HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIAM STEIG!
Today, November 14, is William Steig's birthday. If he were alive today he would be turning 100. As it is, he died four years ago at the ripe old age of 96. Prior to writing his first children's book in 1968, Steig was a cartoonist with The New Yorker magazine and a sculptor. After "CDB?" was published in 1968, Steig went on to publish 35 additional books for children and young adults. His final book "When Everyone Wore a Hat," published in 2003, introduces the reader to the world Steig grew up in, when "there was no TV, you could see a movie for a nickel and everyone wore a hat."

Anyone who knows me knows that I live for authors' birthdays. It gives me a reason to celebrate with my child, and who doesn't like a good party? It is also a way to augment my child's love of books by introducing him to the people behind the prose. Of course I have an ulterior motive for this - I'm hoping some day one of my children will be an award-winning author commanding outrageously lucrative book deals who will take care of his dear devoted mother in her old age. Steig is a perfect example of this. When the Great Depression hit his family, sending them into financial turmoil, Steig took care of the family by drawing cartoons and sold his first one to The New Yorker in 1930.

Two of my favorite Steig books for children are "Amos & Boris" and "Pete's a Pizza." I'm sure you're not surprised that these two books lend themselves to wonderful projects!

"Amos & Boris" is a kinder, gentler rendition of Aesop's "The Lion and the Mouse." Amos is a mouse and Boris is a whale. Unlike the lion in Aesop's story, Boris the whale never wants to eat Amos the mouse. Boris does save Amos's life after a boating accident, and Amos returns the favor when Boris is washed up on shore after a hurricane. It's an empowering story designed to bolster a kid's self-confidence to believe that even though they are small they can do mighty things.

Learning the difference between small and large is a developmental milestone usually reached between the

ages of three and four. Before that time you can still explore the concept with your child with simple games. Since our friends north of us have already experienced some snow, I've begun to think about indoor activities. A simple obstacle course game can be played indoors and can teach that small things can make a difference.

Get a rubber ball about the size of a soccer ball or larger. In a hallway or large room roll the ball back and forth to show how it would roll without any obstacles. Next set up some small objects and some large objects. Roll the ball toward the objects. Of course the large objects will stop the ball, but the small objects will also have an effect on the path of the ball. My son loves to then go around and find different sized objects to test, from toys to bags of cat food. This can keep him busy for at least an hour. The cleanup can be daunting, but I trust you can turn that into a game, like "How many pieces of cat food are in a 12 pound bag" as you try to pick them up from the hole you didn't know was there.

"Pete's A Pizza" is a good lunchtime read. When rain ruins Pete's plans for a day of outdoor playing, his father decides to make a pizza - with Pete as the dough! This is a fun book to act out with your child while you are reading. In addition, when it is over, you can make a real pizza together for lunch!

Now I know you Martha Stewart worshipers are pulling out your recipe books and checking your supply of whole wheat flour. For those of us who are still trying to fold the laundry we finished two days ago, the modern comforts of the 21st century are here to make our lives a little bit easier. You can either get roll-out pizza dough from the dairy case, like Pillsbury, or you can even buy ready made pizza crust that is akin to focaccia bread in the bread aisle. Both work. You will also want to get some readymade pizza sauce. Make sure you have shredded cheese or anything else your toddler likes on his pizza. If you don't have shredded cheese but have a food processor, let your toddler shred the cheese. This is sure to awe them for a least enough time for you to be able to brew a cup of tea for yourself. You may end up having to shred every bit of cheese you have in the house, but there are worse things in life.

The easiest pizza is to use the ready made bread crust, heat it up in the oven, then let your toddler add the pizza sauce and cheese. Help them distribute both evenly or you will end up with an inedible mess. After a few minutes of cooking, lunch is served!

Once your pizza is finished, you can sit down and enjoy a nice lunch, compliments of Mr. Steig. Happy birthday, William - and thanks for the wonderful

stories! I