All You Need is Love

And food to eat. And sleep. And rhymes to help you follow the rules?

Hello beautiful humans! Thanks so much for being here and reading along. I hope that this week you find a new book you love to read and share it with a friend.

For those of you who have been following along you will be pleased to know that we have successfully put week 1 of Kindergarten behind us. Tears were shed by big and small alike. Bravery was on full display as my little guy marched himself into the classroom every day ready to tackle whatever new situation was thrown his way (exception being the bathroom which is still a hard no). Every day it got a little easier.

It invokes so many feelings for me to see my heart go walking into the big double doors, to not know what he is doing every minute, and to accept his daily reports as all the information I am going to get. He is so little and so big all at once.

One of the mornings this past week I was belting out The Beatles when my 5-year-old points out that perhaps the group missed the mark when it comes to survival. NEED? Do we NEED love? Or do we just like love? We NEED food to survive. And sleep. Fair evaluation, kid.

Photo by Shaira Dela Peña on Unsplash

We may not NEED love (though the science and the fate of humanity would argue we probably do) but what else but love would you get through the tough parts of life? How would you have fun if there was nobody to laugh with?

This last week it was the people who loved me that got me through. I needed my friends so I could process my emotions with calm and rationale conversations dump every single anxiety I have on them via spiraling text-floods. And my friends and loved ones commiserated, offered support, encouraged me, and let me complain. In short, they reminded me that I am not alone. I needed love this week just as much as I needed my emotional support cheese.

My greatest hope for my Kindergartener doesn’t have anything to do with him learning to draw a perfect rectangle or memorize how to recite the pledge of allegiance. My greatest hope is that he will gain confidence by connecting with other humans and recognizing that he is a SELF, beyond the roles, rules, labels and structures that have surrounded him to date. Our self is created, in part, by those we surround ourselves with. By the interactions we have with others: whether it is holding others up or leaning on them. This is what we get in life: each other. I hope that he begins to realize who he is and what he brings to the world and the people around him, that he is a treasure. In sum, I want him to be (and make) a good friend.

There are one million kids books out there featuring friends. Some books tell you how to be a good friend, some deal with conflicts between friends, others are all about making new friends. But this week, I wanted to focus on books that feature characters that ARE friends. The friendships in these books have that indelible quality that only true friends can have, the kind that you can’t shake, the ones that stick with you through thick and thin.

If Frog needed a ride to the airport at an ungodly hour, Toad would be there, no problem. If Martha had an embarrassing emergency and needed to save face, George would cover for her, no questions asked. If Bear had a little too much punch (we’ve all read Popcorn, Bear, we know what kind of scandal you are capable of) Bird is the one holding back Bear’s hair and making sure he gets to bed with a decent hydration plan (there is a lot of salt on popcorn).

My kindergartner has a new best friend, only he can’t quite remember his name…yet. Making and keeping friends is a hard business, not only in Kindergarten, but all life long. Eating cheese can only get me so far. I need my friends. Those people we can tell our deepest and darkest to. The ones who will answer the calls (or flood of text messages) no matter the hour. The people who will drop everything and fly across the country to pick you up off the floor, help you move on, push you into something uncomfortable, cheer the loudest from the sidelines, and tell you the truth even when you don’t want to hear it.

Despite my son’s literal (and accurate) take on the lyrics, I am going to side with The Beatles today: All you need is love.

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FROM THE STAX

FROG AND TOAD by Arthur Lobel

This iconic pair is the very definition of true friendship. Remember The Mail story? When Toad is sad because it is mail day and he never gets any mail so Frog runs off right away to mail him a letter? Or remember The List, when Toad has made a list of everything that must be done for the day but it gets caught on the wind and Toad cannot chase after it because it was not on the list? So Frog chases after it but cannot retrieve it and then just sits down together with Toad until the sun is setting and Toad finally remembers the last thing on his list? The friendship between these two is joyous and forgiving, long lasting and revels in simplicity. I want everyone to have the kind of friend that would sew all the buttons on jacket for them or would try to help them to stop. eating. so. many. cookies!! Or (maybe) would laugh at (with?!) them if they did look silly in their bathingsuit.

FOX AND CHICK by Sergio Ruzzier

Fox and Chick are a new set of friends, but their friendship feels true, like it will stand the test of time. There is an element of friendship that is captured well in short collections of stories (as if evidenced by the books I have chosen for this week) and these two friends, in each short story, are able to recognize the others strengths, help them through their weaknesses, and accept them for who they are.

PIGGIE AND GERALD by Mo Willems

Two sillier and more loving friends could not be found. One of my favorite things about Piggie and Gerald is how different they are from one another, yet they maintain a true loving friendship. Honesty and trust are themes of Piggie and Gerald’s relationship. When Piggie is playing trumpet and it sounds less than great? Gerald lets her know softly and kindly that perhaps she is not cut out to be great trumpet player. When Gerald doesn’t want to try the disgusting and smelly slop that is very important to Piggie, Gerald gives it a go despite its putrid appearance. The lesson of these books is that a friend is always the best gift one can have. Too true.

GEORGE AND MARTHA by James Marshall

I adore the way George and Martha adore one another. Is it true friendship when one character basically rolls their eyes at the other while still maintaining full and appreciative love? Martha doesn’t tease George when his bravado about scary movies or the high dive leave him in a lurch. George forgives Martha when she won’t quit pestering him. They are able to pull excellent pranks and get on eachothers nerves and still, at the end of the day, they are left with love. I think true friendship, the kind that lasts, has to recognize that your bestie will not always agree with you, sometimes finds you ridiculous, may even get on your nerves, but will show up when it counts and will always have your back. Even if they are the one sneaking behind it and nailing your slippers to the floor.

MOON BOOKS by Frank Asch

Bear and Bird have a quieter friendship, but a true one all the same. I love how Bird supports Bear in all his wild endeavors and is always willing to play along. Even when Bird has to migrate away for the winter, she comes back ready to see what Bear has been up to and how his adventures have panned out. Sometimes in life our dreams are bigger than our means, sometimes we need help solving a simple problem, and sometimes our best friends are far away and only get the updates once a season. This doesn’t take away from true friendship, when you know the other person is still there in your heart.

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CHAT WITH ME

If you showed up for me this week (and that is so many of you) let me just take a minute to say: THANK YOU. I needed it. I needed you. You dropped in and asked me how I was doing without me even coming to your door. Your words of encouragement and friendship helped me get through a big transition for our little family, and it means a lot to me. If you ever need anything, I am here for you.

What are some of your favorite friends featured in kid lit?

Who was your first friend and how did you meet?

Who are you going to call when you need help hiding the body? I mean…a ride to the airport?

Thanks for being here, thanks for reading. Go tell a friend that you love them!