Today whilst casting a glance over the shelves of a book shops' picture book-shelves, I spied(not with my little eye) a book called 'Not a box' By Antoinette Portis. Seeing this (I'm ashamed to admit) my teenage attitude took over and I began to mentally ridicule this book. As the cover clearly showed a rabbit and a box ------------------------>
So I began to scoff...'pfft what else could it be???? A fridge with magical pixies living in it?!' and the likes. However I realised after I finished it how right I may be.....
This children's book, however futile I thought it at first, The old saying comes to mind (slightly twisted) Don't Judge A Book By It's Title. For that offense I am truly sorry. For I learned a simple yet big life lesson from this simple book, and though you may scoff, and children may read unawares. This is not just a book.
Upon opening the cover I see written 'To children everywhere in Cardboard boxes' .And the ridicule dies down and open mindedness appears, eager. *turn page* 'Why are you sitting in a cardboard box?? *turn over* 'IT's NOT A BOX!!' And as I turn the page in anticipation, i begin to understand the higher purpose this book brings. I see sed rabbit, who; on the prev page is sitting in a small box, to now be sitting in a Red race car. Ready and waiting to race to victory in the Grand Prix. Then I smile timidly and say to myself aahhhh.... Now this is one of my best days...I feel, as to happen upon this tresure of written word in a small brown book, on a simple shelf, piled high with other books with ten million different stories. I feel as if I were in Aladdin's cave and apart from all the jewels, gold and all the stories those things could bring and that I found a flower at the bottom of that pile. That had survived on a glint of gold light and the dewy moisture on a cave wall. Which would mean more to me. Which comes down to 'It's the simple things'. However I digress, I just wish more people would see like this. Simply, somethings may not be as they are seen. I truly now believe that a table may not be a thing to stand things on but.. a frame for a blanket-tent and a box may be a space ship or a castle for the finest princess. A stick may be a sword to kill the 'baddies' or a extendo arm for a super hero. So I believe the imagination of a child is one of life's greatest tresures. And if you could bottle it, it would do us all a lifetimes worth.
