BookDragon Books for the Diverse Reader

Certain kiddie authors whose books that my children have outgrown I can’t bear to part with – in fact, I keep buying their latest titles anyway, even as my children have moved on to Steinbeck (our now-teenage daughter) and Cisneros (our tween son) to keep up in their classrooms. Peter H. Reynolds (he of the memorable Ish and The Dot creations) is one those writer/illustrators (along with Jon Muth and David Wiesner) whose words and pictures are addictively inviting … not to mention filled with some great life lesson-reminders in old age.

So Few of Me definitely qualifies as a not-to-be-missed-never-to-outgrow title we all need to pull out now and then. For most of us in our harried, cornucopia lives, we’re teaching  our children – by example! – that being overscheduled is the norm. Leo, the book’s frantic young boy (how can you not love that whimsical energy that flies off Reynolds’ pages?), just can’t get everything done he needs to do. He tries making lists, running here and there, trying to keep up. He wishes out loud, “If only there were TWO of me,” and a knock at the door makes his wish come true. Soon Leo has three, five, and finally 10 of him running around and still no end to getting everything done. The more he and his other nine do, the more that needs to get done. What Leo doesn’t have time to do (and too many of us don’t) is … dream.

Reynolds writes in his author’s blurb, “Several years ago, I went to a seminar to learn about time management. The instructor taught me to make the most of every minute of every day – and it worked. I became so efficient, so well scheduled, and so well organized that I had no downtime – and that’s where some of the best of life comes from.”

So take it from an expert … take a few minutes, cuddle up with the kids (or the dog, kitty, goldfish, partner, or even a teddy bear!), and share a few minutes of dreaming today … we’ll all be happier, better people for sure.

Readers: All

Published: 2006