Day 2: The Madness Continues

Having learned that the Chinese and Turkish basketball leagues are also cancelled for the year, and having given up on the NBA HORSE nonsense after 5 minutes of motion sickness, I decided to spend more time with my son. And away we go:


Sandra Boynton Region
5. Hand, Hand, Fingers Thumb vs. 12. Tubby
"Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb" played the best version of its game, as the tummy percussion on "dum ditty dum ditty dum dum dum" that I developed with Jack's older cousins paid off and guaranteed a spot in the Round of 32. "Tubby," sadly, was not a children's book about NCAA basketball coach Orlando "Tubby" Smith. If you know of such a book and would be willing to tell me where and how to acquire it, I would be eternally grateful.

4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar vs. 13. I Love My Daddy Because. . . 
If I were deciding who went and who stayed, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" would be making a very deep run like another #4 Seed from Syracuse. . . the 2013 Syracuse team.* Jack was not his usual happy self during the two morning match-ups (this one and the Dr. Seuss Region game below), and one smile or giggle was enough to put a book through. In this case, that one sly smile went to "I Love My Daddy Because. . . ." Time will tell if the lackluster performance creeps back up as it goes against "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb."

Dr. Seuss Region

4. Each Peach Pear Plum vs. 13. Little Wisconsin

Another early upset. I also really enjoy the art and pacing of "Each Peach Pear Plum," and I'd guess that its hidden eye game resonates well with older audiences. Today, though, Jack was all about learning about badgers, wood violets, and [oat] milk. "Little Wisconsin" urges the reader to go outside and see the state for themselves, and we look forward to doing that someday soon.

Shel Silverstein Region
1. I Love You, Stinky Face vs. 16. A Magical Day with Matisse
Making up for yesterday's absence of books from this region, we hit two today. These are the games that would be on TruTV if this were being televised. "A Magical Day with Matisse" is part of a 4-book set, and it should have been seeded higher. It put up a scrappy fight, but "Stinky Face" was seeded high for a reason. . . Jack is really into the pictures and giggled throughout.

5. Little Feminist Artists vs. 12.  Charley Harper's Book of Colors
Maybe the hack-iest thing that is said every tournament time (not by Bill Raftery) is that a 12 always beats a 5. I have picked at least one 12 seed to beat a 5 every year since 2004, when a personal dislike of the Florida Gators led me to go with the unknown Manhattan Jaspers. Ever since then, a voice in my head has whispered "remember Manhattan" as I make an impulse pick that pays off about one in every 4 years. So far, the 5 seeds have taken care of business in this tournament. Both books in these series make later appearances, so stay tuned.

The action continues tomorrow

* World's youngest journeyman Michael Carter-Williams was on that team, and now I feel 50 years old.