If you look at the bookshelf in the sidebar, you’ll see some of the books I read last week- they’re all different and all good.  Some are realistic fiction, some are fantasy, some magic realism and one is a mystery.  Check them out – you’ll be glad you did.

Elias gave me Look Out for the Fitzgerald-Trouts at the end of school.  It was written by his second cousin, Esta Spalding.  Isn’t that cool!  The four Fitzgearald-Trout kids live on an island in a car parked at the beach.  Up until the moment the book begins living in a car has been fine, but kids grow and cars don’t.  They are a little crowded and a little discouraged.  There are only so many options on a rainy day.  The Fitzgerald-Trouts need change.  They need the opportunity to help each other explore possibilities. Kim and Kimo are 11.  Pippa is 8 and Toby is 5.   They’ve been more or less abandoned by their parents, but this seems to be for the best.  The Fitzgearald-Trouts have the absolutely worst, most self-centered parents in the universe.  They will be no help at all, probably – but there always a little smidgeon of hope… always a maybe until the day at the laundromat.  The time has come for the Fitzgerald-Trouts to find a house and make a big change.  You’ll have fun discovering what the future brings to the Fitzgerald-Trouts when they move beyond wishes and complaints to take action!  (Would you brave a forest full of blood-sucking iguanas?)  I am looking forward to more time with the Fitzgerald-Trouts.  They are strong resilient kids who stand up for themselves and work together to make the best of what they have.

Stories from Bug Garden by Lisa Moser is a picture book full of possibilities.  At the beginning of the book the garden is empty, abandoned and uncared for.  Then page by page the bugs move into the garden and share their stories.  Here’s one, HORSEFLY AND BUTTERFLY.

“What are you doing?” asked Butterfly.

“I am running,” said Horsefly.  “See the wind ripple my mane?  See my mighty hooves flash?  See my tail streaming behind?”

“No,” said Butterfly.  “I don’t see those things.”

“Look again,” said Horsefly as he ran around the garden.

Butterfly watched closely.  “You know you’re not a horse.  You’re a horsefly.  A teeny, tiny bug.”

Horsefly stopped running.  He looked at Butterfly and sniffed.  “Well, you’re not butter, either.”  Then he ran some more.

I love this idea.  I can imagine using it as a model to build on.  What could move into a backyard, or a forest?  What stories could we find in the vegetable garden, the fair, or even one tree.  What stories does this book inspire you to write?