(books you should read)
1. Once Upon a Time, The End (Asleep in 60 Seconds)
by Geoffrey Kloske, illus. Barry Blitt
For any parent whose kid ever insisted on "One more story!" ten million times until you were left exhausted and skipping entire pages and telling stories like, "Once upon a time a kid wouldn't stop asking for stories and his mother went INSANE. The end."
Includes such classics as The Two Little Pigs and (my favorite) The Princess and the Pea ("Is there a pea in your bed? No? Then what's your excuse? Go to sleep."). Hilarity.
2. Iggie's House, by Judy Blume
Winnie's best friend Iggie moved away, leaving Winnie miserable. When the Garber family moved in with three kids, Winnie was thrilled. But the Garbers were the first black family in the neighborhood and not everyone was as thrilled as Winnie to have them there.
From the publisher: Winnie, a welcoming committee of one, set out to make a good impression and be a good neighbor. That's why the trouble started. Glenn and Herbie and Tina didn't want a "good neighbor." They wanted a friend.
This book was first published in the 70s and re-released in 2002 with this new cover (which Tink & I both I hate, though we can't articulate why; I think it's because the kids look so happy, which they are definitely not in the book). It feels a little dated (I had to explain to Tink what "Negro" meant). But what is both amazing about Judy Blume (and terribly depressing about the world) is how not dated it is. The awkward way Winnie and the Garbers learn to make friends with each other as individuals and not representatives of their respective races, Winnie's ignorance, and the thinly-veiled excuses Winnie's neighbors give for not wanting the Garbers around could easily have been written this year.
3. Cool dates. As in, today is 8.9.10. We will definitely be having a dance party tonight at 6:07. Who's in?
I haven't read Iggie's House in years, but now I want to go back and reread it. As far as the photo goes, I've always been creeped out by the practice of using photos of real people on the cover of fiction books but like you, I can't really say why. (It seems to be very popular in young adult fiction.) I miss the old Judy Blume covers.
Beth
i have read the '...your mother goes INSANE. the end' story many many times myself.
i love judy blume, still. she really knew how to capture the essence of what 'every kid' goes through. and how to deal with it effectively.
that first book sounds great. and i totally grinned when i wrote the date at the top of my meeting notes yesterday. small pleasures.
Missed the dance party, oh well. Maybe next time.
I'll have to check out Once Upon a Time, The End. Sounds like a fun book to read.
Have a great week!
That first book is wonderful, and we have it because Tink gave it to Dev as a bday present many moons ago! It's a gift that continues to give. Thanks! :)