Wait for William

by Marjorie Flack

When William's untied shoe causes him to be left behind on the way to the Circus Parade, he surprises everyone.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

Library Binding

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjori...

Marjorie Flack was an American artist and writer of children's picture books. She was best known for The Story about Ping (1933), illustrated by Kurt Wiese, popularized by Captain Kangaroo, and for her stories of an insatiably curious Scottish terrier named Angus, who was actually her dog. Her first marriage was to artist Karl Larsson; she later married poet William Rose Benét.

Her book Angus Lost was featured prominently in the film Ask the Dust (2006), starring Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek, in which Farrell's character teaches Hayek's character, a Mexican, to read English using Flack's book.

Flack's grandson, Tim Barnum, and his wife, Darlene Enix-Barnum, currently sponsor an annual creative writing award at Anne Arundel Community College. The Marjorie Flack Award for Fiction consists of a $250 prize for the best short story or children's storybook written by a current AACC student.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course it's old: who would let sibling ages 4, 6, and 8 run all the way down to Main Street on their own nowadays? In fact, how many four year olds can tie a "good firm knot" and make a "proper neat bow" in their shoelaces nowadays? But it charmed the socks off me! The text is almost musical, repetitious and rhythmic, very helpful for a child learning to read but also lovely to read aloud. I'd go so far as to call this a lost classic; too bad it wasn't a Little Golden book, because then it would get reprinted in the current nostalgia run.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wait For William by Marjorie Flack (Houghton Miflin 1935)(Fiction - Children's) is a fine kids book about a little boy named William who can't keep up with his older brother and sister. When the circus parade comes to town, the older kids are in for a surprise when they find out where William winds up. My rating: 6.5/10, finished 8/24/11.