Typing Cows (and some such things)
During weeks like these, the blog goes on the back burner. It's just one of those inevitabilities. The reading doesn't (there's an addiction there), but the blog does. But I've come up with a solution: typing cows. I read about them this week in Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin (illustrations by Betsy Lewin), and I think that they might be the solution to my problem. I'm going to contact Farmer Brown and ask how much it would cost for him to just lend me a cow every now and then. Hopefully, aforementioned cow won't mind switching from an antique typewriter to a macbook with a loose "enter" key.
Anyway, typing cows aside, I got quite a handful of children's books out of the library last time around. A smattering of Tomie dePaola (who never gets old and will always be forever one of my all time favourite children's book illustrators--Strega Nona rocks my world), a hint of Eric Carle (because he's just classic), and some Skippyjon Jones. Judy Schachner has truly hit on something with this insane siamese kitten. I don't even like siamese cats (they're snobby and kind of creepy looking), but Skippyjon really does have a special place in my heart. I also picked up a couple boring books on trees and birds and some such, because I try to make sure I'm adequately educating my poor son, but I feel no need to waste my time blogging about them. Needless to say, when I checked out the entire children's section I was planning to drive home in my nicely air conditioned car with all those books. I didn't count on lugging them home when my car wouldn't start and I ended up walking three miles home, in my skinny jeans and sandals, with 90 some degree weather outside. And no, I did not then find five dollars.
Now, if you're still reading this blog and have no idea who Tomie dePaola or Skippyjon Jones or (God Forbid) Eric Carle are, STOP reading right now and go find some of their books. The Skippyjon Jones series is written and illustrated by Judy Schachner--how multitalented and awesome is she? You can pick up almost any Tomie dePaola book, but I have a soft spot for the Strega Nona collection and The Knight and the Dragon (which ends with said knight and dragon opening a BBQ joint--I did live in Memphis for a little while). And Eric Carle? If you don't know who that is, I'm not sure I can help you. You need to ask your parents for a redo on childhood. How do people survive without knowing about the Very Hungry Caterpillar?
