For those of you not hip to the latest waste of time, and my role in it, my username on Myspace is Bunnicula. This has prompted a few interesting reactions. Some people have read the Bunnicula books, and for them it stirs fond memories. To them, I say, Right On. Others have not read the books, and for them it is confusing. To them, I say, You better ax somebody.
I don’t know if all schools do this, but when I was in elementary school we had the Scholastic Book Fair that came every few months. For me, these were the most wonderful times of the year.
Of course, we’re talking about a little girl who enjoyed hanging out at the public library. And took pride in having the most read pages according to the class Book Report Chart. How I loved Book Reports. I left those other kids in the dust, man. I could knock out two or three a week if I really tried. And I did try. I measured my self-worth in chapters. I loved looking at the chart and seeing the rows of stickers next to everyone’s name, and seeing how much longer my row was.
So maybe now you can understand why the Book Fair was so key to me. Books, my OWN books, the thing I excelled at, were coming to me.
The first taste of excitement came with the brochure for the Book Fair. Its thin pages were few, but they held an array of paperbacks, posters, and stationery vast enough to thrill any nerdlet. On the back was the order form, where I would ambitiously pencil in my selections for parental approval. Who could say no to more books? Permission was always granted, the check with my mother’s looped signature was attached, and I anxiously awaited my little bundle on Book Day.
We also got to leave class that day, for one chance to see the Book Fair wares LIVE and IN PERSON in the auditorium. Ramona, Bunnicula, Encyclopedia Brown—they were all there. Also present were a myriad of trivia and joke books, as well as the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure variety—these volumes, however, meant nothing to me. They were not eligible for book reports.
I get a similar feeling when my box from Amazon shows up, but it’s not quite the same. Maybe if everyone at work ordered at the same time, and we all sat around our desks comparing new bookmarks and pencil-toppers once the packages came, it would help. At the very least, we’d have something to say to each other besides, “Oh boy, it’s Monday all right!”
Does everyone remember it this fondly, or is it one of those things I shouldn't mention on a date?
Who am I kidding. Like I'd EVER date someone who wasn't down with the Book Fair!
More desires
seriously, you got to have standards. if they aren't down with the book fair, next!
i l-o-v-e-d book fairs. i was a total "nerdlet" (love that term btw). my mom would call me and call me and call me for dinner and i would constantly say, "just have to finish this chapter!" but then would keep reading into the next chapter.
i had forgotten about beverly cleary. :)
Posted by: ms. sizzle on October 24, 2005 07:22 PMAhhhh, book fairs. What awesome things.
Here's something that you will likely enjoy, considering you mentioned Choose Your Own Adventure books. Get past the first page, trust me - these suckers get funnier and more sick as you go along: http://www.somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=2777
Posted by: Merujo on October 24, 2005 08:01 PMOoh! One more chapter! So familiar, that made me smile :) I think that's why I love rainy days so much--we didn't go outside where the other kids wanted to play tetherball, or handball instead of letting me quietly get through The Westing Game. We got to stay inside, play games and read.
Those are hilarious Merujo! I love the Miracle Worker one, I laughed out loud. Does that mean I'm going to hell?
Posted by: Helena on October 24, 2005 09:57 PMI was the Chairperson for the boys's school Book Fair for 4 years!!!. And I always wondered if the kids were as excited as I was! Touching the books, the smell of new pages, and all those beautiful nick nacks...!
And Beverly Clearly... "The Mouse and The Motorcycle", "Ramona", "Fifteen" ,wao...how many memories.
Your mother and I had a favorite of all times:"Little Women".
My kids are NOT bookworms... I am so dissapointed~!
Love,
Tipsy
My daughter comes home with the brochures and we go through them together. We were looking at the Judy Blume ones on the last one she brought home. The prices are way higher these days. Remember they only used to be $1.00 or so??
I loved it when my dad said that I could get books. I so love reading!! Even to this day. Thanks for the memories :-)
Posted by: Jewels on October 25, 2005 08:19 AMWere'nt those brochures for Troll books? I loved the gay-ass posters you would get free with purchase. They would be like a cat dangling out of a tree with the caption "HANG IN THERE" or something equally profound. One time I got a free poster with hamsters on it, I shit you not. Wish I still had it.
Posted by: kidtiger on October 25, 2005 10:02 AMI loved book fairs, the bookmobile, the book fairy, books on parade, Night Of The Living Books....I love to read. Reading is my best friend.
.....and now for the "Tell Helena how pretty she is part of our comment".
ahem
You're eyes look IN-FRIGGIN-CREDIBLE in your "Easy being green" picture.
Theeeeeen-q!
Posted by: Jerk Of All Trades on October 25, 2005 10:55 AMI. LOVE. BUNNICULA.
thank you for reminding me of such love. and Ramona!
i love books.
Posted by: ceity on October 25, 2005 12:41 PMThere was nothing more exciting than ordering those scholastic books with that catalog and finally getting them delivered to class.
Posted by: Neil on October 25, 2005 01:53 PMBook Fairs rocked. Why don't they have them for adults at work?
Posted by: JaySix on October 25, 2005 10:17 PMWell, it has come down the bloggy piepline that Jerk is over the top with telling Helena she is pretty. I realize that in this day and age things can be percieved in a manner that makes it out to be completely different than it was intended.
I do not love Helena. I do not want to have her baby. I do not want to meet her in person and have her sign my boob. I do not want to eat her frosted flakes and put the milk container back in the fridge with just that little annoying drop of milk left in it.
I DO like to tell people how lovely/cool/funny/weird/silly/left-handed/twitchy they are.
So...without further ado..Helena you have pretty eyes. I noticed you had pictures here, I looked, I thought "Wow, she has pretty eyes and is lovely. I think I'll tell her." Aaaaaand I did. Sorry to piss someonne off by stating the obvious.
Like I said, I can understand how ANY comment of the type can set the "Stalker/psycho" radar off. So, no hard feeling on my part. Take it easy everyone, have a GREAT day, and I'll see you around.
Well.....maybe not.
:)
Posted by: JERK Of All Trades on October 26, 2005 05:23 AMOh, my darling nerdlets! You love the bookfair as much as I do. I knew you would. You know, I think it's pretty much an "open" affair, that anyone can organize. If I threw a bookfair party, would you all come? Hm, my little gears are turning.
I TOTALLY remember the hamster poster!
And the only rule about commenting here is to be nice to each other and (of course) me!
Posted by: Helena on October 26, 2005 07:46 PMHoly crap! I totally remember Bunnicula. Though I saw the cartoon they made for it.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272016/
And I use the word "remember" very loosely. I do recall that he drank the fluids out of various vegetables. I bet he was cousin to the rabbit on "Monty Python and the Holy Grail".
Also, back in my wretched public schooling days. They used to have these sheets that came out once in a bit were we could read through a list of books and order what we wanted. A lame kinda book fair I guess.
For a bit I got into those 'choose your own adventure' thingies. But I always cheated and read both outcomes. Especially after I died.
Man I was such a geek. No wonder I was shunned from proper kid hierachy.
Posted by: Groonk on October 26, 2005 09:32 PMOk I wrote this whole thing on how i saw the cartoon version of Bunnicula (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272016/)and how my public school had a poor man's book fair(via order forms) but something farked and my original memory got lost.
Oh yeah, I do recall those 'choose your own adventure' stories. I always cheated when i "died".
Man, I bought a lot of books through those lame froms. I was such a geek. no wonder cool kids couldn't be bothered by me.
Jerk:
You are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO right!
She DOES have beautiful eyes. Please go ahead and continue to said it out loud.
The prettiest thing she has is her soul. I know that well.
Regards,
Tipsy (Helena's aunt)
I loved the book fairs, and also the little catalogs where you could leaf through and choose from a wide range of books (did we even have Borders back then?!?). That catalog was like a little present for me every time I received it.
Posted by: Kristi on November 3, 2005 06:23 AM
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