Frog and Turtle together

My office pond found its frogs last year, and they overwintered successfully! There are three now. But the turtle? He ran away, so I put in a few cement ones. Seeing them there together reminds me of Frog and Toad, which begs the question, how many of you out there have read Frog and Toad? It’s an early reader series about a sensitive frog and an ambitious toad. Or was it the other way around? I remember reading them growing up, and I read them to my boys, who didn’t take to them as much a I did. Clearly they left a mark if I’m making frog ponds.

The first book I remember picking out for the first time in my life was at my elementary school. Up until then, we were told to pick from a specific, limited shelf, but I remember the feeling when they “opened” the library up and let us choose. It was like being given a box of treasures, each one packaged up with its secrets hidden with little hints on the outside. And I remember the very first book I picked for myself to read–probably because the librarian questioned me as to if it might be too hard for me. It wasn’t. It was James and the Giant Peach, which might explain a few things.

I went on to read every single fiction book in that little town elementary school library. I worked there for two years as an aid before I moved into junior high. It was MY library, and it all started with that one book.

Never underestimate the power of choice.