The day Flat Stanley visited the Seat of Harmony

I remember I was downtown for something and had stopped by the Gallery.  I noticed a woman taking a photograph of something on the bench, but I couldn't see what it was.  When I got closer, I realized it was a very special visitor, Flat Stanley.

From Wikopedia:

Flat Stanley a 1964 children's book by Jeff Brown (1926 – December 3, 2003) and illustrated by Tomi Ungerer. It was the first in a series of books featuring Stanley Lambchop, a completely flat boy.

Stanley Lambchop and his younger brother Arthur are given a big bulletin board by their Dad for putting pictures and posters on. He hangs it on the wall over Stanley's bed, but during the night the board falls from the wall, flattening Stanley in his sleep. He survives and makes the best of his altered state, and soon he is entering locked rooms by sliding under the door, and playing with his younger brother by being used as a kite. Stanley even helps catch some art museum thieves by posing as a painting on the wall. But one special advantage is that Flat Stanley can now visit his friends by being mailed in an envelope. Eventually Arthur, who tires of all the attention Stanley has been getting, reverts Stanley to his proper shape through an air pump used for footballs.

From this book came The Flat Stanley project and how Stanley came to be in Charlottesville.

The photographer, Kimberly, told me that she was tasked with taking her nephew's Flat Stanley to various spots in Virginia.  Following our brief encounter, she sent me this message:

Hi Virginia,

We met last misty weekend on the downtown mall in Charlottesville, while I was taking a photo of "Flat Stanley" on your beautiful mosaic loveseat. You asked me to send you the photo, and I'll attach it to this email. I don't know if you remember my brief description of why I was taking a picture of a paper-flat and crayoned kid on your lovely loveseat...My nephew Skyler sent me this "Flat Stanley" as part of a

class project.  I'll paste Skyler's letter that accompanied this flat fellow below. You can see that pictures aren't necessary--I just thought they would be fun to send his class (for example, I doubt those third graders have ever seen a mosaic couch before). I'll attach some other photos of Stanley's adventures in Amherst and Lynchburg too!

Following is the message that was sent with Stanley when he was mailed to a friend…

 Dear Friend,

I am a third grade student at C.A. Dwyer School in Rockaway, New Jersey, USA. Our class has just finished reading the story, Flat Stanley, by Jeff Brown. In the story, Stanley (after being flattened) is placed in an envelope and mailed to California to visit a friend.

 

As a way to help our third grade class learn more about the world around us, we are sending "Flat Stanley" out to explore the world. With your help, we can learn more about many different places. Here's how you can help us:

 

1. Please send a postcard, picture, or a short note telling us a little about the place you live and are visiting. This can be mailed to : C.A. Dwyer School, 665 Mt. Hope Avenue, Wharton NJ 07885, Attn: Mrs. Parisi and Skyler Falt (3B)

 

2. Then send Stanley and this letter on to a friend or a relative who would be willing to do the same thing.

 

3. If you receive Stanley during the month of May, please return him to me as soon as possible. (My class will be planning a welcome home party for Stanley, and we will eagerly be awaiting his arrival!)

 

The more Stanley gets passed around, the more my classmates and I will learn about the world. We will be keeping track of Stanley's travels on our class map, as mail arrives. Thank you for helping us with this fun project! Enjoy your time with Stanley, and we look forward to hearing from you.

 

Fondly,

 

Skyler Falt

Rockaway, New Jersey

USA

How lucky was that that I happened be there that day!

 

Comments

[Skyler]

hi this is skyler thats my flat stanley!

[Virginia]

Hi Skyler, I'm glad you came to visit!