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April 30, 2008
“Three Bucks, Two Bags, One Me”
In honor of my rapidly approaching trip to NYC, I thought I’d share some of my favorite children’s books about the big city.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
This is the book that convinced me that someday I was going to have to visit NYC. It’s one of those books I reread periodically, and every time I do, I am ten years old and want to live at the Met. Every time I go to the Met, I am ten years old and want to live at the Met. Basically, I want to live at the Met. I’m not sure if I’m going to even manage a visit this trip, though.
Seen Art? by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
This book always reminds me of how much I love visiting The Starry Night and all the rest of the art at the MoMA. I’m a sucker for Scieszka and Smith, but this light introduction to some high-concept art is a winner. I am hoping to hit the MoMA this trip. The museum owns one of my all-time favorite paintings, Hide-and-Seek by Pavel Tchelitchew (sorry, that reproduction is completely crappy—the real thing is amazing), which the rat bastards hardly ever hang, but you never know. (Sometimes I call and ask if it’s hanging before I decide whether or not I’m going to the museum. Is that bad?)
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
When I first read this book, I had no idea that people lived in buildings with elevators, but once I realized that people did, I decided that was the life for me. I was really pissed off when Peter’s parents decided to move out of the city in Superfudge.
Fireboat by Maira Kalman
Doesn’t this book make you cry? It makes me cry.
While I’m in the city, I’m going to be catching up with Susan from Chicken Spaghetti and visiting the Ambrose. And oh, yes. I will also be seeing the mysterious Lil Baby K. I will not, however, have Internet access, so I’m afraid it will be a few days without blog entries.
Question: I have to leave in an hour. Is now a good time to pack?
Disney’s Hannah Montana Magic 8 Ball: It is decidedly so.
Okay then.
Posted by adrienne at April 30, 2008 02:51 PM
Comments
I love Fireboat, but I may just have to add Lightship to this list.
Have you seen Catherine Stock's follow-up to A Spree in Paree called A Porc in New York?
Posted by: Tricia at April 30, 2008 04:34 PM
Have so much fun! And you get to meet Susan? Awesomeness.
Yes, Fireboat makes me cry. Love Maira Kalman anyway. LOVE her.
Godspeed and be safe... .(I sound like a mama)
Posted by: jules at May 1, 2008 09:47 AM
Oh, I love Seen Art! The kids and I read it several times before our last trip to NYC. It's young, but I also liked ABC NYC. We used it as sort of a scavenger hunt.
Posted by: MotherReader at May 1, 2008 08:40 PM
I'd have to add a video- Madeline in New York- to that list. Every time I hear the song "New York Loves Little Girls" it brings a tear to my eye...
Posted by: jp at May 2, 2008 06:32 AM
I love Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume. I liked the middle books as well, but the last one? NO. It was really weird to hear (read) the characters talking about modern things, and to be obsessed with Harry Potter was just strange. Blume does not need to touch on other's works within her own to be popular - She's JUDY BLUME!
HA! I read that last line as: "It is decidedly no."
Posted by: Little Willow at May 4, 2008 06:01 PM
Tricia, I quite agree about Lightship. I got to see the outside of the Ambrose in person while I was there, and it was so sweet, way smaller than I thought it would be.
Jules, I KNOW! It was so exciting to hang around with Susan in Manhattan for a few hours.
MotherReader, Yes, I like the ABC one, too. That's a great idea to use it like a scavenger hunt.
Jason, Yes, I had to tell Tracy about the song while we were walking by the Brooklyn Bridge, but it really is something better experienced first-hand.
Little Willow, I found that jarring in the new book, too, but I'm always kind of a sucker for Judy Blume.
Posted by: adrienne at May 5, 2008 06:55 PM
Awww. No visiting me? *pout*
Posted by: Fuse #8 at May 7, 2008 12:03 PM
Alas! My time there was very short, and I was reluctant to do anything that might cut my time to fuss over the baby even shorter. Next time, though. (The next time will probably be soon, too, since I am now officially completely in love with that baby.)
I've also been having real trouble dealing with the notion of the children's room there closing and the fact that Pooh is in storage. I never used to miss an opportunity to visit him at the Central Children's Room, and I'm afraid I don't like change very much. At least not Pooh-moving change.
Posted by: adrienne at May 7, 2008 12:33 PM