Sweet! ( )

I'm a sucker for Rylant. Her picture-books are so sappy that I feel embarrassed to fall for them, but honestly? Honestly, wouldn't we all like to live where we could have gardens & dogs, and where heavy snowfalls only come once or twice a decade, and where nobody is hungry.... Ah well, maybe children raised on these books will work to make it more possible for more people to have these kinds of happy lives. ( )

This is a collection of four short stories about the Meadows family that lives in the Blue Hills area. Each story follows the same characters and illustrates some simple family oriented event. Not every story has a problem. For instance, the second story is about a daylong fishing trip that the father, Sullivan, and his youngest son, Willie, take together. Nothing goes wrong. It's just pleasant reading. The whole book carries a pleasant tone that I enjoyed immensely. ( )

continued reading this even though i was very tired. ( )

I love this book by Cynthia Rylant. It is one of my favorites that she has written. It is quiet, strong with emotion and humor, a rich four-chapter glimpse into the year of a young boy and his family. Each chapter details a significant event from each season: when their dog has puppies, a memorable father and son fishing trip, getting snowed in at a teacher's house, and the need to find a worthy mother's day present. It appealed to my son so much that I bought him his own hardbound copy.