Sparrows Don't Drop Candy Wrappers

By Margaret Gabel

Illustrated by Susan Perl

Published in 1971

“Sparrows don’t drop candy wrappers. 

  Beavers build no billboards.  

 Trees don’t shed tin cans.  

 Dolphins don’t dump chemicals into the water. 

 Bears don’t belch carbon monoxide. 

 And butterflies need no pesticides. 

How did the air, the water, and the earth 

become so polluted that our sources of food,

 our lungs, and our life expectancy

 are eroding? 

We have met the enemy, and he is us, 

as Pogo has pointed out.”

      

My mother gave me this book when I was quite young. Inside the front cover is my bookplate and opposite that is my name, in my childish printing.  I did that to my books a lot.  I remember reading this book over and over.  I remember taking it to heart and feeling worried for the outdoors that I so greatly enjoyed.  The drawings of the sick looking animals made me sad.  

Some of the suggestions in this book are now a little outdated.  Instead of having to find out if there is an aluminum reclamation center near me, I can just put all my recyclables at my curb each week. Instead of putting low wattage bulbs in our lamps, we’re asked to use compact fluorescents. 

But while the particulars may have changed, the sentiment remains the same. Respect the Earth, respect the creatures of the Earth, and respect your fellow man.

Today is Earth Day.  Some of us may be called to devote our lives to Planet Earth, but most of us aren’t.  The rest of us, though, can still show respect for what we've been given by doing our small part. 

“Every living thing – you, me, the cat, the sparrow, trees, butterflies – all of us need good air and pure water and enough food.  The earth gives us air and food and water.  It keeps us alive.  Let’s return the favor.”

 What will I do? 

I’m going to try to use my printer less.  I’ve had a tendency lately to print out every little document or note.  Instead, I can save documents to my computer, or, if necessary, jot a note on a piece of scrap paper.  Oh, and that bush we just planted in our yard?  I’ll try to remember to take care of it!

What will you do?

The Churkendoose

Part Chicken, Turkey, Duck and Goose

Written by Ben Ross Berenberg and illustrated by Dellwyn Cunningham

Originally published in 1946 by Wonder Books

Recording narrated by Ray Bolger

My copy of The Churkendoose

I owe my knowledge of the children’s picture book, The Churkendoose, to my eight older brothers and sisters.  Actually, I owe my knowledge of many topics to growing up as the youngest child in a large family.  I can remember hearing the recording of this book playing on a little phonograph, and my siblings singing along,

“It depends on how you look at things,

It depends on how you look at things,

Is a baby chimpanzee any prettier than me?

Well, it depends on how you look at things.”

The story of the Churkendoose begins in the barnyard when an unusual looking egg is found.  The chicken, turkey, duck and goose all take turns sitting on it.  When the egg finally hatches, out comes a strange looking bird.  The other birds make fun of its looks while the Churkendoose tries to tell them that he’s okay just the way he is.  He’s still young.  He’ll discover what he’s good at as he grows.  As far as his looks, well,

“Can it be that I am such a sight

That when others see me they take fright?
           Though I can see what they meant,

When they said my legs are bent.
               Am I ugly? No, I'm just dif-fer-ent.”

  In the end, of course, this being a children’s picture book, the other animals come to see his worth and the tap dancing, rhyming Churkendoose is welcomed into the barnyard family. 

Although I didn’t know it then, I was learning one of the most important lessons ever.  Don’t ever put a person down because they look or act differently than you.  Each person has something important to offer if we give him the chance. 

Much like my large group of sometimes kind, sometimes teasing, sometimes just plain crazy brothers and sisters, our world is full of Churkendooses.  (Churkendeese?)  Sure, we might not all look alike, appreciate the same things, or live our lives the same way, but isn’t that what makes us great?  Imagine what a better place this world would be if we all took this message to heart!

If you want to hear a short clip from the original recording of the Churkendoose by Ray Bolger, click on this interesting link.

http://kiddierekordking.com/library.html 

Thanks to Kathy Claus for this link with the full Churkendoose recording.  You'll find it in list to the left of the page under "week 19".

http://www.kiddierecords.com/2007/index.htm