Mr. Rogers’ song and the feeding of his fish, reminds me of the book Not Norman by Kelly Bennett.
It’s the story of a boy who wanted a cool pet, but got a goldfish instead. eventually, he learns what a great friend Norman the goldfish is.
Along those lines, two new picture books remind us of the beauty of being especially ordinary.
Extraordinary Janei by Hannah Harrison is the tale of a circus dog named Jane, who has no circus talent.
She isn’t strong, graceful, or brave like her family. But the illustrations show us more than the text does. Jane might be ordinary, and she might even be a poor circus dog, but she is an extraordinary friend.
And so is Sparky from Sparky! by Jenny Offill.
It’s the classic sloth as a pet dilemma and very much like the Norman situation. But, in the end Sparky is perfect.
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