Culture No. 7, Part 3

(You can read the first part of this post here and the second part here.)

I have an overdeveloped sense of appreciation for vintage children’s lit. But I’m not talking about Dick and Jane. I’m talking about the quirky stuff. In fact, the quirkier, the better.

For example:

Apparently, Nora thinks otherwise...?

When I first came across this book on this blog, I instantly knew I had to have it. Because really, what kid’s book today communicates great gems like:

“If you want to keep on living you need FOOD and if you like food, you should be glad to be an American, because we are the best-fed people in the world.”

or,

“Any boy or girl your age who makes family meals a time of quarrels and arguments over food doesn’t deserve to live in our country.”

My favorite chapter in the book is the one on Liberty, which enumerates the dangers of Communism and informs the young reader they aren’t “old enough or smart enough” to know anything, which – if you think about it – is true. The Berlin Wall fell when I was in Kindergarten and I had no clue why that was important, even after Russians started living in my basement. (Mama and Papa V. took in a refugee family for a few months after the Soviet Union dissolved.) Regardless, you can bet on one thing: any future Carlton children will not be coddled when it comes to bedtime stories and civics lessons.

So how does this all relate to Mama V. and Co.'s NEPA invasion? Because on Friday morning - after I made a breakfast quiche and received the awesome news from my surgeon - we went a-tag-sale-ing. And I came home with this literary haul:

The Richard Scarry anthology was for my Busytown-loving husband - sometimes, if you listen real closely, you can hear him humming the theme song - but the other two I just couldn't leave behind. Mog bears such an uncanny resemblance to Worf, my childhood/parents' cat, and any story about a bird's funeral is an instant classic. What child wouldn't want to read that before bedtime? Honestly...

We didn't find much else at the tag sales, but it's still early in the season. I have high hopes for future weekends.

After our morning outing, we met Bert at Panera for one last huzzah. It was good to see some of my family so soon again after Easter and we'll get to see more of them Memorial Day weekend at my cousins' graduation party. Woohoo! Triple Whammy!

This week, my dad and some family friends are visiting. Next week, it's the Bestie and her bf. Bring it on! The Carlton B&B is open for business!