Junior Elf Books
I love vintage books! Big surprise, huh?
And because I always need more books, I couldn’t pass up this handful of “Junior Elf” books when I came across them at a garage sale this summer. You’ll probably have to click on the picture to enlarge it to see that the cover price on most of them is 15 cents! (One is 19 cents. What’s that about? They thought 20 cents would be too much, but 15 cents wasn’t quite enough?)
I can’t use the excuse that I got them for my children, because my children are too old for them… so I’ll just admit that I got them for me! They remind me of a story from my childhood that my mother tells.
I must have been about 3 or 4 when Mother picked up a few of these little books, thinking that they would just be so handy to keep in the diaper bag for my sisters and me to look at in church, to keep us quiet, you know. My sisters are twins and they are 19 months younger than I am. Plus we had a baby brother or two. (Well, yes, we do have 2 younger brothers… I’m just not sure exactly when this incident took place. It may have been before the youngest was born.)
In any case, Mother’s hands were more than full. Unfortunately, she quickly discovered that an assortment of cute little picture books was not the thing to keep us quiet in church. She said she gave us each a little book to look at it, and we each flipped through it lickety-split and then wanted to trade with a sister for another book. We ended up making more noise passing books back and forth than we did with no books.
So that was the end of our getting to look at books in church. *sigh*
I remember getting to draw pictures sometimes, and playing with a handkerchief. (I can still roll a hanky up into twin babies swinging in a hammock! Anybody else remember doing that?)
But we were the preacher’s kids, so mainly I think we just learned to sit still and listen. Eventually.
13 Comments
Coloradolady
What a cute story….Where is the picture of the twins in a hammock? I wish I could say I new how to do that…but I lack that skill!! HAHA. Love your books, they are really cute. Enjoyed my visit today.
Kellie
Fun post! I actually gasped out loud when I saw the photo of these books…so stinkin’ cute!
pse
Cute books and I love the memories. Thanks for reminding me!
Named Alicia
I love vintage books, too! Thanks for sharing the memories. It just goes to show that moms have the same problems, no matter what generation. Have a great Friday!
Dawn
I remember Junior Elf books! And twins in a hammock! Thanks for the story!
Diane
Sweet story. Sweet books! Enjoy your purchase, guilt free 🙂
marianedwardsdreamweaver
I love your books and I loved reading about when you were little…soo sweet 🙂
Elizabeth
Love the books, so cheerful-looking. I like when the VTT items have a story or a memory with them!
Marnie
Tag!!
Jewelgirl
Love the elf books, so sweet!
Nana Trish is Living the Dream
That was the sweetest story about the books and being in church. I guess when you are a mom you try everything. I love those little books. Last Christmas my employees got on ebay and bought me one that I have tried to get for years. Its called The Twins and it had such special meaning for me. I used to sit and stare at that book for hours. I imagined that I was with them going shopping and when they went to their neighbors and grandma’s while brownies and cookies baked. I felt like I could actually smell them. I cried like a baby when I opened that present. Love your blog. Hugs, Nana Trish
LaRona
=) oh yeah…the twins in a hanky! My grandma used to do that for me. My fingers aren’t quite dexterous enough for me to be successful – I would love to do that for Rena, though.
Lorrie Veasey
lol- this post made me smile remembering my own mother’s attempts to keep 4 of us occupied in church. She once brought a small box of crayons which we promptly dropped during a silent prayer. We too eventually learned to just sit.