This week’s Weekly Geeks gives us two options. To be a kid, or a poet. And since I’m much more juvenile than I am poetic, I’m going with the first option.
Option A: Be a kid!
You could read a picture book (or two or three) and share what you read.
Write up a post sharing your favorite books from childhood
Write up a post about reading together with your child(ren)
Shortly after reading that, I read a post on Eden’s blog. Eden is a fellow Slow Traveller, and also a kindergarten teacher. And she posted a picture of this book:
Is that not one of the cutest covers ever? I thought it would be fun to read this for Weekly Geeks.
So I went online to see if my local library had the book. And they did! After I about fell out of my chair in shock, I boogied down to the library and checked it out. Unfortunately (but fortunately for me) there was not a single child in the kid’s section, so I didn’t have to wade through a bunch of short people to find my book. Which was hard, because they don’t alphabetize in the kids section. The horror! All the A’s are together, and all the B’s, and so on, but otherwise, they’re filed by height. Can you tell it’s been many years since I’ve hung out in the kid’s section?
Anyhoosie…
This book is adorable. I love the illustrations, especially those of poor little Camilla who turns all sorts of colors and patterns and other icky things.
You see, Camilla Cream likes lima beans. But she won’t eat them, because she’s afraid it will make her look weird to the other kids. Because really, who likes lima beans? (I certainly don’t.) Unfortunately, Camilla is so concerned about what other people think of her that she breaks out with a bad case of stripes. Before you know it, she is breaking out with other things. When her class recites the Pledge of Allegiance, Camilla’s stripes turn red, white and blue, with the addition of stars. Very patriotic, but a bit of a class disturbance. The doctors are a bit clueless, but they prescribe some pills. After taking the prescribed pills, Camilla wakes up to this:
From there, things just go from bad to worse. When the doctor says it could be a fungus, Camilla sprouts fungi. They mention bacteria, and well…you can just guess what happens. Finally, with a little help from a wise woman, Camilla realizes that she needs to be true to herself. After eating her beloved lima beans, she is cured of the stripes and once again looks like a little girl. And even though her classmates think she’s a bit weird, she keeps on eating lima beans.
This was so much fun. Really, I should hang out in the kid’s section of the library more often.
I love your review! This sounds like a great book.
The kids section of a library is great! I love the fact that you can never find anything you are looking for, but I always manage to find something interesting. You’re lucky your library sorts them by letter – mine doesn’t!
So fun! THe kids and I should check this out. And if ever you find yourself in the kids’ section again, I heartily recommend Scaredy Squirrel.. he’s so funny!
Oh my gosh! The illustrations look fabulous!
That IS a cute cover! Here’s something interesting: the libraries in Mass won’t allow you in the kids’ section unless accompanied by a kid…
I read this book a few years ago and loved it too!
That sounds like a lot of fun _ thanks!
I love the cover! And that other image you shared. This does sound like lots of fun. The kiddie section of the library (and bookstore) is the best
Great review. I can never find what I am looking for in our school library. Luckily I am very good friends with our librarian so she finds the books for me
I loved that you reviewed a kid’s book. There are so many great ones out there.
The kids section is where all the cool peeps hang
(this coming from a children's literature fanatic). Great book & post.
Oh my! What an adorable and slightly shocking cover! Not what you’d expect to see on a cover.
Wonderful cover. It makes me want to pick it up!
Weekly Geeks: Book reviewing in verse
That sounds like a great book!
Also, What??? What is this nonsense about the kid’s section being all randomly organized at the library? That just doesn’t sound right at all! I’ll have to check out the kid’s section at my library next time I go to see how they have it set up. If you can’t rely on order and strict organization in a library, what can you rely on?
dreamybee – I know! What’s the world coming to??