The news is full of royalty and  intrigue.  A British prince finally proposes – to a commoner;  the media sustains the spotlight on the Alaskan grizzly princess, while her daughter dances; King Richard II’s medieval glove, stolen from his coffin, is found…

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/opinion/21gardam.html

and a baseball player from another era is honored with the Medal of Freedom.

Stan, the Man, Musial’s supporters used an old children’s book – one of my favorites – Flat Stanley – to draw attention to his fading star (he is 90).

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/sports/baseball/21vecsey.html

Flat Stanley wakes up flattened under a bulletin board, and  mails himself in an envelope for a vacation to California – no airport scanners for him – as one of many examples of his inventiveness. The “Flat Stanley Project” has had him showing up all over the world – even at baseball games, promoting his favorite player.

Skip the new Palin book coming out this week and all the new picture books on British royalty – alive and dead.  Flat Stanley has some great ideas for improving the economy and it’s short.   Just be sure you’re not near a bulletin board while reading.