Poppy - my 9 year old - heard that I had fallen behind on my goodreads goal. She ran to her bookshelf, "Here dad, read this!" That's loyalty, right thPoppy - my 9 year old - heard that I had fallen behind on my goodreads goal. She ran to her bookshelf, "Here dad, read this!" That's loyalty, right there.
Then I got to goodreads and couldn't find it. This (Red Book 1) needs some updating from a qualified goodreads librarian. It's missing an author. The cover of the one I read is way cuter. It's part of a series. But whatever. I don't have time for that. I've got to go read the other 6 books in the series before year-end.
I'm a pretty big George Saunders fan. Tenth of December is probably in my top 10 favorite books of all time. So when I saw this, a while back, I snaggI'm a pretty big George Saunders fan. Tenth of December is probably in my top 10 favorite books of all time. So when I saw this, a while back, I snagged it up right quick. I finally got around to reading it with Poppy. Here are her thoughts:
Dad: Poppy, lets start out with how many stars you want to give it.
Poppy: Ummmm. Maybe. I'm gonna go five. Either five or four and a half.
Dad: So you liked the book?
Poppy: Yeah.
Dad: Tell us about it. (Reader, be ware of spoilers, but know that the book is pretty short.)
Poppy: Well... what were the things called? GAPPERS! The Gappers... they were sticking onto the goats, and then the goats can't make milk - because they were poking the goats too much, and the goats got too skinny - so the goats couldn't deliver milk. So the people couldn't sell the milk, and they couldn't get the money from the milk for food and or clothes.
Dad: So the Gappers were mean?
Poppy: Yeah. Pretty much.
Dad: I don't think they were mean. They were just Gappers. Like, if an ant bites you, it doesn't mean the ant is mean, does it?
Poppy: No.
Dad: Well, let's keep talking about the book. What do you think the message of the book is?
Poppy: Don't keep a goat if you have too many Gappers? ...Also, the Gappers were doing it a lot. They were sticking onto the goats a lot.
Dad: Yeah, but that's what Gappers do. Hey, I understand how you got that message from the story, but what about helping people? Was there any message about helping people in the book?
Poppy: Yes. There was. It also was about how you should help people if they need help.
Dad: Who needed help in the book?
Poppy: Um. A girl named Capable. And her dad.
Dad: Did people help her?
Poppy: No.
Dad: Should they have?
Poppy: YES.
Dad: When should we help people?
Poppy: If they stuck under a log, and they're the only child and their parents went on a trip, and they have no one to help them, and the log was really heavy, so since it fell on the person's leg then it broke their leg - then we should take the person somewhere so they can get the special treatment.
Dad: That is very, very specific. And not at all how I envisioned you answering the question. Anyway, we already said 5 stars... or 4.5. So, I guess I don't have to ask you that again. Thanks for talking to me about the book.
Dad: I’m here with Poppy and Eleanor, and we’re giving our review. We just read it tonight, out loud.
Poppy: All together.
Eleanor:I thought it was a goDad: I’m here with Poppy and Eleanor, and we’re giving our review. We just read it tonight, out loud.
Poppy: All together.
Eleanor:I thought it was a good book.
Poppy: me too.
Dad: we’re doing this review on my phone and speaking it. It’s really hard. I think I’m just going to let us talk, and see what happens. We really like this book. If the review turns into chaos after this, so be it.
Oh I love you thanks this is tell me we’re recording so we’re just letting it go it’s going to be a link on there so it’s her oh I love you thanks now.
Everybody’s laughing so much, and it’s not raining that stuff down.
So I audio put down oh when you said some thing put down this oh I love you I think this is.
We don’t have to write everything Poppy especially when it already said all that. Dad this was your idea. This is turning into a nightmare. I keep saying. Period. Eleanor is cracking up. Poppy is cracking up. Again. I really liked the book. I liked the part when the unicorn said that the donut was stuck on its horn for a week this is the exact words it said. Hold on just let me get to the page.
I keep saying the words new, line to get a new line.
Oh this is the exact word essay this has been stuck Quote� wait wait we forgot to put a “wait what happened Quote this has been stuck on my horn for a week and I’ve been pretending it’s not fair it’s meaning the donuts. It’s meaning the donut was not part of the quote. My favorite part was when Kevin said thisQuote today is not awesome or fantastic and it’s not it’s definitely not sparkly it’s
horrible this is a really horrible lousy awful day.�
We never said what the book was about. Do you want to say it? Wait what did we never say? We never said what the book was about. OK let me let me. OK go ahead Papi it’s about this unicorn named Kevin. And this unicorn and Kevin is having a very bad day. I think that’s all we should say wait. Wait I wonder how voiceover is going to read this. I will have to see in my room. I think it will be funny.I’ll have to show you. OK that’s it....more
My name is Poppy, and I'm seven years old. This time I read this book to my dad. *typing*
And he... and he didn't um. He didn't read it to me.
Dad: I tMy name is Poppy, and I'm seven years old. This time I read this book to my dad. *typing*
And he... and he didn't um. He didn't read it to me.
Dad: I think that's the first time that's happened, at least with a book that we're reviewing, but maybe I'm wrong. I told Poppy that she has to talk the whole time, and I'm not asking her questions. We'll see how that goes.
Poppy: I want to say something.
Um. I like Unicorn Day because it's just really good, and some parts are really funny. And I think that this is the first day that I read it to dad. I think that one of my favorite parts is when we realized that one of the unicorns (view spoiler)[really is a horse, but they say that it's okay, and then they put the horn back on and they go in a group hug. (hide spoiler)]
Dad?
Dad: Yeah?
Poppy: Can you talk?
Dad: Why do you want me to talk? This is your review.
Poppy: I don't know. I want this to be more funny, I guess.
Dad: And you think the reviews are funnier if I help out with them?
Poppy: I think so. I guess.
Dad: Why did the unicorn cross the road?
Poppy: Laughs. Ummmm. Um. Uuuummmmm... Tooooooooooo... get. to the cupcakes?
I'm adding the picture above to show you how much Poppy's grown. She still loves unicorns and all animals. The unicorn she's holding was sewn b[image]
I'm adding the picture above to show you how much Poppy's grown. She still loves unicorns and all animals. The unicorn she's holding was sewn by her sister Gwen. Gwen saved up her money for a sewing machine, and there you are. I'm interested to look back over my "Poppy Review" bookshelf to see how much she's grown.
Also, I read this in 2020. It was among some books that belonged to my very forward-thinking Aunt. It's weird to think that this, at one point, was probably an anti-racist book. It's showing everybody getting along and working together, more-or-less as equals, but with John Doolittle being the protagonist. But, we've moved past that. In reading this, I sanitized edited it even further. There are inflections in voices, certain words used, depictions of native peoples that... well, they just don't fly today. We can recognize them for the racist caricatures that they are. So, Poppy didn't get any of that stuff. She's free to read it again on her own when she's older and question whether or not as a father I made the right move. But for now: it's too late. We've already finished the book.
Poppy: Are you going write EXACTLY what I say?
Dad: Maybe. We'll see. I'll try to keep it really close.
Poppy: I'm going to stand here and pay very attention.
Dad: You forgot the word "close." I think you might need to pay very attentioner.
Poppy: That's not a word. Attentioner is NOT a word. ...Dad, what are those?
*Points at the html for italics* Explanations follow... let's get into the review.*
Poppy: My favorite part in the whole entire book is... um... at the beginning when Stubbins saved the squirrel.
Dad: We read that part like... a YEAR ago.
Poppy: *deadpans* ha. ha.
Dad: Why did you laugh like that? It was like a year ago.
Poppy: It's kind of funny that we read it like a year ago, and we just finished it now.
Dad: Do you think it took us too long to read the book?
Poppy: YES!!! VERY!!! VERY!!!
Dad: I thought it was interesting that you wanted to be a naturalist.
Poppy: A naturalist sounds kind of fun, because we get to do stuff with animals. And I LIKE animals.
Dad: You sure do! I remember last year, we went to the library to check out books on how to talk to animals like Dr. Doolittle. Do you remember this? We went to the non-fiction section. And I didn't realize that you thought THIS book was non-fiction and that people could REALLY talk to animals. Do you remember this?
Poppy: I don't remember going to the library, but I remember thinking the book was real.
Dad: You were very sad at the library. Because you really wanted to talk to animals for real.
Poppy: The only animal I really know how to speak to is Professor. It just depends on his voice.
Dad: But he doesn't speak English.
Poppy: But if he sounds like he's MAD then I know he's mad.
Dad: I understand. Did you like any other parts of the book?
Poppy: Yeah. I liked when his parents, they said yes to going to the next voyage.
Dad: Would you want me to say yes to you? Would you want to go? Stubbins was gone for 4 years, I think.
Poppy: No, I wouldn't want to go. Because I would get sea-sick.
Dad: Maybe you'd get used to it.
Poppy: No. Because I saw pictures of seas in school when we were reading, and I got seasick and almost all my books were about the sea, and I didn't know about that because I just had a picture of an animal, and it was about all animals. Well... almost all.
Dad: Wait. You got seasick from a PICTURE of the sea?
Poppy: Yeah.
Dad: Yeah... it sounds like maybe this trip isn't for you. At least not right now.
Poppy: I would like to go to China.
Dad: Why's that?
Poppy: Because I've always wanted to go. They have pandas there. And I wouldn't get seasick. And it looks peaceful. Also, I've always wanted to see a panda.
Dad: We'll have to get to a zoo with one sometime.
Poppy: Good idea. ...I didn't actually know that it looks peaceful, but I saw a picture, and it looks peaceful.
Dad: Anything else about the book?
(view spoiler)[Poppy: I thought it was very cool that they got to go inside the snail's shell at the end. And I'm glad that they got home.
Dad: Should I put that in spoiler tags? So that we don't spoil the ending for anybody?
Poppy: You know, I bet if your aunt was alive, and she saw this, she would be very proud. Maybe you could tell her when you die, and I'm sad.
Dad: I'll pass it along, if that's the way things work out. (hide spoiler)]
Poppy: I really hope that if you read it, you guys like it. Well, I think that's it....more
Dad: Poppy, are you pretending to be grumpy so that you can pretend to be not grumpy?
Poppy: Yes.
Dad: I thought so. What didPoppy: Dad! I'm mad at you!
Dad: Poppy, are you pretending to be grumpy so that you can pretend to be not grumpy?
Poppy: Yes.
Dad: I thought so. What did you guys think about the book?
Eleanor: Uh, I liked it.
Poppy: I loved it.
Gwen: It was good.
Dad: Gwen, you know, I thought about you the most while I read this book.
Gwen: Oh. Um. Cool? Poppy, did you know that on Monday you're going to see me in a play?
Dad: Do you know why?
Gwen: Um... because I'm sometimes grumpy, I guess?
Dad: Not really.
Gwen: What?
Dad: That's not really the reason.
Gwen: What is it?
Dad: You often like to hide your feelings. When you are grumpy, you don't like to talk about why you're grumpy. You're not grumpy very much, but when you are, you don't like to talk about it. Do you agree?
Gwen: Um, a little bit, I guess. Yeah.
Dad: Poppy, you said loved the book?
Poppy: Yes.
Dad: Why?
Poppy: Because it was the best. Well, not the best, but it was so good. It was funny he said, "I'm NOT GRUMPY!" And he says it weird.
Dad: El, what about you?
Eleanor: I liked the book - especially when it said, "Maybe you should dance!" And dad, you checked last time we read it, and it was the porcupine that said it. And THEN it was Norman who danced with the porcupine, but ended up falling on it.
Dad: Yeah, that was a good catch by you. It's weird that you're the only one who can't see the pictures, and yet you're the only one out of all of us who caught that. -That Norman took the porcupine up on his offer.
El: *Laughing* That's funny.
Dad: Yeah. It was a good "text to text connection." I liked the book, because I sometimes get annoyed too when I'm grumpy and everybody is asking me why I'm grumpy. ...Can't I just be grumpy sometimes?...more
Poppy: 5! POPPY! *reading me typing the review* Why does it say Poppy, daddyDad: How many stars, Poppy?
Poppy: How much can it go?
Dad: 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5?
Poppy: 5! POPPY! *reading me typing the review* Why does it say Poppy, daddy? Why does it say Poppy? (Gets distracted, reads book title, starts sing a song about "just like reading a boo-ooo-ooo---ooooook transitioning to "I'm gonna miss you when you're gone...")
Dad: So, Poppy, you still like unicorns then?
Poppy: Yes, I still LOVE unicorn wings. I love unicorn wings, unicorns plain... unicorns EV-reything... ...Except for mean unicorns... but unicorns are never mean...
Dad: What did you like about the book Unicorn Wings?
Poppy: Let's see. Let me look. *Picks up book* WAIT! *throws book down* At the end, because it was happy, because it got wings again! (*looking at the computer*) Dad - there's the book. There's the picture of the book. (Starts singing "Engine, Engine Number 9)
Dad: What else do you like about the book?
Poppy: The illustrators makes the pictures look real, and I like that part. OOhhhh... I know why you typed "Poppy," because I was the one what was talking.
Dad: You read most of the book. What was the hardest word you read in there?
Poppy: Let me see. The words are all pretty hard, except for the ones what I learned. *looking* the hardest word was... ....*looking* ... ... ... this word. Dragonfly. I forgot for a second. That's why I looked.
Poppy and I went on a "Unicorn Scavenger Hunt" of the house. We did not count clothing, books, or pictures she drew, but we came up with quite a bit oPoppy and I went on a "Unicorn Scavenger Hunt" of the house. We did not count clothing, books, or pictures she drew, but we came up with quite a bit of treasure:
Here is Poppy holding 6 of her stuffed unicorns. Notice, that during the scavenger hunt, she chose to wear her unicorn pajamas... The ones she always wears. [image]
Poppy holding a unicorn story that Eleanor wrote for her. (It features a girl named Poppy.) Interestingly, this book, "Nobody Rides the Unicorn" features a girl named Zoe. In the back of the book, the dedication says, "With love to Natasha, Charlotte, Caitlin, Zoe, Arthur, and Lola - my grandchildren. A.M."
I think Eleanor had a similar idea.
[image]
Poppy holding the unicorn mug, and stuffed unicorn her Uncle James and Aunt Sheena got her for Christmas. [image]
She found the unicorn wrapping paper. [image]
Here she's got on her unicorn headband (which is apparently broken...) She's holding a unicorn card, which she got a set of, and you can see the unicorn wall hanging in the back. [image]
Here she's holding a unicorn painting by , which we got from our neighbor. [image]
And her unicorn nightlight is on every night. An easy one to find in the scavenger hunt. [image]
Which is to say, her obsession continues. It makes these books easier to pick out, and it makes these reviews more fun to write. (By the way, this is another one she found with the kind help of the librarians at the Goshen Public Library.)
Eleanor was with us when I read it as well, so she's joining in on the review.
Poppy: Dad, I want to say what the pictures are.
Dad: Well, you can. But I don't know if I'm going to put that in the review. You look through the book again and pick your very favorite picture and you can tell about that one.
Poppy: Okay... hmmmmm... hmmmm...... Okay.... *finds one* THIS picture.
Dad: Okay, tell me about it.
Poppy: Um. So, my favorite picture is... this is what it's about. The picture is a bunch of unicorns in a field, and lets count how many unicorns. 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8... There's 8 unicorns. Some are babies, and some are little kids.
Dad: What do the unicorns look like?
Poppy: They look like... they have ummm... horns. Not horns like, TWO horns. They only have one, and it's magical. And they have manes that are white, and it looks so cute. And their hair is white. And their tail is white. And every part of them is white except for the eyes and the nose and the mouth. And the grass is covering up some of the parts of them, like their feet. And there is some bushes and trees and mountains in the picture. And one of the mountains, the unicorn is on. OOHHHHHHHHH!!!! That's another unicorn!!!! NINE!!!!!! There are NINE unicorns!!!!
Dad: Sweet! Is there anything else in the picture?
Poppy: Yeah. There's a little girl, and the unicorn what was with the little kid before, she... I mean, the unicorn went to it (her) and there was a giraffe, too.
Eleanor: Those unicorns sound like Sally. (One of Poppy's many unicorns.)
Poppy: You probably don't know who Sally is. She's my stuffed animal Sally, who's a unicorn. These unicorns are like Sally, sort of... They just have different colored horns than Sally.
Eleanor: What color is Sally's horn?
Poppy: It's golden. In the picture, only two of them are golden. The rest of them are white.
Dad: So, what did you think about the story?
Eleanor: Good. My favorite part was when the unicorn thought that girl's name was, (view spoiler)[Nobody. (hide spoiler)]
Poppy: My favorite part was the one that I was telling about. That one picture.
Dad: Why was that your favorite, Poppy?
Poppy: Because there was so many unicorns, and unicorns are my favorite amnimal. I like unicorns because they are magic.
Eleanor: Oh, I never knew that about you, Poppy. I never knew that you liked them because they were magic.
Dad: I like the king. I like that the king was afraid of being poisoned. Did you know that there were kings like that? That there were kings that had other people try their food, so that if it was poisoned, their food-tasters would die, and not them?
Eleanor: Yeah. I would hate to be one of THOSE people.
Dad: How did you know that Eleanor?
Eleanor: I knew that, because they mentioned it in the Bible.
Dad: Where at?
Eleanor: In the story of Jeremiah, or Nehemiah. There was the cup-bearer who tasted the king's drinks.
Dad: (Thinking of Joseph, looks it up...) Ah. You're right. It's Nehemiah. You said you wouldn't like that job Eleanor, but at least you'd get to eat the best food... or at least, you'd get a taste of it.
El: That's true... and it probably wouldn't be poisoned, but I probably wouldn't like it that much...
Dad: It's not worth the risk?
El: I wouldn't mind doing it at our house, where I know mom's not poisoning the food... It's like... you're not allowed to try food from a stranger, right? And in this job, I'd be trying food from a stranger all the time...
If you remember from Not Quite Narwhal, Poppy is going through a unicorn phase. This phase has lasted over a year. We're still there. Some of the pictIf you remember from Not Quite Narwhal, Poppy is going through a unicorn phase. This phase has lasted over a year. We're still there. Some of the pictures in the last review were from last Christmas. And here we are: mid-November.
We went to the library today. Here's something you should know about Poppy: she is very shy. I told her we could check out a book about unicorns, but we were having trouble finding one. I told Poppy if she asked the librarian for help by herself, she could check out two books.
But Gwen ALSO found two unicorn books. So, Poppy is here telling me to tell you that, "That makes four. AAAAaaannd she loved unicorns. And if she wasn't made, then there would be not that much people that loved unicorns."
Dad: You mean there'd be one less unicorn lover if you weren't here, Poppy?
Poppy: Uh-huh. And this is a unicorn book. And I have stuffed animal unicorns. Three of them. Well, now four.
Dad: That's like one for each book we got.
Poppy: And since I have four stuffed animal unicorns... The reason I got four is because I have one I got from the... the... the... I mean from Lake Michigan. From the toy shop.
Dad: Yeah. Hey, let's talk about the book for a second.
Poppy: Well, I loved this book. There's lots of pages. Inside the pages it keeps asking, "where are the unicorns?"
Dad: What do you like about the pictures?
Poppy: I like that the pictures like real-ish. And in the book it's really, really pretty. We've never seen this book before, so it was new.
Dad: There's a word for "real-ish." Do you know know what that word is?
Poppy. Huh-uh. OH! I KNOW! Oh... I forget it. OH!!! NON-FICTION!!!!
Dad: *laughs* Yeah. Non-fiction means real. You're right. But this book isn't non-fiction, you know that, right?
Poppy: Yeah. It's not non-fiction. It is FIC-tion.
Dad: The word for "real-ish" I was thinking of was "realistic." Have you heard that word before?
Poppy: Um... No? Maybe it means real?
Dad: Well, it means they look real. Do the pictures in the book look like cartoons, or do they look more real?
Poppy: They look more real.
Dad: What was your favorite part of the book?
Poppy: The page with all the pretty stuff, like all the flowers. And it was really pretty. And there were two unicorns. (Not this page. But I like the cute baby unicorn on this page.
Dad: Yeah, that's a cute baby unicorn. How many stars should we give the book?
She's kindof been in a phase. ---How many unicorns do you have, Poppy?
Poppy: MMMMmmmmm... I think... PrDad: Poppy loves unicorns:
[image]
[image]
[image]
She's kindof been in a phase. ---How many unicorns do you have, Poppy?
Poppy: MMMMmmmmm... I think... Probably about four. ...Because my baby one is lost, and the other three is not lost.
Dad: What are their names?
Poppy: Sally, Unicornia, Lilliana, and Mia.
Dad: What about you, when you turn into a unicorn? Do you have a name?
Poppy: Also, Lilly. Not Lilliana.
Dad: So Lilly and Lilliana are two different unicorns?
Poppy: Yeeeesssssss... ...Because... Because Lilliana has an "anna" in it, and Lilly just has "Lilly." Wait, are we just talking about unicorns? I think we're just talking about unicorns.
Dad: Do you like talking about unicorns?
Poppy: Yeah. It makes me feel happy. As long as we're just talking about unicorns. Because they're my favorite amnimal in the whole entire world. The reason because I like them is because they have a horn, and the horn makes them so that THEY HAVE MAGIC!!!! So, it's just that... I just like them... They're my favorite thing, and we can still like them even if they're not real...
Dad: So you don't think they're real?
Poppy: Yeah, but I still like them and all.
Dad: Yeah. So did you like the book?
Poppy: Yes. Because it had lots of unicorns in it. So, like... we can show you. But we have to write the review by opening up the book and showing you how many unicorns there is. *Moves computer mouse off the book while saying,* "So, we have to move that thing out of the way so we can open up the book."
*While she's counting I'll take a moment to add that I only review the CUTEST kids' books. (Or ones the kids beg me to review, which happens less and less.)*
*Poppy is now counting fish, etc...*
Poppy: I forget what these unicorn-thingys are... Narwhals? I think. Fish, fish, fish... Narwhal, narwhal, and there's seaweed, and then the water...
Dad: Okay, Poppy. Hold on. How many stars should we give it?
Poppy: Maybe five.
Dad: Didn't you say 100 before?
Poppy: Yeah, but it only goes up to five. And I changed my mind.
Dad: What was your favorite part of the book?
Poppy: When he finds the unicorn part. Can I keep going? Because I'm still finishing up the book.
Dad: You mean you're reading it again while we're writing the review?
Poppy: Aren't you writing down what's in the book?
Dad: Ummm... I can't write down what's in the book, because then people won't read the book, and they won't see the pictures.
I saw this at the library and instantly picked it up, because I have a daughter named Poppy. She's five. I hadn't had the chance to read it to her yetI saw this at the library and instantly picked it up, because I have a daughter named Poppy. She's five. I hadn't had the chance to read it to her yet, but I asked her if she wanted me to read it and Liz said Poppy could read it to ME.
Which is to say Liz and Poppy read it enough times that Poppy can now read it herself.
I love the simple, vivid pictures. And I loved reading this with Poppy.
Dad: Poppy, what did you think?
Poppy: Good.
D: Why didn't you tell me you could read it to me? I was really surprised.
P: He he he he heh.
D: That's not an answer, that's a laugh.
P: *Laughs again.*
(Side note, Poppy's actually a little sad right now, as her mom and sister went out for some one-on-one time. Her sister came back with this AMAZING cat-diary. Poppy is quite jealous. There's been no shortage of tears around here. It should be noted that Poppy had her one-on-one time on Tuesday. Poppy got a toy dog that she named "Pinkie Poodle." It seems like now she's second guessing that, because the diary really looks cool.)
D: Are you sad right now?
P: A little.
D: Are you happy we read the book?
P: Mm-hmm.
D: There were a lot of pictures in this book. Did you have any that you really liked?
P: Mm-hmm. The poppies.
Eleanor: Hey dad, can I tell you what my favorite part was from when we read the book last night?
D: Yeah, but I won't put it in the review. I'm reviewing this with Poppy.
E: Ok. It was, "I'm in the hair, said the barrette. I liked that part because I always have a barrette in my hair."
D: My favorite pictures were the pictures of the poppies, of course, and the picture of the whale. I thought that looked really cool.
Dad: Hey Poppy, will you go get Gwen? She was just here.
Poppy: Yeah.
Eleanor: Are you writing the introduction.
Dad: I am. Although it's lacking. I don'Dad: Hey Poppy, will you go get Gwen? She was just here.
Poppy: Yeah.
Eleanor: Are you writing the introduction.
Dad: I am. Although it's lacking. I don't have much to say. We're just all waiting for Gwen.
INTRODUCTION
We spent too long reading this book. We started this back in like... April? And we're in August. I just didn't keep up with it. We read a bunch of one-night-books in the mean time.
I do love Beverly Cleary, though.
Dad: Poppy, tell me something that you remember about the book.
Poppy: I remember the robot part. The robot part was when his new friend said that he umm. he. um. He ummm.. He said that he had a robot.
Dad: Very nice, Poppy. Gwen, tell me something that YOU remember.
Gwen: I remember the kitty part. Henry was hiding the kitties in his shirt, and that other girl was kindof laughing, I think.
Dad: You really like our cat, don't you?
Gwen: Mm-hmm.
Dad: Have you ever hidden him in your shirt?
Gwen: No.
Dad: Why not?
Gwen: Because I don't want him to scratch me. I don't think Professor would really like it.
(Our cat, "The Ghost of Professor Albus Dumbledore" AKA "Professor" can sometimes be considered a rather scratchy cat.)
Dad: Eleanor, tell us something you remember.
Eleanor: I remember every part, but my favorite part was when Ramona was being really naughty, and taking the papers and making a fuss on the paper drive.
Dad: You're not talking about the time Henry's new friend had his paper route? You're talking about the paper drive?
Eleanor: I like it any time Ramona was causing trouble. Because there probably wouldn't be a Ramona book later if Ramona didn't cause trouble.
Dad: Gwen told me to tell you all that Professor is our cat. She wasn't sure if you would figure that out from what I wrote above. Hey Gwen, quiz question: what was the problem everyone in the book had with kittens?
Gwen: They grow up to be cats. They grow up to be cats.
Dad: Do you think that's a problem? What do they mean by that problem?
Gwen: People are saying that cats are naughty.
Dad: What do you think they're saying, El?
Eleanor: I think they mean kittens start out really, really cute and fluffy. But when they're cats, they jump out of your lap, and just nap all the time, scratch you, and they're not that cute.
(Poppy had just been gone playing with the cat. She just came in crying. I'm pretty sure that cat scratched her.)
Dad: Poppy, did the cat scratch you?
Poppy: No. I bumped my ankle on the ottoman.
Dad: Well. That doesn't prove the book's point that the problem with kittens is that they grow up to be cats. It is cute to hear Poppy say, "ottoman." ...Does anybody want to tell me their favorite part?
Poppy: MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME!!!!
Eleanor: Well, I already told you my favorite part, so....
Liz and I had quite a time deciding which was better: letting them experience it for the first time on their This rite of passage has finally arrived.
Liz and I had quite a time deciding which was better: letting them experience it for the first time on their own - reading it for themselves, or reading it out loud to them. We were selfish.
Dad (to all): So, what did you think?
Eleanor: When I was little, I used to think that Harry Potter was a grownup book. I want to give it 5 stars.
Poppy: I want give it 100 stars! No, no, no, no... 5 stars, because I'm turning 5.
Eleanor: How many stars do you want to give it, Gwen?
Gwen: Five.
Eleanor: How many stars are you going to give it, dad?
Dad: I was going to give it five stars no matter what you guys said.
Gwen: Mommy, how many stars do you want to give the book?
Liz: (Making her first? appearance in one of these reviews?): Five.
Dad: So, we all agree on five stars. So, what made the book so good?
Eleanor: It was just what happened to it? You know? Some books just turn out great no matter what you write, you know?
Gwendolyn: I liked it when Harry first became a wizard. ...That's what I liked, but it wasn't my favorite part, you know what I mean?
Dad: If that wasn't your favorite part, what was your favorite part?
G: My favorite part was when Hogwarts... No, no, no... Not Hogwarts... I mean HAGRID put a tail on Dudley.
Dad: Yeah, that was a good part.
Eleanor: Why would they name a kid Dudley, if they really liked the kid?
Dad: You think Dudley is a bad name?
Eleanor: It sort of makes sense, because he's not a nice character. But if the parents really liked their kid, why wouldn't they name him something like... Jason, or whatever. Something that seems a little tougher or something. Dudley just sounds like somebody who lays around all day and does nothing.
Dad: So, you're not going to name a kid Dudley, if you have a son?
Eleanor: Well, no. It sounds a little whimpy, you know what I mean?
Dad: I do.
Poppy: I liked about it WHEN THEY SAW THE UNICORN!!!!
*Comes right up to my face*
Poppy: I LIKED ABOUT IT THE UNICORN!!!
*(Poppy just got a unicorn costume for Christmas, and also a unicorn-making pinata kit... Admittedly, the kit was low key. A bunch of balloons, newspaper, and a ziplock bag of flour... but the point is: she's really into unicorns right now.)*
El: I didn't really like the pig's tail stuff, because I don't want the characters to change TOO much in the book. I liked it more when Harry had to do all those adventures. And when Harry had to get all those points. All those adventury parts, and wandering through the hall at night.
El: What was your favorite part, though, dad?
Dad: Hey, lets ask your mom first. Hey Liz, what was your favorite part?
Mom: Ummm... Let me think. It's a really difficult question. ...I think my favorite part was when Harry finally realized he was a wizard.
Dad: That's the consensus.
El: Alright dad, now I want you to tell me your favorite part.
Dad: I liked the line that ended the first chapter:-
El: What was the line that ended the first chapter?
Gwen: OH! I REMEMBER!!!! THE BOY WHO LIVED!!!
Dad: Let me get it. Ah. Here it is: "...He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!'"...more
That Louis Sachar is something else. In the book he introduces kids to the idea that English can be troublingly ambiguous. He shows the problems with That Louis Sachar is something else. In the book he introduces kids to the idea that English can be troublingly ambiguous. He shows the problems with assuming, and there's a fantastic dialogue sequence that takes place in between the protagonist and facial expressions of his friend/future wife.
So, what'd you guys think?
El: well I think it's a great book. I really like the part when Marvin Redpost and Casey wished no one would be sick that day.
Poppy: I like the part where they wished for cookies.
Gwen: I like the part where Marvin wished for them to get married when they grow up.
Dad: So it was a good book?
Gwen: Yep.
El: Can you add one more thing? I basically like all the parts before and after Marvin wished for Casey to be quiet.
Dad: All right, it's in there. Let's go read it. ...more
This was my FAVORITE Beverly Cleary book as a kid. I loved it. It includes how Henry found Ribsy, and a challenge at the end that has always stuck witThis was my FAVORITE Beverly Cleary book as a kid. I loved it. It includes how Henry found Ribsy, and a challenge at the end that has always stuck with me.
But as an adult, I couldn't find it. I'd confused it with the book Henry and Ribsy, which is something else altogether. So it was a really special treat to read this with my daughters. Reading it as an adult, I was surprised by how dated it was... It felt so current to a kid reading it in the 80s, who didn't understand money and prices. But it was written in 1950. And golly, that was a while ago, now. I bet it still felt current to my kids, though.
Dad: Who wants to talk to me about Henry Huggins?
Poppy: ME!!!!
Eleanor:WAIT!!! I'll be there in a minute!
(Gwen is playing with a Lego set she just got. It's her 8th birthday.)
Dad: Poppy, what did you like about it.
Poppy: (Talking to Gwen about the Legos): There. You need them to build the house... What?
Dad: What did you like about Henry Huggins?
Poppy: I liked is... He... Went to a dog show.
D: Why did you like that part?
P: Because it seems fun and I never went to a dog show.
D: El, what part did you like?
E: Um, I liked it when Henry (view spoiler)[ got to keep Ribsy. And when he put makeup on the dog.
(*Incidentally, this is the part that I remember most from the book, too... From when I read it as a kid. Henry found Ribsy, who was a stray dog. At the end of the book the dog's original owner came to pick him up after he lived with Henry for a year. Henry had grown attached to Ribsy. As a kid reading the book I felt really conflicted. I couldn't imagine losing my dog and having somebody else own him, and not be able to get him back. On the other hand, I couldn't imagine owning a dog for year, and having someone come to take him away. I felt really bad for everybody at the end of the story.) (hide spoiler)]
D: Gwen, what about you? Do you want to take a break from your Legos for a minute?
G: My favorite part was when (view spoiler)[ He got to take Ribsy home. But I felt bad for the other boy. (hide spoiler)]
D: Yeah. Me too.
*There are a lot of good morals and life lessons in this book. But even though it's from the 50s, it doesn't come across as patronizing. It's still very readable.*
The Witches was tied for my favorite Roald Dahl book as a kid. I couldn't wait to read it to my own daughters. But then, it turned out Gwennie was quiThe Witches was tied for my favorite Roald Dahl book as a kid. I couldn't wait to read it to my own daughters. But then, it turned out Gwennie was quite sensitive, so we didn't read it for a couple years. Even now, Liz (my wife), was a touch concerned that she wasn't ready for it - but she was.
We started reading this in August, but it worked out perfectly for the review, because it's October, and we just got back from a pumpkin-painting party.
We tried something different this time, too. Gwennie asked to be quizzed at the end of each chapter. As you can imagine, all the kids were soon asking for their own questions.
Dad: What'd you think of the quiz questions, El?
Eleanor: I think they were pretty good.
D: Should we do them again next time we read a book?
El: Yeah!
Dad: Poppy, Gwen, what about you guys?
Poppy: I liked the quiz questions.
Dad: I know that you liked them, Gwennie. Do you know how I know you liked them?
Gwen: Because I asked for them!
Dad: Yep! So, how many stars?
All: Five!!!!
Poppy: I mean SEVEN!!!!!!!!
Dad thinking:... Every time...
Dad: So, favorite parts?
*Mild spoilers from here on out. You've been warned. *
.
.
El: I liked it when he turned into a mouse.
Poppy: My favorite part was when Bruno ate a banana.
Dad: That's an interesting part. Why is that your favorite part?
Poppy: Because I like bananas, and because bananas are healthy for us.
Dad: Gwennie what about you?
Gwen: I liked it when Grandmamma told the boy about the witches. What was his name?
El: I don't think they mentioned his name in the whole story.
Dad: I think you're right.
El: What was your favorite part dad?
Dad: That's a good question. What IS my favorite part? I liked it when they were describing the witches. I also liked it when the boy was hiding from the witches and he saw them for the first time.
Dad: Gwennie, do you think the story was too scary for you?
Gwennie: Nah.
Dad: Do you recommend it to anybody?
All: Yes.
Gwen: Oui! *She's been studying French.*
El: The book gave me a good kind of scare.
Dad: Have any of you had a good kind of scare before?
Gwen ( jumping on Eleanor's trampoline and singing): Yes, Yes, yes, yes yes yes.
El: I can't remember at this exact moment. But I don't think so.
Dad: Gwen, when did you?
Gwen: Um... At school.
El: When at school?
Gwen: I forget what day, but I know that it was 2016.... ...
Dad:... Well what happened?
Gwen: Well, at school there was, um, people told me about clowns. Then I got afraid. And then we went home, and I told mom. It really scared me and I was scared a lot, when I went to the bathroom the doors were shut and I was scared that a clown was hiding and he was going to come out and scare me and I was really really really scared.
Dad: But is that a good kind of scared?
Gwen: No. That's scared in a bad way.
Dad: But Eleanor said that this book made her feel scared in a good way. Has that ever happened to you Gwen? Where you're happy about being scared?
Gwen: Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah! I remember. I'm picturing it in my head. It was when professor was about to attack me and and I was really scared but I was also kind of laughing too.
Dad: Professor is our cat, in case you were wondering. Poppy, was the book too scary for you?
Poppy: Uh-huh! ...I mean, no. (Which she said in a scared voice.)
Dad: Okay Poppy, what do you remember about the book Marvin Redpost Class President?
Poppy: I remembeDad: Who should I talk to first?
Poppy: Me! Me! Me!
Dad: Okay Poppy, what do you remember about the book Marvin Redpost Class President?
Poppy: I remember when the principal came. ...I mean, I remember when the President came.
Dad: What happened?
P: Ummmm... He... Had ummm... He...
D: Do you want to ask one of the other girls?
P: Uh-huh.
Eleanor, jumping in: It made it so that Marvin Redpost was on TV.
P: It made it so that the President came on TV.
D: El, what do you remember about the book?
El: I remember - this was my favorite part of the book, and my least favorite at the same time - I hated it when they did NOT *grits her teeth in the telling* listen to Marvin when he was trying to tell them that he was on TV. ...I hated that part.
D: So why was it also your favorite part?
El: It was my favorite part because they found out that he was on TV, and I was really excited when they watched Marvin on TV.
Poppy (looking at an older picture of me): Daddy! Look! That's you when you had a necklace on you!
D: What about you, Gwen? What do you remember? Or what did you like?
Gwennie: (In a bored voice): I liked it when he was on TV.
Gwen: Because his sister said, "LOOK! THAT'S MARVIN! MARVIN IS ON TV!!!"
El: I thought that was cute, too!
Pop: I thought that was cute, booty. I thought that was cute 3. I thought that was cute number everything!
El: Cute number everything? ...Hey dad?
D: Yeah?
El: When they said that Marvin forgot shoes, I thought they meant he forgot to wear shoes - not that he forgot to buy shoes. ...But that would have been weird.
Dad: Anything else, anybody?
El: Yes! I recommend it to people! Wildly! And I want to give the book 5 stars!
Poppy: Me too.
Gwen: (Still seeming bored): Me too.
Dad: Gwennie, you seem really bored for the review today. You don't have to be here if you don't want to be. Are you ok?
Gwennie: (Kindof humming a pretty song while sucking her thumb): I'm just tired.
El: Dad? What was your favorite part?
Dad: I think, that being a teacher I liked the part about the holes. I could relate to that. (In the book, it was "Spirit Week" at school, and it was "hole day," so students and staff were supposed to wear clothes with holes in them. Of course the teacher, Mrs. North, wore clothes with tons of holes. ...And then found out The President was visiting. You'd think we'd get these memos ahead of time.
...Of course, when The President visited my school, I did get the memo ahead of time, so I shouldn't complain.
Here's the first time he visited the school district where I teach - back in 2008. (I've got my hands clasped in front of me. (view spoiler)[
[image]
(hide spoiler)]
Here's the second time he visited the school district where I teach - 2016. I'm a little embarrassed that it's a selfie, but not so embarrassed that I'm not sharing it... (view spoiler)[:[image] (hide spoiler)]...more
Loading...
