Because everyone loves a good story
1,000 Books and Counting
Recently my three-year-old son, Isaiah, reached a milestone: he finished reading 1,000 books.
Well, it would be more accurate to say that my husband and I finished reading well over 1,000 books to him and managed to keep record of 1,000 of them. Nonetheless, this felt like a pretty big deal—one we were proud to celebrate with him.
THE DETAILS
Have you heard of the program called 1000 Books Before Kindergarten? It’s exactly what it sounds like: a program to track the books you read with your little person as early as birth and up until he or she starts kindergarten. It’s free, and it’s so simple that even a busy parent can do it! I have no skin in the proverbial game about whether you start using the 1000 Books program; I just thought I’d share some related (and unrelated) thoughts about it here since we enjoyed it so much.
All you have to do is start (or continue) reading to your kid and keep track of the book titles. You can track it on paper or on the app. You can read the same book five times in a row, and it counts every single time. That really boosted our progress since Isaiah often enjoys the same books again and again. And again.
A FEW QUESTIONS
As I said, joining the program isn’t a make or break at all. There are tons of ways to enjoy reading with your kids, and tracking it may not be your thing. Totally fine. If you are interested but don’t currently have a little person at home, no worries! Grandparents, babysitters, aunts and uncles, older siblings, or any other reader can pursue the program with a tot they know. Pretty cool! I’ll also be sharing some other reader tidbits along the way, so here we go: who, what, where, how, when, and why.
Who do we report to? Your local library probably participates in this program. Swing by the children’s section and ask at the circulation desk. If they’re anything like my local librarians, they’ll be able to hook you up with information and some reading logs to keep track of your books. If they’re better than my librarians, they’ll also have some personality and will encourage your child when he or she hits each 100-book milestones.
What’s my motivation here? Well, on the most basic level, your library should provide a little incentive for each 100 books read. Isaiah got to browse a special cart and pick out a book to keep each time he finished 100 books. But really, the gift you’d be giving to the child is way more significant than 10 free books: you’d help instill a lifelong love of reading. That’s how it started for me, and I’m happy to say that Isaiah is already hooked, too.
Where do you even get 1,000 children’s books? We have, like, a lot of kids books. Some were mine, some were gifts, some we bought used at bookstores or online, and some we bought brand spanking new. Also, my sister is an Usborne Books and More rep, so you can imagine we have a beautiful sampling of their books on our shelves. But we’ve really enjoyed checking out loads of new books from the library. We bring three big cloth bags, stuff them full of 50-60 books, and usually exchange them after just a couple of weeks. Sound unattainable? It’s not. I’ll tell you how.
How can you fit that much reading into an already-busy day? Pretty easily. If you think about it, reading just one book a day will get you over 1,000 within three years. And we’re not talking about chapter books here; they’re just picture books. Totally doable.
When is the best time to read to my kid? We always read to him at bedtime, and we sometimes read to him during downtime, like if the baby is napping or when we’re hanging out on the couch. We also leave alluring little stacks of books on the coffee table, on his nightstand, and in the van, so he’s in the habit of looking through books on his own. It’s super cute to find him poring over a new (or old) book all on his own, and he’ll often bring books to us and ask us to read them. As hard as it is to stop what we’re doing and read it, it’s even harder to turn down such a sweet request.
Why didn’t I learn about this program sooner? I don’t think this program is very well publicized. I happened to notice a little paper about it on the wall of our library, and I asked about it. We had already read well over 1,000 books to Isaiah without tracking them, but we figured it was better to start late than never. We gave it a shot and finished pretty quickly. Simple, fun, and oh-so-rewarding.
READING IS ALWAYS A WIN
So whether you have a little one at home or have some other small person you hang out with, I can promise you that time spent reading is always time well spent, regardless of whether you join the 1000 Books program. And I can tell you from personal experience that even the most active kids love stories. Even a theoretical six-year-old whose teacher suggests holding her back for another round of kindergarten and putting her on Ritalin to calm her down—even a child like that can learn to sit still for stories. Theoretically.
And she can fall so deeply in love with books that she grows up to write blog posts about them.
I guess anything can happen when you read.
Want to find out more? Visit the website at 1000booksbeforekindergarten.org.
Rolling Stones: Little House Part 3
You’ve no doubt heard the old adage, “A rolling stone gathers no moss.” That was certainly true of the Ingalls family. I did a quick count and found that they moved at least eight times during her childhood. Many families may top that today, but I bet they aren’t riding for months with all their worldly goods in a covered wagon.
But the motivation for the Ingalls’ moves is what really gets me thinking. While I’ve already expounded on the admirable aspects of the Ingalls, I want to take a moment to share my perplexities about them, too.
ISOLATION
In the first book of the series, the Laura Ingalls and her family live in Wisconsin. Their house seems secluded, but they get to see family on special occasions like Christmas and maple-syrup-making parties. Then they move to Minnesota and it’s even lonelier. The further west they go, the fewer people they see.
I consider myself an introvert, but this is crazy. To have almost no conversations with anyone outside my own house for months on end when I used to live near family and other people…I’d start to wonder what the point was. Pa Ingalls was the deciding factor in many of these moves, and while it’s not stated explicitly, I suspect Ma started to wonder what the point was a well.
EDUCATION
Today’s instant access to a world of information is a blessing and a curse. But I’m willing to put up with the internet, news streams, and entertainment culture if it includes the ability to visit local libraries and enjoy bulging bookshelves at home. In addition to some academic primers, the Ingalls owned just two books: the Bible and “the big green book” called Wonders of the Animal World. The family pored over these for years before adding a few Christian periodicals and a book or two of poetry to the collection.
This probably wasn’t uncommon for families in their situation, but it must have been quite a strain mentally. To have very little human or written stimulation would leave one’s brain feeling anemic. That’s why Ma was determined to live close enough to town so the girls could attend “real” school, and Mary could go away to a college for the blind. Since Ma had been a teacher before she had children, you can imagine how trying it must have been for her to stay home all day, every day with no new thoughts to ponder. For all its downsides, at least society today offers a plethora of knowledge to anyone who seeks it.
MOTIVATION
The real puzzler to me is why they did all this. They had a nice home near family at the beginning of the series, and then they endured trials, tribulations, and a few triumphs for the next twenty years before settling down for good. And it was all in pursuit of the American Dream: the promise of untamed land, bountiful crops, and freedom.
Now, I’m a pretty independent person, but I don’t understand moving so far west that you’re countless miles from any supplies or other humans. I know Pa wanted good farmland and a variety of vermin to trap and eat. He felt that if he kept heading west, he’d find a second Eden eventually. But things were so untamed that much of the land was nearly unusable, and the wildlife was so wild that it decimated the crops time and again. So even though I know what they were pursuing, I guess I lack that part of the American spirit.
A PERSON’S PURPOSE
As humans, we were made for God and other people. That design has been clear since God formed Adam in Genesis. Sure, a family is made up of people, and if that’s all you have, then it is enough. But I don’t believe we’re cut out for living in isolated pockets of the prairie long term. The Ingalls’ story proves this. When they were isolated, terrible things happened, and often the presence of just one or two other people made all the difference.
They nearly died of scarlet fever, but a traveling doctor found them in their home just in time. They were nearly killed by Indians who were rightly outraged at the loss of their territory, but one Indian they had befriended protected them. They nearly starved to death during a seven-month winter, but two young men risked their lives to find grain for the town. Even Christmas day was made more special when a distant neighbor dropped in with gifts. It wasn’t the land or the freedom that came through for them again and again; it was other people.
MY TAKEAWAY
As I said in my first post of this series, I’ve really enjoyed the Little House books. They were surprisingly engaging and habit-forming. I am in awe of the skills, education, and lifestyle of the Ingalls family, and I hope to live up to some of their example.
But with all that being said, I don’t believe their hunger for new land, bountiful crops, and adventure was worth the cost. When a whole nation of Ingalls pursued the American Dream, Native Americans were bulldozed from their homes, natural resources were exhausted, the natural order was disrupted, and what was once beautiful and pure was leveled, stripped, and decimated. Add that to the isolation, and I believe was too high a price all around.
But Pa Ingalls and I clearly disagree on this point, and Laura agrees with Pa. Her sense of adventure was dauntless. Without their journey, we would have missed this priceless gem of living history, this tribute to the pioneers, and this reminder of what we’ve lost and what we’ve gained. And because of those things, I’m thankful for Little House on the Prairie.
How Beautiful the Feet
The scent of crucifixion—sweat, filth, blood—
is mixed with spikenard, perfume of a king.
Those fresh-anointed feet, now nailed to wood,
still smell as beautiful as news they bring.
The wretched masses lift their eyes above
to see the Curse now lifted up, undone.
The serpent bites His heel; eternal love
ordains a nail to crush both snake and Son.
Mary Magdalene is at His feet,
her eyes as parched as Jesus’ throat. Then He,
with final cry, declares His work complete.
Like dove from cage, He sets His spirit free.
They pierce His side and see His body bleed.
The guards report His life finished indeed.
Then Mary watches as they heap with myrrh
the body of the Lamb, now shorn of breath.
A stone secures the mouth of sepulcher.
The Sabbath lingers silent, still as death.
Before the sun can rise and shine its light,
she comes to seek the Lord among the dead.
But guards lie lifeless next to men in white
declaring He has risen as He said.
She’s dazed until the Gardener speaks her name.
That smell of myrrh and spikenard, and that voice—
She turns and clings to Jesus’ feet. A flame
of faith consumes her doubt. Mary, rejoice!
This Lion-Lamb, a Root and yet a Seed,
though slain and sown, now stands risen indeed!
Rolling Stones: Little House, Part 2
Sometimes it seems like my mom is the last of a dying breed.
This woman grows and cans her own veggies. Like, lots of veggies. She makes jellies, jams, and homemade bread. She uses cast iron and whole wheat. But also, she sews. And knits. And spins wool into yarn to knit with it. And for a while, she raised the goats to get them shorn so she could spin the fiber into yarn and knit a sweater out of it.
Reinventing the wheel is her forte.
Furthermore, she scrubs her wooden floor on hands and knees. She actually reads and heeds the Farmer’s Almanac. She wakes up before the sun every day. If sheer determination counts for anything, she will outlive us all.
And me? Well, not to brag, but I’ve canned apple butter a couple of times.
NOT-SO-DISTANT PAST
Know what’s crazy? The fact that living like my mom seems crazy to us now, when even twelve-year-old girls could do all of that and so much more just over 100 years ago. The times, they are a-changin’. So last time I gave you a quick rundown of the Little House plots, but today I want to showcase the inspiring (and unattainable) lifestyle of the Ingalls family—specifically, their character qualities, manners, and work ethic.
CHARACTER QUALITIES
Keep in mind that these stories are set around the 1880’s. That’s just over 140 years ago…a mere blip on earth’s timeline. But it’s amazing to read about the way the Ingalls’ family spent their days and the skills they took for granted.
Pa Was Handy
When I was in middle school, my parents built their own house. Now, when I say that, I obviously mean that they bought the supplies and asked friends, family, and professionals to help construct the building. But when Pa Ingalls built a house, he alone chopped the trees, cut the logs, constructed the walls, framed out the windows and doors, made a fireplace and chimney, and even created a door on wooden hinges. And this was just the first house he built. He proceeded to build a new one each time they moved.
And they moved a lot.
Ma Was Industrious
Ma Ingalls was able to use every square inch of any slaughtered animal. She cooked three square meals a day from scratch, whether over a fire, on a rudimentary stove, or in a fancy cast iron oven. She sewed all their clothes, both functional and ornamental. She made sure the girls were on track with their academics at home. She cleaned the whole house every day, even making sure to sweep the floors—the dirt floors.
And she trained her girls to help with all of this while they were still little. Wise woman.
The Family Was Resourceful
The Ingalls family didn’t have much, but they used every molecule of every supply. They made head cheese out of animal scraps and even ate the pig’s tail. They wore clothes until they were threadbare, and then they sewed them into bedsheets. They made Christmas gifts for each other out of old buttons, ribbons, and even the feathers of a swan that Pa accidentally shot. And their resourcefulness bred thankfulness—good weather, enough food, and a warm house were seen as the blessings they are.
MANNERS
Manners for Kids
Laura and her sisters knew what was expected of them from their earliest years, and they usually didn’t waste time in protest. The children couldn’t speak at the table unless Ma or Pa asked them a question first. Girls also weren’t supposed to run, talk loudly, or draw attention to themselves. Instead, they were expected to murmur, wear corsets, keep their bonnets on, and never complain. I like to imagine the Ingalls watching an interaction between parent and child in the candy aisle of Walmart today. What a learning experience that would be.
Manners for Adults
Ma and Pa were expected to remain calm and reasonable at all times. They didn’t show emotion by crying, raising voices, using strong language, or even expressing surprise, fear, or alarm. Ma didn’t like chit-chat or speculation because discussion doesn’t change facts. While their manners seem stoic to the point of unhealthy today, they got one thing right: they respected each other. They never betrayed disappointment or distrust in each other, even when it was warranted. Now that’s admirable.
WORK ETHIC
Discipline
Discipline was just a way of life for the Ingalls family. They were up with the sun for chores and housework. They cooked, cleaned, worked, and studied all day. Laura worked extra hard to qualify for a teaching certificate. She memorized the whole American History timeline as well as mastering mental long division, sentence parsing, spelling books, and countless orations. She got her first teaching job at the age of 15.
Let’s not talk about what I actually remember from high school, ok?
Relationships
Despite different personalities and struggles, the Ingalls family really did enjoy each other’s company. Since the kids didn’t expect to act out and get away with it, their household was orderly and peaceful. Because Ma and Pa didn’t waste time nagging each other, their relationship brought security. Although they lived in near-isolation for many years, they didn’t resent the lack of outside relationships.
This blissful state of affairs may have been more common back in the 1880’s, but it certainly wasn’t universal. Laura contrasts her family with several others throughout the series—disrespectful and disobedient children, angry wives, miserable husbands, and unhappy families. But thankfully for Laura, the Ingalls family valued each other and the resulting peace.
MAKE AMERICA PRAIRIE AGAIN
While this antiquated lifestyle may seem impossible to recreate today, let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. The times, they are a-changin’, but we can choose what to preserve. I mean, if homesteading can make a comeback, why not industrious habits and respectful families? It’s worth a shot.
And hey, if worse comes to worse and your crops are consumed by critters or your biscuits are burnt, you can still sit back in your recliner while Grubhub delivers your deep dish pizza. After all, it’s 2022. There’s no need to live like cave men.
Rolling Stones: The Little House Series
When I first began reading the Little House series, I didn’t expect much from it. I’m all for great kids’ books, as you know, but I wouldn’t say I get hooked on them very often. Harry Potter and the Anne of Green Gables series are a few notable exceptions, but I had low expectations for a main character who was neither magical nor impishly precocious.
That’s why I was surprised to find myself staying up late to read just a few more pages. I needed to see what happened to Laura’s doll, how their crops turned out, and whether they’d had a nice Christmas. In short, I was hooked.
Mysteriously Addicting
What is it about this old-timey autobiography that kept me reading all nine books? (That’s right…NINE books. That’s 2,784 pages.) Was it the straightforward writing style laced with vivid imagery? The nostalgic feeling of the Old West era? The description of everyday tasks that we’ve completely lost the ability to perform? The swiftly-moving timeline from Laura’s childhood to her marriage?
Well, yes. It’s all that, and yet the series is more than the sum of its parts. It would have to be. When you can summarize nine books with the sentence, “A family moves a lot, and life is exciting but hard,” there must be more to the series than meets the eye.
A Preview and a Warning
To me, the books were both inspiring and frustrating. I was inspired by the family’s character qualities, expectations, and work ethic, but I was frustrated by their isolation and motivation. I plan to wax eloquent on these topics in the next two posts, but let’s start with a super-brief overview of the books.
By the way, if you’ve been meaning to read the books, you may want to tackle them now to avoid my “spoilers.” (Although does it really qualify as a spoiler if the books have been available for 90 years and you still haven’t read them? Just asking…) If you never plan to read them, no problem. These posts will still have something to offer you. Read on, my friend.
A Peek into Each Book
Little House in the Big Woods (published 1932)
Set in the early 1870’s, the first book of the series begins with the Ingalls family living in the woods of Wisconsin near extended family. Some of Laura’s best memories come from time spent there with grandparents and cousins. The book is basically a description of everyday living back then, but it’s fascinating because we’ve lost nearly all of those skills less than a century later.
Little House on the Prairie (published 1935)
In 1874, Pa Ingalls decides to move his family to Kansas so they can start a homestead. They have no family and virtually no neighbors except one bachelor over yonder. Building a house and making a living is hard, and then they all get malaria and nearly die. To top it all off, they hear that the Army is coming to evict everyone in the area because, legally, it’s still Indian territory. They pack their wagon and leave their painstakingly-built house behind.
Farmer Boy (published 1933)
Set in 1860’s upstate New York, this book follows the daily chores and capers of Almanzo Wilder, the boy who grew to be Laura’s husband. The Wilder family is settled and successful, but it’s incredible to see how much work goes into maintaining their farm. Also, I can’t believe how much food that boy consumed—the descriptions of his snacks and meals will have your stomach rumbling.
On the Banks of Plum Creek (published 1937)
In 1875 the Ingalls family moves from Kansas to Minnesota near a small town. Laura and her sister Mary go to a real school for the first time and are right on track academically, thanks to Ma. The family lives in a dugout while Pa builds a real house, planning to pay for the supplies with the profit from his crops. Sadly, grasshoppers consume every piece of foliage in the vicinity, bury eggs to ensure next year’s destruction, and fly off. There goes the profit and the farm.
By the Shores of Silver Lake (published 1939)
Most of the Ingalls get scarlet fever, and Mary is left permanently blind from the infection. In 1879, Pa decides to move them to South Dakota so he can work in a railroad camp while looking for a new homestead in the area. Laura is fascinated by the ingenious construction of the railroad, and Pa eventually lays claim to the perfect plot of land.
The Long Winter (published 1940)
The winter of 1880 was a doozy. The Ingalls family abandons their “claim shanty” for the season, staying in Pa’s storefront in the nearby town instead. The girls go to school until the blizzards become constant. Then they, like everyone else, stay home and try to survive seven months of arctic weather. Almanzo Wilder, who also lives in town, risks his life to buy wheat for the starving residents. Even so, the Ingalls nearly freeze and starve and go nuts, but they manage to survive until spring comes in May.
Little Town on the Prairie (published 1941)
After that winter, Mary moves to a college for the blind in Iowa. Unfortunately, the crops that would have paid for her tuition are eaten by a plague of blackbirds. Laura feels pressure to study hard and become a teacher to help pay for Mary’s college. She’s pretty stir crazy until the town starts a monthly literary society. Almanzo Wilder also starts escorting her home from events, although Laura seems oblivious of his motives. Finally, she earns her teaching certificate and gets her first job lined up.
These Happy Golden Years (published 1943)
The book begins in 1882 as Laura leaves home for her first teaching job twelve miles from home. It’s a miserable situation, but she endures until the end of the term. Almanzo drives his sleigh to pick her up every Friday so she can spend the weekend at home. They continue to court for a while, and then he pops the question and she demurely agrees. When he finishes building their new house, the couple gets married and moves in.
The First Four Years (published 1971)
Laura Ingalls Wilder didn’t actually publish this book. After her death, a collection of notes was found and published, but maybe it shouldn’t have been; it’s a dismal end to a lovely series. Tragedy follows tragedy—lost crops, the death of a baby, diphtheria, drought, debt, deadly tornadoes, house fire, and the list goes on. Honestly, I might have skipped this one if I’d known. The Wilders did end up moving to Missouri later on and making a successful living, but that’s not included in this book.
See for Yourself
See what I mean? “A family moves a lot, and life is exciting but hard.” It’s not the what of the books that draws you in; it’s the how. Even though I outlined the plot skeletons, the soul of the books is much richer. Next time I’ll share a few things that really impressed me about the Ingalls’ lifestyle, but you can form your own opinion before then. They’re quick reads, so if you’re interested, check out the books or audiobooks. I think you’ll find it’s time well spent. It’s certainly more worthwhile than growing crops for grasshoppers or blackbirds. Until next time, friends!
Calvin and Hobbes: Imagination, Exploration, Investigation
“Mom, why is God invisible? When we die, do we go right to Egypt where God lives? I’m a robot t-rex, but I’m pretty friendly. Do you wanna race me? OnYourMarkGetSetGo!”
Just a day in the life of my son. Really, he has more in common with Calvin than I’m comfortable with.
I’m finding out that little boys are made of pure energy, and their energy blasts like a juggernaut in whichever direction their attention is focused at the moment. You can’t keep up with them, and you certainly can’t leave them alone. Then, out of nowhere, they can hit you with a question you’re scrambling to answer. By dinnertime, the question you want answered is, “How long until bedtime?”
No wonder Calvin’s mom always looked haggard.
Imagination, exploration, and investigation—three cardinal pillars of childhood, and three major themes of Calvin’s childhood. Check it out to see if you can relate.
Imagination Run Wild
When it comes to active imaginations, Calvin’s takes the cake; this kid can’t keep his mind on reality for more than a frame or two at a time. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s a dinosaur, he’s two-dimensional, he’s smaller than a bug, his hallway rug is a flying carpet, a cardboard box is a scientific machine, his front yard is a canvas for macabre snowscapes. Seeing inside Calvin’s mind is like getting a sneak peek into the brain of any little boy. It’s crazy, cluttered, creative, and hilarious.
His imagination also brings us some of our favorite characters: the gritty Private Eye, the heroic Stupendous Man, and especially the intrepid Spaceman Spiff. Calvin and Hobbes wouldn’t be the same without these alter egos. With a wink and a nod at classic comic books, these strips are a mixture of satire and homage.
And, as I mentioned last time, the detail of Bill Watterson’s illustrations is always light years ahead when Calvin is pretending. His classroom is a boring compilation of desks and blackboards. His house offers the standard sofas, tables, and beds. His imagination, however, presents a fully-detailed prehistoric panorama. The surface of an alien planet is a vivid expanse. The animals Calvin sees in his mind are way more realistic than his own parents. And isn’t that how it feels when you’re six? Hats off to Watterson for capturing the visual aspect of Calvin’s imagination.
The Great Outdoors
To explore or to loaf—that is the question.
Another way in which Calvin depicts a normal, modern kid is his relationship with both nature and TV. To hear him talk, you’d think Calvin would be content to sit in front of his bulky old television watching pointless re-runs all day. He knows it’s drivel. He’s disappointed with the quality and content. His good buddy Hobbes points out the many shortcomings of that mindless entertainment. But given the chance, Calvin would park his little booty in front of the screen and consume endless hours of shows and endless bowls of Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs.
In this, I think he’s like most kids. Easy entertainment is just that—easy.
But the good news is that Calvin’s parents love him too much to let his brain turn to oatmeal. His mom kicks him out the front door—often literally—and out into the fresh air. Summer, winter, spring, and fall, Calvin is catapulted out into nature. And you know what? Once he’s out there, he (usually) loves it.
Some of my favorite Calvin scenes happen when he’s outside playing with Hobbes. Watterson remembers just what childhood is like outside. It’s full of puddles and bugs, snowballs and sand boxes, tree forts and forests. Calvin and Hobbes are always careening down some treacherous hill or other, clinging for dear life to a wagon or a sled. Inevitably, the bottom greets them with brambles, brooks, or boulders. But does that stop them from doing it again the next day? Of course not. And that’s childhood—contemplating the meaning of life on the way down but coming away with bruises instead of wisdom.
Ethics, Theology, and More
Which brings me to the final pillar of childhood—investigation. It may seem like Calvin’s head is full of dinosaurs, comic books, and mischief, but there’s a deeper side to him as well. And nothing brings metaphysical questions to the forefront like Christmas. How good does one have to be to merit Santa’s favor? And what is “good,” for that matter? Is good what you do, or is it who you are? Is it actions or intentions? When a litany of of gift ideas is at stake, even Calvin is willing to wrestle with Christmastime ethics.
But, as Calvin admits in one strip, he has the same questions about Santa as he has about God. Why all the secrecy and mystery? What’s the point of everything if he doesn’t exist? As adults, we’ve probably had time to consider conflicting worldviews, but it’s all new to kids. Ergo, the mind-bending theological conversations I have in the van with my three year old.
Kids see the world objectively. Anything is possible to them, but they want to know why. Things we take for granted or gloss over, kids want to examine and dissect. Calvin is no different. In the end, he often settles for the consolation of friendship. When nothing else makes sense, a big hug from Hobbes puts life back in perspective.
It sure isn’t the whole truth, but I can think of worse ways to live.
Thanks for the Memories
I have loads of respect for Bill Watterson. Unlike many cartoonists, he stopped writing the strip before he’d beaten the idea into the ground. And also unlike many cartoonists, he refused to license his characters for merchandise or film. He felt that it would be selling out for profit. Instead, he kept his characters where they belonged—in their own wonderful, imaginative world where they live on, reminding us of the magic, misery, and mystery of childhood.
Thank you, Bill Watterson. And thanks, Calvin and Hobbes.
Calvin and Hobbes: Childhood in Four Frames
Today I shall embark on a deeply academic subject—one so universal that you’ve no doubt given it much thought. It’s so complex that a professor could spend decades dwelling on it, and yet it’s so simple that a child can comprehend it perfectly. It’s primal, sophisticated, imaginative, scientific, and nostalgic. I’m writing, of course, about Calvin and Hobbes.
Fun for All Ages
My husband and I love Calvin and Hobbes. I’ve always kept a couple of the books in my bathroom in case anyone needs a little, er, inspiration. (Is that T.M.I.?) But guess who needs daily inspiration now? My three-year-old son. He requests Calvin every time he’s on the potty. Sure, some of the vocabulary is over his head (intrepid, noxious, gelatinous…that Spaceman Spiff is pretty erudite), but he can still track with the stories just fine.
A little too well, actually. We got him a fuzzy Calvin blanket for Christmas, along with a few more comic books. The blanket shows Calvin and Hobbes pretending, playing, and exploring around a big tree. It’s beautiful. Later I asked my son if he liked the picture on the blanket, and he said, “No, not really. I like Calvin better when he’s being naughty.” Figures.
The Stuff of Childhood
So what makes Calvin and Hobbes one of the most beloved, timeless comic strips? In my opinion, it’s because Bill Watterson’s work captures the essence of childhood a way that everyone can relate to. To begin with, the illustrations are genius. The drawings perfectly depict Calvin’s facial expressions and action shots. Always goofing off, always on the move—a true boy. The illustration style also highlights his daydreams. What Calvin sees in the “real” world is basic compared with the elaborate detail of his imagination.
The content is classic, too. Calvin’s best friend is a stuffed animal, and the girl next door has cooties. He detests his mom’s home cooking and prefers “Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bomb Cereal” with extra sugar on top. He looks forward to Christmas and dreads the start of school. He’s a terror to the babysitter and a mess at home. Basically, he’s a normal, healthy kid.
Trouble at School
Everyone who’s been to school can relate to Calvin’s first-grade experience. You remember the way that time drags on during lectures or the sheer panic that hits you when the teacher calls you out of a daydream. You’re more apt to imagine your desk is a dinosaur than to pass your math quiz. And why did everyone else’s lunch seem so much better than the stuff in your own paper sack?
The school scene is also full of childhood archetypes: long classes, short recesses, lost homework, the harried teacher, the grim principal, and the bully with an overactive pituitary gland. No wonder Calvin disguises himself as Stupendous Man and makes a break for it. Hey, it was worth a shot.
Trouble at Home
Things at home usually aren’t much better for our little red-clad friend. His sadistic mom makes him do homework, play outside, and take baths. She won’t let him eat endless cookies, borrow chainsaws, drive cars, or do anything else remotely interesting. Calvin’s dad is always out to “build Calvin’s character,” which usually amounts to tedious chores or family camping trips gone wrong.
So clearly Calvin’s parents aren’t much comfort. The only friend who understands Calvin is a dangerous but lovable tiger, and even he causes trouble more often than not. Calvin can’t seem to catch a break. Any six-year-old can surely relate, and any sixty-six year old isn’t likely to have forgotten, either. Childhood is a grab bag of magic, misery, and everything in between, and few things capture that truth better than Calvin and Hobbes.
Universal Appeal
And that’s the beauty of Watterson’s comic. No matter who you are, where you were raised, or what’s changed since these comics came out in the mid 1980’s, you’ve got to chuckle at Calvin’s capers. And it’s even better because, while Calvin has to start school again every fall, it’s always first grade. The kid never ages! It’s like reading Peter Pan without the heart-wrenching ending. Really, it’s what we’ve always wanted—to look back on the imaginative parts of childhood with nostalgia and the difficult parts with insight. It’s with good reason that Yoda observes, “Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.” They can be miles deep in imaginative play one moment and then ask you the most baffling philosophical question the next. In this, Calvin is no exception. And that, my friends, is what we’ll be talking about in my next post. See you then!
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