Ann Patchett | I love kids books

Friends, I’m not sure I have anything new to offer that hasn’t already been said. Everyone I know is worried about something – aging parents, incomes or sudden lack of incomes, those working in health care or grocery stores, isolation, parenting, you name it.

I have found some spots of humor. Who knew I would be talking to my parents about how many rolls of toilet paper they have?

I’m working from home, Eddie’s business is closed, the kids are home. Our new cat, Freddy, is loving the family time. (It’s a good time to have a new pet.) Sweet highs and hard lows give the day a rhythm.

One of the highlights of our week: Freddy got on the bed! He’s on the left, Lion is in the middle, Max is on the right. 🙂

Technology – the thing I’m usually fighting about with my kids – has been helpful. Max and Calvin had a Zoom chat with their bell choir yesterday – they loved reconnecting with these friends.

I let Max FaceTime and play a game with another friend. Listening to their conversation while I was working was hilarious.

“Should we make these two horses have a baby?” I head Max say.

Our neighborhood kids are doing a daily LEGO challenge and texting the images to each other through the parents. I connected with two friends on a Zoom chat. It’s all helping.

I’m posting more on my Instagram channel @DistractedbyFashionCincy for a fun…distraction.

Now for the books

The day our libraries closed, Calvin and I went to our branch in its last hour. Was this smart? I don’t know. I wiped off all the books with Clorox wipes. They were already not accepting returns as that point.

Our last library hall. Lint Boy is one of our favorites.

Reading has always soothed me. Since things shut down, I’ve read The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. (My book club met her once, yes we did.) I’m currently reading and liking This Will Only Hurt A Little by Busy Phillips. It’s one of the books I picked up on our library dash – it’s fun, a good distraction, and has serious moments.

My kids are making their way through their own books again. Calvin is revisiting favorites like Be Prepared by Vera Brogsol and Smile by Raina Telgemeier (Calvin and saw her in the fall.) Max is rereading the Wimpy Kids series by Jeff Kinney.

What are you reading?

If you’re up to it, send me your thoughts. I’d love to share in this space. Trashy novels, kids books, magazines, let me know.

Buying books?

If you are in the market for books right now, Downbound Books (a lovely new store) is closed but selling. Read the owner’s statement, Bummer Camp.

Joseph-Beth and Carmichael’s are both shipping books.

Another kid on my pink bed. This one is reading Big Nate’s Greatest Hits. And his sweatshirt is coordinating with the decor.

My friend Melissa says my book club could run the city.

Among us we can count a marketing expert, a photographer, an Emmy- winning video producer, a corporate attorney turned social worker, and a writer.

These are just our day jobs.

My book club enjoying a cultural event. Because we’re cool like that.

For ten years, we’ve been a consistent thread in each other’s lives. For me personally, this at times has been life saving.

We’ve intentionally kept our numbers small. It just works. We’ve read more than 76 books, attended several plays, a few movies, had one overnight, and eaten countless meals together.

We’ve shared job changes, the birth of babies, big birthdays, a retirement, and kids inching their way toward adulthood way too fast.

We met Ann Patchett! It was book club heaven.

When I say life saving, I’m not kidding. My strongest memory of these women is the day we went to the movie “The Descendants.” It was also our book choice. Afterwards, sitting in a coffee shop, the emotional movie probably got to me because I was facing my own life challenge. It was early days in my son Calvin’s chemo treatment. I remember looking at my four friends and sobbing, “I don’t know how I’m going to do this.” My friend Mary grabbed my hand and said, “We’ll do it with you.”

And they did.

Heart-jerking memories aside, I asked this smart, talented, amazing group of women (Am I bragging? Yes, I am!) to share their favorite kids’ books:

Claudia: My favorite books were anything Nancy Drew. She did stuff and solved crimes!

Carolyn Keene’s first book about Drew, “The Secret of the Old Clock” was written in 1930. The girl detective is still going strong today.

Remember these yellow books?

Mary: I loved Amelia Bedelia. She took things too literally – it was really funny. When she held a wedding shower, she took a hose out and sprayed the people.

A new series has been created based on the originals by Peggy Parish and illustrator Fritz Seibel. The official website celebrates Amelia Bedelia books old and new.

Amelia Bedelia follows directions.

Alison: The Henry and Mudge books have really stayed with me. They are about a sweet boy and his slobbery dog. So few books about boys are about things other than cars and machines. This is about relationships.

Henry and Mudge are Max and Calvin approved! Cynthia Rylant’s books are a treat.

Henry and Mudge