If You Lived You Learned
Marjory Lou Babb and her brothers were free range children who grew up in Amarillo, Texas. The If You Lived You Learned storybooks are based on her childhood experiences. Each story invites the reader to consider whether the “live and learn” adage has merit and, if children do learn, whether they remember when they grow up.
Although the stories are written for adults, they are illustrated and formatted to look like children’s books. They chronicle Susanna Carter’s childhood learning experiences with respect to money (Storybook 1), fairness (Storybook 2), retribution (Storybook 3), folly (Storybook 4), death (Storybook 5), sex (Storybook 6), and risk (Storybook 7).
Book 1: It's My Money
The Carter children experience the corrupting effect of money, and to defend it, they militarize the neighborhood with weapons scavenged from construction trash dumps.
Book 2: Fair Expectations
Frustrated by age inappropriate restrictions and the contextual dynamics of fairness, Susanna bulldozes her way into challenges that test her capabilities.
Book 3: Unanticipated Consequences
Susanna indulges in the perverse pleasures enjoyed by pranksters, but payback escalates, and retribution backfires.
Book 4: Convictions
Though Susanna is initially enamored by her brother’s fantastically dangerous projects, she later becomes an unwilling participant who battles against his stupidity.
Book 5: Rise & Shine
Feeling betrayed by misguided adults, the Carter children struggle with the concept of death and rebel against tradition and dogma.
Book 6: Sex
Follow Susanna from childhood through adolescence as she crusades to find out “What’s a F#@K?”
Book 7: Naysayer's Revenge
Throughout their childhood Susanna was her brother’s keeper. Now she risks life for reward.