A Child's Calendar

Ripe fruit, old footballs, drying grass...read "September" from A Child's Calendar by John Updike. 

P.S.  Suzanne N., thank you for the heads up on this wonderful book!!

A Child's Calendar

written by John Updike

illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

The Stray Dog

     

"Let's take Willy home," said the children.

"No," said the father.

"He must belong to somebody," explained the mother, "and they would miss him."

You will fall in love with Willy.  You will fall in love with the tender illustrations in this book, especially the ones of Willy running, fetching, fleeing.  You will want to take off your hair ribbon and make a leash for Willy just like the girl in the story does.  Will that convince the dog catcher that Willy isn't a stray? 

Is Willy a metaphor for the way our hearts can run wild and lost in the world?  Aren't we all looking for a place to call "home"?  Isn't it wonderful when we find that?  Or can be that for someone else?

The Stray Dog

written and illustrated by Marc Simont