Giving and Receiving (Books) at the Holidays, Part 2

by Gussie Lewis, Author Recruitment Committee

The best book gift I received was 30 years ago for my daughter’s first Christmas. My mother-in-law sent me a box of three picture books. Two books were by Margaret Wise Brown. To my delight my daughter loved to hear me  read “Goodnight Moon.”

Gratefully, I grew up in a family of readers. They were all well read in adult literature but clueless about picture books. I remember my mother reading to me “The Snow Goose,” “The Little Match Girl,” and “Mrs. Piggle Wiggle” but as soon as I could read, I read to myself. Their interest in adult literature was wonderful during my high school years. My  mom and grandmother would read my high school assigned books along with me. We had our own book club around the dinner table discussing “The Grapes of Wrath,” “The Jungle,” or “Elmer Gantry.” Reading was something you did on your own and shared your ideas with others.

I was surprised that my mother-in-law sent me books to read to Hilary at such a young age. Hilary loved picture books. We would check out 20 picture books a week from the local library. One time, when she was three, we were at the playground. She turned to me and said, “ Let’s go home and read books.” Fortunately, I had several great children’s bookstores nearby and the amazing Montgomery County Public Library to guide me in book selections.

“Goodnight Moon” started me on a lifelong quest to know children’s books. Hilary now works in a job where she uses words every day as an editor. I like to think that her love of language was started by that gift from Nana.

The book also has always had a special place in my heart. Leonard Marcus wrote the biography of Margaret Wise Brown called “Awakened by the Moon.” He came to Politics and Prose  to talk about his book “The Wand in the Word,” a collection of fantasy authors biographies. A student asked him, “So many fantasy authors were inspired by World War II. Were other authors inspired by that time in history?” He replied that Margaret Wise Brown’s book “Goodnight Moon” was inspired by World War II. Clement Hurd, the illustrator, was just getting out of the Army and she wrote the book as a tribute to him. During World War II, the U.S. Government prohibited the use of the color green. All green pigment was reserved for the Army. To have enough green paint to cover the walls in a  room would mean that the war was over and the world was at peace. In the early 1950s, young parents would have understood the symbolism. The book, 60 years later, still inspires parents and children.