“You can make it with think.”
“A lamp’s no good without a dressed-up picture.” And Gregory added bitterly, “It was a fool thing to think of giving her one.”
“It wasn’t,” said Janet, and Gregory lifted his head. He did not often let his young sister contradict him.
“It was, if I can’t make it,” said Gregory.
“You can make it.”
“How can I make it without any money?”
“You can make it with think,” said Janet.
It was not what she meant to say, yet oddly it said what she meant.
“How can you make things with think?” asked Gregory. He said it scornfully, but now he came to consider it, that is how things are made.
It was as if Janet had opened a little door in his mind, a door that had been shut, and once again he glimpsed the picture.
From Rumer Godden’s The Kitchen Madonna, that jewel of a book.
Molly says:
I read this to our children this winter and I cried through the last several pages. A beautiful story.
On March 22, 2011 at 10:03 am
Love2learn Mom says:
Love it, love it, love it! John and I just set up what we’re calling a “good place” in our room (isn’t that what they called it in the book . A quiet nook divided from the rest of the room with bookshelves and two soft comfy chairs for reading, prayer, etc.
On March 22, 2011 at 10:24 am
MelanieB says:
I love the “little door in his mind”.
Oh I just adore that book! Time to reread I think.
On March 22, 2011 at 11:55 am
Nina says:
I never did come here and thank you for the suggestion to read The Kitchen Madonna. I adored it. We just finished Heidi which we loved. I think we’ll read this aloud next. Thanks. š
On March 22, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Melissa Wiley says:
Oh Nina, I’m so glad you read it! (I don’t have to say “glad you liked it” because to read it is to love it, eh?) It’s so nice to hear from you. š
Melanie, “little door in his mind” is wonderful, isn’t it? I almost used that quote in the title instead of the other.
On March 22, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Hannah says:
Oh, I recognized it right away! Such a sweet book.
On March 22, 2011 at 6:46 pm
Sara says:
We loved it when we read it last year! We made a St. Joseph icon, but I think we need to work on our Kitchen Madonna, now!
On March 23, 2011 at 3:16 am