What is one of your favorite children's stories?

I read Little Women over and over. In fact, I had the kind and sweet Beth in mind when I chose Sarah’s middle name Elizabeth. As it turned out Sarah’s personality was more like Jo than Beth! A writer, an independent woman with a mind of her own. Though both sisters cared for other people not as fortunate as they were, it has served Sarah well to be like Jo. 

All of us girls who read Little Women wanted to be like Jo, of course. And most of us like to think we are, though that’s debatable. She was, I suppose, my first hero in literature. Someone who didn’t fit the norm of what was expected of a woman during her time of living. Someone who wanted a certain kind of life and she went out and found it. And if she hadn’t met her unique and lovely husband who liked her the way she was, she would have still lived her life on her terms, not the terms of others. 

Another little book I liked was the kids’ book The Little Red Hen. It’s about a hen who did all the work on a farm to grow food for her family. She asked for help all along the way and all the other animals turned her request down. She’d always say “who will help me plant the wheat” or whatever stage the process was in. “Not I” said the pig, the cow, etc. But when she had the bread baked and asked “who will help me eat the bread”, well, everyone said I will to that! And she said no, you won’t! Most of us don’t have the nerve to tell people that, especially if they’re our family or close friends! 

Laziness was the greatest sin in my mother’s book. She was one of the hardest working people I knew or will ever know. But she always let it slide when it was time for the lazy folks to pay the piper. She didn’t have the heart to refuse anyone. But that Little Red Hen put her foot down and it was good for the spirit to see it! And hopefully taught everyone reading the story to be helpful. This book always reminds me of my mom.