As many of you know, the new Bobbledy book has been released and sent out into the world. It is called I Woke Up This Morning And.
If you’re saying to yourself, “It sounds like that title stops in the middle of a sentence, and isn’t that vexing?”, you would have quickly put your finger on the heart of the matter. This book is about a little boy who keeps trying to get to the end of the sentence but who keeps getting interrupted—by a leak in the ceiling, a flood in the living room, a rogue lightning strike, etc.
But the boy is persistent and eventually does finish his sentence. Right before the end of the book. The coincidence of these two things is not accidental.
Here is the cover of the book in question. It is covered with more rubber duckies than you can count. Yes, that was a challenge. If you count them all, let us know. And feel your chest swell with pride.
Here is the poor boy I mentioned in the process of getting flooded out of his living room. Don’t try this at home, kids.
And here is the heart of the storm. Alone on the sea, but for a hapless orange goldfish and cheerful flotilla of rubber duckies, our hero discovers salvation in his darkest, bleakest moment. And isn’t that how it always is? Or should be?
In any case, we wondered if kids would like this book. It seemed a little strange to us, a little unconventional. But we liked it so much that we decided to send it out anyway and see what happened.
Here’s what happened. We got an email from our friend Josh reporting on the reaction of his son Oliver to I Woke Up This Morning And.
Before we read it: “Daddy, I love this book so much I want to read it every day.’
After we read it: “Daddy, I want to love that book so much I want to read it every day and never read any other books.”
Of course, what greater compliment can an author and illustrator seek than to stamp out a child’s desire for any other books?
And then there was the case of Norah, who I happened to meet at a birthday party in Overland Park, Kansas not long ago (yes, the world has grown so flooded with Bobbledy Club members that one runs into them at distant birthday parties).
Norah, as it turns out, had just that morning read I Woke Up This Morning And, and what’s more, she had read it ALL BY HERSELF. This was a rather exciting moment in the history of Norah and in the history of our book. I am so glad that they found one another.
And I am so glad I got to meet you, Norah. Please keep reading.
You too, Oliver. Our books and books by others. Because, as much as we like making books and make quite a few of them, all told, we could never in our whole wide lives make enough to keep your hungry brain well fed.
So read, you guys. I’m talking to all of you now. Read and read and read as you grow. And then keep reading when you think you’ve stopped growing. Because you never stop growing.
Not if you keep reading.
i just visited my nephew, Noah, last weekend (in Williamstown!), and he had me read this book to him and told me how he loves it and reads it over and over. It was very gratifying, given that his Aunt Lynette and Uncle Steve got him the subscription! And it is a fantabulous book.
Lynette! Thanks so much for letting us know about Noah”s approval of our book! We so appreciate and enjoy evidence that our work is raising smiles out there in kid land. Thanks also for your kind words. “Fantabulous?” We blush! We so appreciate your giving the gift of Bobbledy.