If You Like to Talk to Tomatoes, If a Squash Can Make You Smile...

I discovered during the Spring Reading Thing that I'm not very good at writing book reports. No matter how much I enjoy a book, I can't think of anything better to say than "I really liked this book" or "This book was really good".

I'm aiming to do better.

Last night at....ahem....2:30AM....ahem....I finished Me, Myself, and Bob by VeggieTale creator Phil Vischer. And I must tell you why it was 2:30 in the morning. It was 2:30 in the morning because I lacked the self-discipline to put the book down. Oh, it was truly that good. Unfortunately this morning, I can't remember all the good things that awed me in the final two chapters, but that's ok. I won't mind reading them over again. Not one bit.

I don't know anything about animation or film production. I don't care to either. But I love VeggieTales. Somewhere around 1997 my friend Chris invited some of us over to his dorm room to watch a video. I think it was Josh and the Big Wall. I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt. At a KIDS video! I have many a VeggieTale related college memory after that! (including Chris and Brian singing the Water Buffalo song - (you know, "boo-hoo-moo-moo-boo-hoo-moo-moo-boo-hoo-moo-moo-boo-hoo-moo-moo-moo-moo) - in the dining hall. And not quietly!) Michael and I began buying the videos long before we had kids. I even used Josh and the Big Wall in class when I was teaching 9th grade World History. I'm pretty much a VeggieTale nut.

But back to the book. The beginning is interesting because it tells about Phil's upbringing. The middle is quick reading because it deals with the early days of the company and all the animation development that was going on at that time. (Quick read because I didn't care too much about the technical details so I just read really fast. But it's still fascinating to know what was going on.) The end, though, is where you should slow down and take your time. The description of the company's fall is so compelling that you can't stop. You might even lose all track of time.

And then there are the final two chapters. (At least I think it was only two, it may have been three...it was after all, the middle of the night.) Wow! Phil describes first what he learned about running a business. Those lessons are good, but in all likelihood, they won't ever be something I need to know. But the lessons he learned about dreams, God, life, visions, and waiting....Now those I will use. Those I will read again today. And maybe again tomorrow. The truths he communicates are lessons for all of us and I'm quite sure they will inspire you as well.

If you're looking for a book to read this summer or if you just like VeggieTales, Me, Myself, and Bob is well worth your time. You might not be able to put it down!

(Those last two sentences sound a lot like they belong on Reading Rainbow, but I can't come up with anything better. ; )