Never Talk to Strangers

Never Talk to Strangers
Irma Joyce ~ George Buckett
Golden Press, 1971

Another found in my mother's attic, I'm loving these Big Golden Books. It seems like my sisters and I had a million of them. The memories that this one evokes are really intense. I remember I LOVED IT! My son is pretty crazy about it too, which makes me really happy. My mom is probably gonna be pissed when I load all these titles up en masse and ensconce them into the back of my car, but too bad, too sad, my friend.

If you are hanging from a trapeze
And up sneaks a camel with bony knees,
Remember this rule, if you please --
Never talk to strangers....

But... if your father introduces you
To a roly-poly kangaroo,
Say politely, "How do you do?"
That's not talking to strangers
Because your father knows him.

The rhymes are fun, but the illustrations just rock my world hard. It was re-illustrated in a perfectly wonderful edition, but you know me. I'm all about the old school. Luckily, Random House reissued the original a while back with a different cover, so for now, at least, this charmer's back in print. I still love everything about this book, though the woolly, purple llama has always kinda given me the creeps. Ten thumbs up!