That damn Giving Tree and other kids' books

I haven't read all of these to Kelly, but I'm sure familiar with them all. And the writer gets bonus points for a) being an unemployed parent of a 7-year-old, like me, b) some fairly classic Memphis and "Barney Miller" gags, and c) aptly explaining the difficulties of getting your kid to understand the puns in "Amelia Bedelia." Kids who've never heard of dusting powder or dressing a chicken start looking at you funny around the third page.