Day 10. Some Things are Scary

Book 47.

Is it wrong that, as an adult, I also find some of these things to be scary. Things like...

Waiting to jump out and say BOO! at someone is scary.

and

Thinking you're not going to be picked for either side is scary.

and especially

Playing hide-and-deek when you're it and you can't find anyone is scary.

I think a lot of my students could connect to the situations in this book. Unfortunately, I think the illustrations might turn a number of them off. Perhaps a result of production, the illustrations appear dated and faded. Not something you'd expect from a picture book published in the year 2000.

Bummer.

- Matthew

Day 4 of 30. Princess Hyacinth

Book 23.

What is it about princess stories that keeps them feeling new? Perhaps it's subtle twists to the familiar story, like in Princess Hyacinth (the Surprising tale of a Girl who Floated). Here we have a princess who, like most, seems bored of her royal upbringings. She longs to feel freedom from the burdens her life has bestowed upon her (in this case, the burdens being literal to keep her from floating off). The story's not told with a great deal of whit, nor does it need to be. You're charmed because it's charming.

Plain and simple.

- Matthew