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Saturday, June 17, 2023

516. The Wonderful O

The Wonderful O
James Thurber
1957
Around 75 pages



















Once again, the List trolls us by randomly including a children's book. Why this choice when there's an entire other list for 1001 Children's Books? Stay in your own lane, children's books. I'll see you at the company picnic.

The letter O is banished from the island Ooroo by a pair of pirates, Black and Littlejack. Black's mother once got stuck in a porthole, and since they couldn't pull her back in, they had to push her out, so naturally the letter O is deeply triggering.

Thurber has a deep mastery of language, so his stories are fun to read, even if they are aimed toward a younger audience. I also enjoyed the illustrations, which perfectly fit the whimsical nature of this story. A fun break from the heavier entries on this List, even if there is Rule Breaking involved.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

It was one of several of Thurber's works illustrated by his friend Marc Simont after Thurber went blind in the 1950s.

UP NEXT: Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

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