Swish – Glen’s long jumper fell through, hitting nothing but net. “Hah, make that,” he taunted. “Miss and you get an e.” Nearly two years younger than I, my cousin was a much better athlete. Be it baseball, football, or basketball, he ran circles around me. Today we were playing horse at Grandmother’s house. Lining up my shot, I tried to ignore his happy taunts. Luckily, for me, the game was called. Grandmother stood in the door calling us…..
The whine of planes interrupted Fritz’s ghost story. In the distance, they heard the air raid sirens, followed by the thunder of bombs. “Quick, into the basement,” Olivia cried. She gathered the terrified children and headed to the cellar. The servants ran screaming into the woods. In the basement, Fritz pushed aside the secret panel, and they tumbled into the hidden office. – Olivia’s Story: Protector of the Realm World War II – the world at war, millions locked in…..
“Bugga, can I pick a movie?” four-year-old Caroline sweetly coos. “No! It’s my turn,” argues Dane, her six-year-old big brother. Honestly, I do not remember whose turn it is, so I try a compromise. “Let’s see if we can find one that you both like.” As soon as I utter the words, I know it’s hopeless. We’ve been down this path before and rarely find agreement. Dane wants fighting, dinosaurs, and monsters. Caroline tends more toward princesses and fairies. The…..
Grandmother reaches around, helping each grandchild scurry into the bed, in her lap lies a small orange book. Once sure everyone has settled, she smiles and slowly opens the book and begins to sing. “No, no, baby elephant, No, no, you can’t go. No, no, you’re too little wait until you grow.” – Inez Hogan, About Nono, The Baby Elephant, (Read to Me) Hardcover, E.P. Dutton & Company, Inc. (1947) Then she begins to read. Her style is animated, reflecting…..
“So you wrote a children’s book?” the voice on the phone asked. She was pleasant, but my insecure ears picked up a note of condescension. “Yes, I wrote it for my granddaughter when she was learning to read.” “I see,” the voice paused. “So it’s a picture book?” “No, not a picture book,” I answered trying to think how best to describe it. “Not a picture book, so is the target audience MG or YA?” What? I thought. After retiring…..