Araboolies of Liberty Street

I attended Middlebury's Bread Loaf School of English with the author, Sam Swope. I needed some light reading one day and cruised the campus book store. "Ah, a children's book", I thought, "that's a good choice." Little did I know how much that book would come to mean, much less to a husband and children who had yet to enter my life. The Araboolies of Liberty Street has come to be the one story we read every night which none of us wants removed from the rotation. I've been enjoying that book for 15 years-how wonderful to have others join me. It will become the "birthday" book for my children's friends. The toys will come and go, but the lessons of The Araboolies will live for a very long time, especially in our family.

The Araboolies of liberty Street The Araboolies of Liberty Street is about a couple that detests colors, cheerfulness and children. But a lot of, "Araboolies" come and settle in. The Araboolies are a family of eleven that love colors, children and cheerfulness. All the Araboolies do all day is paint their house and the rest of the street except the couple's house and make everything as colorful and cheerful as they can. Meanwhile, the couple decides to send in the troops to destroy the house that is different from all the others. The general rushes to Liberty Street with his troops and looks for the house that is different. So far they only see the colorful and cheerful-looking houses. Finally, they see it and charge forward. The couple hears loud footsteps and looks out the window. They yell at the general and threaten them that they will call the troops, but the troops were already there. So, following their instructions, the general and his fellow troops destroy the house and the couple along with it. Everyone on the street celebrates (the Araboolies) and is happy forever. I liked this book very much because it is not like many books are written, it's written differently. The plot is different and the characters are different. The whole story is unique. I really liked the end of the book because it was very funny when the couple threatened to call the general and his troupes to destroy the Araboolies' homes but they were already there and couldn't do anything but annihilate the couple's house. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes funny and adventurous books.

This is one of my favorite read alouds for students from 2nd grade through middle school. It is crazy fun and prompts interesting discussions about many aspects of a serious topic: diversity and tolerance. The kids delight in the notion of a small person making a big difference, and the powerful villain being hauled away comically.

This book offered a wonderful way for my third grade students to reflect on what can happen when there is a dictatorship who condemns diversity. They loved the Araboolies, and enjoyed both the text and the illustrations. After reading the book, I asked the kids if they thought there was a message in the book. One child answered quietly, "like Joy, each one of us can make a difference." Others piped in, "like Harriet Tubman, Like Rosa Parks, like Abraham Lincoln" and the list went on....naming people who chose to make a positive difference in this world.

Hooray! This book is back in print!!!Such a delightful book! I first learned of this book when our minister read the book to the children one Sunday. When I learned that the book was out of print, I began to search for used copies, but had no luck. Then one day I discovered that the book was being re-printed and I signed up immediately to have it delivered to me. The story of the Araboolies changing colors each day and sleeping on the front lawn always brings a smile to me and to my children. This book teaches tolerance in a way that is easy to understand. I plan on giving a copy of this book to all of my closest friends with children.