4 Comments
Oct 30Liked by Charlie D. Becker

For some odd reason I was thinking about ‘the clown arounds’ this morning and googled it and found your essay. I was born in 1980 and owned this book as a little girl. My parents read this to me many many times and then to my own kids who are now 20 and 17. I guess I was thinking of this book because I want to make sure my parents still have it and wonder if my girls will be reading it to their own kids. I’m pretty sure we only had the first book, but I loved it! Another favorite I believe was called Henry the Duck where Henry had a very important date but an ant kept wreaking Havoc on him.

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Awesome post. I often think about how it's easier to ponder the great mysteries of time and the universe than it is to respond patiently to a child, especially when they interrupt your pondering again and again--perhaps the really profound thing is the patience. Certainly it impacts time and history.

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I’ve been thinking a lot about children’s books lately. I just love a really great children’s book and they often seem hard to find. You did not sell me on the clown-arounds tho, bc the first one seems like a dud but I feel like the other ones won’t make as much sense without reading the whole series? Lol.

That’s a great nighttime routine you have. How long has it been going for? My kids go on kicks with books but they typically only last a few weeks before they’re on to a new one. I have a list of favorites. We’ll have to swap at some point!

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We’d been doing the read a boatload of books routine for months now but Clown Arounds specifically just the last few weeks. And I would strongly recommend the last 4 books—you honestly don’t miss anything.

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