Yesterday I grabbed some books off our bookshelf to read to my 6 year old. One of those books is a particular favorite of mine entitled The Clever Carpenter (by R.W. Alley). There's just something special about the story that endears me to the main character, Samuel Plank.
Samuel is a carpenter who is extremely creative when it comes to completing jobs for the people of his town. From a dresser with uniquely-shaped drawers to a school slide with loop-de-loops, his creations are met with a lot of resistance. But Samuel doesn't change who he is, and he presses on even under the the negative attitudes of those around him. In the end, after building a house for a retired ship's captain, his perseverance pays off and his creative genius is finally recognized.
Joely loves the story — and Jaden and Jerah even listened in rapt attention — and has reread it several times already.
If you haven't read The Clever Carpenter to your kids yet, you're missing out! It's a fabulous story and a great read aloud for kids learning to be independent.
I LOVED this book. I read it to my daughter when she was small, and even 'tho she loved teh story, I think I liked it more than she did! I am Samuel Plank! Too creative for my own good! Great illustrations.