The Great Holiday Give Day Five: Mud Pies and Other Recipes

Before I wrap up this week's give I just wanted to say a little something. My son's childhood means the world to me. Years from now, when I'm a hundred years old and wondering what's next, if someone asks me what was my favorite part, the answer will be easy. Those moments, minutes, hours I spent close to my child. Reading him a story, his arms around me, snuggled in with a book. They are priceless. Every memory, every word I've ever read to that child is more precious to me than anything. Just last week, my son and I read Knufflebunny Free together at our local bookstore, and both cried like babies at the end, holding each other and rocking on the floor. Even at five years old, my son understands that childhood is fleeting and that fact moves him in ways I never thought possible. The world was alive around us, but for that small moment we were able to share being a parent and child together... transported into each other... and we got there through a book. I will never be able to repay the hundreds of artists who make these moments in my life possible. The only way I have to say thanks is here.

For today's Great Holiday Give, I am personally buying one reader a copy of this reprint, Mud Pies and Other Recipes, brand-spanking new. I've not actually seen the updated edition myself, but everything NYR Children's Collection touches is gold, as far as I'm concerned. I wanted to share this book in particular because it was one of my favorites from my own childhood. Believe me when I tell you, this was a book that was not just read over and over again, but was used, over and over again. I've updated my original post from 2008 to include a few full-spreads of the mud stained pages I "cooked" with making Marigold Madness and Hot Dogwoods. Finding this book in my mother's attic brought back so many wonderful memories of being young, my sisters and summer. It's amazing to think that 25 little pieces of paper stapled together can be so full of wisdom and life and the keeper of so many splendid things from the past.

Books are magic.

So, thank you Marjorie Winslow and Erik Blegvad. Thank you Mo Willems. Thank you Ruth Stiles Gannett and JK Rowling. Thank you James Flora and Roy McKie and William Steig and Tomi Ungerer. Thank you Tasha Tudor and Mercer Mayer. Thank you Richard Scarry and David Wiesner. Thank you Shel and Maurice and William Joyce and Margaret Wise Brown. Thank you for all the minutes, hours, moments, lifetimes well spent.

To be entered to win a copy of this book, simply comment on this post by 11:59 PM Sunday, November 9. The winner will be announced (along with all the other winners from the week) on Monday, November 10. If you haven't thrown your hat in for the others, make sure you do so before Sunday night.

Have fun and good luck!

The Great Holiday Give Day One: The Day the Cow Sneezed by James Flora

The Great Holiday Give Day Two: One More Acorn by Don and Roy Freeman

The Great Holiday Give Day Three: The Christmas Cookie Sprinkler Snitcher by Robert Kraus and Vip

The Great Holiday Give Day Four: A Long Piece of String by William Wondriska

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