2009/10/21

Bargain Books

Whenever I'm at a second hand store, I go through the children's books there, because at 69 and 99 cents each, they're a great bargain! I make a thourough search of all the shelves, snatching up any Dr. Seuss on sight, and maybe a few other promising-looking hardcovers on the way. I'm collecting the Sesame Street Treasury and Sesame Street Library books, too, they're great classics! I love the illustrations in the ones from the 70's. I keep trying to get more old school Golden Books, but they're hard to find! So far I've only found Tawny Scrawny Lion.
Some of Callum's favorite books like Hide and Snake have come off the shelves of Talize here in Hamilton.
One day I ran across a book I remember reading in grade school. I squealed for joy (ok, I squealed in my head) as I snatched it off the shelf, recalling how much I loved it. Socks For Supper is a story of an endearing older couple who don't have much except a turnip garden. They eat turnips every day and gaze wistfully at the neighbor's cow, wishing they could afford one so they could have milk and cheese. They search for something they could trade to have that luxury, but they don't even have materials to make anything.
The wife ends up using the old man's sweater to knit socks to trade for milk and cheese. I still remember feeling so happy for them as they feasted on the milk and cheese, and even though the cheese was just a yellow ball, I imagined how delicious it must have tasted to them after eating turnips for so long!
I won't give away the ending here! If you want to find out how Socks For Supper ends, you'll have to come over, or borrow it from me!


3 comments:

Jenn said...

I so remember that book too! I have a great one here called "Rocks in my Socks". Ohh the classic kids books. What fun!

Marlaine said...

LOVED that book too! Great nostalgia moment... thanks for sharing :-)

Anonymous said...

I don't remember that one -- it looks like a good one though. Ahhh the thrill of the hunt. We should go to the reuse store ( or as my kiddos call it the "dump store") some time. I love the stuff a bag of books for $5.
Alisa