GroshLink

After I returned from Chicago, Eden was a fan of a newly checked out book:

Nobody's Mother is in Second Grade.  Robin Pulver.  Illustrated by G. Brian Kraus.  Penguin Books.  1992.

The conclusion sums up the book beautifully:

Miss Gardner turned to Cassandra [2nd grader].  "I hope your mother will join our class again.  She doesn't have to pretend to be a plant."

"Thank-you, Miss Gardner," replied Cassandra.  "But nobody's mother is in second grade.  That would be ridiculous!"

But if you have K - 2 grade kids and haven't read Nobody's Mother is in Second Grade, I'd encourage you to do such.  It's lots of fun :-) 

PS.  After writing the initial post, I found out from Theresa that she finds the story, which she's had to read every day while I was in Chicago for InterVarsity's Graduate & Faculty Meetings, "dumb."  "Why would you read a book about that?"  Is this a difference between father and mother? 

In follow-up I asked Theresa whether should would still find the book "dumb" even if it was about a father dressing up like a plant. The answer was, "Yes." She thinks "the teacher and mom must be in cahoots for this to work."  Also, unlike what she reads by the author, Theresa finds the green plant facts secondary. Some of the science teacher background coming through?  Will I feel the same way after reading the book several times?

Question:  Do you remember better those things which make you laugh ;-)  How is "the ridiculous" accompanied by laughter an approach to teaching/learning?