search party

i have loved many, many books in my life, but i have always had a special place in my heart for the search for delicious.

i have the most vivid memories of an elementary school teacher (fourth grade, maybe?) reading us this book aloud, and me hanging on every word. it was magical, somehow, and it has stuck with me all these years more than almost any other book of my childhood.

specific details sort of faded after a while, but the basic plot as i remembered it was this: a kingdom. a dictionary. a disagreement about what food should qualify as the definition of delicious. an epic effort to determine said definition. a happy ending. (which i will not give away here.)

for years i have been bringing up this book whenever the opportunity presented itself. (because, you know, i talk about both kingdoms and dictionaries a lot.) and here's the thing. no one had ever heard of it. and then i started looking for it in bookstores and here's the thing. i could never find it. and then i started thinking i had made up the story myself and that i should write it and sell it and be rich.

but here's the thing. i knew it had to be out there somewhere.

and then on saturday jaron handed me a little package wrapped in newspaper. and here's the thing. i opened it and the search for delicious was inside. (with this fancy new cover.)

and i was so happy i wanted to cry. but instead i just stared in amazement at my old, dear, long-lost friend.

and then i started reading. and i read all weekend, and until late on monday night, when i finished with a satisfied sigh.

and here's the thing. it was so much better than i remembered!

the writing was more effortless and funny, the plot was more intricate and careful and touching, the characters were more lovable (and i had totally forgotten about the dwarves, the woldwellers, the mermaid and the villain, hemlock. how did that happen?) and the ending was so much more poignant and happy.

i was in heaven.

it was magic all over again.

you might even say it was, well, delicious.

(oh hey, p.s. if it's not obvious already, you should go out right now and read this book. seriously. the (happy) end.)