The Very Hungry Boy





The main library in downtown Columbus has been rated as one of the best public libraries in the country, and I saw the reasons for such accolades.  I've never seen such an amazing place.  There must be at least three floors, but the children's section is a wonderland.  There is a castle with little seating areas where kids can read.  There is a puppet stage, all sorts of computers, and toys.  Fantabulous!  There is even a little cafe on the first floor, where I grabbed a bite to eat while the boys left me there to do some studying. 

I found a computer to work on, and when my eyes started to glaze over I explored the second floor media/fiction book section to find a different place to study.  I noticed that there were several copies of books available, not just one!  The boys picked me up and we went to the park by the garden of roses. 

At the park we went to a creek so Christian could look for creatures while the rest of us tossed rocks into the water.  Christian was very upset that we did not stay at the creek longer because he wanted to explore some more. Oh how he whined and pouted!  He even lagged way behind while the rest of us made it to the playground.  I sat down in the grass and started reading a book I had picked up at the library that I cannot put down, when out of the corner of my eye I saw a very light green color.  I reluctantly put down my book and looked closer at the grass.  And then I saw it:  a plump, lime green caterpillar.  I called Christian to come over quick!  I wasn't about to touch it and save it for him, but I didn't want anyone to trample on it either.

Christian made it over and I had him sit down on the grass, and then he saw it too.  It reminded me of a book his Uncle Sergio and Aunt Kyla bought for him long ago called The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Like the caterpillar, Christian is hungry, but he hungers for all things found in nature... holding them, reading about them, and nurturing them.

Someone came by and noticed the caterpillar and asked Christian to show it to the other kids in his group.  Finding the beautiful creature helped him to forget about the creek.  We brought it home and he showed his friends.  He was so proud of the caterpillar with the lime green skin and iridescent red dots!  He now had a "friend" for the other reddish hairy caterpillar he'd found earlier in the week.

At the end of the night his friend traded two toads for both caterpillars, and now Christian is bursting with joy at the good deal he made.  We now have three toads outside in a box.  I caught Jojo earlier holding a toad and poking it with a small twig.  I asked him what he was doing and he said, "The toad needs a shot." 

Christian is going to start Cub Scouts soon, and his den will be marching in the town parade for the big Arts in the Alley event next weekend.  They are going to go camping next month and do all sorts of fun boy things.  He also has a subscription to Boys Life magazine and the first issue should be arriving soon.