Little Boy

The inscription in the front of my copy of Alison McGhee's Little Boy indicates that I bought it in 2008, well before I had a little boy of my own.  But while my desire for a son was considerable, the book's many merits are its own.

It was intended as a father-son companion to McGhee's lovely mother-daughter picture book, Someday.  While there is a father figure in the periphery of this story, I don't automatically categorize it as a parent child book.

I love the simple, rhyming text, which playfully outlines a typical little boy's day, focusing especially on his exploits with his "big cardboard box".  And the big cardboard box is the reason I chose to review Little Boy as my inaugural blog entry.  My boys asked me to read it recently.  That afternoon, after I emptied a package I'd received in the mail, they asked for the box.  It's not especially big, but their imaginations are.



 After they had it decorated, the real fun began:

The boys spent the better part of an hour playing with, in and around this box.  In my house, there's no truer test of a popular plaything than the "timer test." In other words, if I have to set my oven's timer for five minutes per child with the toy/box in question, they are having a good time. 

Little Boy is a heartwarming little book and the illustrations by Peter Reynolds are perfect, but ultimately my favorite thing about it is the way it opened the eyes of my sons to think of a box as a delightful way to spend an afternoon.

My favorite quote: "Little boy, so much depends on...your starship pajamas, that story about llamas, the way you don't worry, the way you won't hurry, and...your big cardboard box." 

 

This is a perfect baby shower gift or birthday present for a little guy.  And check out Someday for a girl, too!