Hi there--this is my first post to the board, although I've occasionally contributed to the mailing list.

My wife is a school librarian, and I share her interest in good children's and young adult books. One of our favorites is the Anastasia Krupnik series by Lois Lowry. I was rereading Anastasia on Her Own (1985) the other day, and was struck by the similarity to a certain other book.

The book starts out with Anastasia's mom frustrated because she's always behind on housework. So Anastasia's dad tries to help out by making a schedule for her to follow. "This can't possibly work," you're thinking, and you're right.

[INDENT]"The problem is," announced Anastasia's father, "that there were a lot of unexpected events. Things we didn't anticipate when we made the schedule."

"There always are," said Mrs. Krupnik. "Every day there are unexpected events."

"That's true, Dad," Anastasia said, looking up from the chopping board where she was slicing the cucumber. "Even in school that's true. Marlene Braverman fainted in Chorus today. Whammo; right out cold on the floor when they were practicing 'Trees.' They got to the part about 'a nest of robins in her hair' and Marlene just keeled over. They took her to the nurse's office, and the nurse said it was because she hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch."

"Maybe Marlene Braverman's mother doesn't have a housekeeping schedule," suggested Mrs. Krupnik, "and so she forgot to make breakfast."

"I had an unexpected event in nursery school, too," Sam said. "I spilled my juice all over the table. It turned the cookies into moosh."

"Well," Dr. Krupnik said, making some final notes on the housekeeping schedule, "Anastasia and I should have thought of that. But now I've redone the list, with special allowances for unexpected events. Things should run absolutely smoothly now, Katherine."

She sighed.[/INDENT]

I ran into the living room waving the book and saying, "Hey, this children's book invented GTD in 1985!"

You can get your own copy on Amazon for practically nothing:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440402913/

Matthew