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Josh at School

 My son's idol, I think, is B--.


B, a full year older than Josh, sports a great wardrobe. For example, he has a sweatshirt with braided challah, and a small billboard message: "CHALLAH AT ME!"

B also has flying hamburgers on one shirt, and a sweater that features Big Bird, with a simple saying: "JUST CHILL."

We're talking about an excellent collection of pieces, worthy of the Met Gala.

Josh has the easiest time at school if he holds his lovey, "Mr. Elephant," and on the one day that Mr. E stayed home, Josh's teacher looked at me with real dismay. I felt as if I had disclosed details of the Manhattan Project to enemies within the Soviet Republic.

It seems to me that Josh's "school-day heart" is thawing. At least just a bit. We have gone from tears to chilly silence to exuberant singing. The singing is just one word, and one note--"HIII!"--but Josh performs with gusto. Sometimes, I think he sings to light fixtures.

We're reading "Little White Rabbit" (Henkes) and "Time of Wonder" (McCloskey) and "One Morning in Maine" (McCloskey). After "Make Way for Ducklings," McCloskey lost a sense of narrative discipline, and some of his books became way, way too long. But his artistry remained intact, and his pictures of his two daughters are masterworks. This is the sort of thing I'm learning.

Happy weekend to you.









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