Promoting Literacy

I have a book recommendation for you.

You’re A Bad Man, Mr Gum is the first book by Andy Stanton, who I now both love and aspire to be in a sort of incestuous way. It’s a Spike Milligan-esque tale about a man who hates children, animals, fun and corn on the cob. It's full of silly wordplay and throwaway lines like “Mr Gum was too fast this time and shot out of bed like a lazy onion.” The illustrations by David Tazzyman are excellent and what’s more, it is produced by the ethic-tastic Egmont Press, who check with the books if they’re up for being published before putting them through that harrowing process using paper made from sunbeams and rainbows. What a package.

In all seriousness though, read it. To a child, if you must, although I don’t think they really deserve such a fun book. They’ll probably only spill juice on it.

Nuhin tae dae.

Something for the (long) list of possible reasons why kids come into the library and muck about instead of playing outside. Others include the fact that the park is apparently full of dog crap, lack of money to go up town, and the fact that the community centre doesn't let most of them in.