Where's Arthur Gerbil?

Good thing I don't have a filthy mind cause I'd probably think of a few places where Arthur's gerbil could be hiding.

This is a little flap book depicting Arthur's hunt for his elusive gerbil. You go from his stinky socks in his bedroom to finally the kitchen where you find the gerbil in Arthur's lunch box. I have no idea why children's authors always depict animals rolling around in people's food but they really need to stop.

Layne really likes flap books and we've watched Arthur a few times. He actually spent about 10 minutes flipping through it in the car so it's a good book despite the rodent in lunch box issue.

Carlene gave us this book along with many, many others. :)

The Clown Arounds Go on Vacation

This is another book from Carlene and it has become the book of the moment. Layne has asked for it every night for weeks now.

It's a silly story. The Clown Around family decides to go on vacation and get an invitation from Uncle Waldo to visit him in his new house. They fuel up the mouse car with cheese, which is cute, and head out. There are lots of wrong turns and for awhile they end up in the Arctic but eventually make it to Uncle Waldo's.

Dragon in the Wood

Another one from Carlene but Layne wasn't so interested. Mommy liked it though.

One day a dopey little dragon enters the wood and begins to sing. He sings so badly that all the other woodland creatures pop up to tell him to stop. (I really wanted him to breathe some fire on the critics but that probably wouldn't make it a children's book.) The bees instead teach him to hum and he is then accepted by the woodland community. Again, I would have preferred fiery destruction to peaceful acceptance.

Clifford's Valentines

Clifford confuses me but Layne likes him. We picked this up after Valentine's Day.

Clifford wants to make a valentine for everyone on Birdwell Island. All the residents give him presents which I guess are just gestures to keep him appeased. If I lived on a small island with a 20 foot dog, I'd be sure to give him presents too. But not too many to make him feel welcome - you don't want him doing his business in your backyard. In retaliation to all the gifts, Clifford draws a humongous heart in the snow. Aww.

The Book of Me

I'll have to scan the cover in at some point. This was very 70's ish and Mommy enjoyed that.

It's all about me; head, toes, feet, etc. Very cute and very 70's. All I have is that it was published by Hallmark.

Layne like the little ladybugs on the little 70's kids toes.

Happy Birthday to You

I may have said previously that we heart Dr. Seuss. It's still true.

I don't think I ever read this one growing up.

It's all about what happens on your birthday. It's all very magical and wonderful as usual - hot dogs, camels, cakes, presents, and parties. But the repeated chorus is, "If you'd never been born, well what would you do? . . . be? Why, you might be a WASN'T". You're special for being born and you're special because you are you.

The ending got me a little teary, "And I wish I could do all these great things for you!" (The reader most likely being a parent saying they would lavish their child on their birthday if they could.)

Layne was interested in the pictures but didn't get the deeper meaning. Guess who's getting this read to him on every birthday for the rest of his childhood.

Curious George Takes a Job

Or How Curious George Got High on Ether.

We meet George again who's now bored of zoo life and his absentee owner, The Man with the Yellow Hat. George leaves the zoo and explores the city. He ends up in a kitchen infecting the food with god knows what. (Was he quarantined when he was brought into country? This is Outbreak all over again.) The cook puts George to work washing dishes instead of calling animal control. When that doesn't work out, he's sent to the elevator man to wash windows. George does a decent job of that until he looks into one apartment and finds painters leaving for lunch. George enters the apartment and by the time the painters have returned, he's painted a kick ass mural of his jungle home on the walls and furniture. A chase ensues which leads to George falling 20 feet to the sidewalk and breaking his leg.

This first part is pure hi-jinxs but now we enter the problem area. George is taken to a people hospital and admitted. He's fixed up and then left ALONE with a room full of drugs. George being curious and all gets high on ether.

At point in time was it funny for kids book characters to abuse drugs?

Eventually TMITYH shows up and collects George. Could someone for the love of god call Animal Precinct?!