From: Canzom at aol.com <Canzom>
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 15:53:03 EDT

In a message dated 5/6/02 3:07:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jamindel at rcnchicago.com writes:



Jannis,

I think that is a good point about the Ramona books. When my daughter was in the early grades, she and her friends loved them and appreciated the humor because it was so close to home. They were certain that the song went "Oh beautiful for space ship skies," so they could relate to Ramona.

Speaking of Ramona coming close to home -- I did not read the books until I read them with my daughter, but I was delighted and amused when we got to the story where Ramona's mom tries to pass off tongue as beef stew. My mother tried that once and the episode had become part of my family's lore. When my daughter and I read the story, I told her what had happened in my family, and the story became hers too.

Our experience is, I think, just one example of an important role humor in children's literature plays. Humor in children's books is shared within families and becomes part of their common experience. That is why, years later, families can still recite funny poems and bad riddles.

Sally
Received on Mon 06 May 2002 02:53:03 PM CDT