Thursday, November 6, 2008

Good Will & A Good Book


The store that is. Just the other day I was telling someone that I had NEVER had good "luck" at Goodwill. That changed Tuesday night. While everyone else was glued to the television or radio (or both!) awaiting the election results, I was out thrift shopping.

Of course I would have rather been at home watching the television, but my daughter had her girl's club mtg. that is located about 40 min from home. Too far for me to head on home during the mtg. so I went shopping across the street at the Goodwill.

I spent $27 and this is what I got:

-2 dresses
-4 skirts
-2 brand new pairs of tights for my dd
-3 children's books (one of which is now one of my favorites and a favorite of my son)

The book is called "The Crows of Pearblossom" and the author is Aldous Huxley (yes that Aldous Huxley). It is the only book for children that Mr. Huxley ever wrote. Guess we can be thankful for that in more than one way.

I originally picked up the book b/c the illustrator is one of my favorites - Barbara Cooney. Barbara has illustrated and written many of my other favorite books...Roxaboxen, Ox-Cart Man, Island Boy...

"The Crows of Pearblossom" is the story of an egg-laying crow couple and an egg-eating snake that lives nearby. The crows, with help from a wise old owl - outsmart the snake in the end.

Some of my favorite parts:

"...Mrs. Crow came home earlier than usual and caught Mr. Snake in the act of swallowing her latest egg.

"Monster!" she cried, "What are you doing?"

Speaking with his mouth full, the snake answered: "I am having breakfast."

And then this line from Mr. Crow when he comes home from work and sees his wife "looking pale and haggard, pacing up and down the branch outside their nest.":

"What's the matter, Amelia?" he said. "You look quite ill. You haven't been overeating again, have you?"

And

When the snake finds two eggs in the nest one day:

"Two eggs today!" he said; "nyum - nyum." And he smacked his lips, for his mother neglected his education and he had very bad manners."

It is kind of a "dark" story - the snake appears to die in the end - but maybe that could make it a "bright" story b/c good is trumping evil in the end!

2 comments:

Jennifer said...

Aldous Huxley wrote one of my favorite books, Brave New World. I had no idea he even wrote a kid's book. The story does sound right up his alley, though I am surprised the crow wins. :)

CanadianGrandma said...

Sounds like an interesting book for both children and adults!