More Books

 This week's books were about the littles.  Many years ago I saw a quote that said, "If you think you are too small to be effective you've never been in bed with a mosquito" and I've used that quote for years with the kids I've read to.  Jut because you're little doesn't mean you're not important. And in the political climate we are living in I am, sadly, not heeding my own advice. Exhaustion has taken over.

But no one feels more insignificant than a 6 year old so I brought these books to remind them how important little can be.

The King of Little Things understood the importance of little things and was kind and generous to all of his little subjects.  Things like buttons and nails and snails and cups and pencils all have important jobs.  Little things.  His subjects loved him and were loyal to him.  But King Normous wanted all of it.  Everything.  All the kingdoms and all subjects loyal to just him (sound familiar?)  He vanquishes all the lands and peoples and believes he has it all until one of his nervous servants tells him about the King of Little Things.  So King Normous captures and imprisons him.  But the little things love their king and won't cooperate with King Normous.  The keys won't lock, the nails won't hold the dungeon door, the ants and bees come in to feed him, etc.  King Normous loses his buttons and his pants fall down.  Admitting defeat to the importance of little things he gives up.  Next time you use a paper clip think about the big job that little thing does.

Millie and her mother move to Garden Glen where every house and yard is the same.  Same lawn, same curtains in the windows, same roses, same same same. Millie, though, is eager to replant her old garden and make their new home feel like old home.  Well, her garden is filled with peculiar plants with very strange names and habits.  She is immediately dealt with by the Homeowners Association telling her this is not acceptable.  But Millie has a plan.  She invites her class to her garden and they come! And she gives cuttings and snips and soon, Garden Glen is interesting.  Just a small thing a little can do.

 None of the plants in Millie's garden are actually poisonous but have interesting names and faces and it's good storytelling.  Inspiration for the book came from the Poison Garden at Alnwick Garden, England where in 1997 one hundred varieties of poisonous plants were introduced. 

Our weather has turned, we are officially in spring. I went to the garden center today and bought my ten geranium baskets and some other things. I get planted hanging baskets and take them out, put them in my porch pots for instant size and color.  I was happy to fill the car with some sunshine.