Tuesday

It's Tuesday again and time for sharing stories.  Halloween is around the bend and so Halloween was the topic for the most part.

 This one was new to me and I liked it enough to buy it.  Yes, I really do still buy picture books. Grouch, Grump and little Gloom and Doom thought they were the worst monsters and constantly fought about that.  One day they decide to make the biggest, baddest monster of them all and with a little help of some thunder and lightning, they do.  But this monster's monster was hardly what they had in mind.

 Adelaide asked me to bring this one today. I can't even count how many times I've read this story.  The copy we had at school before I retired was practically worn out so I had to buy my own. The artwork is brilliant and everytime you'll find something you missed.  Our old man is a ghost who expects a perfect pumpkin pie and keeps coming back, grumpier every time, until he gets it.

 You must remember this cautionary poem. I explained that when something is good it never goes out of style or becomes irrelevant. Publishers don't keep printing books that don't sell.  If this tale has been around this long, it must be good.  It was first published in 1826 and so for 180-some years has warned children that flattery will get you nowhere.  Today we call it Stranger Danger. 

I asked "How do you wake up in the morning?  Alarm clock?  Mom or dad?"  This is the true story of Mary Smith, a "knocker-up" from England in the 1920's. It tells of people who were employed to wake people up.  Mary's technique was a pea shooter aimed for a window.  And then of course, I had to demonstrate how much farther a pea can travel if you use the straw instead of just spitting it out of your mouth.  I wasn't sure if teacher would appreciate my showing kids how to use a pea shooter (or spit ball shooter) and I'm quite sure moms and dads might be calling teacher, but the kids sure were impressed with how far a lil' ol' pea can go.  I also explained to them about dried peas and such.  Luckily we had the dried apple doll from last week still in their memory banks.