The Bumper Book

Fine pickings at the thrift store today. Big oversized book of stories and poems for $1- vintage just doesn’t get any better than this.

Bumper Book

Edited by Watty Piper 1961

illustrated by Eulalie

The Best-Loved Doll

The Best-Loved Doll

Rebecca Caudill 1962

pictures by Elliott Gilbert

Such a sweet vintage story especially appreciated by little girls.  Betsy gets invited to a party and must choose which of her dolls to bring.  The dolls talk amongst themselves, deciding which of them is the oldest, most beautifully dressed, etc..  And they talk about what happens at parties.

"You eat cake at parties," said Mary Jane.  "Remember Betsy brought us a pinch of cake from the last party?  Wrapped in a pink paper napkin?"

"You aren't my oldest doll, Jennifer," said Betsy.  "Your dress is a fright.  And you can't do a single thing.  But I do love you, dear Jennifer."

Betsy decides to bring  her best loved doll, Jennifer, even though her nose is cracked, her dress is worn and she has tape on her cheeks. 

Jennifer smiled.  "That's because I've played so hard all my life," she said.

At the party, prizes are given to the oldest doll, the best dressed doll and the doll who can do the most.  When Mrs. Anderson sees Jennifer (and how much Betsy loves her) she makes a special prize, a medal, for the "Best-loved doll". 

"There will be one more prize," said Mrs. Anderson.

"Another prize?" said Susan.  "What for?"

"For something important," said Mrs. Anderson.  "Something I didn't think of before."

The twelve dolls sat on the floor around a low stool.  The stool was set with Susan's blue willow doll dishes.  At each of the twelve places was a tiny pink-frosted cupcake.  Beside each cupcake was a tiny doll fan.

Insects

Yesterday Charlotte kept bringing in beetles she found in the back yard. So we pulled out our insect guide and flipped through the pages trying to identify these creatures. We managed to identify one- a carrot beetle. Charlotte loved doing this so much that she grabbed the book, tucked it under her arm and ran back out to collect more bugs! I went through an insect loving stage when I was 11 and 12 years old, so she must get it from me.

Simon & Schuster's Guide to Insects (Fireside Book)

Dr. Ross H. Arnett Jr. and Dr. Richard L. Jacques, Jr. 1981

We've used this field guide for years.  It's easy enough to pack in a backpack when hiking or exploring and has become a handy refrence for our backyard critters.  Children have a natural curiousity about the animals and insects around them so it's easy enough to encourage them to explore and learn. 

For Madeleine and Henry

Vacation

I have shut my books and hidden my slate

And tossed my satchel across the gate.

My school is out for a summer of rest,

And now for the schoolroom I love the best!

My schoolroom lies on the meadow wide,

Where under the clover the sunbeams hide,

Where the long vines cling to the mossy bars

And the daisies twinkle like fallen stars.

My lessons are written in clouds and trees,

And no one whispers except the breeze,

That something blows- from a secret place-

A stray, sweet blossom against my face.

My teacher is patient and never yet,

A lesson of hers did I once forget,

For wonderful lore do her lips impart,

And all her lessons are learned by heart.

Oh come!  Oh come!  Or we shall be late,

And Autumn will fasten the golden gate.

Of the schoolrooms east or west,

The school of Nature I love the best.

                      -Katharine Lee Bates

Come On, Rain!

There was thunder last night but only a bit of rain.  The air and heat today just beg for a storm.  I almost feel like Tessie and calling out for the rain to come.  "Come on, rain!"

Come On, Rain

Karen Hesse 1999

illustrated by Jon J. Muth

I loved reading this aloud to Madeleine and Henry when they were little.  Perfect prose that describe the heat and humidity of a summer day in the city.  Tessie and her mother are waiting impatiently for the rain and when it does come they dance with their friends and neighbors,"tromping through puddles, romping and reeling in the moisty green air." 

Our barelegged mammas dance down the steps and join us in the fresh, clean rain...

...while the music from Miz Glick's phonograph shimmies and sparkles and streaks like night lightning.

No Fighting, No Biting!

It’s been a busy last few days.  School is over and I love having Madeleine and Henry home for the summer.  We’ll take some day trips, explore the creek, hang out in the air conditioned house, and we’re going to try riding our bikes to the library this year (I’ve done it by myself, but never with all the kids).  I’ve also decided we’re going to keep “nature journals”.  I often have grand plans for our activities and we mostly follow through, but sometimes it’s not how I envision it.  We certainly have those days when Madeleine and Henry are at each other’s throats and usually by the end of the summer it’s every day!

This book is definitely my kids.  Maurice Sendak gives it some great Victorian illustrations.

 

No Fighting, No Biting! (An I Can Read Book, Level 2)

 Else Holmelund Minarik 1958

illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Rosa and Willy keep arguing with each other, annoying their cousin Joan who is trying to read.  She tells them some stories about two little alligators who almost get eaten by a big alligator because of all their fighting and biting.  The last picture is definitely a scene from my house!

 

 

"And let's all be still," said Joan.

"Willy," said Rosa, "you are squeezing me."

"You are squeezing me, too," said Willy.

Also, congrats to Chrissy who won Miss Rumphius.  Thanks for the comments, everyone.  There's more free books a comin'.

King Stork

King Stork (Books of Wonder)

Howard Pyle

illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman 1973

Trina Schart Hyman’s illustrated version of one of Howard Pyle’s tales from The Wonder Clock. She is another prolific artist whose books I’m always trying to get my hands on.  I think her very best pictures are for fairy tales. Madeleine found this at her elementary school library (which I thought was funny since the illustrations are a tad risqué and the story would most certainly offend people who are not afficionados of fairy tales.) We however love it!

Magical King Stork helps a young drummer win the hand of a beautiful princess (who also happens to be a witch). Of course, marrying her isn’t enough to drive her wickedness out so he’s advised to take a switch and “hold tight to her and lay on the switch” as she transforms into various vicious animals. In the end she was “as good a wife as ever churned butter”.

Last of all, there stood the princess herself.  "Oh, dear husband!" she cried.  "Let me go, and I will promise to be good all the days of my life." 

"Very well," says the drummer, "and that is the tune I like to hear."