What Childhood is Complete Without Some Richard Scarry?

Fun shopping last week. I hit the Mother Load of Richard Scarry books!
Richard Scarry was one of my favorites when I was a wee one. At that time, there was no Internet...no Amazon...No Barnes and Noble...I think that the best option at the time was inside of department stores, or expensive gift shops. Dalton and Walden book stores soon popped up, but not in Detroit where I grew up. Thankfully, every year, my dad would take the train to Chicago to visit family, and Chicago always had fancy gift and specialty shops. He would return with all these wonderful artsy fartsy kids books. He also came home with this new up and coming children's book author/illustrator. His name was Richard Scarry! Oh, I was so hooked!
So needless to say, I was thrilled with this fantastic find of Richard Scarry books.

 

 

This book was my first taste of Richard Scarry's World! I would just point to the pictures and say the words....over and over again. You just couldn't take this book away from me. Now, as I glance through the pages...I definitely feel nostalgic, but also it is a reminder how much we have progressed. There is a record player, a rotary phone, a hassock, a mortar and pestle, a free standing TV with an antennae.....I don't know if these are words todays kids know, or even need to know....Then in the Toys section, there are jacks, hoops, dolls, paints, marbles...These are things today's kids probably need to learn about. But back in the 60's and 70s, those were everyday toys. Such a lovely book back then and still as magical today!

 

Check it out here------------------->Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever

 

 

So, I really didn't have all of Richard Scarry's books. I just had a few. I guess that's because we could only get them in Chicago at that time, so I guess Beggars can't be choosers and I just had to wait a year. And realistically, if I had to wait a year to get one book...well clearly I would have outgrown them by the time my collection would have been complete. I had moved on to Judy Blume by then.

 

 

Busy, Busy World. Yep, it is a busy word indeed. This book is one of the more desirable books of Richard Scarry. I never had this in my possession as a child. One of the things I loved to do when I looked through these books, was find Lowly worm. He seemed to be somewhere on every page.

 

Not too busy to check out this book?

Available here--------------------->Busy, Busy World

 

 

 

Hop Aboard! Here We Go! Another book just full of frantic busy-ness. Perhaps that is one of the reasons Scarry is so popular with kids. So much to see, so much action, so much energy!

Interested? Available here-------->Hop Aboard! Here We Go!


Best of all the nursery tale books, in my opinion:

Animal Nursery Tales, all the classics.... just done in Scarry style, which totally makes them better!

Check it out here----------->Richard Scarry's Animal Nursery Tales

These next books will be listed this week. But I just have to give you a sneak peak of what to expect:

 

Great Big Air Book

 

 

 

Storybook Dictionary

 

 

 

Great Big Mystery Book

 

Check out my shop in the upcoming week for these and more listings. Also check out the huge lot of hardcover Serendipity books being listed!

Vintage Book Market

 

 

 

Update: Last week I pictured an album that I had listed. I had never listed/sold old records and I was just giving it a try for shits and giggles, figuring that it wasn't going to sell. Well, I'll be a monkeys uncle. That thing sold just a day or two after listing it! Who woulda thunk it? So I guess I will have to get on the ball and list the others I purchased. All vintage Sesame street and Disney.

 

 

 

Now on to the Independent Local Business of the week....but first, I must tell you exactly how I discovered this gem. My son and I have been doing quite a bit of bike riding, often going 10 miles at night just around our neighborhood. We have also hit Upper Tampa Bay Trail  a few times recently, however, time restraints meant that we were never able to go as far as we wanted to. Until yesterday. We had all the time we wanted along as we abided the hours of the trail. So we just kept going and going and going.....We went on a bridge over Gunn Hwy. Oh Lawdy, it was a killer hill....getting up there was like riding in thick mud...felt like my thighs were on FIRE! We made it somehow. But Holy Hell, it wasn't easy. Then my son wanted to do it again! WTF! He agreed about how strenuous it was, but he also said how accomplished he felt and how strong he felt. He said he felt like a professional biker. He also encouraged me to push myself. AND he threatened to call me "Chicken" for the rest of my life! Okay, so apparently my ten year old son has become my personal trainer. Anyhow we carried on.

 

Selfie on the bridge. I'm smiling, but I am ready to black out!

 

 

At the bottom of the bridge was this little kick ass bike shop. Genius location! Of course we had to pop in. Partially because we were curious, but mostly because I really needed a break.

 

 

 

Fabulous old house converted into a bicycle haven! Check them out here------>Citrus Park Bikes

 

 

 

Knowledgeable, friendly staff. Great selection of bikes and equipment! The only thing they were missing was a slushy machine. Because, I really, really, super bad wanted a slushy!

 

 

Look how cute this place is. A diamond in the rough in the best location to lasso in all those bicyclists.

Bikes! You would never think this little place would fit so many bikes...but this place is jam packed full of awesome bikes!


So check them out! Small businesses will give you the customer service, knowledge and variety that you won't find at Walmart or any of those other big box stores!


I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day! I spent the day being worshipped by my family. Our cat did a lot of barfing today...and I didn't have to clean it up! Good timing, barfing on Mothers day, Joby!


I would love to hear what you think about Richard Scarry, and if you have a childhood favorite book(s). Since I am homebound while my daughter heals from her Tonsillectomy, I may have time to post a mid week silly blog. Be on the look out, my friends!