Sharing the name of our middle grandson was the primary reason I looked into this book, for whom it was being purchased, though its status as a Caldecott Honor book coupled with its inclusion on Amazon's book editors "100 Children's Books to Read in a Lifetime" didn't hurt!
In this cute story, Owen the mouse - since infancy - has had a fuzzy yellow blanket as his constant companion... perhaps not AS fuzzy as it once was, considering it's gone through the rigours of typical childhood play - both indoors and outdoors - along with being a mealtime companion. Despite being stained, torn and ratty, Owen believes "Fuzzy is perfect." However, nosy neighbor mouse Mrs. Tweezers decides Owen - who'll be starting school soon - is too old to be carrying it around, and suggests a few "remedies" to his parents (the Blanket Fairy, who operates in much the same way as the Tooth Fairy, and the "vinegar trick" - which is exactly what you'd imagine it to be! - but little Owen has his own remedies for those tactics. When Mrs. Tweezers finally suggests to his parents that they simply say "no" to its continuing place in Owen's life, he's inconsolable. Oh, go blow your nose, Mrs.Tweezers! Owen's mother - as loving and sympathetic mothers will do - comes up with an ingenious way to compromise, snipping and sewing that treasured big piece of cloth into a much smaller handkerchief-sized piece, which Owen can continue to carry around and use in multi-purpose ways as always, until he naturally outgrows it - a compromise which even hushes up nosy Mrs. Tweezers!
Upon reading it, a couple of things hit me - first, it would've been a more obvious fit for our oldest grandson (who DID have a "blankie" that was hard to phase out), while our middle grandson has never had a typical "lovie" he's clung to, but also WHOOSH - did it bring back memories for me of an absolutely beloved doll from my childhood, which I found one day (while roller skating in our garage) in a trash can! My dear mother recalls to this day how horrified I was, and no manner of cajoling ("We'll get you a new doll!") or explanation ("She's falling apart... one of her eyes doesn't close any longer, all of her eyelashes have been plucked out, half of her hair is gone!") would console me. And while sometimes it IS best to just "rip off the band-aid", my wise mother decided that - for whatever reasons - I was just not yet ready to lose that piece of my childhood. (And guess what... the arrival of new presents under the tree and my expanding interests allowed for an eventual, much more natural and peaceful parting of the ways!)
Here's what I know for sure - from being a youngster once myself, through raising two sons, and now being blessed with four grandchildren - peer pressure to conform is there not only for kids, but for parents as well, and there will always be "Mrs. Tweezers"-types around, dispensing advice (no matter how well-intentioned) as to what "should" or "should not" be happening when it comes to your youngsters. Ignore them - it's not ALWAYS the best strategy to rip the band-aid off... and there are less stressful compromises in so many instances that ingenious parents - like you! - can come up with while accompanying your child on the journey from childhood to adolescence. I really enjoyed this book - and I know our grandson will be thrilled to see his name in print! (Imprinted price on the back of the book is $17.99 US... think it's a bit stiff, but found a much better price on Amazon.)
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Childhood favorite to share
This was one of my and my sisters favorite books as a child. Her son is named Owen and I purchased a copy for him and I to read together at bedtime on FaceTime since I live a good distance away. Darling illustrations and a sweet message.
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- MehreenReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2014
What a great find! Incidentally my daughter also has a fuzzy ...
