Around here, the hallmark of a great book or movie is when some phrase from it enters our permanent vocabulary. Lots of children's books have contributed to the unique Sanders-Wells parlance over the years -- a couple of times I've tried to write an essay or article using as many of them as I could, but it never quite came together. Some projects are like that. Even in Australia.The three of us are all people who love to play with words, so maybe we latch onto a nice turn of phrase more readily than some people. But I bet every family has their own vocabulary of favorite catch-phrases based on what they read. Some things cross over into general usage, the way "That'll do, pig" from Babe has. (Are we the only ones who also sometimes quote Rex: "Get that pig outta there!"?)
At different times, I've been prone to pepper the conversation with variations on:- But not the hippopotamus
- Let the wild rumpus start
- "Something is not right!"
- He was still hungry!
- Because an elephant's faithful, 100 percent.
- Happy chicken soup with rice.
- And that's why the sun won't rise.