More Books

Meg Ryan has a line in “You’ve Got Mail” when she’s talking to Joe Fox before she realizes he’s JOE FOX of the BIG BAD FOX BOOKS: “Because when you read a book as a child, it becomes part of your identity like nothing else does…”

Gosh, can I identify with that line. My collection of children’s books is always expanding. When I pursue the Newberry and Caldecott award books at the local book store I want one of each. This is definitely one of my down falls. It is great the most books written for kids are small in size. I think my two favorite ones are Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey and Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag. I am almost certain that my kindergarten teacher, Miss Emmons, introduced me to both. The top three would include The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by DuBose Heyward. When I came across that book a few years ago I immediately bought it to share with the two oldest granddaughters. It was a surprise to see it contained class and female issues. Not only is the bunny hero a female with children but she is an ordinary country bunny, not a fancy city rabbit. My young ears may not have picked up on all the lessons but my adult ones certainly did. I was all the more amazed when I realized that this book was written in 1939. At the time I was introduced to it in the mid 50’s it had already been around for a while.

While at the book store Saturday afternoon I picked up the book Sarah’s Key, found a big overstuffed chair and began to read. By the time we were ready to leave I was into the book. No choice but to purchased it and continued reading on the way home. I finished reading the novel about six thirty. Mr. Husband then said to me we should have bought me another drink and stayed until I finished the book as it would have cost us less. Yea, but now I can share the story. It is a novel about a historical event in WWII.