Grow! Raise! Catch!
Picture book
"A long time ago there were no stores or refrigerators. To survive
people had to grow, gather, hunt and fish for their food."
Sadly most of today's kids (and adults) lack the connection with
the land (and sea) past generations had. You can go from cradle to
grave knowing nothing about the origin of foods before big box store.
Fortunately there is a growing movement to buy local.
Shelley Rotner's Grow! Raise! Catch!: How We Get Our Food
introduces children (and parents) to some of the many people who
produce wholesome food. The photographs are colorful and vibrant. At
the end readers discover that even in the city people can find spaces,
say roof tops and pots, to grow yummy food.
Olivia and I find this book to be in very good taste.
On a personal note, when UMaine had the Healthy High (a traditional
10K and 5K race and 1 mile fun run) I volunteered all day. I was just
scheduled to do set up. But my instincts told me to stay and guard
the food and drinks tables which were set up for returning runners.
My instincts were spot on. The other volunteers left just as the race
started. So come show time, the deluge of hungry, thirsty racers, it
was just me to keep food and drinks replenished and make sure the
shakiest looking racers got hydrated. Much to my surprise I felt in
control every minute and had a great time. I also enjoyed the looks
on some people's faces when they realized I pulled it off solo.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Saturday, April 29, 2017
A Storm Called Katrina
A Storm Called Katrina
Picture book
"'HURRICANE'S COMING, Baby,' Mama said.
'I'm not a baby anymore, Mama. I turned ten last month.'
'Doesn't matter how old you are, Louis Daniel. You'll always be
my baby,' she said. 'Hush now and go to bed.'"
The mother in the picture tilts her son's head up toward her.
Rain can be seen splattering the window behind them. A bedside lamp
casts a golden halo but otherwise fails to dispell the dark.
The next day the storm is a lot worse. A tree has been blown
down. Rain drops are larger than quarters and the wind slams the
house. It's after the storm stops, however, that the biggest danger
asserts itself.
Myron Uhlberg's A Storm Called Katrina, candidly illustrated by
Colin Bootman, creates a fictitious family to bring to life the
experiences of many families slammed by Hurricane Katrina. Fleeing
rising water, they drift through the flood on a broken off piece of
someone's porch. A bundle of clothes is what you think it is. Louis
looks even though his mom tells him not to.
Louis and his parents end up in the storm damaged, dangerously
crowded Superdome. Food and water get scarce. Then Louis and his mom
get separated from his dad. How will they ever find him?
Olivia and I found ourselves caught up in the lost dog with a
red ball subplot. If you want to know what that is, you'll have to
read the book and see.
On a personal note, the past two weeks we have had amazing after
supper discussions at Wilson Center. The first was about sexual
violence and how faith traditions can help combat it. The second was
about environmentalism and faith traditions. We have only one more
Wednesday night dinner since the semester is almost over. Sigh.
We'll also participate in an interfaith coastal clean up tomorrow.
A great big shout out goes out to my Wilson Center family whom I will
greatly miss over the summer.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"'HURRICANE'S COMING, Baby,' Mama said.
'I'm not a baby anymore, Mama. I turned ten last month.'
'Doesn't matter how old you are, Louis Daniel. You'll always be
my baby,' she said. 'Hush now and go to bed.'"
The mother in the picture tilts her son's head up toward her.
Rain can be seen splattering the window behind them. A bedside lamp
casts a golden halo but otherwise fails to dispell the dark.
The next day the storm is a lot worse. A tree has been blown
down. Rain drops are larger than quarters and the wind slams the
house. It's after the storm stops, however, that the biggest danger
asserts itself.
Myron Uhlberg's A Storm Called Katrina, candidly illustrated by
Colin Bootman, creates a fictitious family to bring to life the
experiences of many families slammed by Hurricane Katrina. Fleeing
rising water, they drift through the flood on a broken off piece of
someone's porch. A bundle of clothes is what you think it is. Louis
looks even though his mom tells him not to.
Louis and his parents end up in the storm damaged, dangerously
crowded Superdome. Food and water get scarce. Then Louis and his mom
get separated from his dad. How will they ever find him?
Olivia and I found ourselves caught up in the lost dog with a
red ball subplot. If you want to know what that is, you'll have to
read the book and see.
On a personal note, the past two weeks we have had amazing after
supper discussions at Wilson Center. The first was about sexual
violence and how faith traditions can help combat it. The second was
about environmentalism and faith traditions. We have only one more
Wednesday night dinner since the semester is almost over. Sigh.
We'll also participate in an interfaith coastal clean up tomorrow.
A great big shout out goes out to my Wilson Center family whom I will
greatly miss over the summer.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, April 28, 2017
A is for Activist
A is for Activist
Picture book
"C is for Co-op.
Cooperating cultures.
Creative Counter to Corporate vultures.
Oh, and cats. Can you find the cats?"
Olivia and I are over the moon over an alphabet book. Not just
any alphabet book, mind you! A is for Activist is not only a treasury
for abecedarians (yes, that's a real word) but an uncondescending
guide to just about all the meaningful social and political causes in
today's world. It's also a book that growing kids can come back to
for fresh insights over quite a time span and parents and teachers can
learn a thing or two from.
Olivia is active in Student Women's Association. So I was not
at all surprised when I saw her linger over
"F is for Feminist.
For fairness in pay.
For freedom to flourish
and choose our own way."
Where I spend as much time as I can in the Multicultural Center
I was captivated by
"Indigenous and immigrant.
Together we stand tall.
Our histories are relevant.
An Injury to one Is an Injury to all."
We both adore
"L-G-B-T-Q!
Love who you choose,
'cuz love is true!
Liberate your notions of limited emotions.
Celebrate with pride, our links of devotion."
And that's just a few of the crucial concepts succinctly and
beautifully covered. Illustrations are vivid and bold with a collage
feel to them. Remember the cats alluded to in the lead quote? There
is one for every letter. They are fun and sometimes a little tricky
to find.
Olivia and I give A is for Activist a collective four thumbs
up. We consider it a school and public must acquire and a pretty cool
addition to family collections.
On a personal note, the most recent UMaine blood drive went really
well. We got lots of dilligent donors. I gave a pint and then
volunteered at canteen the next day. One special plus was that we got
very cool tee shirts.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"C is for Co-op.
Cooperating cultures.
Creative Counter to Corporate vultures.
Oh, and cats. Can you find the cats?"
Olivia and I are over the moon over an alphabet book. Not just
any alphabet book, mind you! A is for Activist is not only a treasury
for abecedarians (yes, that's a real word) but an uncondescending
guide to just about all the meaningful social and political causes in
today's world. It's also a book that growing kids can come back to
for fresh insights over quite a time span and parents and teachers can
learn a thing or two from.
Olivia is active in Student Women's Association. So I was not
at all surprised when I saw her linger over
"F is for Feminist.
For fairness in pay.
For freedom to flourish
and choose our own way."
Where I spend as much time as I can in the Multicultural Center
I was captivated by
"Indigenous and immigrant.
Together we stand tall.
Our histories are relevant.
An Injury to one Is an Injury to all."
We both adore
"L-G-B-T-Q!
Love who you choose,
'cuz love is true!
Liberate your notions of limited emotions.
Celebrate with pride, our links of devotion."
And that's just a few of the crucial concepts succinctly and
beautifully covered. Illustrations are vivid and bold with a collage
feel to them. Remember the cats alluded to in the lead quote? There
is one for every letter. They are fun and sometimes a little tricky
to find.
Olivia and I give A is for Activist a collective four thumbs
up. We consider it a school and public must acquire and a pretty cool
addition to family collections.
On a personal note, the most recent UMaine blood drive went really
well. We got lots of dilligent donors. I gave a pint and then
volunteered at canteen the next day. One special plus was that we got
very cool tee shirts.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Thursday, April 27, 2017
I Am Not A Number
I Am Not A Number
Picture book
"I blew gently on the red welts that had bloomed down my arms.
Ashamed? I wasn't ashamed of my language. I was proud of it. But
everything I knew and loved about who I was and where I had come from
was slowly being taken away. Mother's last words--Never forget who
you are--rang in my ears. 'I'm Irene Couchie. I'm trying to
remember,' I whispered, as tears streamed down my face.
Irene Couchie, protagonist of Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer's
I Am Not A Number, was a real eight-year -old child when she was taken
from her parents, against the family will, to a government run
school. She was assigned a number instead of her name. Her hair, a
source of pride in her community was cut off. She was forbidden to
speak her native language. Right before the above quote she was
forced to hold a pan of hot coals by a nun who told her she should be
ashamed of herself.
"Irene Couchie Dupuis was among approximately 150,000 First
Nations, Metis, and Inuit children--some as young as four--who, for
over a century, were removed from their homes and sent to live at
residential schools across Canada. The schools were created and
funded by the federal government in the belief that Indigenous peoples
were 'uncivilized' and needed to be 'saved' from themselves. In
reality, that 'education' cost Indigenous children the loss of their
families and communities, their Indigenous languages, and their
traditions."
Can you imagine, as a child, being torn from your family and
community and placed in a stern, unforgiving environment where you are
systematically stripped of your identity? If you are a parent can you
imagine having your beloved children forcibly taken from you to a
place where, "...Rules were strict, conditions harsh. Children were
poorly fed; infectious diseases thrived; many students died alone and
far from home. Basic skills and trades were taught, but generally
children were overworked, and the quality of education was poor.
Those who broke the rules were punished. Most of the children felt
lonely, isolated, and unloved."
Some of today's best literature is being done for the read aloud
and early reader set. We have come a long way from my childhood when
Dick, Jane, and Sally look, look, looked at Spot run, run, run. In
both fiction and non fiction formats, children and parents are
introduced to topics many adults are clueless about. Yet language and
viewpoint are emminently appropriate. And illustrations, whether
paintings or photographs, are breathtaking.
I Am Not A Number is a perfect example of this. Dupuis and
Kacer (Irene's granddaughter) manage, by presenting the day-to-day
experience of a child, create a protagonist children will relate to.
They convey the true horror without going beyond what kids can deal
with. (For parents and teachers there are added layers of meaning,
particularly on the last three pages that kids will probably not
read.) Gillian Newland's paintings really bring the story to life.
Facial expressions are body language are eloquent. Irene's mother,
saying goodbye to her, strives valiently to hide unspeakable pain.
Her father, when she and her brothers return for summer vacation,
shows determination to do whatever it takes to not have to send them
back. In contrast, those rigid, chalk faced nuns are grim enough to
give adults nightmares.
Even if you have no children or intentions to be fruitful and
multiply I advise you to read I Am Not A Number. You'll do a lot of
people favors if you request your local library to acquire it.
Remember what they say about those who do not understand the past?
On a personal note, one night I was getting intoxicated on the new
picture books and their potential. I brought four of them (I Am Not A
Number and the next three I am reviewing next) to my lunch with Olivia
to see how she would respond to them. Olivia is a UMaine undergrad.
She's a very likeable blonde girl next door...
Warrior woman. She's very smart and knowledgeable on a wide
variety of important issues and involved in student activists
organizations like Student Women's Association and Maine Peace Action
Coalition. She also found I Am Not A Number to be extremely poignant--
a story that very much needed to be told. It bothered her that this
part of history is so little known today.
Olivia is my new partner in literature and I will include her
observations from time to time. This blog has been a solo act a tad
too long.
A great big shout out goes out to Olivia and her activist peers who
fill my heart with great hope for her generation and the future of the
world we all share.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"I blew gently on the red welts that had bloomed down my arms.
Ashamed? I wasn't ashamed of my language. I was proud of it. But
everything I knew and loved about who I was and where I had come from
was slowly being taken away. Mother's last words--Never forget who
you are--rang in my ears. 'I'm Irene Couchie. I'm trying to
remember,' I whispered, as tears streamed down my face.
Irene Couchie, protagonist of Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer's
I Am Not A Number, was a real eight-year -old child when she was taken
from her parents, against the family will, to a government run
school. She was assigned a number instead of her name. Her hair, a
source of pride in her community was cut off. She was forbidden to
speak her native language. Right before the above quote she was
forced to hold a pan of hot coals by a nun who told her she should be
ashamed of herself.
"Irene Couchie Dupuis was among approximately 150,000 First
Nations, Metis, and Inuit children--some as young as four--who, for
over a century, were removed from their homes and sent to live at
residential schools across Canada. The schools were created and
funded by the federal government in the belief that Indigenous peoples
were 'uncivilized' and needed to be 'saved' from themselves. In
reality, that 'education' cost Indigenous children the loss of their
families and communities, their Indigenous languages, and their
traditions."
Can you imagine, as a child, being torn from your family and
community and placed in a stern, unforgiving environment where you are
systematically stripped of your identity? If you are a parent can you
imagine having your beloved children forcibly taken from you to a
place where, "...Rules were strict, conditions harsh. Children were
poorly fed; infectious diseases thrived; many students died alone and
far from home. Basic skills and trades were taught, but generally
children were overworked, and the quality of education was poor.
Those who broke the rules were punished. Most of the children felt
lonely, isolated, and unloved."
Some of today's best literature is being done for the read aloud
and early reader set. We have come a long way from my childhood when
Dick, Jane, and Sally look, look, looked at Spot run, run, run. In
both fiction and non fiction formats, children and parents are
introduced to topics many adults are clueless about. Yet language and
viewpoint are emminently appropriate. And illustrations, whether
paintings or photographs, are breathtaking.
I Am Not A Number is a perfect example of this. Dupuis and
Kacer (Irene's granddaughter) manage, by presenting the day-to-day
experience of a child, create a protagonist children will relate to.
They convey the true horror without going beyond what kids can deal
with. (For parents and teachers there are added layers of meaning,
particularly on the last three pages that kids will probably not
read.) Gillian Newland's paintings really bring the story to life.
Facial expressions are body language are eloquent. Irene's mother,
saying goodbye to her, strives valiently to hide unspeakable pain.
Her father, when she and her brothers return for summer vacation,
shows determination to do whatever it takes to not have to send them
back. In contrast, those rigid, chalk faced nuns are grim enough to
give adults nightmares.
Even if you have no children or intentions to be fruitful and
multiply I advise you to read I Am Not A Number. You'll do a lot of
people favors if you request your local library to acquire it.
Remember what they say about those who do not understand the past?
On a personal note, one night I was getting intoxicated on the new
picture books and their potential. I brought four of them (I Am Not A
Number and the next three I am reviewing next) to my lunch with Olivia
to see how she would respond to them. Olivia is a UMaine undergrad.
She's a very likeable blonde girl next door...
Warrior woman. She's very smart and knowledgeable on a wide
variety of important issues and involved in student activists
organizations like Student Women's Association and Maine Peace Action
Coalition. She also found I Am Not A Number to be extremely poignant--
a story that very much needed to be told. It bothered her that this
part of history is so little known today.
Olivia is my new partner in literature and I will include her
observations from time to time. This blog has been a solo act a tad
too long.
A great big shout out goes out to Olivia and her activist peers who
fill my heart with great hope for her generation and the future of the
world we all share.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Henry's Freedom Box
Henry's Freedom Box
Picture book
"Henry and his brothers and sisters lived in the big house where
the master lived. Henry's master had been good to Henry and his family.
But Henry's mother knew things could change. 'Do you see those
leaves blowing in the wind? They are torn from the trees like slave
children are torn from their families.'"
Sadly Henry's mother was prescient. Ellen Levine's Henry's
Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad shares his
poignant narrative.
Henry had to leave his family when his ailing master bequeathed
him to his son. In those days that often meant permanent separation.
He worked in his new master's factory. Eventually he fell in love.
He and his love, Nancy, were able to live together by consent of their
two masters. They had three beautiful children.
Nancy's owner was having financial difficulties. So like many
other slave holders in similar situations, he sold off some of his
"property".
Alone and desolate, Henry was desperate to be free. He came up
with a plan to ship himself in a box to a free state, a perilous
journey of hundreds of miles with severe penalties if we was captured.
On a personal note, I had a wonderful Easter. I did cut church. I
was so elated from the drag show it was past midnight when I fell
asleep. Sun rise was a tad too early to rise and shine. What I loved
was my rare, precious opportunity to spend time with my three children
at the family get together. That made my day, my week, my month!!!
A great big shout out goes out to the three best grown kids a mother
could love: Amber, Katie, and Adam.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"Henry and his brothers and sisters lived in the big house where
the master lived. Henry's master had been good to Henry and his family.
But Henry's mother knew things could change. 'Do you see those
leaves blowing in the wind? They are torn from the trees like slave
children are torn from their families.'"
Sadly Henry's mother was prescient. Ellen Levine's Henry's
Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad shares his
poignant narrative.
Henry had to leave his family when his ailing master bequeathed
him to his son. In those days that often meant permanent separation.
He worked in his new master's factory. Eventually he fell in love.
He and his love, Nancy, were able to live together by consent of their
two masters. They had three beautiful children.
Nancy's owner was having financial difficulties. So like many
other slave holders in similar situations, he sold off some of his
"property".
Alone and desolate, Henry was desperate to be free. He came up
with a plan to ship himself in a box to a free state, a perilous
journey of hundreds of miles with severe penalties if we was captured.
On a personal note, I had a wonderful Easter. I did cut church. I
was so elated from the drag show it was past midnight when I fell
asleep. Sun rise was a tad too early to rise and shine. What I loved
was my rare, precious opportunity to spend time with my three children
at the family get together. That made my day, my week, my month!!!
A great big shout out goes out to the three best grown kids a mother
could love: Amber, Katie, and Adam.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Steamboat School
Steamboat School
Picture book
"I always thought being brave
was for grown-up heroes doing big, daring deeds.
But Mama says that sometimes courage
is just an ordinary boy like me
doing a small thing, as small as picking up a pencil."
James, narrator of Deborah Hopkinson's Steamboat School, is not
happy about attending the Tallow Candle School, convened in a dark
church basement. There's so much going on on the Mississippi River.
He's missing out on all the action.
Then the school is shut down. The sheriff announces that the
State of Mississippi has enacted a new law forbidding blacks, even
free blacks, from learning to read and write. To his surprise, James
misses the school.
"One morning my steps took me to the church.
I thought of our books and slates in that dark room.
Funny how something you don't care much about at first
Can end up becoming the most important part of you."
All is not lost however. Reverand John Berry Meachum (a real
person on whose life the story is based) just may be able to find a
way to carry on his teaching without breaking any laws.
The beginning lines of the book (quoted above) and the last ones
(below) perfectly bookend a stirring story.
"I won't forget
because now I know that being brave
can sometimes be a small thing
like lighting a candle, opening a book,
or dipping an oar into still, deep water."
Like More Than Anything Else which we looked at recently,
Steamboat School is a vibrant celebration of the importance of
literacy and the drive to overcome obstacles to achieve it.
On a personal note, in a couple of days I will have a special
announcement to make. Thursday you will learn the identity of my new
literary sidekick who will be sharing her opinions on some of the
books I review. You're gonna love her.
A great big shout out goes out to my readers and my new reading chum.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"I always thought being brave
was for grown-up heroes doing big, daring deeds.
But Mama says that sometimes courage
is just an ordinary boy like me
doing a small thing, as small as picking up a pencil."
James, narrator of Deborah Hopkinson's Steamboat School, is not
happy about attending the Tallow Candle School, convened in a dark
church basement. There's so much going on on the Mississippi River.
He's missing out on all the action.
Then the school is shut down. The sheriff announces that the
State of Mississippi has enacted a new law forbidding blacks, even
free blacks, from learning to read and write. To his surprise, James
misses the school.
"One morning my steps took me to the church.
I thought of our books and slates in that dark room.
Funny how something you don't care much about at first
Can end up becoming the most important part of you."
All is not lost however. Reverand John Berry Meachum (a real
person on whose life the story is based) just may be able to find a
way to carry on his teaching without breaking any laws.
The beginning lines of the book (quoted above) and the last ones
(below) perfectly bookend a stirring story.
"I won't forget
because now I know that being brave
can sometimes be a small thing
like lighting a candle, opening a book,
or dipping an oar into still, deep water."
Like More Than Anything Else which we looked at recently,
Steamboat School is a vibrant celebration of the importance of
literacy and the drive to overcome obstacles to achieve it.
On a personal note, in a couple of days I will have a special
announcement to make. Thursday you will learn the identity of my new
literary sidekick who will be sharing her opinions on some of the
books I review. You're gonna love her.
A great big shout out goes out to my readers and my new reading chum.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, April 24, 2017
Dresses For All
Dresses For All
Picture books
For a long time girls and women have been able to wear garments
like pants that have typically been considered male attire. A lot
less latitude has been given to boys and men yearning for dresses.
Fortunately the times are a changing. Two lively picture books I
recently picked up at the Orono Public Library celebrate this progress.
When Jacob, protagonist of Sarah and Ian Hoffman's Jacob's New
Dress, dresses as a princess a classmate tells him boys can't wear
dresses. His mom helps him make a dress like garment that the peer
pulls off. Finally with the help of his mom he makes a real dress.
The peer is predictably snarky. But Jacob has found the strength to
assert himself.
Morris of Christine Baldacchino's Morris Micklewhite and the
Tangerine Dress is another fan of dressing up. His favorite garment
is a dress the hue of "tigers, the sun, and his mother's hair.". The
other kids tease him. The kids who ride a cardboard spaceship tell
him astronauts don't wear dresses.
When the meanness gets to be too much for him, Morris fakes a
tummy ache so he can stay home from school. The time off and a
wonderful dream help him come up with a solution to his problem.
Both books can serve as wonderful affirmations for the many boys
who enjoy wearing dresses, particularly if peers (and sadly sometimes
adults) give them attitude.
On a personal note, the grand finale of UMaine Pride Week was the Drag
Show. It was amazing. The place was packed with very vocally
appreciative drag affecianados. Professional queens Step Mother and
Chery Lemonade really knew how to work the crowd as emcees. Our local
talent was pretty impressive too. I dressed as a 50s greaser and did
Greased Lightning from Grease. I was on fire busting out my moves,
playing to the crowd, and soaking up the love. I got a standing
ovation and was one of the finalists.
A great big shout out goes out to all people who participated in the
event, especially the people who worked behind the scenes to make it
happen.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture books
For a long time girls and women have been able to wear garments
like pants that have typically been considered male attire. A lot
less latitude has been given to boys and men yearning for dresses.
Fortunately the times are a changing. Two lively picture books I
recently picked up at the Orono Public Library celebrate this progress.
When Jacob, protagonist of Sarah and Ian Hoffman's Jacob's New
Dress, dresses as a princess a classmate tells him boys can't wear
dresses. His mom helps him make a dress like garment that the peer
pulls off. Finally with the help of his mom he makes a real dress.
The peer is predictably snarky. But Jacob has found the strength to
assert himself.
Morris of Christine Baldacchino's Morris Micklewhite and the
Tangerine Dress is another fan of dressing up. His favorite garment
is a dress the hue of "tigers, the sun, and his mother's hair.". The
other kids tease him. The kids who ride a cardboard spaceship tell
him astronauts don't wear dresses.
When the meanness gets to be too much for him, Morris fakes a
tummy ache so he can stay home from school. The time off and a
wonderful dream help him come up with a solution to his problem.
Both books can serve as wonderful affirmations for the many boys
who enjoy wearing dresses, particularly if peers (and sadly sometimes
adults) give them attitude.
On a personal note, the grand finale of UMaine Pride Week was the Drag
Show. It was amazing. The place was packed with very vocally
appreciative drag affecianados. Professional queens Step Mother and
Chery Lemonade really knew how to work the crowd as emcees. Our local
talent was pretty impressive too. I dressed as a 50s greaser and did
Greased Lightning from Grease. I was on fire busting out my moves,
playing to the crowd, and soaking up the love. I got a standing
ovation and was one of the finalists.
A great big shout out goes out to all people who participated in the
event, especially the people who worked behind the scenes to make it
happen.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, April 23, 2017
I Wanna New Room
I Wanna New Room
Picture book
"Dear Mom,
I know you think I should share a room with Ethan now that we have
Baby Annie, but here's why I shouldn't. When Ethan sleeps, he sounds
like the cat coughing up fur balls. Why can't you move Annie in with
you and give me my room back?
Signed,
Your very tired son,
Alex"
Alex, protagonist of Karen Kaufman Orloff's I Wanna New Room is
some fed up. Just because his parents had a baby girl, he, the oldest
and, therefore, most important kid on the family, must share his space
with the four-year-old brother who snorts, sticks crayons up his nose,
snores like their grandfather, and breaks and loses prized
possessions. Through the course of the book he attempts to negotiate
with his father through a series of very imaginative letters. Only
just after he gets his own space...
...something strange happens.
Orloff's over the top narrative and David Catrow's equally outre
pictures take a situation that could be whiny or soppy and create a
celebration of zaniness that will leave both parents and children
laughing. It's the best kind of book for repeated read alouds.
I guess I'm gonna have to get my hands on the prequel: I Wanna
Iguana. You readers deserve no less than due diligence.
On a personal note, after day after day after day after day of grey,
cold drizzle, the sun broke out today after church. People's spirits
have for sure lifted. I am putting winter clothes up and looking for
my wind chimes.
A great big shout goes out to all my fellow sun soakers: human,
feline, and canine.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"Dear Mom,
I know you think I should share a room with Ethan now that we have
Baby Annie, but here's why I shouldn't. When Ethan sleeps, he sounds
like the cat coughing up fur balls. Why can't you move Annie in with
you and give me my room back?
Signed,
Your very tired son,
Alex"
Alex, protagonist of Karen Kaufman Orloff's I Wanna New Room is
some fed up. Just because his parents had a baby girl, he, the oldest
and, therefore, most important kid on the family, must share his space
with the four-year-old brother who snorts, sticks crayons up his nose,
snores like their grandfather, and breaks and loses prized
possessions. Through the course of the book he attempts to negotiate
with his father through a series of very imaginative letters. Only
just after he gets his own space...
...something strange happens.
Orloff's over the top narrative and David Catrow's equally outre
pictures take a situation that could be whiny or soppy and create a
celebration of zaniness that will leave both parents and children
laughing. It's the best kind of book for repeated read alouds.
I guess I'm gonna have to get my hands on the prequel: I Wanna
Iguana. You readers deserve no less than due diligence.
On a personal note, after day after day after day after day of grey,
cold drizzle, the sun broke out today after church. People's spirits
have for sure lifted. I am putting winter clothes up and looking for
my wind chimes.
A great big shout goes out to all my fellow sun soakers: human,
feline, and canine.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Dining With Dinosaurs
Dining With Dinosaurs
Picture book
"Let's dive in! It's lunchtime and We're in China in the
Cretaceous period. This is where I'm from. The carnivores are busy
chasing the herbivores, the herbivores, both big and small, are
munching on plants, and the plants are chowing down on sunshine, air,
water, and minerals--not your idea of a great meal, perhaps, but for a
plant, it's better than ice cream."
As years go by kids continue to be fascinated by dinosaurs.
When I shelf read (make sure all the books are in their proper place)
at the Orono Public Library the dinosaur section is nearly always the
one that needs the most straightening out. Hannah Bonner's Dining
With Dinosaurs: A Tasty Guide to Mesozoic Munching will be greatly
relished as an addition to a public or school library or part of a
child's private collection.
Hannah joins her prehistoric pal Microraptor, a small feathered
dinosaur, for a trip way, way back in time. Through lively narrative
and colorful, detailed illustrations, the reader will learn what
creatures great and miniscule chowed down on. In the course of the
book Hannah interviews a number of specialized scientists. My
favorite is Karen Chin, the coprolite (fossil poop) expert. It's
amazing what can be learned from the study of preserved poop.
Your dino loving kids will adore the book. You may learn a
thing or two. I'm guessing that coprolite was not in your working
vocabulary. It was published by a source we can trust: National
Geographic Kids. What's not to like?
On a personal note, Friday of Pride Week those of us who had the
patience to wait in line about an hour got to stuff 18" tall rainbow
bears. They are so adorable and velvety soft! I named mine Jules
Olivia Hathaway after me and a good chum.
A great big shout out goes out to those who stuffed their bears with
me and the fine folks who provided us with this wonderful opportunity.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"Let's dive in! It's lunchtime and We're in China in the
Cretaceous period. This is where I'm from. The carnivores are busy
chasing the herbivores, the herbivores, both big and small, are
munching on plants, and the plants are chowing down on sunshine, air,
water, and minerals--not your idea of a great meal, perhaps, but for a
plant, it's better than ice cream."
As years go by kids continue to be fascinated by dinosaurs.
When I shelf read (make sure all the books are in their proper place)
at the Orono Public Library the dinosaur section is nearly always the
one that needs the most straightening out. Hannah Bonner's Dining
With Dinosaurs: A Tasty Guide to Mesozoic Munching will be greatly
relished as an addition to a public or school library or part of a
child's private collection.
Hannah joins her prehistoric pal Microraptor, a small feathered
dinosaur, for a trip way, way back in time. Through lively narrative
and colorful, detailed illustrations, the reader will learn what
creatures great and miniscule chowed down on. In the course of the
book Hannah interviews a number of specialized scientists. My
favorite is Karen Chin, the coprolite (fossil poop) expert. It's
amazing what can be learned from the study of preserved poop.
Your dino loving kids will adore the book. You may learn a
thing or two. I'm guessing that coprolite was not in your working
vocabulary. It was published by a source we can trust: National
Geographic Kids. What's not to like?
On a personal note, Friday of Pride Week those of us who had the
patience to wait in line about an hour got to stuff 18" tall rainbow
bears. They are so adorable and velvety soft! I named mine Jules
Olivia Hathaway after me and a good chum.
A great big shout out goes out to those who stuffed their bears with
me and the fine folks who provided us with this wonderful opportunity.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Master of Mindfulness
Master of Mindfulness
Picture book
"When someone cut in front of me in line at the cafeteria, I
used mindfulness to settle myself down and just let it be. Before I
would get mad, push back, or hit someone. Sometimes we'd end up
fighting and get in trouble. It's not worth it. It's easier to take a
few breaths and calm down."
Unless you are a hermit you have probably heard of mindfulness.
I find its current popularity to be a double edged sword. On one
hand, I am glad that so many people are learning about it. However, I
cringe when I see it hyped as panacea. Americans have a cycle of
latching onto a solve all, expecting too much, and rejecting it in
favor of the next magic bullet.
It's time for us to realize that to fully live we need whole
tool kits that will vary from person to person. We need to value
mindfulness for what it can be: a major tool in many people's boxes.
It doesn't require expensive equipment or lessons. It can be
practiced by people at any stage on life. There is no one way to do
it. (I balk at mindful dish washing.)
Mindfulness can be very useful for children because they tend to
feel strongly about and react quickly to the hurts and slights in
their lives. In today's high stakes environment kids can be taken
from school in handcuffs for doing stuff that would have been handled
more safely by a principal or guidance counselor in earlier days.
Master of Mindfulness: How to Be Your Own Superhero in Times of
Stress (Gotta love the title) by Laurie Grossman, Angelina Alverez,
and Mr. Musameci's 5th grade class is a wise teacher investment.
The beauty of the book is its unusual blend of theory and down
to earth. There are instructions for a number of techniques that a
child, family, or class can use and adapt to "stay grounded in
calmness during the moment to moment chaos of life" (Mesumeci). In my
mind, though, the biggest strength of the book is the artwork and
narratives of the 5th graders. They are very candid about the reasons
they use mindfulness: to not fight when provoked (see lead quote), to
not leave a game when hit on the face by a ball, to stay calm when
being picked up late, to handle sadness when a relative moves away, to
not procrastinate when faced with a difficult assignment...
A copy of Master of Mindfulness would be a wise investment for
classroom teacher or camp counselor. There are many ways to make its
contents hands on. A class could make their own booklet and print it
with a copy for each family. This could help the parents understand
what stresses and challenges the kids experience. And what about
older kids, say middle schoolers, working with younger kids? We learn
best the lessons we also teach. The possibilities are numerous.
On a personal note, the Thursday of Pride Week we had an LGBTQ tea
party. We talked about Pride Week history and drag shows. The place
was packed; the conversations were lively. Then Dean Robert Q. Dana
threw a Pride Week reception in the Deanery. The food was
fabulous. I especially liked the meatballs, the cranberry fizz punch,
and the cookies with frosting rainbows. Dean Dana himself circulated
through the crowd, meeting and greeting. He sure does know how to
throw a shindig!
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"When someone cut in front of me in line at the cafeteria, I
used mindfulness to settle myself down and just let it be. Before I
would get mad, push back, or hit someone. Sometimes we'd end up
fighting and get in trouble. It's not worth it. It's easier to take a
few breaths and calm down."
Unless you are a hermit you have probably heard of mindfulness.
I find its current popularity to be a double edged sword. On one
hand, I am glad that so many people are learning about it. However, I
cringe when I see it hyped as panacea. Americans have a cycle of
latching onto a solve all, expecting too much, and rejecting it in
favor of the next magic bullet.
It's time for us to realize that to fully live we need whole
tool kits that will vary from person to person. We need to value
mindfulness for what it can be: a major tool in many people's boxes.
It doesn't require expensive equipment or lessons. It can be
practiced by people at any stage on life. There is no one way to do
it. (I balk at mindful dish washing.)
Mindfulness can be very useful for children because they tend to
feel strongly about and react quickly to the hurts and slights in
their lives. In today's high stakes environment kids can be taken
from school in handcuffs for doing stuff that would have been handled
more safely by a principal or guidance counselor in earlier days.
Master of Mindfulness: How to Be Your Own Superhero in Times of
Stress (Gotta love the title) by Laurie Grossman, Angelina Alverez,
and Mr. Musameci's 5th grade class is a wise teacher investment.
The beauty of the book is its unusual blend of theory and down
to earth. There are instructions for a number of techniques that a
child, family, or class can use and adapt to "stay grounded in
calmness during the moment to moment chaos of life" (Mesumeci). In my
mind, though, the biggest strength of the book is the artwork and
narratives of the 5th graders. They are very candid about the reasons
they use mindfulness: to not fight when provoked (see lead quote), to
not leave a game when hit on the face by a ball, to stay calm when
being picked up late, to handle sadness when a relative moves away, to
not procrastinate when faced with a difficult assignment...
A copy of Master of Mindfulness would be a wise investment for
classroom teacher or camp counselor. There are many ways to make its
contents hands on. A class could make their own booklet and print it
with a copy for each family. This could help the parents understand
what stresses and challenges the kids experience. And what about
older kids, say middle schoolers, working with younger kids? We learn
best the lessons we also teach. The possibilities are numerous.
On a personal note, the Thursday of Pride Week we had an LGBTQ tea
party. We talked about Pride Week history and drag shows. The place
was packed; the conversations were lively. Then Dean Robert Q. Dana
threw a Pride Week reception in the Deanery. The food was
fabulous. I especially liked the meatballs, the cranberry fizz punch,
and the cookies with frosting rainbows. Dean Dana himself circulated
through the crowd, meeting and greeting. He sure does know how to
throw a shindig!
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
More Than Anything Else
More Than Anything Else
Picture book
"Before light--while the stars still twinkle--Papa, my brother John,
and I leave our cabin and take the main road out of town, headed to
work.
The road hugs the ridge between the Kanawha River and the mountain.
We travel it by lantern. My stomach rumbles, for we had no morning
meal. But it isn't really a meal I want, though I would not turn one
down.
More than anything else, I want to learn to read."
In today's society we're swamped with reading matter. Apart
from the obvious books, magazines, and newspapers, there are fliers in
our mailboxes, the computer pop up ads many of us are vexed by, and
more advertising on anything from the sides of buses to sports score
boards. Most of us have achieved at least a fourth grade level of
literacy. Can you imagine what it would be like to not even recognize
your own name in print?
Marie Bradby's More Than Anything Else can give kids, parents,
and teachers a good idea of what this would feel like. Young Booker
works long days shoveling salt into barrels. The abrasive crystals
cut his exposed skin including the soles of his feet. His muscles
ache from heavy lifting.
Booker has one thing to take his mind off the pain. He has seen
people read. He knows those books contain a secret--one he's
determined to discover. One day he sees a man as brown as him reading
a newspaper.
"I see myself the man. And as I watch his eyes move across the paper,
it is as if I know what the black marks mean, as if I am reading. As
if everyone is listening to me. And I hold that thought in my hands."
Chris Soentpiet's illustrations capture the poignant and
powerful narrative perfectly: the glaring shine of the endless salt
heaps, the exhaustion on the faces of homeward bound workers, the
warmth and love in the fireplace lit cabin...and the joy and pride in
Booker's grin when he finally recognizes his name.
More Than Anything Else is sadly very relevant today when there
are still too many people around the world, especially girls, who are
denied the fundamentals of literacy. Many families can't afford
school fees. If there is not enough money for all the children in a
family to attend school usually the boys will be educated while the
girls work. Slavery and child marriage are other cruel ways in which
girls are cheated out of learning. I think it's time for us to be
grateful for this privilege we have and work to extend it to others.
On a personal note, we had a special craft at Wilson Center. We made
Pysanky eggs. Those are the eggs that use layers of dyes and wax.
They come out so pretty!!! Such fun craft companionship and
camaraderie!
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"Before light--while the stars still twinkle--Papa, my brother John,
and I leave our cabin and take the main road out of town, headed to
work.
The road hugs the ridge between the Kanawha River and the mountain.
We travel it by lantern. My stomach rumbles, for we had no morning
meal. But it isn't really a meal I want, though I would not turn one
down.
More than anything else, I want to learn to read."
In today's society we're swamped with reading matter. Apart
from the obvious books, magazines, and newspapers, there are fliers in
our mailboxes, the computer pop up ads many of us are vexed by, and
more advertising on anything from the sides of buses to sports score
boards. Most of us have achieved at least a fourth grade level of
literacy. Can you imagine what it would be like to not even recognize
your own name in print?
Marie Bradby's More Than Anything Else can give kids, parents,
and teachers a good idea of what this would feel like. Young Booker
works long days shoveling salt into barrels. The abrasive crystals
cut his exposed skin including the soles of his feet. His muscles
ache from heavy lifting.
Booker has one thing to take his mind off the pain. He has seen
people read. He knows those books contain a secret--one he's
determined to discover. One day he sees a man as brown as him reading
a newspaper.
"I see myself the man. And as I watch his eyes move across the paper,
it is as if I know what the black marks mean, as if I am reading. As
if everyone is listening to me. And I hold that thought in my hands."
Chris Soentpiet's illustrations capture the poignant and
powerful narrative perfectly: the glaring shine of the endless salt
heaps, the exhaustion on the faces of homeward bound workers, the
warmth and love in the fireplace lit cabin...and the joy and pride in
Booker's grin when he finally recognizes his name.
More Than Anything Else is sadly very relevant today when there
are still too many people around the world, especially girls, who are
denied the fundamentals of literacy. Many families can't afford
school fees. If there is not enough money for all the children in a
family to attend school usually the boys will be educated while the
girls work. Slavery and child marriage are other cruel ways in which
girls are cheated out of learning. I think it's time for us to be
grateful for this privilege we have and work to extend it to others.
On a personal note, we had a special craft at Wilson Center. We made
Pysanky eggs. Those are the eggs that use layers of dyes and wax.
They come out so pretty!!! Such fun craft companionship and
camaraderie!
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Blizzard
Blizzard
Picture book
The Blizzard of '78 is an event I'll never forget. I was
working as a mother's helper in East Boston. It was the job that had
rescued me from being homeless in Boston which is never a good idea.
(My family was way down south, North Carolina to be exact.) The snow
rose up chest high on me, whipped by hurricane force winds. You
should have seen the drifts. Snow plows and other vehicles didn't
stand a chance. A little girl in the scout troop I was assistant
leader of needed an antibiotic. I made the trek to pick it up very
slowly, feeling like a Saint Bernard coming to the rescue. The very
surprised (to see me) pharmacist gave me a bag of all kinds of food to
sustain my strength on the trip back. The rest of that snowed in time
was party. I spent several nights sleeping over with a friend and her
three sisters.
So when I saw a book about John Rocco's childhood experiences of
that same blizzard in Rhode Island (Blizzard) I was over the moon.
His lively narrative and pictures give today's kids a good feel for
that amazing adventure we were fortunate to live through.
Rocco's adventure started on Monday when schools were let out
early. Snow was over his boots by the time he got home. The next
morning he could only get out through a window. The first days were
fun. But food started running out before the plows could get through.
Luckily for his family and neighbors, Rocco had read an Arctic
survival guide and knew just what to do.
Hmmm, I wonder if someday there will be a market for my story of
the Ice Storm of '98 which I wrote from my older daughter's
perspective. Maybe the 25th anniversary? It's just six years away.
On a personal note, the first day of Pride Week at UMaine was
amazing. The weather was picture perfect. The flag raising was a
real contrast to the raising of the Black Lives Matter flag in
February in the midst of a snow storm. Dean Robert Q. Dana gave a
very inspiring speech. We had a parade around the mall. The free ice
cream truck was there. Then we had the pride carnival with games and
prizes. It was a mighty fine day.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
The Blizzard of '78 is an event I'll never forget. I was
working as a mother's helper in East Boston. It was the job that had
rescued me from being homeless in Boston which is never a good idea.
(My family was way down south, North Carolina to be exact.) The snow
rose up chest high on me, whipped by hurricane force winds. You
should have seen the drifts. Snow plows and other vehicles didn't
stand a chance. A little girl in the scout troop I was assistant
leader of needed an antibiotic. I made the trek to pick it up very
slowly, feeling like a Saint Bernard coming to the rescue. The very
surprised (to see me) pharmacist gave me a bag of all kinds of food to
sustain my strength on the trip back. The rest of that snowed in time
was party. I spent several nights sleeping over with a friend and her
three sisters.
So when I saw a book about John Rocco's childhood experiences of
that same blizzard in Rhode Island (Blizzard) I was over the moon.
His lively narrative and pictures give today's kids a good feel for
that amazing adventure we were fortunate to live through.
Rocco's adventure started on Monday when schools were let out
early. Snow was over his boots by the time he got home. The next
morning he could only get out through a window. The first days were
fun. But food started running out before the plows could get through.
Luckily for his family and neighbors, Rocco had read an Arctic
survival guide and knew just what to do.
Hmmm, I wonder if someday there will be a market for my story of
the Ice Storm of '98 which I wrote from my older daughter's
perspective. Maybe the 25th anniversary? It's just six years away.
On a personal note, the first day of Pride Week at UMaine was
amazing. The weather was picture perfect. The flag raising was a
real contrast to the raising of the Black Lives Matter flag in
February in the midst of a snow storm. Dean Robert Q. Dana gave a
very inspiring speech. We had a parade around the mall. The free ice
cream truck was there. Then we had the pride carnival with games and
prizes. It was a mighty fine day.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Knock, Knock
Knock, Knock
Picture book
Some of us groaned inwardly when our children went through
addiction to knock knock joke phases. Many people consider this humor
genre to be the lowest. So what could lift this book above the rest?
How about the fact that it's an ensemble act of fourteen of the
stars of the children's lit illustration world? Tomie DePaola brings
us gorillas in love. Yumi Heo serves up a humungous ice cream cone.
Chris Rascha shows us "Verdi vild tings are."
At the back of the book the artists tell us who they want
knocking at their doors.
On a personal note, Orono Public Library writing class has restarted.
Spring session will run through early June. I scheduled my
presentations for later May after UMaine gets out. I feel at sea and
unsure what I want to present because I really miss my Chum, Paul
Lucey, who died during our fall session. It's not the same without him.
A great big shout out goes out Paul and also Ethel Pochocki, a
fabulous Maine children's book writer who we lost in 2010. Gone but
not forgotten. Sure hope I meet up with both of you on the other side.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
Some of us groaned inwardly when our children went through
addiction to knock knock joke phases. Many people consider this humor
genre to be the lowest. So what could lift this book above the rest?
How about the fact that it's an ensemble act of fourteen of the
stars of the children's lit illustration world? Tomie DePaola brings
us gorillas in love. Yumi Heo serves up a humungous ice cream cone.
Chris Rascha shows us "Verdi vild tings are."
At the back of the book the artists tell us who they want
knocking at their doors.
On a personal note, Orono Public Library writing class has restarted.
Spring session will run through early June. I scheduled my
presentations for later May after UMaine gets out. I feel at sea and
unsure what I want to present because I really miss my Chum, Paul
Lucey, who died during our fall session. It's not the same without him.
A great big shout out goes out Paul and also Ethel Pochocki, a
fabulous Maine children's book writer who we lost in 2010. Gone but
not forgotten. Sure hope I meet up with both of you on the other side.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, April 17, 2017
Best In Snow
Best In Snow
Picture book
My younger daughter is pining for warm weather and NO MORE
SNOW. She is by far not the only one. In Penobscot County Maine March
arrived and departed like a lion. After a string of storms Sarah had
us dye the Wilson Center paper snowflakes pastel flower colors. Even
I'm looking forward to my front yard daffodils.
But I just discovered April Pulley Sayre's Best In Snow. I
can't wait a year to let you know about this fine book.
The photographs that make up the book are stunning and
ordinary. The two page spread of ice crystals that took my breath
away is like the lace on my kitchen window on frosty days. Delicate
snowflakes adorn dried up brown leaves. There are critters one can
see even in far from rural areas: a blue jay, a cardinal, a duck, and
those oh so whimsical squirrels.
The last two pages are packed with scientific information about
snow, slush, and bodies of water. I think it's totally cool that a
drop of the water in me could have fallen as a snowflake on a
squirrel's nose.
On a personal note, the week before Pride Week we had tee shirt tie
dying. The official tees had unicorn heads. How cool is that? I
also did the shirt I got for bringing in over $100 in sponsorship for
the Dance Marathon. The Friday before Drag Week LGBTQ services put on
coffee hour with fruit and veggies and dips and Crissi's signature
rainbow cupcakes.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated!
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
My younger daughter is pining for warm weather and NO MORE
SNOW. She is by far not the only one. In Penobscot County Maine March
arrived and departed like a lion. After a string of storms Sarah had
us dye the Wilson Center paper snowflakes pastel flower colors. Even
I'm looking forward to my front yard daffodils.
But I just discovered April Pulley Sayre's Best In Snow. I
can't wait a year to let you know about this fine book.
The photographs that make up the book are stunning and
ordinary. The two page spread of ice crystals that took my breath
away is like the lace on my kitchen window on frosty days. Delicate
snowflakes adorn dried up brown leaves. There are critters one can
see even in far from rural areas: a blue jay, a cardinal, a duck, and
those oh so whimsical squirrels.
The last two pages are packed with scientific information about
snow, slush, and bodies of water. I think it's totally cool that a
drop of the water in me could have fallen as a snowflake on a
squirrel's nose.
On a personal note, the week before Pride Week we had tee shirt tie
dying. The official tees had unicorn heads. How cool is that? I
also did the shirt I got for bringing in over $100 in sponsorship for
the Dance Marathon. The Friday before Drag Week LGBTQ services put on
coffee hour with fruit and veggies and dips and Crissi's signature
rainbow cupcakes.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated!
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Ginny Louise And The School Showdown
Ginny Louise And The School Showdown
Picture book
Tammi Sauer's Ginny Louise And The School Showdown is a
delightful twist on the new kid in school theme. Ginny Louise is a
perpetually cheerful, enthusiastic hedgehog, ready to plunge into new
situations and make new friends. She doesn't have a clue what she's
getting herself into.
Ginny Louise's new classmates are an ornery bunch, especially
Cap'n Catastrophe, Destructo Dude, and Make-My-Day May. They
specialize in tardiness, spitball throwing, line cutting, homework
avoiding, and talking back. Needless to say, they don't play well
with others. Ginny Louise's perpetually perky and good work habits
rub them the wrong way.
Make-My-Day May decides it's time for a show down.
On a personal note, HOPE Festival 2017 was amazing!!! We had about 61
tables of activist groups giving out literature and signing people
up. There were banners and 1,000 paper cranes hanging down. There
was great food. Everyone could take part in crafts. Kids paraded
with puppets they made. It was a day of fun and hope (something much
needed in today's world) for everyone who walked through the doors. I
tabled for Real Food Challenge and saw so many friends! My chum,
Olivia, tabled for Maine Peace Action Committee. I'd given them a
lovely children's basket to raffle off I also did set up and clean
up. I was especially proud because this was my first year on planning
committee.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in the HOPE
Festival. We are family.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
Tammi Sauer's Ginny Louise And The School Showdown is a
delightful twist on the new kid in school theme. Ginny Louise is a
perpetually cheerful, enthusiastic hedgehog, ready to plunge into new
situations and make new friends. She doesn't have a clue what she's
getting herself into.
Ginny Louise's new classmates are an ornery bunch, especially
Cap'n Catastrophe, Destructo Dude, and Make-My-Day May. They
specialize in tardiness, spitball throwing, line cutting, homework
avoiding, and talking back. Needless to say, they don't play well
with others. Ginny Louise's perpetually perky and good work habits
rub them the wrong way.
Make-My-Day May decides it's time for a show down.
On a personal note, HOPE Festival 2017 was amazing!!! We had about 61
tables of activist groups giving out literature and signing people
up. There were banners and 1,000 paper cranes hanging down. There
was great food. Everyone could take part in crafts. Kids paraded
with puppets they made. It was a day of fun and hope (something much
needed in today's world) for everyone who walked through the doors. I
tabled for Real Food Challenge and saw so many friends! My chum,
Olivia, tabled for Maine Peace Action Committee. I'd given them a
lovely children's basket to raffle off I also did set up and clean
up. I was especially proud because this was my first year on planning
committee.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in the HOPE
Festival. We are family.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Sleep Tight Farm
Sleep Tight Farm
Picture book
When people today think about farms they tend to envision them
in full summer productivity: fields full of vibrant veggies, buzzing
bees, and trees bearing fruit. They may be somewhat fimiliar with
spring plowing and sowing. But we're so far removed from agronomy
that most people have no idea of all the work it takes to put a farm
to bed for the winter.
Eugenie Doyle's Sleep Tight Farm shows us all that goes into the
preparation. A family goes about their seasonal chores. They spread
insulating hay over berry plants, harvest and store the last
vegetables, plant cover crops that will restore nutrients to the soil,
cut and stack wood, secure the hoophouse, and do so much more. At the
end they engage in a ritual that will be more familiar to kids.
Doyle knows what she's talking about. In addition to writing,
she has an organic farm. During the slow part of the year she
corresponds with schoolchildren. No wonder she has the perfect voice
for communicating with our youngest generation.
On a personal note, I am really eageely awaiting the rewakening of
Orono Community Garden that has been slumbering under a blanket of
snow. Soon we will be producing good organic veggies to give free to
people who can't afford them. We'll also enrich our families' diets
with the extras. I so look forward to weeding, watering, harvesting,
delivering, and conversing with kindred spirits.
A great big shout out goes out to the people who will be in my 2017
community garden family and John and Shelley Jemison who will run the
show with their new golden puppy.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
When people today think about farms they tend to envision them
in full summer productivity: fields full of vibrant veggies, buzzing
bees, and trees bearing fruit. They may be somewhat fimiliar with
spring plowing and sowing. But we're so far removed from agronomy
that most people have no idea of all the work it takes to put a farm
to bed for the winter.
Eugenie Doyle's Sleep Tight Farm shows us all that goes into the
preparation. A family goes about their seasonal chores. They spread
insulating hay over berry plants, harvest and store the last
vegetables, plant cover crops that will restore nutrients to the soil,
cut and stack wood, secure the hoophouse, and do so much more. At the
end they engage in a ritual that will be more familiar to kids.
Doyle knows what she's talking about. In addition to writing,
she has an organic farm. During the slow part of the year she
corresponds with schoolchildren. No wonder she has the perfect voice
for communicating with our youngest generation.
On a personal note, I am really eageely awaiting the rewakening of
Orono Community Garden that has been slumbering under a blanket of
snow. Soon we will be producing good organic veggies to give free to
people who can't afford them. We'll also enrich our families' diets
with the extras. I so look forward to weeding, watering, harvesting,
delivering, and conversing with kindred spirits.
A great big shout out goes out to the people who will be in my 2017
community garden family and John and Shelley Jemison who will run the
show with their new golden puppy.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Rules Of The House
Rules Of The House
Picture book
Ian and his older sister, Jenny, are about as far as two people
can be when it comes to obedience. Tidy Ian believes rules should be
followed. The first time we see him he is packing a toothbrush for a
family trip. Messy Jenny claims to never follow rules. In the car we
see her pinching Ian.
Needless to say, they don't get along well.
Ian is delighted that the rental house in the woods has house
rules plainly posted. The last one is mysterious: "Never--ever--open
the red door." How long will it take for Jenny to disobey?
What will be the presumably dire consequences when she does?
On a personal note, we've got Easter coming up tomorrow. I'm really
looking forward to the extended family get together where I'll see all
my children. That is my definition of quality time.
A great big shout out goes out to my readers who celebrate Easter.
May your day be truly blessed!
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
Ian and his older sister, Jenny, are about as far as two people
can be when it comes to obedience. Tidy Ian believes rules should be
followed. The first time we see him he is packing a toothbrush for a
family trip. Messy Jenny claims to never follow rules. In the car we
see her pinching Ian.
Needless to say, they don't get along well.
Ian is delighted that the rental house in the woods has house
rules plainly posted. The last one is mysterious: "Never--ever--open
the red door." How long will it take for Jenny to disobey?
What will be the presumably dire consequences when she does?
On a personal note, we've got Easter coming up tomorrow. I'm really
looking forward to the extended family get together where I'll see all
my children. That is my definition of quality time.
A great big shout out goes out to my readers who celebrate Easter.
May your day be truly blessed!
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
What In The World
What In The World
Picture book
"What in the world comes one by one?
A nose.
A mouth.
The moon.
The sun."
Nancy Raines Day's What In The World: Numbers In Nature is a
beautiful way to encourage not only counting, but mindfulness. The
numbers one to ten are presented in lyrical poetry accompanied by
gentle illustrations. Many of the counting sets (leaves of clover,
colors of the rainbow) are nearly universally accessible. Everychild
is introduced at ten, wiggling toes in the water near sea stars (five
arms) and a stickleback fish (nine spines) and then gazing across the
water at a golden setting son.
"And what comes in sets too big to count?
Stars in the sky--
A vast amount!"
How cool is that?
On a personal note, tonight at UMaine we will have the Grand finale of
Pride Week, the drag show. I will be be doing Greased Lightning. My
new drag name: Too Cool Jules. My slogan: don't you wish your mamma
was a king like me? It should be an amazing evening.
A great big shout out goes out to all who will participate as
performers, crew, and audience.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"What in the world comes one by one?
A nose.
A mouth.
The moon.
The sun."
Nancy Raines Day's What In The World: Numbers In Nature is a
beautiful way to encourage not only counting, but mindfulness. The
numbers one to ten are presented in lyrical poetry accompanied by
gentle illustrations. Many of the counting sets (leaves of clover,
colors of the rainbow) are nearly universally accessible. Everychild
is introduced at ten, wiggling toes in the water near sea stars (five
arms) and a stickleback fish (nine spines) and then gazing across the
water at a golden setting son.
"And what comes in sets too big to count?
Stars in the sky--
A vast amount!"
How cool is that?
On a personal note, tonight at UMaine we will have the Grand finale of
Pride Week, the drag show. I will be be doing Greased Lightning. My
new drag name: Too Cool Jules. My slogan: don't you wish your mamma
was a king like me? It should be an amazing evening.
A great big shout out goes out to all who will participate as
performers, crew, and audience.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids
How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids
Picture book
Awhile back the concept of the emotional invisible bucket was
popular. The idea is that we each have one. A full one enhances
happiness and well being while a depleted one makes a person sad and
angry. Acting on this grouchiness further depletes one's bucket and
that of the target while acting from joy and well being adds to the
buckets of the person and everyone he/she/they interacts with.
Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer's How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids
presents this concept in a way relevant to children. Felix has a day
that starts out with everything going wrong from the dog scarfing his
breakfast muffin to the kids on the bus taunting him about his new
backpack. He enters the classroom, bucket nearly dry, thinking mean
thoughts. Then his teacher praises him for a paper and has him share
it with the class. That's only the start of the good things that
happen. He's able to show kindness to others...even eventually his
pesky little sister.
I think this is a wonderful concept to share with kids. It is a
way to show them that they can have some control over their feelings
rather than being overwhelmed. It's also a way to guide them toward
leading more mindful lives.
On a personal note, that is undoubtedly the secret of my popularity.
My default state is joy on steroids. Think Pollyanna or the obnoxious
cheerleader in Grease. (I do have one bad day a month). I'm not
gorgeous, sexy, athletic, or rich. I can be counted on to fill
people's buckets and their happiness to be with me keeps mine full to
overflowing. Call it a precious (as opposed to vicious) cycle.
On this fine spring day a great big shout out goes out to the UMaine
community.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
Awhile back the concept of the emotional invisible bucket was
popular. The idea is that we each have one. A full one enhances
happiness and well being while a depleted one makes a person sad and
angry. Acting on this grouchiness further depletes one's bucket and
that of the target while acting from joy and well being adds to the
buckets of the person and everyone he/she/they interacts with.
Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer's How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids
presents this concept in a way relevant to children. Felix has a day
that starts out with everything going wrong from the dog scarfing his
breakfast muffin to the kids on the bus taunting him about his new
backpack. He enters the classroom, bucket nearly dry, thinking mean
thoughts. Then his teacher praises him for a paper and has him share
it with the class. That's only the start of the good things that
happen. He's able to show kindness to others...even eventually his
pesky little sister.
I think this is a wonderful concept to share with kids. It is a
way to show them that they can have some control over their feelings
rather than being overwhelmed. It's also a way to guide them toward
leading more mindful lives.
On a personal note, that is undoubtedly the secret of my popularity.
My default state is joy on steroids. Think Pollyanna or the obnoxious
cheerleader in Grease. (I do have one bad day a month). I'm not
gorgeous, sexy, athletic, or rich. I can be counted on to fill
people's buckets and their happiness to be with me keeps mine full to
overflowing. Call it a precious (as opposed to vicious) cycle.
On this fine spring day a great big shout out goes out to the UMaine
community.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Kindred
Kindred
YA/adult graphic novel
"She described herself as, 'I'm black, I'm solitary, I've always
been an outsider'--but she left off 'extraordinary.'
Octavia Estelle Butler was indeed a most extraordinary writer.
Often referred to as the 'grand dame of science fiction,' she is the
author of a short story collection and more than a dozen novels, which
have been translated into ten languages. Her work garnered two Hugo
awards, two Nebula awards, and the PEN Lifetime Achievement Award.
She was the first science fiction writer to win a MacArthur 'Genius'
Fellowship."
Holy Hannah! To think I hadn't heard of her until last week! I
discovered her Kindred in an unusual place: the YA graphic novel
section of the Orono Public Library. What I got my hands on was a
graphic novel version adapted to its new format by Damian Duffy and
illustrated by John Jennings.
The year is 1976. Dana (black) and Kevin (white) have just
moved from an apartment to a home of their own. They are putting
their books away when Dana feels strange. Suddenly she is on a river
bank, seeing a little white boy named Rufus drowning. She is able to
save his life. Then just as abruptly she is back in her new home.
This is only the first of Dana's unwanted journeys. The second
involves Rufus almost setting his house on fire. In fact every time
Rufus gets in a jam he can snatch Dana across time and space to fix
things for him.
Rufus is the son of a plantation owner in the pre Civil War
South, a time when blacks were owned, mistreated, and sold as
property. Needless to say, Dana is far from safe there. When Kevin
goes with her and must pose as her master things get really complicated.
If you are a fan of graphic novels, science fiction, or women's
writing you will find Kindred intriguing, thought provoking, and
impossible to put down. If you enjoy the book you may want to read
more of Butler's books which are all listed in the back.
On a personal note, this year's Dance Marathon, my fourth, was
awesome! We had a carnival theme with fair foods and games to win
tickets for prizes. We were well fed all 12 hours. The tee shirts
featured carousels (my favorite carnival ride). I got a miracle maker
long sleeve shirt and banner because I brought in over $100 ($166) in
sponsor money. At the end we learned we had raised $47,680 for
Children's Miracle Network!!! Then they said those who had stayed
could have the rest of the prizes. I got a backpack, two beanie
bears, a raccoon, a pair of adorable faced zebra slippers, and a
poster of my favorite song. When I got home I was too revved to
sleep. So I cut church.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
Meteorology: spring is arriving in Penobscot County. The dingy snow
is vanishing. My daffodils have started coming up. I saw my first
ladybug of the year--a little yellow one. Joey cat is watching
through the window for robins who will be lucky he is an indoor cat.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA/adult graphic novel
"She described herself as, 'I'm black, I'm solitary, I've always
been an outsider'--but she left off 'extraordinary.'
Octavia Estelle Butler was indeed a most extraordinary writer.
Often referred to as the 'grand dame of science fiction,' she is the
author of a short story collection and more than a dozen novels, which
have been translated into ten languages. Her work garnered two Hugo
awards, two Nebula awards, and the PEN Lifetime Achievement Award.
She was the first science fiction writer to win a MacArthur 'Genius'
Fellowship."
Holy Hannah! To think I hadn't heard of her until last week! I
discovered her Kindred in an unusual place: the YA graphic novel
section of the Orono Public Library. What I got my hands on was a
graphic novel version adapted to its new format by Damian Duffy and
illustrated by John Jennings.
The year is 1976. Dana (black) and Kevin (white) have just
moved from an apartment to a home of their own. They are putting
their books away when Dana feels strange. Suddenly she is on a river
bank, seeing a little white boy named Rufus drowning. She is able to
save his life. Then just as abruptly she is back in her new home.
This is only the first of Dana's unwanted journeys. The second
involves Rufus almost setting his house on fire. In fact every time
Rufus gets in a jam he can snatch Dana across time and space to fix
things for him.
Rufus is the son of a plantation owner in the pre Civil War
South, a time when blacks were owned, mistreated, and sold as
property. Needless to say, Dana is far from safe there. When Kevin
goes with her and must pose as her master things get really complicated.
If you are a fan of graphic novels, science fiction, or women's
writing you will find Kindred intriguing, thought provoking, and
impossible to put down. If you enjoy the book you may want to read
more of Butler's books which are all listed in the back.
On a personal note, this year's Dance Marathon, my fourth, was
awesome! We had a carnival theme with fair foods and games to win
tickets for prizes. We were well fed all 12 hours. The tee shirts
featured carousels (my favorite carnival ride). I got a miracle maker
long sleeve shirt and banner because I brought in over $100 ($166) in
sponsor money. At the end we learned we had raised $47,680 for
Children's Miracle Network!!! Then they said those who had stayed
could have the rest of the prizes. I got a backpack, two beanie
bears, a raccoon, a pair of adorable faced zebra slippers, and a
poster of my favorite song. When I got home I was too revved to
sleep. So I cut church.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
Meteorology: spring is arriving in Penobscot County. The dingy snow
is vanishing. My daffodils have started coming up. I saw my first
ladybug of the year--a little yellow one. Joey cat is watching
through the window for robins who will be lucky he is an indoor cat.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, April 10, 2017
The Most Dangerous Place On Earth
The Most Dangerous Place On Earth
YA/adult fiction
"In their eighth-grade class photo, Tristan was baby-blond and
roly-poly, squinting into the sun and grinning wide. Calista and
Abigail and Emma posed in tank tops and miniskirts and scribbled on
Chuck Taylors, with bony chests and push-up bras, coltish legs, baby
cheeks. Dave Chu was gawky and lean, in a red polo shirt that hung
like a drop cloth on his narrow shoulders. Nick Brickston's neck was
too large for his torso, and his smile was cluttered with metal.
Elisabeth Avarine almost disappeared: she was a child's flyaway
ponytail, a blurred face avoiding the camera. Damon Flintov was
adorable, chubby under his oversized T-shirt and jeans, eyes big and
innocently blue though he jutted his chin to show toughness. Ryan
Harbinger was cherubic, dark-gold hair tangled, tanned forehead
shining with sweat because he'd recently been playing. It was
shocking, how they all just looked like children."
In Lindsey Lee Johnson's The Most Dangerous Place On Earth,
before the end of this ensemble cast's last year of middle school an
anything but childlike incident happened. Tristan had been the
awkward kid who never fit in with the obnoxious mother always coming
to school on his behalf. One day he made a tragic mistake, sending
Calista an impassioned love letter. Not sure how to respond, Calista
showed it to her friends. Relentless and growing cyberbullying drove
Tristan to taking his life.
Readers rejoin them in their crucial junior year of high
school. They face a lot of pressures. Parents are absent physically
or emotionally or hold unrealistically expectations. When Calista's
mother does not die of cancer life does not go back to normal for
her. An adult teacher coaxes Abigail into having an illicit affair.
Damon returns from rehab into an uncertain future.
They and their relationships have been effected by the tragedy
of their last middle school year. And one of them is going to see her
own life trashed publically and relentlessly just as she's trying to
recover from a debilitating accident.
On a personal note, the last day of March I was going to just stick
around UMaine for coffee hour and bus home. I had promised Silvestre
because, even though I was invited to a bunch of night events, I
didn't have a ride home. Then David decided I should go to
International BINGO. I told him he had to make sure I got home safe.
I surely was glad I stayed. We had a yummy taco bar. I sat with a
friend and her boyfriend. When she won a basket of card games she
gave me the UNO deck. I had a fine evening.
A great big shout out goes out to David, his lovely fiancée, and his
super adorable toddler son, David Junior. To me they are a family
that epitomizes the American dream.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA/adult fiction
"In their eighth-grade class photo, Tristan was baby-blond and
roly-poly, squinting into the sun and grinning wide. Calista and
Abigail and Emma posed in tank tops and miniskirts and scribbled on
Chuck Taylors, with bony chests and push-up bras, coltish legs, baby
cheeks. Dave Chu was gawky and lean, in a red polo shirt that hung
like a drop cloth on his narrow shoulders. Nick Brickston's neck was
too large for his torso, and his smile was cluttered with metal.
Elisabeth Avarine almost disappeared: she was a child's flyaway
ponytail, a blurred face avoiding the camera. Damon Flintov was
adorable, chubby under his oversized T-shirt and jeans, eyes big and
innocently blue though he jutted his chin to show toughness. Ryan
Harbinger was cherubic, dark-gold hair tangled, tanned forehead
shining with sweat because he'd recently been playing. It was
shocking, how they all just looked like children."
In Lindsey Lee Johnson's The Most Dangerous Place On Earth,
before the end of this ensemble cast's last year of middle school an
anything but childlike incident happened. Tristan had been the
awkward kid who never fit in with the obnoxious mother always coming
to school on his behalf. One day he made a tragic mistake, sending
Calista an impassioned love letter. Not sure how to respond, Calista
showed it to her friends. Relentless and growing cyberbullying drove
Tristan to taking his life.
Readers rejoin them in their crucial junior year of high
school. They face a lot of pressures. Parents are absent physically
or emotionally or hold unrealistically expectations. When Calista's
mother does not die of cancer life does not go back to normal for
her. An adult teacher coaxes Abigail into having an illicit affair.
Damon returns from rehab into an uncertain future.
They and their relationships have been effected by the tragedy
of their last middle school year. And one of them is going to see her
own life trashed publically and relentlessly just as she's trying to
recover from a debilitating accident.
On a personal note, the last day of March I was going to just stick
around UMaine for coffee hour and bus home. I had promised Silvestre
because, even though I was invited to a bunch of night events, I
didn't have a ride home. Then David decided I should go to
International BINGO. I told him he had to make sure I got home safe.
I surely was glad I stayed. We had a yummy taco bar. I sat with a
friend and her boyfriend. When she won a basket of card games she
gave me the UNO deck. I had a fine evening.
A great big shout out goes out to David, his lovely fiancée, and his
super adorable toddler son, David Junior. To me they are a family
that epitomizes the American dream.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Blood, Bullets, and Bones
Blood, Bullets, and Bones
YA/adult nonfiction
"Suspects were arrested and tortured until they talked. To stop
the torture, prisoners would confess to crimes they hadn't committed
and accuse those who were innocent. In all, 442 people were charged
and 319 ordered arrested. Of course none of the accusations could be
verified scientifically...But trials were held nonetheless, in a
secret courtroom called the burning chamber...Here, thirty-six people
were sentenced to death and many more banished or imprisoned."
My husband enjoys watching crime scene investigation television
shows. Judging by their popularity, he's far from the only one. For
some viewers, these programs become more than recreational viewing.
Forensic science is growing as a field of study and vocation. Both
people contemplating forensics as vocation and recreational viewers of
this genre would probably find Bridget Heos' Blood, Bullets, and
Bones: the Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes to DNA
fascinating.
When we think of forensics, DNA analysis usually comes to mind.
This application is a very new addition to forensic science
techniques, first used to solve a murder case only 30 years ago.
Fingerprint analysis as evidence is also relatively recent, going back
only to the 1880's. Homicide, however, has probably been around as
long as modern humans. Go no further than Genesis in the Bible for
evidence of this. Murderers also have over the ages evolved ways to
cover up their illicit activities to escape capture and punshment.
In ages past when bodies turned up and deaths might not have
been due to natural causes, how did authorities bring perps to
justice, acquire justice for victims, and sometimes keep other people
safe? Blood, Bullets, and Bones gives a very thorough chronology of
discoveries and their implications. Readers will become acquainted
with techniques such as testing for poison, criminal profiling, and
analysis of fingerprints, blood patterns, and recovered bullets.
There is a lively balance of theories behind discoveries and the cases
that led to and validated their use. There are plenty of photos and
other illustrations.
More sensitive readers might find some parts of the book a
little too graphic. It is not the best choice for right before
bedtime reading. I personally discovered this. But it is a very
intriguing read and window into scientific history.
On a personal note, tomorrow at UMaine Pride Week will begin with the
flag raising, parade, and carnival. Last week we tie dyed unicorn tee
shirts to get ready. We have cool pins too. There will be lots of
activities culminating in stuffing rainbow bears and the drag show. I
think it will be the best drag show ever.
A great big shout out goes out to all who are working to make it happen.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA/adult nonfiction
"Suspects were arrested and tortured until they talked. To stop
the torture, prisoners would confess to crimes they hadn't committed
and accuse those who were innocent. In all, 442 people were charged
and 319 ordered arrested. Of course none of the accusations could be
verified scientifically...But trials were held nonetheless, in a
secret courtroom called the burning chamber...Here, thirty-six people
were sentenced to death and many more banished or imprisoned."
My husband enjoys watching crime scene investigation television
shows. Judging by their popularity, he's far from the only one. For
some viewers, these programs become more than recreational viewing.
Forensic science is growing as a field of study and vocation. Both
people contemplating forensics as vocation and recreational viewers of
this genre would probably find Bridget Heos' Blood, Bullets, and
Bones: the Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes to DNA
fascinating.
When we think of forensics, DNA analysis usually comes to mind.
This application is a very new addition to forensic science
techniques, first used to solve a murder case only 30 years ago.
Fingerprint analysis as evidence is also relatively recent, going back
only to the 1880's. Homicide, however, has probably been around as
long as modern humans. Go no further than Genesis in the Bible for
evidence of this. Murderers also have over the ages evolved ways to
cover up their illicit activities to escape capture and punshment.
In ages past when bodies turned up and deaths might not have
been due to natural causes, how did authorities bring perps to
justice, acquire justice for victims, and sometimes keep other people
safe? Blood, Bullets, and Bones gives a very thorough chronology of
discoveries and their implications. Readers will become acquainted
with techniques such as testing for poison, criminal profiling, and
analysis of fingerprints, blood patterns, and recovered bullets.
There is a lively balance of theories behind discoveries and the cases
that led to and validated their use. There are plenty of photos and
other illustrations.
More sensitive readers might find some parts of the book a
little too graphic. It is not the best choice for right before
bedtime reading. I personally discovered this. But it is a very
intriguing read and window into scientific history.
On a personal note, tomorrow at UMaine Pride Week will begin with the
flag raising, parade, and carnival. Last week we tie dyed unicorn tee
shirts to get ready. We have cool pins too. There will be lots of
activities culminating in stuffing rainbow bears and the drag show. I
think it will be the best drag show ever.
A great big shout out goes out to all who are working to make it happen.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Hillbilly Elegy
Hillbilly Elegy
Adult biography
"So I didn't write this book because I've accomplished something
extraordinary. I wrote this book because I've achieved something
quite ordinary, which doesn't happen to most kids who grow up like
me. You see, I grew up poor in the Rust Belt, in an Ohio steel town
that has been hemorrhaging jobs and hope for as long as I can
remember. I have, to put it mildly, a complex relationship with my
parents, one of whom has struggled with addiction for nearly my entire
life. My grandparents, neither of whom graduated from high school,
raised me, and few members of even my extended family attended
college. The statistics tell you that kids like me face a grim
future--that if they're lucky, they'll manage to avoid welfare; and if
they're unlucky, they'll die of a heroin overdose, as happened to
dozens in my hometown just last year."
If you're like me, this paragraph from the introduction to J. D.
Vance's Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
will raise questions in your mind. The primary one should be why so
many people are doomed to a life in which failure is dying early of an
overdose and success is avoiding involvement in the welfare system. A
lot of people will be happy to tell you there is one reason and,
therefore, one panacea. Many liberal politicians say lack of money,
adequate food/health/housing, and jobs. Then there are the
conservatives like Maine's current Governor, Paul LePage, who say poor
people are just plain lazy. "Tough love" in the form of benefit cuts
and restrictions will solve the problem by forcing them to work.
Vance shows that the issue is a lot more complex than all that.
College access, for example, is not just about money. There's the
human capital of having the right kind of references. There's insider
information on stuff like filling out financial aid forms. And
there's the difficulty of envisioning oneself in that environment if
people like you don't go.
Vance managed to graduate not only from college, but from a
prestigious law school. So how, given all the perils mentioned on the
lead paragraph of this review, did he overcome all the odds? Read the
book to see. It is a real thought provoker as well as a riveting true
life story.
On a personal note, there used to be a branch of a government funded
sports camp at UMaine. For six weeks each summer students who
qualified were bussed to campus where they tackled science as well as
being immersed in sports. Kids were able to learn the ins and outs of
college preparation and application. They also got the chance to
envision college as somewhere they belonged. My younger daughter went
several years and loved it. So what happened? The program was axed
to cut on spending, leaving kids who could have been helped to succeed
out of luck.
A great big shout out goes out to all who fight on behalf of kids and
adults in left behind groups in American society.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult biography
"So I didn't write this book because I've accomplished something
extraordinary. I wrote this book because I've achieved something
quite ordinary, which doesn't happen to most kids who grow up like
me. You see, I grew up poor in the Rust Belt, in an Ohio steel town
that has been hemorrhaging jobs and hope for as long as I can
remember. I have, to put it mildly, a complex relationship with my
parents, one of whom has struggled with addiction for nearly my entire
life. My grandparents, neither of whom graduated from high school,
raised me, and few members of even my extended family attended
college. The statistics tell you that kids like me face a grim
future--that if they're lucky, they'll manage to avoid welfare; and if
they're unlucky, they'll die of a heroin overdose, as happened to
dozens in my hometown just last year."
If you're like me, this paragraph from the introduction to J. D.
Vance's Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
will raise questions in your mind. The primary one should be why so
many people are doomed to a life in which failure is dying early of an
overdose and success is avoiding involvement in the welfare system. A
lot of people will be happy to tell you there is one reason and,
therefore, one panacea. Many liberal politicians say lack of money,
adequate food/health/housing, and jobs. Then there are the
conservatives like Maine's current Governor, Paul LePage, who say poor
people are just plain lazy. "Tough love" in the form of benefit cuts
and restrictions will solve the problem by forcing them to work.
Vance shows that the issue is a lot more complex than all that.
College access, for example, is not just about money. There's the
human capital of having the right kind of references. There's insider
information on stuff like filling out financial aid forms. And
there's the difficulty of envisioning oneself in that environment if
people like you don't go.
Vance managed to graduate not only from college, but from a
prestigious law school. So how, given all the perils mentioned on the
lead paragraph of this review, did he overcome all the odds? Read the
book to see. It is a real thought provoker as well as a riveting true
life story.
On a personal note, there used to be a branch of a government funded
sports camp at UMaine. For six weeks each summer students who
qualified were bussed to campus where they tackled science as well as
being immersed in sports. Kids were able to learn the ins and outs of
college preparation and application. They also got the chance to
envision college as somewhere they belonged. My younger daughter went
several years and loved it. So what happened? The program was axed
to cut on spending, leaving kids who could have been helped to succeed
out of luck.
A great big shout out goes out to all who fight on behalf of kids and
adults in left behind groups in American society.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Coming To America
Coming To America
Picture book
I've seen many adults confused and sometimes threatened by the
differences they perceive in Muslim immigrants. With the inflamatory
rhetoric coming out of the White House these days, I worry that fear
of differences will become even more divisive and prejudice will be
handed down from generation to generation.
Bernard Wolf's Coming To America: A Muslim Family's Story is perfect
to reassure children about kids that may become neighbors or classmates.
Rowan Mahmoud is an 8-year-old who lives with her parents and
older siblings. She helps her mother cook supper, watches television
with her sister, Dina, and loves summer vacation. She makes a special
Father's Day card for her dad. In many ways she is like the young
readers who will meet her.
In some ways, though, she is different from them. At times she
misses Egypt and the friends and family members she left behind. Her
parents had not been able to earn enough, even as professionals, to
provide for their family. Her father was the first to immigrate to
America. It took him four years of hard work before he was able to
send for his beloved family.
Coming To America is a good book for youth groups or
homeschooling families. It can lead to stimulating discussion
questions. How did your ancestors come to America? What do you think
they might have found confusing or frightening? What would you hope
for and miss most if you had to make a similar journey? Out of all
your possessions, which would you take and why?
On a personal note, last week Wilson Center and a bunch of other faith
organizations put on a panel discussion featuring people from a wide
range of faith traditions. The theme was can we coexist. There were
a bunch of thoughtful questions each speaker answered. It was easy to
see the respect they had for one another. Although the program was in
a big auditorium the place was packed with people standing in the
back. The only complaint I heard was that it should have gone
longer. There was plenty of good food. We need more programs like
this to break down fears and misperceptions, particularly those that
let us be manipulated by those in power.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
I've seen many adults confused and sometimes threatened by the
differences they perceive in Muslim immigrants. With the inflamatory
rhetoric coming out of the White House these days, I worry that fear
of differences will become even more divisive and prejudice will be
handed down from generation to generation.
Bernard Wolf's Coming To America: A Muslim Family's Story is perfect
to reassure children about kids that may become neighbors or classmates.
Rowan Mahmoud is an 8-year-old who lives with her parents and
older siblings. She helps her mother cook supper, watches television
with her sister, Dina, and loves summer vacation. She makes a special
Father's Day card for her dad. In many ways she is like the young
readers who will meet her.
In some ways, though, she is different from them. At times she
misses Egypt and the friends and family members she left behind. Her
parents had not been able to earn enough, even as professionals, to
provide for their family. Her father was the first to immigrate to
America. It took him four years of hard work before he was able to
send for his beloved family.
Coming To America is a good book for youth groups or
homeschooling families. It can lead to stimulating discussion
questions. How did your ancestors come to America? What do you think
they might have found confusing or frightening? What would you hope
for and miss most if you had to make a similar journey? Out of all
your possessions, which would you take and why?
On a personal note, last week Wilson Center and a bunch of other faith
organizations put on a panel discussion featuring people from a wide
range of faith traditions. The theme was can we coexist. There were
a bunch of thoughtful questions each speaker answered. It was easy to
see the respect they had for one another. Although the program was in
a big auditorium the place was packed with people standing in the
back. The only complaint I heard was that it should have gone
longer. There was plenty of good food. We need more programs like
this to break down fears and misperceptions, particularly those that
let us be manipulated by those in power.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, April 3, 2017
The March Against Fear
The March Against Fear
YA/adult nonfiction
"BLAM!
One minute James Mededith was walking along a rural road in
Mississippi, two days into an estimated two-week-long journey to the
state capital of Jackson. The next minute a stranger had climbed out
of the roadside honeysuckle and started shooting him.
The first blast from the 16-gauge shotgun spewed tiny balls of
ammunition toward the hiker, but the pellets struck the pavement
nearby, not Meredith himself.
Undeterred, the gunman fired again."
Meredith was not a recreational hiker or someone trying to lose
weight. He was fed up with the plight of his people. Mississippi was
rife with racism. Its blacks lived in dire poverty in a segregated
society. In a cruel twist, the whites who drastically limited their
prospects wrote off their lack of advancement as innate laziness and
lack of ability. They also had ways of keeping blacks in "their" place.
Meredith was trying to send a message: stop being afraid; stand
up to the oppressor. Fortunately he was not killed. However, he was
in no shape to resume his walk with many shotgun pellets (after 70 had
been removed) embedded in his body.
Although Meredith could no longer walk, others could walk in his
place. That's just what they did. Leading civil rights leaders
including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Stokely Carmichael organized a
massive march that would continue from where Meredith had fallen. It
would be the most monumental march of the civil rights era. It would
also be the last one. Ann Bausum's The March Against Fear tells the
story of this almost forgotten event.
The organizers and marchers were plenty challenged. The
logistics of arranging for food and camping spaces for hundreds of
people over an extended period of time were formidable. The weather
was often extremely hot and humid. That was well before the day of
the disposable water bottle. They often met up with whites behaving
very badly.
And then there were internal challenges as more radical marchers
added a demand for black power to the mix while others feared that
white supporters would be alienated.
The powerful combination of narrative and photographs (exactly
what one can expect from a National Geographic book) make the reader
feel like she/he/they is marching down that hot highway. Issues
raised can provide food for thought long after the last page is
turned. If you care at all about justice in America make sure to read
The March Against Fear.
The part of the book that stood out most for me is a special
feature at the end of each chapter. Each page is black with a black
broken line across the middle suggesting a highway. On the top there
is a quote from a march participant or sympathizer. On the bottom is
a quote from someone on the other side. For example:
"It is time to stop being ashamed of being black. It is time to
stop trying to be white. When you see your daughter playing in the
fields, with her nappy hair, and her wide nose, and her thick lips,
tell her she is beautiful. Tell your daughter she is beautiful."
[Stokely Carmichael]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"They can pass all the laws they want, but niggers'll still have
black faces. Where's this gonna end? I'll tell you. It's gonna end
when we mow 'em down, mow 'em down."
[white barbershop client]
On a personal note, at the back of the book there is a Stokely
Carmichael quote: "For racism to die, a totally different America
must be born." I have just started writing an opinion piece
challenging the dangerous myth that America is or ever has been a
classless society. I realize more and more how enmeshed this belief
is. So I'd have to say, "For classism to die, a totally different
America must be born." Both statements mean that denying the problem
or making merely superficial changes aren't enough.
A great big shout out goes out to all who work to reverse the twin
evils of race and class prejudice.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA/adult nonfiction
"BLAM!
One minute James Mededith was walking along a rural road in
Mississippi, two days into an estimated two-week-long journey to the
state capital of Jackson. The next minute a stranger had climbed out
of the roadside honeysuckle and started shooting him.
The first blast from the 16-gauge shotgun spewed tiny balls of
ammunition toward the hiker, but the pellets struck the pavement
nearby, not Meredith himself.
Undeterred, the gunman fired again."
Meredith was not a recreational hiker or someone trying to lose
weight. He was fed up with the plight of his people. Mississippi was
rife with racism. Its blacks lived in dire poverty in a segregated
society. In a cruel twist, the whites who drastically limited their
prospects wrote off their lack of advancement as innate laziness and
lack of ability. They also had ways of keeping blacks in "their" place.
Meredith was trying to send a message: stop being afraid; stand
up to the oppressor. Fortunately he was not killed. However, he was
in no shape to resume his walk with many shotgun pellets (after 70 had
been removed) embedded in his body.
Although Meredith could no longer walk, others could walk in his
place. That's just what they did. Leading civil rights leaders
including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Stokely Carmichael organized a
massive march that would continue from where Meredith had fallen. It
would be the most monumental march of the civil rights era. It would
also be the last one. Ann Bausum's The March Against Fear tells the
story of this almost forgotten event.
The organizers and marchers were plenty challenged. The
logistics of arranging for food and camping spaces for hundreds of
people over an extended period of time were formidable. The weather
was often extremely hot and humid. That was well before the day of
the disposable water bottle. They often met up with whites behaving
very badly.
And then there were internal challenges as more radical marchers
added a demand for black power to the mix while others feared that
white supporters would be alienated.
The powerful combination of narrative and photographs (exactly
what one can expect from a National Geographic book) make the reader
feel like she/he/they is marching down that hot highway. Issues
raised can provide food for thought long after the last page is
turned. If you care at all about justice in America make sure to read
The March Against Fear.
The part of the book that stood out most for me is a special
feature at the end of each chapter. Each page is black with a black
broken line across the middle suggesting a highway. On the top there
is a quote from a march participant or sympathizer. On the bottom is
a quote from someone on the other side. For example:
"It is time to stop being ashamed of being black. It is time to
stop trying to be white. When you see your daughter playing in the
fields, with her nappy hair, and her wide nose, and her thick lips,
tell her she is beautiful. Tell your daughter she is beautiful."
[Stokely Carmichael]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"They can pass all the laws they want, but niggers'll still have
black faces. Where's this gonna end? I'll tell you. It's gonna end
when we mow 'em down, mow 'em down."
[white barbershop client]
On a personal note, at the back of the book there is a Stokely
Carmichael quote: "For racism to die, a totally different America
must be born." I have just started writing an opinion piece
challenging the dangerous myth that America is or ever has been a
classless society. I realize more and more how enmeshed this belief
is. So I'd have to say, "For classism to die, a totally different
America must be born." Both statements mean that denying the problem
or making merely superficial changes aren't enough.
A great big shout out goes out to all who work to reverse the twin
evils of race and class prejudice.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Hugging the Rock
Hugging the Rock
Juvenile fiction
"I thought you loved us. Loved me.
I'll be good. I'll promise.
Clean my room without being told
do all my homework
leave you alone
whenever you want quiet time
Just please
please
don't go."
At the beginning of Susan Taylor Brown's Hugging the Rock,
protagonist Rachel is hurting and confused. Her mother is packing.
Mom doesn't know why she feels the need; she just can't stay anymore.
Rachel's dad, instead of intervening, is checking the car to make sure
it's safe to drive.
Rachel's dad says everything will be okay. Rachel's mom says
she belongs with her father.
Rachel worries that her father won't know how to do all the
parenting things her mother has handled. She also doesn't know how to
act around her dad or tell what he's thinking or feeling.
And what if he also decides he wants out?
I highly recommend this poignant and sensitive coming of age
narrative.
On a personal note, I've started having Friday lunches up to UMaine
with my new friend, Olivia. We always have so much to talk about!
She is very much aware of what's going on in the world, especially for
a freshperson.
A great big shout out goes out to Olivia along with the hope that
(like me) she will keep her passion for creating change in the would
and the belief that this is possible and necessary.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile fiction
"I thought you loved us. Loved me.
I'll be good. I'll promise.
Clean my room without being told
do all my homework
leave you alone
whenever you want quiet time
Just please
please
don't go."
At the beginning of Susan Taylor Brown's Hugging the Rock,
protagonist Rachel is hurting and confused. Her mother is packing.
Mom doesn't know why she feels the need; she just can't stay anymore.
Rachel's dad, instead of intervening, is checking the car to make sure
it's safe to drive.
Rachel's dad says everything will be okay. Rachel's mom says
she belongs with her father.
Rachel worries that her father won't know how to do all the
parenting things her mother has handled. She also doesn't know how to
act around her dad or tell what he's thinking or feeling.
And what if he also decides he wants out?
I highly recommend this poignant and sensitive coming of age
narrative.
On a personal note, I've started having Friday lunches up to UMaine
with my new friend, Olivia. We always have so much to talk about!
She is very much aware of what's going on in the world, especially for
a freshperson.
A great big shout out goes out to Olivia along with the hope that
(like me) she will keep her passion for creating change in the would
and the belief that this is possible and necessary.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Saturday, April 1, 2017
This Land Is Our Land
This Land Is Our Land
YA/adult nonfiction
"Both of these ways of looking at immigration--openness to all
or restrictions for some--are part of our heritage. In the early
twenty-first century, we still debate about who and how many should be
allowed into our country, and if and when they should be allowed to
become citizens. Some Americans think of the United States as
multicultural, made stronger by the diversity of different ethnic
groups. Others think that there should be one American culture and
that it is up to the immigrant to adapt to it. Still others have
believed that some immigrant groups are incapable of adapting and
should not be permitted to stay."
Linda Barrett Osborne, author of This Land Is Our Land: A
History of American Immigration, is a descendent of immigrants. All
eight of her great-grandparents were born in Italy. My English,
Scotch, Welsh, and German ancestors stepped off the boat at some
points in history. My husband's family takes pride in Mayflower
lineage. Unless you are 100% native American, at least one of your
forebears came from somewhere else.
With a sitting president who has tried twice in his first
hundred days to prevent people from certain Muslim majority nations
from entering this country, immigrant and refugee issues are very much
in the news. The spectrum of attitudes Osborne described (see top
paragraph) is alive and well. Many people are afraid that we'll shut
the door on people in dire peril in their countries of origin or let
in dangerous terrorists. Tempers run high in all camps.
It can be a challenge for teens or adults to sort through the
conflicting viewpoints. This Land Is Our Land is a wonderful source
of background information. It covers our America's national
ambivalence toward newcomers from the days of the colonies (Did you
know that George Washington was opposed to immigration?) to the twenty-
first century. But it does not do this in a vacuum. It shows that
factors such as economics are very much a part of this evolution. In
the beginning of the twentieth century, for example, misunderstandings
about genetics led to restrictions on admitting southern and eastern
Europeans who might intermarry and weaken Anglo Saxon superior stock.
The text is highly readable and broken up by many eye catching
photographs and other illustrations. There is a good balance of
narrative and background. I would highly recommend This Land Is Our
Land to anyone wishing for more lucid insight into a very
controversial issue.
On a personal note, when my children were much younger we attended the
Universalist Unitarian church up to Bangor. For awhile a woman named
Jonette gave us rides. Sadly her favorite topic was America for the
native born. As a big fan of the statue of liberty and her timeless
message, I would spend the entire ride fighting with her. This
exhibition of adults being less than well behaved, particularly after
worship, was probably not in the best interests of our impressionable
captive audience.
A great big shout out goes out to today's immigrants and all who work
on their behalf.
jules hathaway
PS Weather is big news today in Maine with another possibly big storm
closing in on us. There are cancellations galore in the southern part
of the state. Hopefully this won't affect the UMaine dance marathon
to help children's miracle network. I plan to dance the night away.
Sent from my iPod
YA/adult nonfiction
"Both of these ways of looking at immigration--openness to all
or restrictions for some--are part of our heritage. In the early
twenty-first century, we still debate about who and how many should be
allowed into our country, and if and when they should be allowed to
become citizens. Some Americans think of the United States as
multicultural, made stronger by the diversity of different ethnic
groups. Others think that there should be one American culture and
that it is up to the immigrant to adapt to it. Still others have
believed that some immigrant groups are incapable of adapting and
should not be permitted to stay."
Linda Barrett Osborne, author of This Land Is Our Land: A
History of American Immigration, is a descendent of immigrants. All
eight of her great-grandparents were born in Italy. My English,
Scotch, Welsh, and German ancestors stepped off the boat at some
points in history. My husband's family takes pride in Mayflower
lineage. Unless you are 100% native American, at least one of your
forebears came from somewhere else.
With a sitting president who has tried twice in his first
hundred days to prevent people from certain Muslim majority nations
from entering this country, immigrant and refugee issues are very much
in the news. The spectrum of attitudes Osborne described (see top
paragraph) is alive and well. Many people are afraid that we'll shut
the door on people in dire peril in their countries of origin or let
in dangerous terrorists. Tempers run high in all camps.
It can be a challenge for teens or adults to sort through the
conflicting viewpoints. This Land Is Our Land is a wonderful source
of background information. It covers our America's national
ambivalence toward newcomers from the days of the colonies (Did you
know that George Washington was opposed to immigration?) to the twenty-
first century. But it does not do this in a vacuum. It shows that
factors such as economics are very much a part of this evolution. In
the beginning of the twentieth century, for example, misunderstandings
about genetics led to restrictions on admitting southern and eastern
Europeans who might intermarry and weaken Anglo Saxon superior stock.
The text is highly readable and broken up by many eye catching
photographs and other illustrations. There is a good balance of
narrative and background. I would highly recommend This Land Is Our
Land to anyone wishing for more lucid insight into a very
controversial issue.
On a personal note, when my children were much younger we attended the
Universalist Unitarian church up to Bangor. For awhile a woman named
Jonette gave us rides. Sadly her favorite topic was America for the
native born. As a big fan of the statue of liberty and her timeless
message, I would spend the entire ride fighting with her. This
exhibition of adults being less than well behaved, particularly after
worship, was probably not in the best interests of our impressionable
captive audience.
A great big shout out goes out to today's immigrants and all who work
on their behalf.
jules hathaway
PS Weather is big news today in Maine with another possibly big storm
closing in on us. There are cancellations galore in the southern part
of the state. Hopefully this won't affect the UMaine dance marathon
to help children's miracle network. I plan to dance the night away.
Sent from my iPod
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