a book is a gift you can open again and again. -Garrison Keillor

The books for the grandkids Christmas have finally all arrived. Except for the A Very Hungry Caterpillar which showed up here in Hindu (ld you will never live this down:) I am happy with the stack. Frog and Toad are Friends, A Little Fur Family, Rainbow Fish, Black and White, Pat the Bunny, The Animal Boogie (Cate's fav and mine, too) The Paper Bag Princess, some Dr. Seuss and some Sandra Boynton (Pajama Time and Barnyard Dance). I'll add some Curious George, purchased earlier this summer, to the stack, too.

But I'm noticing a book I wish I had added. For a birthday, then. Yeah, when she's older. Yellow and Pink by William Steig (The Amazing Bone, that William Steig ) This book I re-visited at a serendipitous time, right after I finished Life of Pi by Yann Martel this summer. What? You haven't read either? Go read Life of Pi. You must, because we all have a Bengal tiger in our lives. Go read Yellow and Pink with a child in your lap. Because where there is creation, there is a creator, and this is the perfect book to explain those ideas to your children.


Both of these books, Yellow and Pink and Life of Pi, speak powerfully and beautifully about God, belief, faith, creation, and the Why Am I here? theme.

From Life of Pi:

"If Christ spent an anguished night in prayer, if He burst out from the cross 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' then surely we are also permitted doubt. But we must move on. To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation." (p. 28)

"'If you stumble at mere believability, what are you living for? Isn't love hard to believe? ... Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer.'" (p. 297)

Much to think and talk about.