Raggedy Ann and Andy in the Deep, Deep Woods

By Johnny Gruelle

First published in 1930

This copy printed in 1960

Few children today have ever heard of Raggedy Ann and Andy. Perhaps this is because the books have yet to be made into a movie or Netflix show! While Raggedy Ann was a favorite of my childhood, I had never seen this particular book until I came across it at a used book sale. It turned out to be a delightful afternoon read!

All 21 of these very short stories take place in the deep, deep woods, filled with fairies ‘n’ everything. Lessons of kindness and compassion abound. Raggedy Ann and Andy are always unselfishly using their magical wishing pebbles to spread happiness and make dreams come true among the creatures of the woods, whether animal or fairy folk.  Ann and Andy obviously delight in bringing happiness to others.

Often, they wish for delicious feasts for their friends.  During one wonderful outdoor feast, the little woodland creatures enjoyed ice cream soda water provided by Raggedy Ann’s wishing pebble. The animals laughed and twittered with happiness, never having tasted something so wonderful.

“Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy laughed and had as much fun as anyone there, for, by giving happiness to everyone, they filled their little cotton stuffed bodies with something like a glow of warm sunshine”.

Who wouldn’t want to be filled with “a glow of warm sunshine”?  Take a lesson from cotton-stuffed Ann and Andy and delight in the happiness of others!

Millions of Cats

By Wanda Gág

Copyright 1928

“Hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats”, goes the refrain in this little picture book.  The story follows a very old man who leaves his home in search of the perfect cat for the little old woman.  He found cats and kittens everywhere!  The problem is, he can’t choose which is the prettiest.  Each cat that he saw was better than the one before and he just couldn’t leave even one behind. The hundreds, thousands, millions and billions of cats follow him home, eating and drinking everything in sight. Finally realizing that they can’t possibly care for all the animals, the very old woman and very old man decide to let the cats decide which one they should keep.

Sounds like a sweet story, doesn’t it?  But wait!  In the end, all the cats but one end up becoming so jealous that they scratch and claw and eat each other all up.  All that is left is one homely little kitten in need of some love.  That lucky little kitten lives happily ever after with the very old man and the very old woman.

Think you love something so much that you want more and more and more of it?  Hundreds, thousands, millions, and trillions of it?  This book may cause you to think twice.  Be content with what you have, because more is not necessarily better!

Valentine III His Story

A memoir written in 2000

By Valentine Claus III

A week after my Dad’s funeral, I picked this booklet up off my dusty shelves. It was certainly not the first time I read it, as I’ve always found his stories and method of storytelling interesting. His memoir jumps around in time and place but highlights his most vivid memories.

He wrote about the time in early grade school when the teacher was out of the room.  Ever the trouble maker, he was on top of the desks jumping from one to the other and he fell, leaving a permanent scar on his left knee.

He wrote about summer days spent at Riverview amusement park in Chicago – on 2 cent day, of course.

He wrote about the time he nearly burned his house down and very nearly killed his Dad while playing with fire at the family’s kerosene stove.

Of course, he wrote about the quiet little blond girl who sat next to him in Spanish class in high school. Oh, how many times we heard that story!  I don’t think any of us ever got tired of hearing about the way our parents met.  Although he dropped Spanish class after 6 weeks, the romance lasted about 75 years!

Again, it is not the first time I heard these stories. This time, though, a few lines jumped out at me that had not in previous readings. He was beginning to write about his time at Great Lakes boot camp.

“First night away from home I was in my bunk at dusk and could see the flag out the window. Taps were sounded and the flag slowly lowered. I had trouble holding back the tears. Maybe I didn’t hold them all back.”

A week ago, taps were played as the flag was removed from his coffin. The flag was handed to my mother who tearfully accepted it. His family gathered around, knowing how incredibly proud he would have been to know the kind of send-off he was receiving. As taps sounded, we had trouble holding back the tears. Maybe we didn’t hold them all back.