouts.  All players sit in a circle.  One player whispers a sentence into the next player’s ear.  This continues around the circle until the last person hears the sentence.  This player then announces what he heard.  Usually, somewhere along the line, the original sentence has been misheard, and the players laugh at the miscommunication.  The exact same game was played in Kate Greenaway’s time, although she calls it Russian Scandal, rather than Telephone!

Reading through this book, I see a common theme.  You don’t need lots of toys or expensive equipment to have fun.  Ghost in the Graveyard - Red Light, Green Light - Mother May I?  These are some of my most remembered games from childhood.  No equipment necessary! Others, such as skipping rope or flying kites can be accomplished with household items, or can be homemade.  What is needed most of all are willing people and some space – outdoors or in.  The plastic toys are long gone and forgotten.  What remains are memories of carefree fun and laughter.

The Endless Pavement

By Jacqueline Jackson and William Perlmutter

Drawings by Richard Cuffari

Copyright 1973

I’ve always been a fan of dystopian fiction, and there is so much of it that is popular now.  The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Walking Dead.  These are all glimpses into what could happen in a society that is faced with horror – either natural or man-made.  This book is a little different.  It is a dystopian fiction picture book, meant for the younger set.

As I read this book, a recent movie came to mind.  In Disney Pixar’s WALL-E, people no longer had use of their legs.  They were so accustomed to traveling around in their personal floating chairs, with everything done for them by computers and machines that they had no need to walk.  Similarly, in The Endless Pavement, all humans get around solely in automobiles.  Each has their own personal rollabout, and is merely transferred from their Home-a-rolla to school or work.  In fact, their whole life is completely controlled by the Great Computermobile.  The earth is really just endless pavement and the people are mindlessly driven around.  Autos have taken over the world.

One evening, while waiting for repair on her family’s Screen, our young protagonist Josette hears the words “grass” and “trees”.  Her father tells her of the very distant past when something round and red and delicious grew from some of those trees.  Soon, the Screen is repaired and Josette’s parents immediately stop thinking and talking.  Josette, however, can’t get these new images out of her head.  Then, one afternoon, Josette catches a quick glimpse of something green sticking up through the endless pavement.  

Brave Josette is overcome with curiosity.  Struggling against the power of the Great Computermobile, she risks her life to leave her Home-a-rolla and rollabout and reach the red fruit.  That little girl proceeds to destroy the Great Computermobile and free the rest of humanity from the control of automobiles.  The end of the story depicts Josette walking across the endless pavement to meet the crawling, lurching, newly awakened masses of people.

I don’t really believe that this drastic scenario will ever happen.  In small ways though, it already has.  The sight of groups of people sitting at a table together, all focused completely on their personal small screens has me a little concerned.  I hear children clamoring for their parents’ attention and their cries are going unnoticed because something apparently more important is happening on the parents’ phones.  

This book is a reminder to look up – to see the people and the world around us – to not forget what living really means.  

How to Make Soft Toys and Dolls

A Sunset Book

1977

Today is my oldest daughter’s birthday. This past week, when I was thinking of what to give to her for a birthday present, I remembered some of her past gifts.  Laura’s first birthday gift was a beautiful set of homemade blocks in a wagon made by her Dad.  Another year we gave her a high quality child-sized gardening tool set.  It was nice enough that year to head right outside to try it out.  That set lasted many years.  Of course, there was the year of Big Bunny – that very special stuffed white rabbit that got brushed and combed carefully every night before bed.  He still looks as good as new.  

Glancing through my bookshelves reminded me of another homemade gift – one that I actually made.

The pattern for this gift came from the book How to Make Soft Toys and Dolls.  Louis Looselimbs is its name in the book, but we just called it Dancing Doll.  As you can see in the photo, it was just about Laura’s size, and she enjoyed many spins around the room with Dancing Doll attached to her feet.  

I was never one for sewing much, so this gift did take some time to figure out.  In fact, most items I tried to sew never came out how they were supposed to.  I remember feeling pleasantly surprised when this project actually looked like the photo and worked like it was supposed to!  

These days, Dancing Doll sits quietly among the old stuffed animals and beanie babies as a pleasant reminder of years past and a testament to how quickly children grow up.

Come Over to My House

By Theo. LeSieg (Dr. Seuss)

Illustrated by Richard Erdoes

Copyright 1966

We are all alike.  We are all different.  The differences are often on the outside and very obvious.  The similarities are on the inside and unfortunately are often not as apparent.  What this book does is inspire children to not only recognize the similarities but also to respect the differences.  A little boy travels around the globe, looking at the homes of children all over the world, from igloos to houseboats to homes on stilts.  Homes are all different shapes and sizes. 

“Some houses are rich, full of silver and gold.  And some are quite poor, sort of empty and old.”

 

People from different places and cultures may live in different houses and wear different clothes.  And that’s okay.  How boring this world would be if we all liked the same things.  So keep your culture, but realize that deep down inside, most of us long for peace, for friendship, and for meaningful connections.

  

Although we may live in very different homes, it’s helpful to remember what Dr. Seuss says:  “But they’re all, all alike when a friend asks you in.”