Saturday, January 26, 2008

Do You Know What I'll Do?

Do You Know What I'll Do?
Charlotte Zolotow with pictures by Garth Williams/ published 1958 by Harper & Row


Read this book for the first time yesterday, and it made me weepy-eyed about having an only child.... seriously, I cried at the end. This is the sweetest book I've ever seen about what it means to have a sibling or be an older child.

Do you know what I'll do
at the seashore?
I'll bring you a shell to hold
the sound of the sea.

Do you know what I'll do at the party?
I'll bring you a piece of cake with the candle still in it.


Garth Williams' illustrations are always so warm and fuzzy feeling, that you can't help but want to hug your kid when you're done reading. Except for the little boy in the one about the dog who belongs to himself, this is the first one of his I've seen that isn't about animals, so it was interesting to see his human take. You will adore this book, and I have to imagine for any child with a little brother or sister to love, this would become an all-time favorite. 

Also by:
Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present
Wait Til the Moon is Full
I Have a Horse of My Own
The Hating Book
Flocks of Birds
The Rabbits' Wedding
Three Bedtime Stories
The Friendly Book
Amigo

4 comments:

  1. I love Garth Williams' illustrations. My favorite as a child was The Rabbit's Wedding. Dad used to read it to me over and over. I dodn't know where the copy went so I bought on recently.
    Gorgeous blog,
    Lou (weheartbooks.com)

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  2. I've never seen that one... I am logging on now to find. Thanks for the tip!

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  3. I love this book...I was searching for something from this version with Garth William's illustrations...my favorite. I linked it to my post. Your review was beautifully written. Thank you~

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  4. Do You Know What I'll Do was indeed my childhood favorite...as a librarian, it is still a favorite. I'm looking looking for the original version with the Garth Williams illustrations--so much more delightful than the new version.

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