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February 20, 2006
Cheating Death
I never used to be much of a fan of stories where people try to cheat death, but I guess I’ve become something of an aficionado over the past year and a half.
Go figure.
Anyway, it all stared with Grandy Thaxter’s Helper by Douglas Rees and illustrated by S.D. Schindler. It’s about this old lady who’s fostering a lot of kids and doesn’t want to be inconvenienced when Death comes a-knockin’. And who can blame her? So every time Death comes to the door, Grandy gives him some work to do, and he gets too worn out to worry about collecting her soul. This process repeats itself over and over until poor Death, looking very much like himself warmed over, gives up. As is only natural, he’ll do just about anything to avoid changing a diaper.
Keeper of Soles by Teresa Bateman and illustrated by Yayo takes a different tack and combines cheating death with – what else? – shoes. Cobbler Colin makes high-quality but reasonably-priced footwear for people miles around. When Death comes to his door, Colin goes on instinct and checks out Death’s shoes, which, it turns out, are missing altogether. So Colin sizes Death up and tells him to come back in four weeks for his new pair of sandals. Death does what he’s told, and when he comes back, he loves his new shoes. Ever the wise capitalist, Colin suggests that Death might want a pair of boots for cold weather and then a pair of sneakers for when he needs to run and etc…. This goes on for years until Death comes back determined to leave with a soul. Colin’s homophonic solution isn’t much of a leap for astute readers, but it still satisfies – in part because the illustrations are so wonderful. Colin’s shoes look good enough to wear, and, unlike Schindler’s dreary version of Death, Yayo’s version of Death is downright cute. It’s too bad death isn’t really that much fun.
Posted by adrienne at February 20, 2006 07:48 PM
Comments
This blog reminds me of, Final Destination...loving those cheating death movies...Has anyone seen 3 yet?? I'm looking forward to it...then again, I've always been a bit off...yeah, a bit off...at least that's what the voices tell me..hmmm... :p
Posted by: Kristen at February 20, 2006 08:00 PM
But that's why we like you, Kristen. :)
I saw the first Final Destination but not 2 or 3. I saw 3 advertised recently, though, and was thinking I should put it in my Netflix queue....
Posted by: adrienne at February 20, 2006 08:14 PM
I thought 2 surpassed 1...it was really intense. 3 seems way off the wall...I can't wait!!
You like me...you REALLY like me...heehee
Posted by: Kristen at February 20, 2006 11:55 PM
One would think with my morbid sensibilities I would like horror movies but I just can't get into them unless there is humor. I will have to check out those books, I think Lucas will like them.
Posted by: tonderdo at February 21, 2006 11:29 PM