Carpenter’s Column: A little praise for the pen and the ink

“This is the story of Ferdinand — a little bull who would rather sit and smell flowers than fight in the bullring.” — from the back cover of the paperback version published by Grosset & Dunlap.

 I had forgotten the book, until recently. News stories have been celebrating the 90th anniversary this year of the publication of “The Story Ferdinand,” by Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson. It has never been out of print. My curiosity piqued, I purchased a copy.