Today the world’s cutest two-and-a-half year-old came into the store with his grandmother, looking for a picture book version of The Sword in the Stone. Alas, the only non-Disney edition our manager Deb and I knew of was Hudson Talbott‘s, which is now sadly out of print. "We tried to get that one at the library," the grandmother said, "but unfortunately it had been checked out."
She turned to get the approval of her grandson as she suggested that maybe a different book about knights would do. He agreed, nodding vigorously and adding, "And dragons. Dragons are good too."
Five minutes later the boy and his grandmother are seated at the small table in our children’s section as she reads to him from our knight and dragon selections and he promptly dismisses a few on the grounds that they are "too little for him."
This in itself was pretty cute, but the comment that earned this little guy the "world’s cutest two-and-a-half year-old" title came about this way: His grandmother was reading to him the dedication page of Hush, Little Dragon. The book was written by Boni Ashburn and illustrated by the lovely Kelly Murphy, whose dedication begins, "To a knight in shining armor…"
At these words the boy gasped, asking, "It’s for me???"
If someone hadn’t already done the deed I’d have knighted this kid right then and there, just for making every one of us feel, at that moment, so awed by the power of books.
Beautiful… Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing! Stories like this remind us why we keep doing what we’re doing, not to mention we’re reminded that, despite what the skeptics keep harping about, books really do matter.
amazing!
Tears to the eyes, that was so cute. May the little man enjoy a lifetime of literary knighthood.
Allison, I’m glad you took the time to write your feelings about this bookstore incident. It truly validates we writers vocation.
Great story, Alison! Thanks for sharing it 🙂
While I’ve been moved to post before, I never have. This time, I was moved too much not to! Thanks so much for sharing this story…books and knights and dragons and two year-olds rock!
Oh, I hope he comes back in the store so I can see him. Thanks (as always!) for the smiles!
As a gramma & a writer, this was a special moment that validates why I read with my grandchildren & why I write. Thanks!
Oh man, that is too cute!
That’s a yooper author- oh, you betcha! I love the book and your story! Validation all around!
That is soooo cute. FYI — Robert Sabuda has a picture book version of the sword in the stone story, it’s called “Arthur and the Sword.” It has cool stained glass-like illustrations.