Children's Books discussion

In November, the Picture Book Club will discuss Inventors. Here are the titles we'll read:

Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin

Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor

Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum

Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo Da Vinci

Iggy Peck, Architect

Sixth/Alternate Title (for older picture book crowd; a 40 pages text-heavy picture book)
George Washington Carver

Oh, good! Even though we had trouble finding titles, it's encouraging to know you could get all of the ones we officially selected :-)

I am able to get all of these except "Neo Leo" (boo-hoo as I was excited about that one) but five out of six is not bad! :-)

I've been able to get four of the books, and I might try to get Iggy Peck, Architect and George Washington Carver through ILL (I don't know if I can, they are in the process of moving the ILL department to a more central location). Looking forward to reading the other books, especially Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor.

Gundula wrote: "Looking forward to reading the other books, especially Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor."

That's one that I have read before; it's wonderful! I think you'll enjoy it :-)

Kathryn wrote: "Gundula wrote: "Looking forward to reading the other books, especially Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor."

That's one that I have read before; it's wonderful! I think you..."

It's been on my to-read shelf for a while ...

It looks like I'll be able to get all of these, either here in town or ILL. Looks like a nice diverse & lively bunch o' books, too. :)

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "It looks like I'll be able to get all of these, either here in town or ILL. Looks like a nice diverse & lively bunch o' books, too. :)"

Yay! I think so, too :-)

I've read three of the books already and enjoyed them all.

Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor
I had never heard of Margaret Knight before, although I am very familiar with the results of her most famous invention as they are still used on a daily basis all over the country: flat bottomed paper bags. Yup, the kind used at grocery stores every day! Perhaps not the most exciting invention, but a very useful one (just think how annoying it was when all those paper bags wouldn't stand up on their own!) and one that yielded big profits.
I very much enjoyed "Mattie's" story. I especially loved the early part of the book detailing a childhood in which Mattie explored her mind's full potential, inventing first kites and sleds that were the envy of all her brother's friends. While the story itself is complete enough for this age range (and the illustrations are wonderful; I loved all of "Mattie's" sketches in the borders!) do wish the Author's Note had been a bit more thorough. For example, it mentions that Margaret went on to make 90 other inventions. I'd like to know what some of those were. Still, I think this is a fine introduction to a woman that certainly deserves to be introduced to young people today. This would make an especially good book to share during Women's History Month. It's also great in that it shows children that they can do important things while they are young--they don't have to be all grown up to start making contributions to the world and having people value their creations.

Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum
What fun! After loving McCarthy's "Astronaut Handbook" I was delighted to discover her latest book featuring that most delightful of creations, bubble gum. The story itself was maybe four stars of me, but I really fell in love with the Author's Note, which is full of charming, humorous and fascinating tidbits about bubble gum and related insights into culture and history. I'm also fascinated with the 1920s, so this held extra interest for me. I think it's a good combination of a simple enough "story" for younger kids to follow, but has a strong Author's Note to give them (or older readers) more information if interested.

Iggy Peck, Architect This is like a more cheerful version of Harry Chapin's "Flowers are Red" song, about the dangers of always doing just and only what is taught in school without exploring and being creative on ones own! This is actually one of my favorite picture books. Iggy Peck is a born architect--and is one of those lucky few who knows absolutely what he wants to do with his life and decides to do it in every way he can--starting by using his diapers to build a skyscraper! His parents encourage his creativity and talent, but when Iggy gets to second grade his teacher puts a damper on both. Because SHE does not like tall buildings (she had an unfortunate experience as a child!) no one else should, either. And certainly they should NOT build them, or even talk about them, in the classroom. But when a bridge breaks during a school field trip, stranding Iggy's class on an island, the teacher faints away in fear and it is up to Iggy's talent and ingenuity--with a little help from his classmates--to save them. Kids will most likely enjoy the funny illustrations and amusing construction materials Iggy uses, as well as his heroism in the face of incompetent adults. Parents and teachers will find a cautionary tale and be reminded of just how easy it is for us to foist our own phobias and rules onto the innocent blossoming of childhood.

quick question - is Iggy Peck non-fiction?

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "quick question - is Iggy Peck non-fiction?"

No, it is fiction. It was chosen as one of the fanciful portrayals of "invention."

tx
I'm pretty sure I have all the books - I hope to read them this week but hubby is on vacation so he might want to do some geocaching or something.

We enjoyed Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum, but what we really liked best aout this book was the photo on the last page at Pikes market. I won't spoil this one it is really funny.

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "tx
I'm pretty sure I have all the books - I hope to read them this week but hubby is on vacation so he might want to do some geocaching or something."

Oh, yes, hope you can do something fun! The discussion will be waiting when you are done :-)

George Washington Carver was just wonderful! I knew some of Carver's contributions (most notably to agriculture, and his work with "goober peas"/peanuts) from another picture book biography I read as a child (which, unfortunately, I cannot find!) but I really didn't appreciate the scope of his work, how wonderfully progressive he was for the time regarding looking at agriculture as part of the whole ecosystem, etc. I found his biography utterly inspiring! (And, I think, many of his ideas would be very useful today.) Carver is one of those historical figures whom I wish I could meet, and I'd give him a big hug! I think the book did a great job of covering many facets of his life. While it wasn't quite a five star book for me (a few times I felt the author intruded unnecessarily with her personal perspective), it is very close. The photographs of Carver and other memorabilia from Carver's life are just wonderful, too and I appreciate the extensive bibliography.

Interestingly, I looked up "George Washington Carver Museum" on Google and found this:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/carver/his...
which is not the museum he founded in Tuskegee, AL but I think it's cool there is a museum in Austin, Texas (Chandra!!!) dedicated to him.

For more on the museum he founded, see here:
http://www.nps.gov/tuin/index.htm

I too gave up on the mirror writing in Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo Da Vinci. And I wonder about him being depicted as a white-haired sage on every page - did he not do any science or design when younger? Still, I'm glad you-all prompted me to read it. Great book for the budding tinkerer, inventor, scientist, or contraption builder!

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "I too gave up on the mirror writing in Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo Da Vinci. And I wonder about him being depicted as a white-haired sage on every page - did he not do an..."

Not only is the mirror writing too small, it is also too much like the background colour, brown on brown (and I have trouble reading handwritten script even if it's not backwards). And I was not about to try to find my magnifying glass ...

Yes, I complained about that in my review, too. I know many who read picture books have young strong eyes, but not all!

I liked, but didn't love, Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin. You're right, there should have been a bibliography & author's note. I liked that it felt like a fun story, rather than an educational book. So many children just don't like non-fiction, or realize they could - and this would be a nice transition.

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Yes, I complained about that in my review, too. I know many who read picture books have young strong eyes, but not all!

I liked, but didn't love, [book:Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjam..."

Even someone with strong eyes might have trouble reading handwritten scripts, and when it's backwards, it's even more difficult.

I loved Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum. For some reason I always thought it was serendipitous, but this easy picture-book makes it plain that hard work & persistence were key. Love the thorough notes at the end, too.

We just finished "Iggy Peck, Architect". We liked it and my son thought it was funny that the teacher was found eating cheese with circus people.
I bought it because my son's teacher this year is so negative and she is the type of person who is always saying NO!

Anyway, though, my biggest problem with the book is that it is not very realistic. In real life, Iggy would be places in a gifted class. Something like designing architecture is recognized as valuable for society, so likely he would be the teacher's darling. If he were designing monsters with blood, THAT would be far more realistic of a kid and a teacher whose ideas of what is "good" don't mesh. But monsters with blood would not make a great kids' book! (Not necessarily only monsters with blood, but a boy who likes to design girl's fashion, or a girl who wants to play football, etc.)

I totally agree, Kirei. I was underwhelmed by Iggy Peck, Architect and not sure why, until I read what you said. Also, is the story about Iggy, or is it about his teacher, ultimately? Also, the pictures weren't to my taste - except for the details on all the classmates. But if children like the book, that's what counts!

I am saddened that people do not like Iggy Peck, Architect. Since I am one of the people that listed the book for this month. I agree with Cheryl that kids really like this book and that is so important. I also think that of all the books we read, what makes me not like a book is when I can predict the end and when we have read 1,000 books just like it. Iggy was not like that at all. Sometimes I feel like authors create the same book by looking at other picture books and just make a little twist to change the story a little.
Iggy Peck, Architect, was so unreal, but showed a bright kid who really invented something great to help out his class. I will be buying this book for my son. Who really could care less about the artwork and I know he can't tell that it is not realistic. I hope that the others who listed this book will defend it also.

Leslie wrote: "I am saddened that people do not like Iggy Peck, Architect. Since I am one of the people that listed the book for this month. I agree with Cheryl that kids really like this book and that is so impo..."

Leslie, "Iggy Peck" is one of my favorite books! I absolutely loved it. So, don't worry about recommending it. I am glad you did. While I can certainly see some of the points raised here by others (the writing is a bit clunky at times, and perhaps in real life Iggy would have been placed in a gifted program or something), I just really loved the illustrations, the style, the theme. I looked at it almost as being a "tall tale" and thus the over-exaggeration really fit. It "worked" for me. So, you are not alone :-)

I was actually surprised that some of the members here didn't love it (since it is a very well reviewed book on GoodReads and Amazon, both) but I think that is what makes books so interesting, we all bring our own experiences to them. Obviously, Iggy resonated with you and me, but not with others so much.

I actually didn't think the teacher was the "bad guy" here, but I think it serves as a great cautionary tale to anyone who is in a position to teach kids because so often our own biases can influence how we teach and what we share or how we allow them to be creative. I thought that the teacher was actually rather a sympathetic character in that we understand why she has a fear of tall buildings, and ultimately she realizes that she shouldn't have let her fears cramp Iggy's enthusiasm.

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "I loved Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum. For some reason I always thought it was serendipitous, but this easy picture-book makes it plain that hard work & persistence were key. L..."

Yes, I, too, loved that aspect of the story. I think it's a very "fun" subject and one that kids will really enjoy, and it shows that inventions don't have to be something life-changing to be appreciated and that even fun inventions require a great deal of effort to create.

I liked "Iggy Peck" and ds did, too. I wouldn't have bought it if I hadn't thought I would like it! LOL I gave it four stars ("Really Like") and I am happy to add it to our home library.

I was just making the criticism that in real life Iggy's talents would probably be embraced. But I think a kid who reads "Iggy Peck" can mentally substitute their passion in place of designing buildings.

I am glad you chose "Iggy Peck" and introduced me to it. It is an awesome book. That is why I like this book club. Because we are in Japan, I can not read most of the books in this club but occasionally I will see a book up for nomination that I REALLY want and will buy it.

Kirei wrote: "I liked "Iggy Peck" and ds did, too. I wouldn't have bought it if I hadn't thought I would like it! LOL I gave it four stars ("Really Like") and I am happy to add it to our home library."

Oh, I'm so glad! :-)

I agree with you, and that's a great point, it does seem a bit far-fetched that Iggy's talents would be so under-appreciated (I guess why I thought of this more as a tall-tale). And, as Abigail said, he shouldn't have been disrupting the class with his building. At the same time, I think the teacher was very clear that there would be NO talk of architecture, ever, in class ("We do not talk of buildings in here.") and that it was this utter lack of opportunity to follow his passion or to apply other subjects to his architecture that really depressed him ("With no chance to build, his interest was killed. Now second grade was a bore.") So sad! Think what you could do relating math, history, even some art and literature, to architecture! I think learning is most beneficial when kids can relate it to something meaningful in their lives. So, that's why I loved the ending when Iggy got to share his passion and knowledge with the other students, and he inspired everyone :-)

I learned so much about not only George Washington Carver but the history of his time and place. I'm especially grateful to this group as this is yet another book I'd not have found if not for you-all. I do have one discussable comment (copied from my review):

I did have a bit of trouble figuring out his legacy. On one hand, many of the dozens of specific recipes, techniques, and creations never did catch on. On the other hand, the sweet potatoes and black-eyed peas that we think of as traditional southern food were in fact introduced as healthy choices to the malnourished sharecroppers of the south.

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "I did have a bit of trouble figuring out his legacy. On one hand, many of the dozens of specific recipes, techniques, and creations never did catch on. On the other hand, the sweet potatoes and black-eyed peas that we think of as traditional southern food were in fact introduced as healthy choices to the malnourished sharecroppers of the south."

Yes, I, too, felt a little confused about that, Cheryl. I think that, going into it, I was expecting more with some lasting "invention" (given our theme) but it seemed more like he promoted/"invented" ideas rather than something tangible like bubble gum. Then, I think he invented a few things, though, like some of the soy-based products, right? I think it mentioned something about cosmetics and other products and I think he is the one who invented those but, as you say, they just didn't really catch on or last over the years. Yet, I think he was really a wonderful visionary for his time, and I think his message of interconnection and sustainable practices is one that is so relevant today, too.

I'm finally coming into this discussion after having read three of the titles: Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum and easily my favorite of the set (and one of my favorite picture books recently!)Iggy Peck, Architect!! I absolutely adored this book, found it charming, cute, entertaining and inspiring! :)

Now off to read the discussions :)

It's been a while since I read "Iggy Peck" and I really want to read it again! :D But, for the time being, here's my addition to the discussion,

Reasons why I loved it:

It's fun and whimsical and a nice addition to the "inventions" bookshelf that some children might find more bland and dull if they aren't already intrigued by the subject. Hopefully "Iggy" will spark the love of invention/architecture in some young children who might not have found it otherwise.

I know that teachers can be the spotlight (for better or worse) of many children's books, but I think it's because they are in so many children's lives for so much of the day. If books are going to have some realism for kids to connect with, then teachers are going to be a popular topic. I think the message here was more about nurturing a passion and using that passion as an avenue to teach. Had the teacher taken Iggy's love of building and nurtured it (instead of squelching it)... used it to help him learn math or drawing, then that would have been an awesome teaching moment.

I've run into so many parents over the years that complain/worry that their child just "plays with legos all day long" (or whatnot). My mom would always ask these parents: "If you knew your kid was going to grow up to be the next great architect, would you still worry?" and typically the parent's response was. "Well, of course not." I think that's another reason I liked "Iggy Peck" - because Iggy WAS being inventive and creative and he stuck with it, even though no one else would bother to see it.

Regarding "Marvelous Mattie" - did anyone notice if the drawings on the bottom of the pages were actually Mattie's drawings? I know one of the illustrations was noted as being her own art, but I didn't know if all of them were or not...

Ann wrote: "Regarding "Marvelous Mattie" - did anyone notice if the drawings on the bottom of the pages were actually Mattie's drawings? I know one of the illustrations was noted as being her own art, but I d..."

Oh, good question! I don't remember. Anyone else, maybe someone who still has the book???

Ann wrote: " Hopefully "Iggy" will spark the love of invention/architecture in some young children who might not have found it otherwise.

[...] Had the teacher taken Iggy's love of building and nurtured it (instead of squelching it)... used it to help him learn math or drawing, then that would have been an awesome teaching moment."

I noticed that several reviewers on Amazon said their children became very excited about architecture after reading this book ;-)

And, yes, I felt much the same. If only the teacher had nurtured Iggy's interest a little bit, or allowed him *some* opportunity to follow his passion in class, it could have been a wonderful teaching opportunity vs. making him feel squashed.

Kathryn wrote: "I noticed that several reviewers on Amazon said their children became very excited about architecture after reading this book ;-)"

Oh really!? How cool!!!! :-D

I think Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor could inspire children, too. The author's note mentions that the details of the shuttle/ loom improvement are a mystery, so, the drawings for it must not exist. I imagine the drawings are recreations of what she was likely to have created. Excellent book.

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "I think Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor could inspire children, too. The author's note mentions that the details of the shuttle/ loom improvement are a my..."

That's a really good point about the drawings for the shuttle/loom! Thanks, Cheryl!!! :)

And yes, I think the book could provide great inspiration, too. I really love Mattie's trait of finding a need and fixing it. I think that's such a good "message" for kids :)

Last night I watched a 2004 HBO film that I thought I should mention in this thread. The film is not for children, but I really appreciated it given our focus here on inventors.
The film is called "Something the Lord Made" (though not a film about religion). It stars Alan Rickman (who I love!) and Mos Def as medical researchers in the 1930s.
It struck me as I was watching the film just how close researchers like them are to inventors.
Anyway, it's a very interesting film (I thought) and touched on a lot of thoughtful subjects. Here's the link to the description:

http://www.amazon.com/Something-Lord-...

Well, I'm a little slow this month...I've had 5 of the books for 2 weeks now and have only just read 2 of them.

I was really curious what my reaction to Iggy Peck, Architect would be based on comments by others. I have mixed feelings. Of course, I think Miss Lila Greer could have handled things differently, but I didn't think overall she was portrayed too negatively. First, because she had had such a scare as a young child getting lost...so part of her response was out of fear. Second, because he really should have been listening and not building in the middle of class. Third, because she changes through the course of the book... and that's something I believe in as a teacher and a human being. I have made mistakes as a teacher (and as a parent) and I'm constantly changing...that is part of being a good teacher, in my opinion. So the fact that Miss Greer changed really helped me feel better about her portrayal.

Of course, I do think it is good to encourage children's passions and I hope that as a teacher I am able to do that. But in reality, in many schools, in this test-driven US society, that is frankly, not possible. I have a large number of things that I have to teach and to some degree even am told HOW to teach those concepts. Each state has a "core" or state standards (and now most of the nation is adopting "Common Core Standards") and if a concept is not on the core, then I am not supposed to teach it. Now, I certainly wouldn't forbid it being discussed and I personally would try to find ways to connect it to what I do teach, if possible. At the very least, I might try to find books on that subject for the child to read. But it isn't possible to actually tie in every child's interests/passions into what I'm teaching. So I guess I end up somewhere in the middle of the discussion. I think the fact that my own children really enjoyed it and liked the rhyming nature of the book and that I liked the ending probably helped temper my reaction to the way the teacher was portrayed (although my 8 year old did say 1/2 way through the book..."Wow, that teacher is mean? She could teach about building during science..."). I also really liked the illustrations.

We also read Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum. I didn't love the illustrations, but I thought the book was great. I appreciated (as did many of you) that it showed that inventing bubble gum took a lot of trial and error, a lot of determination and willingness to keep trying and experimenting. I really appreciated the end notes...I learned several new things and my kids were amazed that during World War II, kids would save their gum in water to continue chewing the next day. Walter Diemer seemed like a pretty interesting guy. I appreciated that he didn't get rich from his invention...but he didn't mind. "I've done something with my life," he said, "I've made kids happy around the world." What a great message to hear (especially with all the people these days who think life is all about getting rich, often at the expense of others.) And interesting that he got remarried at 91...and lived to be 93.

I'll get to the others soon!

Jenny wrote: "I was really curious what my reaction to Iggy Peck, Architect would ..."

I'm glad I'm not the only one still working through the books, Jenny! I've got the "Carver" book open on my table still ;)

I really liked what you said about "Iggy Peck" and Miss Lila Greer. By the end I did feel more sympathy for her and I agree that the fact she changed was really important. By the end it was almost like she wasn't really "the villain" anymore, or even we realize that she hadn't been from the beginning. Of course, it's been a little while since I read it, so this is going off memory...

I think like you said, it's impossible in a public school setting to teach to every child's interest all the time. Perhaps that's why the author chose to have Greer go so far to the opposite, that they never could talk about building ever - that took away the reality to make us sympathize with Iggy even more...? Maybe?

I'm glad you children liked it, too :D


I loved Walter's message, too, in "POP." I hadn't thought about it, but it's a good thing for kids to hear about people that don't have the traditional "happy ending" but was still "happy" anyway :) Cool! I'm glad you brought that up! :D

Jenny wrote: "Well, I'm a little slow this month...I've had 5 of the books for 2 weeks now and have only just read 2 of them.

I was really curious what my reaction to Iggy Peck, Architect would ..."

Jenny, I loved what you said about Miss Greer and I saw her as you did, as an evolving and (ultimately) sympathetic character. As you said, we are (hopefully!) always learning and growing into better and better individuals, and she is a wonderful example of that. You sound like a wonderful teacher yourself. I know from my many teacher friends that it is not easy out there right now, especially in public school classrooms, and I so admire all the work that you guys do to keep kids engaged and inspired while at the same time trying to meet so many state standards and testing goals.

Ann wrote: "Last night I watched a 2004 HBO film that I thought I should mention in this thread. The film is not for children, but I really appreciated it given our focus here on inventors.
The film is called..."

Sounds like an amazing story. I will have to check that out. Thanks, Ann!

Thank you for your kind words. I hope that I am a good teacher...I think I am. It is a difficult job, particularly with the current political climate... adn I worry about the profession in the future...and more especially about the future of our children.

Abigail, you're absolutely right that children need to have limits, and to be told 'no' sometimes. I never thought about it clearly before, but you're also right that they are all too often either indulged in books (Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity) or else they suffer because someone said 'no.'

So many great points! I agree with so much of what you said Abigail (even though my overall reaction was different than yours) and love the discussion that we're having. :)

I read Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor to my children tonight. I also really enjoyed it. It was impressive that she began inventing at such a young age. I also liked that the hard parts of her life were not glossed over...I can't imagine going to work at age 12 (which I know was common in the past...or even younger...but how dreadful!) and when I talked to my kids about how long they worked...13 hours... they were shocked. Great book.

Jenny wrote: "I read Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor to my children tonight. I also really enjoyed it. It was impressive that she began inventing at such a young age. I also liked that the hard parts of her life were not glossed over... "

Yes, I'm so happy we read this one. When we were nominating books, I searched hard to find some featuring child inventors but it was a difficult challenge! I'm glad this one features young Mattie inventing things. It's just wonderful! And, yes, it is important for children to see the hardships in her life, too.

Speaking of the child labor, here's an interesting speech given by Florence Kelley in 1905; she addressed child labor but also "votes for women", suggesting that if women had the vote, the inhumane child labor conditions would improve:
http://www.thelizlibrary.org/undelete...

I have just recently cataloged Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum into my school library. I liked it--thought it was cute and engaging. Great cover. If my memory serves me right I also remember wishing it had just a teeny bit more factual info.

I've finally read George Washington Carver!

I really didn't know much about him going into reading the book, so had a little bit more trouble following the timeline, etc. from the beginning and picking out where exactly it was all going. That said, I found Carver to be a very fascinating and inspiring person! I loved his dedication and his ingenuity! :)

I agree with Cheryl that I, too, was confused by what of Carver's inventions/research actually worked and which didn't. It seemed like he tested a of theories and I was curious to know which ones he abandoned and which ones were later proved to be inaccurate - and which ones DID work and which ones went on to inventing/discovering further things. Perhaps I'll need another book on Carver for that... but, in the meantime, this book has definitely sparked my interest! :)

I like what Kathryn said, that he was more an inventor/promoter of ideas - I think that's a great way to say it! :D

Ann wrote: "I agree with Cheryl that I, too, was confused by what of Carver's inventions/research actually worked and which didn't. It seemed like he tested a of theories and I was curious to know which ones he abandoned and which ones were later proved to be inaccurate - and which ones DID work and which ones went on to inventing/discovering further things. Perhaps I'll need another book on Carver for that... but, in the meantime, this book has definitely sparked my interest! :)

I like what Kathryn said, that he was more an inventor/promoter of ideas - I think that's a great way to say it! :D "

Thanks! :-)

And, yes, I, too, would be interested in learning more about Carver. If any of you have a good suggestion for further reading, let us know.

Abigail wrote: "Ann wrote: "I'm glad I'm not the only one still working through the books, Jenny! I've got the "Carver" book open on my table still ;)..."

Definitely not the only one, Ann - I just finished my las..."

I'm got the list late and am still waiting for the books. However, I have also wondered about the belief that you shouldn't put any limits on children, even for their safety.

When I first started as a Librarian, I told a little boy that there was no running inside. The parent came over and said, "We don't use that word with our child." I was a bit confused and asked, "What word?" I was told not to use the word "no" with her child. I then told her that the rule for the library was no running and she could explain it to her child however she wanted, and that we had had to call an ambulance the previous day for a child that was running and gotten hurt. Do these parents want spoiled children?

I am waiting impatiently for the book to see how it strikes me.