Tuesday Storytime: Sharing

These books are all delightful, and I'm glad I had the chance to put them all together.

Mail Harry to the Moon!

Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley

ISBN: 9780316153768

Very expressive faces and cartoony panel/vignette sequences.

Before Harry, there was Just Me.  Now there's Harry, who eats off my banana, who messes with my things, steals grandma's lap, and screams all night.  Our poor nameless narrator is very frustrated, but has a series of great ideas to solve the problem: throw Harry in the trash, stuff him down the toilet, stick him in the zoo, Mail Harry to the Moon!  Until he wakes up the next morning and doesn't see or hear or smell anything from the little guy.  What is there to do but journey to the moon to enact a rescue, and maybe discover that Harry's good for something after all.

On Mother's Lap

Ann Herbert Scott, illustrated by Glo Coalson (original sepia-tone edition)
ISBN: 0070558973 (?)  Published 1972, McGraw-Hill

Serene drawings of an Inuit family share a wise message about mother love.

 Michael is happy sitting and rocking with Mother, but he doesn't want his friends left out of the love, so first Dolly, then Boat, then Puppy, all end up snuggling under a reindeer blanket on the rocking chair with Mother.  But when Baby starts to cry, Michael is adamant that there is just not enough room.  (the facial expressions are priceless here) Mother disagrees, and gently shows that there is always room for everyone on Mother's lap.  Classic for a good reason.

Share

Sally Anne Garland

ISBN: 9781771470056

Sketchy-drawn bunny children in colorful evocative backgrounds.

Bunny's cousin is visiting, and he's not quite as old as she is.  Her mother pleads with her repeatedly to understand and to share, while she tries a variety of activities that the little one spoils accidentally.  Mother explains that he is copying and following and pestering because he wants to be just like her, and commiserates that it's difficult to handle little ones.  The ending is a little confusing, as Aunty retrieves the cousin with the wording "now it's his turn to share" - but he doesn't share anything? just gives her a hug and a thank you, which is nice, but not exactly sharing as a child understands it.  Regardless, still very nice and illustrative for the sometimes strained relationship between siblings or friends of slightly different ages.