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Feeling Like a Kid, Jerry Griswold

A slim friendly book about elements that make children’s books appealing to kids.  I read about it on Nymeth’s blog, and I of course had to go get it from the library straight away.  I like reading books about books.  Jerry Griswold mentions a number of things in books that appeal to little children – snugness (yessss!), scariness, smallness, lightness, and aliveness.  I don’t think this is a comprehensive list, but I liked what he said about these five things.  Especially the snug section – I loved reading about people who had found their own little places to go.  There was a lot of stuff in there about The Wind in the Willows, and Rat’s lovely house, and Mole’s own nice little house, and Badger’s comfortable undergound home.  It reminded me of The Speckledy Hen.  Did anyone else ever read the Little Grey Rabbit books?  I love those books.