“The Luck of the Buttons” & The Love of Iowa
Soren was wondering why we live in Iowa. There are no mountains, oceans, or deserts. None of the things that we travel to see. He wondered if that could be the reason: “Do we live in Iowa so we have a reason to travel to the ‘cool’ places?”
“No,” I told him, “we live in Iowa for a handful of reasons, but one is so that I don’t have to travel to see my very favorite kind of landscape. I can just step outside.”
I don’t think he was convinced, but to me Iowa is the ‘cool’ place. I’m mean seriously, look at this photo!
It was fitting then, that on a recent day trip to hike, bike, and picnic at some of my favorite Iowa locations, we listened to The Luck of the Buttons by Anne Ylvisaker on CD. The tale is set in Iowa, 1929, in the fictional town of Goodhue, supposedly right outside of Cedar Rapids.
Because of that, we felt a deeper connection to the story and even a hint of pride at being from Iowa like this fun cast of characters. But as the story progressed, we couldn’t help but wonder why stories of gullible and unsuspecting townsfolk from bygone days are always set in Iowa. Ok, I guess I only know two stories that fit that description, but still. Trouble with a capital “T” was brewing in Goodhue, just like it did in River City. I guess you could call these Iowa folk naïve or gullible, but I choose to call them innocent, trusting, and really likeable.
We all rooted for the delightful heroine, sweet Tugs Button, as she worked to solve a mystery and step out from the “unlucky” shadow her family believes hovers over the Button Clan. My boys enjoyed the antics of the elderly twin sisters, Elmira and Eldora, who proved to be full of surprises, and I found Tug’s parents to be an unexpected source of inspiration.
“Father Button” listened to Tugs and took her seriously in a way that gave me pause; Do I treat my own children with that kind of respect? “Mother Button” was available, willing, and resourceful when Tugs came to her wanting to shed her tomboy ways. She gently found ways to affirm Tugs, just as she is, while also allowing her room to grow-up with grace. And the story of how Mother Button came up with the name ‘Tugs’ is truly endearing.
I had noticed this book sitting on the shelf at the library many times, but had been hesitant to select it. The heavy emphasis on luck in the write up on the back had given me pause. As one who believes that the hand of the sovereign God is at work in all things, I’m not particularly interested in stories that label every event or circumstance as either lucky or unlucky. However, in The Luck of the Buttons, other themes emerge as far more important than luck. Everything that happens to Tugs (with the exception of winning a camera in the Independence Day raffle) can be attributed to determination, smarts, kindness, and hard work.
In the end everyone is feeling lucky to have had Tugs around and she is feeling pretty lucky herself. I’m all for a happy ending like that, but I think a better description of what they were experiencing is “blessed.” They were blessed to have friends and family surrounding them, blessed to have room to learn and grow, and above all, blessed, just like we are, to live in Iowa.
Try Some Button Art:
Grab glue (better yet, a glue gun), colorful buttons, and paper and you can quickly create a project that is simple yet sharp looking. For younger children, you can draw the design for them-flowers, letters, animals, etc.-and let them glue the buttons on the lines.
