For my birthday, I received the beautiful hardcover edition of The Arrival by Shaun Tan. The pictures are beautiful and the story is engaging and very interesting. What’s interesting about this book is that there are no words! However, with clever use of paneling and other inventive ideas, the pacing of the story moves wonderfully and you know what? It doesn’t need words. If you haven’t seen it before, I recommend checking it out. It’s a very fun book that you will come back to over and over. I’m sure I’ll notice details I missed the first time through.
So the girls read a couple of books this week both basically with this kind of story…
Once there was a little girl named Mitzy. She told her grandma that she wanted to be an astronaut and her grandma said, “You’ll never be an astronaut, they won’t let girls in space.” Mitzy was sad so she told her mom and her mom said, “You’ll never be an astronaut because you’re not smart enough.” Mitzy started to cry and told her dad how she wanted to be an astronaut, he said, “Yeah right and I want to be a tight-rope walker.” Mitzy decided that all of those people were awful and you know what, she became an astronaut.
I just made up the Mitzy story but seriously why are there picture books where a kid’s parents tell them they aren’t worth anything? Maybe the mean kid down the street could tell her that she’ll never be an astronaut but come on let the mom believe in her.
In related news Mabel told me she wants to be a Doctor when she grows up. I told her that she’ll never amount to anything (just kidding but she is only 8 months old I’m not sure its time for her to pick a career yet).
This one is about ants biting your bum.
Wigasaurus Rex
Some dinosaurs don’t go for sharp teeth
Some dinosaurs don’t care about terrifying roars
Some dinosaurs aren’t into hunting
Some dinosaurs think that fighting is a bore
There is a certain kind of dinosaur that worries about going bald
There is a certain kind of dinosaur that thinks hip fashion is the best
There is a certain kind of dinosaur that worries about how he looks
That certain kind of dinsosaur is the Wigasaurus Rex
The Grouchy Postman
It’s the mail you see, it never stops
everyday I go to work there’s more and more
it fills my mail truck to the top
delivering so much mail makes my back sore and sore
I wish just for once I’d get a break
you know aside from National Holidays
maybe a vacation is what I should take
then I wouldn’t work in such a grouchy way
Sometimes Dr. Seuss makes me question my sanity. This week the girls have read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish several times and can’t get enough of it. I assumed the book would involve counting, colors and fish. I was clearly mistaken. Dr. Seuss took me for a wild ride that makes even this video seem to make sense. As always the girls share their thoughts below.
Else (she’s learning to roll over, kind of like a puppy)
Someone needs to sit the Nook down and teach him how to read.
Mabel (she’s into wearing jean shorts now)
If I had Ish’s wish dish I probably wouldn’t just wish for fish. Ish really needs to take advantage of the wish dish and get something cooler like jean shorts.
Honeybear (she’s good on her tummy)
So in the book Ned has a difficult time with the size of his bed. Either his head is sticking out or his feet are sticking out. Despite my small size I fully understand this issue. Just today I woke up with legs sticking out of my crib. What’s that all about? Anyway I think what Dr. Seuss has done here is reworked James Joyce’s Ulysses in such a way that it is not only accessible but enjoyable. The same detailed stream of consciousness writing is happening here. From one page to the next I can’t say that there is a cohesive story. On one page two guys are talking on a broken phone and then the next one features children finding a “Clark” somewhere. Yet somehow it sticks together and I found myself going back to it again and again throughout the last week. The main difference between the two works is that one is a highly enjoyable work of children’s literature and the other is an incomprehensible 700 page book. What I’d suggest is on June 16th rather than celebrate Bloomsday just read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.
The Pickle Soda triplets have continued their weekly trips to the library. They’ve become fans of Mo Willems, Dr. Seus, and of course Peggy Rathman. This week we’ve returned to the joy of Sandra Boynton. Blue Hat, Green Hat. The elephant, bear and moose know how to get dressed but the turkey never really gets it. In our house we always say, “What a turkey!” everytime the turkey messes up.
Elsie Sunshine (she has a chin, it’s just very small)
That turkey just can’t get dressed. Everybody knows that you put the shirt on over your head and then fasten the buttons under your bum. That way the shirt stays in place and helps keep your diaper secure. What a turkey.
Mabel (she’s a tiger)
From what I understand shoes are meant to just be immediately kicked off your feet not put on your head. What a turkey.
Honeybear (pronounced “Juniper”)
The turkey clearly isn’t the brightest animal out there but should we really find humor in the turkey’s foolishness. Is it appropriate to laugh at someone for being unintelligent? It’s like watching those American Idol try-outs just to laugh at the worst ones. Of course we all enjoyed William Hung but should we have? Finally why do we have to consider the turkey to be foolish for not knowing how to put on pants. Turkeys don’t wear pants. I wear pants and have no idea how to put them on. Should I be laughed at? Honestly I don’t know because when that turkey dives into a pool full of water with all her clothes on it is hilarious and I can’t help but to laugh. What a turkey.