A Picture Book Tour

About an 1.5 hours away from Cambridge is the perfect picture book tour one could imagine.  It is excellent for people that are not familiar with American children's literature and for those who grew up reading it.

It starts off in Amhurst with the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. It is one of my favorite museums (which is saying a lot).  I tried to take N into the actual gallery and she said that she did not want to.  I asked if she liked the museum and she replied, "Yes Daddy, but that is the boring part of the museum."  As long as she liked it.

We headed 15 miles west to North Hampton for some ice cream and the R. Michelson art gallery.  M thought we were going just for the ice cream.  I was going for the art...and the ice cream.  I found too many pieces that I would like to have in my collection (or the lack of a collection).

Finally we went to the Dr. Seuss Sculpture Garden in Springfield MA. 

It is fun to take the girls, but it was fun to take the in-laws.  I don't think they knew any of the stories, but the girls did and so it was fun for them as well.  When we got home, we started to read all the books and I do mean ALL the books that we had. 

Eric Carle

At the Eric Carle Museum for Picture Book Art last weekend, Eric Carle was there signing copies of his book. The girls and I braved the lines and had a stack of books signed (way too many books actually). As I was watching him sigh the books, he really did not have much interaction with the people. Of course when you sign 3000+ books, you really do not have time to have that much interaction.

When the girls got up there, he played with them and joked with them. I realized that the majority of people in line before us were adults only. He is a children's book author.

If you have not made it the Carle before you really should try. It is a great little museum (helps that I am into picture books though).