Bread and Jam, Peanut Butter and Pepperoni, Whatever

Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban. HarperCollins, 1964.

Engaging the child within everyday family life. The lyrical text is sweet and gentle, reminding me of Rosemary Wells, and with it, Russell uncovers everyday details to engage the world of a child. The sorts of details that may drive a parent batty, but get at how closely children observe aspects of the world that appeal to or interest them. There is a deep understanding of a child’s inner workings: making foods come out even, “How do you know what I’ll like if you won’t even try me?” Through some smart reverse psychology, mother ends the bread and jam fixation, proving that suddenly removing options make those options all the more appealing. Smart, sweet, funny all at once.

I remember seeing an interview (on PBS perhaps?) with Russell Hoban when I was a girl. He talked about how many times he rewrote a book before he was "done" with it - something like one hundred? It shocked and horrified me. Though now that I'm working on picture books in this MFA, I'd say he's about right. Goodness, how many times will I have to rewrite my Appalachian dialect book? Until it's right.

Oh, and right now Mud Pie is on a peanut butter and pepperoni kick. I think I could stomach bread and jam a little better.

Rebecca Grabill

Rebecca has been writing since childhood, her first book about a kitten published between homemade cardboard covers in second grade. Although she studied religion and philosophy in university, she continued writing, earning an MFA from Hamline University and publishing multiple picture books (no longer with homemade covers) and a collection of poetry with a variety of New York and independent publishers. She has also published a wide array of fiction, essays, and poetry in magazines and journals and photographs for Getty Images. She balances writing with homeschooling the younger of her six children, launching her young adults, church activities, and overseeing a small flock of chickens in rural West Michigan.

www.rebeccagrabill.com
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