I have a darling husband. Recently I was telling Andy, a.k.a. Himself, about my favorite Little Golden Book from my childhood titled “Gaston and Josephine.” It’s a story about two resourceful little pigs who journey from their home in the mountains of France to America and save the ship with the broken fog horn by climbing into the crow’s nest and squealing for all they’re worth to alert the other ships.
I’m not sure why the book resonated so strongly with me, but I remembered it recently and told Himself about it. He made a mental note, hopped onto the Internet, found a copy and ordered it. But he just couldn’t wait for Christmas or my birthday to surprise me with it. He had to give it to me when it arrived today. As soon as I opened the shipping envelope and realized there was a Little Golden Book in there, I burst into tears, because I knew which one it was. I pulled it out and proceeded to read it aloud to him. I pointed out which illustrations I’d liked best and which ones had made such an impression on me as a child.
It’s a joy to discover things we loved as children that hold an appeal for us even after we’re grown. I’ve encountered so many things as an adult that I loved as a child, only to find that they were pretty ho-hum to my grown-up self. But every word and every illustration in this book still gives me great delight.
Where am I going with this? Nowhere, I guess. But Himself presented me with this really thoughtful gift and allowed me to revisit a special memory from my childhood. And I’m so very grateful. I just had to share it.
7 Responses to Gaston & Josephine: Heroes of My Childhood