Mr. Scarry

To know that over the course of your life, you entertained, educated, and brought joy to millions of children through your stories...that has to feel good.

Mr. Richard Scarry certainly should have felt good, with the host of anthropomorphic characters he brought to life in dozens of different architecturally-accurate and detailed environments, most notably in Busytown.

Dick Scarry. 1919-1994
And, it is pronounced /'skæ ri/
As in "Scary."

Always loved Lowly Worm.

One of the great things about growing children is that you get to re-experience art, books, film, and music that have fallen into cliche, or at least become passe as an adult.

Moonlight Sonata or Bach for the first time. Indiana Jones, or The Goonies for the first time. Shel Silverstein or the Hardy Boys, or Matthew Looney and the Space Pirates for the first time. Seeing a Matisse collage, or Ansel Adams landscape with fresh eyes for the first time...that is why childhood is such a great adventure: you get to have all kinds of first experiences. And they should not be jaded by the hipness of veteran eyes or ears.

And that's why it's great being a parent: you get to experience the joy of those first experiences. And rediscover, with fresh perspective, what made those things great in the first place.

In church, my cousin Bobby got to read Richard Scarry books during the sermon. I was envious. I just had a sketchbook, where I drew pictures of Russian firearms, dragons, and vaguely sinister old men in ties sitting on the front pew.

Now, I should probably squeeze in a fresh episode of Lie to Me before slumber.