Young Marco walks home from school on Mulberry Street, keeping his eyes open for interesting sights as his father requested. He initially sees only a plain horse and wagon, but he finds this reality disappointing. Through a series of mental escalations, Marco transforms the horse into a zebra, then a reindeer, and finally an elephant pulling a brass band. He adds a trailer of magicians, a fleet of airplanes, and a municipal police escort to his growing parade. Each rhyme raises the stakes of his imagined spectacle until the humble street becomes a chaotic, colorful carnival. However, when he finally reaches his front door, his father’s stern presence forces a return to honesty.
This book serves young readers learning the distinction between creative storytelling and factual reporting. It targets children who struggle to contain their imagination within the limits of school or home expectations. Readers observe how thin observations can be expanded into elaborate narratives through simple wordplay and visual building blocks. The story leaves readers with an understanding of how perspective shapes an environment, while acknowledging the often-abrupt transition back to the mundane world of adult authority and literal truth.
Practical, outward-looking, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Practical Optimizer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1937
- Language
- EN
