my mother was a grade school teacher and i used to spend time in the grade school library even before i was old enough to go to school. this is one of the books that i stared at while trying to learn to read. i probably checked it out from the library a hundred times. this year, my mother acquired the actual copy i used to borrow ("it hasn't been checked out in years, just take it," the librarian said) and gave it to me for my birthday. inside the book was a short note from my second grade teacher.