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For some odd reason I was thinking about ā€˜the clown aroundsā€™ 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. Iā€™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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Iā€™ve been thinking a lot about childrenā€™s books lately. I just love a really great childrenā€™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 wonā€™t make as much sense without reading the whole series? Lol.

Thatā€™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 theyā€™re on to a new one. I have a list of favorites. Weā€™ll have to swap at some point!

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Weā€™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 booksā€”you honestly donā€™t miss anything.

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