“Camilla Cream loved lima beans. But she never ate them. All her friends hated lima beans, and she wanted to fit in.”
David Shannon’s children’s book, “A Bad Case of Stripes,” has a message for young and old alike. Be yourself.
On May 6, 2008, Country Isles Elementary School in Weston, Florida, celebrates “Community Reading Day.” It is a time where adult folks from around town come to school, network with other volunteer readers, pick a favorite book, choose a classroom, and read to the children. The readers meet in the library, and two children from each classroom escort him to his destination.
I’ve picked my book. David Shannon is not only the author, he is also the illustrator, and his illustrations are a credit to his incredible talent.
The story crescendos as Camilla is examined by every expert on earth. Then the media gets involved because they must report on their discovery of “The Bizarre Case of the Incredible Changing Kid.”
With the help of a little old lady, Camilla is saved when she finally admits she does love lima beans.
“Afterward Camilla wasn’t quite the same. Some of the kids at schools said she was weird, but she didn’t care a bit.” . . .
Community Reading Day is a wonderful tradition that other schools may wish to adopt as part of their community involvement efforts — and
David Shannon’s “A Bad Case of Stripes” is a must read. It needs to be a part of every child’s library and every plastic surgeon’s reception area.