The charming book, The Saturdays, by Elizabeth Enright, was our read aloud book for the last couple weeks. This was one of those books where Laura was begging me to read more, where I was tempted to look ahead, and where I caught others listening in when they were supposed to be doing something else.
The story is centered around four children, the Melendys. They live with their father and housekeeper, Cuffy, in New York City. There is Mona, Rush, Randy (which stands for Miranda), and little Oliver. On a boring Saturday the children concoct a plan that they will combine allowances. Then, each Saturday, one child will take the combined allowance money to go and do something they really want.
Thus begins a series of adventures with these imaginative children. Laura and I laughed with these children and got a glimpse of their lives. We learned lessons with them and are hoping to read the next book in the series soon.
Each child was unique, with their own interests and talents. I was thrilled to read how the children explored their interests and talents. They had a special room in their home that they called the Office. In their Office was where they hung out and delved into their interests. Mona loved acting and poetry. Rush played the piano with extraordinary talent and actually liked the Opera. Randy loves art and dancing. Oliver, being a six year old boy, loves things any six year old would love.
As I read this book I couldn't help but wonder if these children weren't a little like homeschooled children. They got along together. They were adventurous and delved deeply into their own interests. They were imaginative. This was one of those books where the characters felt so real that the readers almost feel that they know them personally. It is also one of those books that seems to give children permission to be themselves and to live out some of those dreams they have.
I look forward to the next one in the series.
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