A Tiny Family

Story and pictures by Norman Bridwell

1969

 

Here is another of my favorite childhood books, perhaps giving an explanation of my current fascination with the world of miniatures and fairy gardens.  A tiny family lives peacefully in a garden, with flower pots and a watering can for their home.  The girl plays leapfrog with an actual frog and her little brother plays on a teaspoon slide with a comb for a ladder.  The laundry is washed in an old broken teacup. One day, the children see a giant girl with her dog.  The dog unfortunately has Grandpa’s umbrella stuck in its paw.  The children embark on a dangerous expedition to retrieve the umbrella from the giant’s house.  Fortunately, though the tiny children were discovered, the giant girl turned out to be friendly, and brought them back home to their garden.  

 

This summer, I have a special place for an imaginary tiny family in my backyard.  It is complete with gardening tools, a campfire for cooking, and a little table and chairs in the shade of the tall plants.   

Will I ever grow up?