When you are a child, words can have a very literal meaning. I remember once overhearing someone saying they were blue, and staring at them intentily trying to figure out where. I think that is why children enjoy Amelia Bedelia so much.
Amelia Bedelia is a maid hired to help a Mr. and Mrs. Rogers. But on Amelia Bedelia's first day Mrs. Rogers has to go out. Mrs. Rogers leaves a list of chores to complete and that is where the hilarity starts.
Amelia Bedelia is a very literal minded maid, so when she reads "dust the furniture" she finds dusting powder and covers the furniture with it. When she is reminded to put out the lights, she carefully unscrews the bulbs and takes them outside to air. And when it comes to dressing the chicken for dinner, poor Amelia Bedelia can't decide whether to dress it as a she or a he!
But cooking is her one talent. In the end, Mr. and Mrs. Rogers decide that for the sake of her pies, Amelia Bedelia must stay.
Peggy Parish, the original author of Amelia Bedelia was born in 1927 in Manning South Carolina. She wrote many different children's books, but is most well known for Amelia Bedelia. After her untimely death in 1988 her nephew Herman Parish took over the writing of the series. His first book, "Driving Amelia Bedelia" was dedicated to Peggy Parish.
Teaching minding adults will enjoy the Amelia Bedelia books for her ability to teach children idioms and homophones, but the children will enjoy it for the sake of the mistakes that Amelia Bedelia makes. Reading Amelia Bedelia books to your children will be a fun way to improve their vocabulary, but more important, will help you forge some funny memories together.
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