We spent Easter Sunday with the Pesters and the Royuks eating delicious food. Afterwards, most people sacked out, and I read a story with Tara. Mrs. Royuk (Beth and Brad’s mom) and I were talking about children’s books, and I mentioned that there is one elusive alphabet book from my childhood that I just can’t find no matter how hard I try. I’ve looked for it in all the used bookstores Lloyd drags me to and on the internet, but I just can’t find it. It haunts me. I said, “It’s called I Wish I Was an Artichoke.”
“I have it,” she said.
What??! I literally freaked out. (Get it? Literally? …..never mind.)
Today at school she came into my room with the most beautiful present ever. The children wanted to know what it was so I told them about this very special book that I remembered from when I was little. Before we opened it, I predicted that the cover would still be green, the title would be in big letters, and the artichoke would be leaning to one side – not straight up and down.
I forgot that he was sad. And I’ve misremembered the title all these years, which is good – I never could remember if it was ‘I wish I was an artichoke’ or ‘I wish I were an artichoke.’ We read it together, and each page was just perfect. I forgot that it was in rhyme form – it was the illustrations that stuck with me. I especially remember the ice from this page:
The children’s favorite page was the ‘monster’ page – onomatopia.
Thank you so much, Elaine! You made a dream come true!!!!
What happens at the end? What happens at the end? Don’t leave us hanging…
The gun from letter G comes back…….. Me thinks she fibs about the children’s favorite page.
No, no, it was definitely the Underwear page.
That must have been a book in Mom’s classroom…because I’m sure it was never in our house, and I’m even more sure I have never read it.
(Though I was probably the only kid in my kindergarden class who knew what an artichoke was and ate them regularly.)
I had my first nibble of artichoke last night at Kim’s Pampered Chef party. Of course it was mixed with cheese and other yummy stuff in a pastry thingy. So I still don’t know what one truly tastes like. I just know I was starving when it was offered to me!
Seriously, we need more of the story? What “thing” can change from an ice cube into jam? Why does the artichoke weep? What’s he about to turn into?
I love fresh cooked artichokes, not the ones in jars, but fresh. (sorry if that made you cry little artichoke on Lauren’s book)
It’s an alphabet book…with not-so-ordinary references for each letter. A is for Artichoke…
The artichoke is all choked up, of course.
What a wonderful gift.
I had to go and check my library and I have this book! I forgot all about it, until you mentioned it. Oh, the memories…
Wow! In a post somewhere else on the Internet, I just used the line “tangerines are thin-skinned” and thought of this book (the title of which I had wrong, as well). Seeing the photos made my day, and I’ve now found a copy online to order. It’ll be proudly displayed in my very first house, which I’m about to finish rebuilding.
Please accept my gratitude for posting this (hehe, 17 months later, and people are *still* replying to your post).
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Bless you!
I can’t see the email address that you used for that comment anywhere in the subscription list. Is is possible that you used another email address? (It’s also possible that this is more sophisticated spam)