Related Settings

Last night I started The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman. A recent review in BookPage moved me to reserve it from the library. Set on Janus Rock off the southwestern coast of Australia, it is the story of a light keeper and his wife and their decision to keep an infant girl who, along with her deceased father, washed ashore on the island in 1926.

Last week my thoughtful friend Joanne gave me a copy of a book she adores: A Fortunate Life by A. B. Facey. This memoir is set in almost the same place, only on the mainland of Western Australia. I began reading it this afternoon (with a cup of tea and a cat-shaped cut-out cookie) when I returned from school, contemplating what a fortunate life I have, and loving that the two stories are related in their settings and time periods.

Mousterpiece

My passion for books that showcase art and art history led me to Jane Breskin Zalben's latest title called Mousterpiece. The delightful book features a mouse named Janson who lived in a museum and would explore the space after hours. When she discovers artwork on the walls, "her little world opened", and she created in the styles used by those famous painters whose works she observed. She imitates Georges Seurat with dots and Georges Braque with square, triangle, and circle shapes. Janson's Matisse-like collage features a mouse surrounded by bright yellow bursts, and her Pollack-like splatters and drips show a mouse-shaped blank in the painting's center. My favorites of Janson's works are a Starry Night painting with swirls that resemble a mouse head in the night sky and a Chuck Close inspired mouse head. For readers who are unfamiliar with the artists and artwork featured in the book, the author included an excellent glossary to explain a bit more about each person and creation. This book would pair well with Don Freeman's Norman the Doorman!

Family Reading Night #2

 

Nancy Carlson and about 130 children and adults joined celebrated Family Reading Night this week! So gifted in relating to children's experiences, Nancy wove the stories of her own childhood experiences and those of her children into the books and characters kids adore. She showed the audience how some characters look similar to real people in her world. She told about how and why she decided to write specific books. She even shared secrets of the mistakes she has made when illustrating her books. All the while, all eyes in the hall were on her, completely engaged in her words and projected artwork.

The best part, however, came at the end, when children scooted to the front of the hall, directly below her easel, to practice drawing with Nancy. After two lessons, they directed her in an imaginative piece set on Mars! Many of their parents and teachers, meanwhile, were practicing the same skills back in their chairs. It was yet another magical literacy event!

Pedigrees

Too often, I assume children know things they do not know! This week it was the meaning of pedigree in Henry Huggins. The Woofies Dog Food Company sponsors a dog show in the park, and Mr. Pennycuff, the Lucky Dog Pet Shop owner, encourages Henry to enter Ribsy. The neighborhood children decide to enter the dog show as well, and some are certain to win because their dogs have pedigrees.

We talked about what that means. In most classes, the children have not a clue of the word's meaning. One child thought it meant a degree that dogs get after completing puppy school. One clever child described it well as "a dog paper that tells it is a breed." I wonder how they would have processed the rest of the chapter without that important information.

In Love

The first graders are still listening to me read John Erickson's The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog. Up to this point, Hank has failed to determine the murderer of two hens, been caught with the remains of one dead hen, and been in trouble for various things. As a result, he decided to become an outlaw. He headed for the canyons where he rescued a coyote whose head was stuck in a Hawaiian Punch can. When her face was exposed to the light, Hank felt weak in the knees. His mind was swimming with unfamiliar thoughts. He was in love.

As we reviewed the previous chapters today, one student asked again how Hank knew he was in love. The others recounted his weak legs and demonstrated how Hank's eyes were probably glossy and how he had a goofy smile. I countered that with something like this: "But that's not exactly what it is like to be in love." Wrong thing to say in front of six- and seven-year-olds. The next question was, of course, "Well, how did you know you were in love?"

"That's a very good question," I replied, stalling for time. Then I told them how my husband makes me laugh, how I always know he is looking out for me, how we like to do things together, how considerate he is of situations and people. They all nodded, as if they knew exactly what I meant.

Pyrography

On Saturday I had the pleasure of taking a class with my mom and aunt (and my second grade teacher!) at the Woodson Art Museum. The museum has been one of my favorite places since taking field trips there during grade school, and my own children have fond memories of the sculpture garden and various children's literature exhibits over the years.

Our class was taught by Julie Bender, an artist-in-residence for the week, and the focus was pyrography - using burning tools to create images on various surfaces. Though the nuthatch I burned into a piece of maple was not stellar, I did love listening to Julie describe her artistic process. The piece on display for this year's Birds in Art exhibit is called Going My Way? and was created after her visit to a friend's farm and a rooster named Huey. She used 300 pound hot press watercolor paper and her burning tool. Most interesting as the the dirt (under her arm, unfortunately) was made by putting sand under the paper and burning around it. She urged the class members to touch the canvas! The museum staff shook their heads.

Julie was a delightful guide and interesting teacher - and she emphasized that getting books from the library is a great way to learn more about pyrography!

Back in Time

Since graduating 27 years ago, I have not been inside my high school...until Friday afternoon. My son and I toured with a friend, and I am astounded with how familiar it felt, even with the additions and changes. I remembered room locations, teachers' offices (though only a few remain as staff members), and where my friends' lockers were located. Most importantly, I remembered the library in the middle of the third floor with windows all around the top edge to let in natural light. Except for glass panes where the open entrance used to be, it looks almost the same. It was still filled with students, and the librarian (now married) is the same.

With modular scheduling, my high school days contained 20-minute pockets of time to spend doing what needed to be done - or socializing with friends. My chosen safe haven was the library. I was glad to see it bustling with students and especially glad to talk with the librarian (who remembered me, by the way). I asked about circulation and what goes out most frequently. "Without a doubt, the Riordan books," she told me. Interestingly, Rick Riordan's books are high on our elementary circulation list as well!