A guest post by Sarah, mum to Neve, Cissy and Jemima

There is a lot of talk amongst parents about learning to read and reading dutifully to the kids every night – so much so you would think it had all become just another chore! Many experts agree that children need to hear a lot of stories before they can learn to read. But there are other much better reasons to read to the children every day… because it is fun, because you get special time together and because these moments are the stuff of wonderful memories. I think that When we were little Sunday is all about the specialness of these moments – even more than being about the books, it is about those shared times that make me remember being little and the important people in my life who read to me.

And with that in mind I want to talk about a book which I have never seen in a bookshop – have never been able to source secondhand and have never seen in a books in print list. (I know because I have tried to obtain a copy numerous times.)

It is The Story of Horace, retold and illustrated by Alice M Coats. My Grandma bought this book at the Presbyterian Bookroom in Collins St, Melbourne, sometime in the 70s (there is a sticker in the front).

The Story of Horace is about a family:

There was -
Great-Grandpa,
Great-Grandma,
Grandpa,
Grandma,
Pa,
Ma,
Paul
and little Lulu.
And with them lived Horace.

Horace was a bear!

One day Pa went out hunting.

And on the way back, he was met by – Great Grandma, Grandpa, Grandma, Ma, Paul and little Lulu.

And they all said, “What do you think has happened?”
And Pa said,
“What HAS happened?”
And they said;- “Horace has eaten GREAT-GRANDPA!”

And Pa was just WILD,
and he said,
“I will KILL Horace!”

But they all took on so,
he hadn’t the heart to do it.

And you can all guess what happens next….

Horace eats his way through Great Grandma, Grandpa, Grandma, Ma, Paul and Little Lulu until it is Pa’s turn. Believe it or not when it is only Pa and Horace left…

And Pa was just WILD,
and he said,
“I will kill you Horace!”
But HORACE took on so –

he hadn’t the heart to do it.

And the next day HORACE went out hunting.

Really it is a terrible story which to begin with just plain terrified me. But it inevitably became a favourite amongst all of my cousins, my brother and I. Sleepovers at grandma’s had to be accompanied by the bloodthirsty Horace. I think this had a lot to do with the way Grandma would read it. The fantastic repetition of the story, no matter how gruesome, made it truly entertaining. Every time Pa came back from his various hunting exploits, he was greeted by one less family member, and every time they would say “What do you think has happened?” I just love the fact that he never could guess!

We all loved it so that on her 90th birthday Grandma read it for us, whilst my uncle videoed it for posterity (sorry didn’t have time to convert it so I could post it here – but it was a legendary performance!) This book brings with it so many memories of my lovely Grandma, it will always be super special. As you can see from the pictures, I am the lucky custodian of the family copy of this book.