A little part of my childhood

           

Recognize this song at all? :)

Almost anyone can attest to the fact that I have a great love for Arthur! (Seriously, just ask my roommate how many times I reference Arthur in a week...ha ha).  I love both the books and the television program.   Arthur tells the story of an 8 year old aardvark and his adventures in Elwood City.  These adventures usually consisted what happens in the daily life of an 8 year old, and also included some kind of moral lesson that either Arthur or one of the supporting characters learned.   

            One important reason as to why Arthur was my favorite is because of the variety in topics that each story was about.  I felt that I could relate to Arthur’s every-day experiences, like writing to a pen pal, or participating in a spelling bee.  This ultimately made it easier for me to feel normal as a kid.  I also liked how Mark Brown (the author) penned Arthur to make mistakes; it made him seem more real and relatable.  One of the best things was that Arthur not only made these mistakes, but that he learned from them!  It comforted me to know that even if I didn't get and ‘A’ on my math test, I could still improve and change my future results. 

            Another reason why I loved Arthur so much was because of Arthur’s complete and functional family.  I come from a family where my parents are divorced and I have a step-mom and a step-dad.  I also never really saw much of my grandparents and so it appealed to me that Arthur’s parents and grandparents were so involved in his life.  I always wished I could have had a grandma that made me cookies after I got home from school just like Grandma Thora!  In retrospect, I suppose I read the books and watched the TV program in part because I wanted to escape from my real-life situation and experience what a well-functioning, caring, and loving family should feel like.

            Arthur impacted my life in a way that not many books or television did. To this day I still love them and find comfort when I watch or read them.  One thing I know for certain: when I have kids, I know exactly which books and TV show I want them to be reading and watching....Arthur!