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,
Yeah, I do'nt think you can get anymore classic than that!
ReplyDeleteWe just picked up a copy of Millions of Cats the other day. I haven't read it yet but it looked really fun!
Wow - my duck-lover Lily would go crazy over that statue set. Boston... Boston... Have to tuck that away in my memory...
ReplyDeleteMy girls would LOVE that. :) We love that book ... and everything else by Robert McCloskey (who did the illustrations in the book I reviewed).
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, I was stumped on what to write for this review for several weeks, but now I'm getting ideas for all these trips to take with my family - planned around good books of course! :)
Hee! Look at how little JAM is!
ReplyDeleteVery fun post. Love the ducklings. And yes, you must do the Ramona trip. We did it last March. I was way more excited about it than the kids but now that we have started reading Ramona and the rest of the gang I think they would be excited, too. My dream book destination is Prince Edward Island (ala Anne of Green Gables).
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately there were at least four times when one of the duckings came up missing - including Pack back in April of this year.
ReplyDeleteDid you also catch a ride on the swan boats while in Boston? They were also featured in the book.
I hope to one day take my kids to Popperville.
@Bowie Mike-- I did read about the most recent duck thievery, how ridiculous! We did not do the boats back then, as our son would most likely have ended up in the water, the wiggly 2 year old that he was.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I agree that a visit to Popperville would be absolutely delighful!
I've visited the Eric Carle museum! Don't hate me. It was pretty cool, but small. Please let me know if Mo Willems comes. That would be a hoot.
ReplyDeleteKyle was just a baby, so we should go back. It's only about 90 min for me I think.
Make Way for Ducklings is a long book, but a good one, and definitely a classic!
ReplyDeleteI am a preschool teacher, too, and I can't believe of all of the places that pay homage to children's books that I have not known anything about. Do you know of a simple way to find out more of these?
My favorite place in the pond in Central Park, NYC where they did the boat race in Stuart Little. But my dream is to visit one of the Laura Ingalls Wilder homesteads out west. She was my favorite when I was a girl...
ReplyDelete