Book excerpt: Kricket's Adventures is a compilation of true-life stories that took place during the first five years of her life. It is designed to be read to younger children or to be read by an older child. Within these pages, you will be quite entertained by the imagination and humor of one so young. Alongside her puppies, kittens, ducks, snakes, worms, chickens, birds, and squirrels, you will discover Kricket's wonderful imagination and playfulness. One adventure to look forward to is when Sissy left the refrigerator door untied. I heard laughing, and I thought to myself, The refrigerator is tied so it can't be that Kricket was throwing food around. That was the laughing sound I heard, very familiar to my ears. I sat a moment or two and decided that you were just laughing at your dog, Bubba, and your cat, Spice. Then you kept laughing, and I decided that I had better check on you. Sure enough, you had taken out the vegetable soup, and you had thrown it all over the kitchen, walls, tables, floor--you name it. Bubba was trying to catch the food as you threw it, and that was what was making you laugh so hard. My mop was broken, and I had to clean the floor on my hands and knees. You were saying, "Kricket be nice, Mom." I had you sit and watch me the whole time I cleaned. You were about two years old during this episode. As Kricket's mother, I hope you enjoy reading Kricket's Adventures and have many of your own with your child.