Back to 1943

While the first graders have enjoyed One Morning in Maine this week (reaching up to wiggle any potential loose teeth when Sal wiggles hers), children in the other grades have loved stories from Robert McCloskey's Homer Price. First published in 1943, it contains six stories about Homer and his experiences in the town of Centerburg, each of which can be enjoyed on its own.

Since my childhood, I have been enamored with "The Doughnuts." Homer's Uncle Ulysses runs an "up and coming lunch room" and loves all the time-saving devices he can buy: automatic toasters, automatic coffee makers, automatic dish washers, and of course, the automatic doughnut maker. When Homer is left to supervise the lunch room, a kind, rich lady arrives and mixes up a batch of doughnuts using her favorite receipt. The batch is a bit too big, however, and thousands, instead of dozens, of doughnuts are cooked. To make matters worse - and more interesting - the lady's diamond bracelet is lost, presumably cooked in the doughnuts!

It has been 36 years since my teacher first read "The Doughnuts" aloud, and I am pleased to note the story still holds readers' attention and generates the same reactions I remember. That double-page spread with the illustration of piles and piles of doughnuts drew reactions ranging from "I wish I could have a doughnut" to "How could he draw all of that?" They loved the idea of Mr. Gabby, the sandwich advertiser, walking around between signs to sell the doughnuts at a 1943 prices of two for five cents. They loved how there were more doughnuts than there were people in Centerburg!

I love reading aloud something old to a new crowd. As they left the story steps, many asked, "Is this still in print?" Yes, I told them. "Good. I want to find it at the public library this summer!"