MADreads

Let’s talk pockets, shall we? Is there anything worse than “rotten pockets”? The fake ones, the tiny ones, the missing all together ones? Pockets have a long and checkered history in dresses and skirts. It was understood that trousers needed decent, sizable serviceable pockets. But dresses? Why on earth would pockets be needed in dresses. Besides, it might be possible for the wearer to squirrel pro women’s voting tracts in pockets and sow “sedition”. When dress silhouettes shifted from wide to narrow in the early 1900s, the loss of pockets was felt universally.

I was late to The Guncle party and truthfully only got it read because I needed to read this sequel. So here I am having read both in quick succession which had pros and cons as a reading experience. Before I get into those pros and cons, let me set the scene.

Once upon a time, Elizabeth of York was a little princess who enjoyed playing with the family dogs. When she turned 18, her father gave her a puppy of her own, named Susan. Susan, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, became Elizabeth’s constant companion. She was supportive when Elizabeth joined a women’s regiment during WWII. Susan stowed away in the bridal carriage taking the princess to be married, and she comforted Elizabeth when her father died. Soon Elizabeth was crowned queen. After Susan’s death, she owned a succession of corgis and regarded them as family.

Each profile features a fantastic poem by a different author who also has something in common with the young activist. Different types of poems (hello, curriculum!) and a succinct truth bomb about activism on each page ("In your city or state, who has the power to make things change? Write them a letter and ask for what you need.") drive home the message that all voices are powerful and unique, and that even the youngest voices can make a big difference!