making way for memories

It's time to talk children's books again, for today at 5 Minutes for Books is our monthly carnival called Children's Classics. This month, we're exploring the idea of "Book Trips." You know, those places that you've visited that can connect back to a beloved children's book. Maybe it's as simple as a stroll through the pet store to look at the kitties after reading that crazy classic Millions of Cats by Wanda Ga'g, or perhaps you can be the object of my insane jealousy since you've taken your kids to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (where Mo Willems, my I'd-stalk-him-if-I-lived-nearby favorite author) is known to make frequent appearances.

For me, I remember back to the summer of 2002 when we were parents of a newly-turned-two only child, and we had traveled up to Connecticut to visit my parents. Lovely hubby, JAM and I went up to Boston for a day while my folks were working, with no specific itinerary but just a general idea of some places we wanted to walk around. I believe it was while we were on our way toward the Cheers bar to take a classic touristy photo that we found ourselves walking through Boston's Public Garden. Lo and behold, suddenly we discovered the beautiful bronze statues of Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings family! Of course, this was a familiar book to us-- it's as classic as you can get! We waddled among the ducklings for a bit, and posed for a picture in a way that I'm sure no one has ever done before.

A 2-year-old JAM and a contacts-less me in 2002 with Mama and her babies.

This darling book will always have a special place in my heart simply for this unplanned visit to a previously-unknown-to-us special feature in Boston. Someday we'll visit with Ramona and her pals in Portland, Oregon, even if it means taking my kids and grandkids, and we'll get up to Eric Carle's place of fun someday, too. But, at least JAM, hubby and I will always have our ducklings memory!



Quacking with happiness,