I have so many fond memories of shopping with my mom as a young girl.  We went to the local supermarket with a shopping list, and discount coupons.  We wanted to purchase as much food as we could but still stay on our budget.  Mom taught me how to calculate the cost of the items so that we didn’t go over the amount we had to spend on that particular outing.   

We looked for the sale items first before concentrating on the shopping list.  We usually found them up front before the food aisles.  If we couldn’t find them we looked at the designated places where the items should be found.  Mom usually stayed with the shopping cart and I ran around looking for items on the list.  She taught me how to read the labels on the food products and which were her favorite brands.  We looked at fruits and vegetables and made sure we found the freshest products.  I always tried to convince Mom we should try a new product even when it was not always healthy!

I was excited when we would find pomegranates.   We were the only ones in the family that liked them.   Mom and I would share the fruit later on the day.  I loved how the red seeds made our fingers and our tongues red!  

I came across a wonderful picture book, Sunday Shopping, by Sally Derby and illustrated by Shadra Strickland.  (This book can be found in the lower level of the library under J PICTURE DERBY.)  Reading the book and looking at the playful illustrations stirred so many of my shopping memories. 

On Sundays, Grandma and Evie put on their nightgowns at bedtime.  They pull out the newspaper with the all the sales along with scissors and tape.  Then they pretended to go shopping from Grandma’s bed.  Using make believe money in a big black purse, Evie pretends to purchase ham and rye bread at Hook’s Grocery.  They decided to purchase two loaves of rye bread and give one loaf to Sophie Green downstairs.  After shopping at Hill’s Furniture Store, Pace’s Jewels and Treasures, Hank’s Home Hardware Store, All-U-Need and Florence’s Flower Shoppe, they were exhausted and decided to go to sleep.  Looking at the illustrations in the book, you will see cut-outs of all the items they have purchased taped over Grandma’s headboard.  They had had plenty of fun!  Evie waits till Grandma falls asleep to tape a picture of flowers for her to find in the morning.

Read this delightful book with your children and plan your next excursion to the grocery store and other nearby stores.  What will you purchase with your make believe money?  Have fun playing this imaginary game!

Book and illustrations excerpts are from the book, “Sunday Shopping.”by Sally Derby, pictures by Shadra Strickland.