Book of the Week--Toy Boat

Just about any child can identify with losing a beloved toy. But what if you had made the toy yourself? And it was lost at sea? And what if the toy had already wondered about setting off on its own, into the world, only to realize that there's no place like home? Randall De Seve's gentle book, Toy Boat explores these questions. Soft-hearted children will feel for the lost toy, as well as for the little master who has lost her. Tender illustrations, such as a mournful moon--which looks suspiciously like the little boy--watching over the boat, adrift at sea, and a clearly composed text combine to lift this story above the level of 'feel-good-message-book'. In a world where sunshine follows the rain, and the kindness of passing strangers completely compensates for previous slights, then a little boy and his boat can still find each other, even across the vast, unforgiving sea.

I love my Dirty Wow Wow

One of my new colleagues showed me this charming little volume, which was written by her sister and brother-in-law. Dirty Wow Wow and Other Love Stories (Katz, Cheryl and Jeffrey) is a photographic tribute to those blankets, teddies, and soft friends that are our first loves. Each portrait of a misshapen, heavily mended, drool-stained cuddly toy is accompanied by a brief vignette, although the words are not necessary to express how precious these toys were to the boys and girls of their pasts. There are fifty in the book, and you can see more at the publisher's website. Here is mine, Fluffy Tail, a soft squirrel. Fluffy Tail was originally intended for some other child. But when she was returned in the post, my mother gave her to me. I can't remember being without Fluffy Tail, and for the longest time she still travelled with me, until it became apparent to me that she was too fragile to keep up such a lifestyle! She now sits on a shelf in my office. Not as cozy as the days when we used to share a bed, but close at hand all the same.