It's Tulip Time in Holland. Holland, Michigan. What better week to share one of our favorite books from from our shelf of Americanized Dutch children's stories? (See previously: Kees) The Busiest Boy in Holland tells the story of Toontje, a boy from the Isle of Marken with a pet goldfish named Albert.
Toontje travels with his brothers to Amsterdam to help their Uncle Johannes on his tulip farm as he prepares for a big flower festival.
I love this vision of an Amsterdam street:
After their work days end, the boys craft a secret float for the festival parade.
Soon, the time of the parade has come:
The boys' big surprise is. . .[prepare to be underwhelmed]
Not only is it just not all that impressive, it leaks:
Thankfully, this allows Toontje to portray the greatest hero in Dutch history, the little boy who stuck his finger in the dike:
The people cheer! Hooray, they cry! His goldfish will survive!
