Everyone has personal
favorites, and I would like to close with a few of the
books I have enjoyed with my children: Noel Streatfield's
books about families with dancing children, including Ballet Shoes and Dancing Shoes; Cotton in My Sack and Indian Captive,
books of historical fiction by Lois Lenski; the hilarious picture
book Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman; the gentle moral tale of Rose, «who didn't work any harder than she had to»; Seven Loaves of Bread, by Ferida Wolf; and the accurate depictions of family life in both Joanna Harrison's When
Mom Turned into a Monster and Jean van Leeuwen's delightful Oliver and Amanda Pig stories.
When I ask those who said their parents were present to talk
about their memories, they cite the kinds of moments parents work pretty hard to create: opening presents on Christmas morning, cooking Thanksgiving dinner surrounded by relatives, being together at the beach, having
Mom or Dad read a
favorite book at bedtime, playing cards or Monopoly, a family road trip.