Raspberries by Jay O'CallahanIllustrated by Will Moses
Despite much pleading and begging, our home was television free for years. This meant that several times a week, our little flock of children would traipse up to the local public library and check out a stack of books that had to be hauled back home via our red Radio Flyer. There were some particular favorites that we checked out over and over. Dinotopia, Ruth's Bake Shop, and one audio cassette featuring a couple of folk tales. Among those folk tales was a story called Raspberries by Jay O'Callahan.
The story is simple, a kindly egg farmer helps a young girl who gives him magic raspberry seeds. Whenever someone eats said raspberries they lift into the air and uncontrollably shout, Rasssssppppbberrrieees!
This of course means that whenever someone says the word Raspberries in my house, someone uncontrollably sing out, Rasssssppppbberrrieees! So you can imagine my excitement as I opened my Christmas present this year to discover one very beautiful brand picture book of Raspberries, with the audio book included. My dad's eyes beamed as I unwrapped it and I feel bad for him because he had to keep it a secret for over a month.
Nostalgia aside, this is a wonderful story, told by a great storyteller, and the new picture book's folk art fits perfectly with the stories motif.
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