Sandy's Circus

Sandy's Circus

Juvenile biography
"There once was an artist named Alexander Calder.
Only he didn't call himself Alexander.
Everyone called him Sandy. He had been making his objects since
he was a kid..."
Tanya Lee Stone and her fiancée were driving in rural Connecticut
. Unexpectedly, among cow pastures, they saw a yard full of colorful
sculptures that they had to take a closer look at. They had been
created by Alexander Calder, the twentieth century sculptor who
invented mobiles. Stone was inspired to someday write about the
artist. Lucky for us, she followed through with Sandy's Circus.
From an early age, Alexander Calder, the son of a painter mother
and a sculptor father, had tools and knew how to use them. He made
his friends and sister gifts out of junk.
In 1926 he traveled where he was inspired to create a circus
that grew and grew and grew...
...and delighted crowds in France and America.
"Sandy delighted in crafting things that moved. He made new
kinds of art, hanging his shapes up, connecting pieces to each other
with wire, and letting the air drift and spunk them into motion. In
doing so, he turned ordinary objects into extraordinary art, and
invented the very first mobiles.
And it all started with Sandy's magical, moveable circus.
If you have a child who enjoys taking things apart and building
creations from "junk" or if you were once (and may still have
potential to be) that child, Sandy's Circus is a must read.
On a personal note, Saturday I went to the day long Wabnaki Reach
conference. It was to enlighten whites like me on the history of all
we've done to Maine's indiginous people and the relationship
comlexities that continue to this day. After that another atendee
told me she's a professor in the department I want to get my masters
in and she really hopes I get in. :-)
That can only be good.
Oh, yeah, I've decided what I'll be for Halloween. An angel. I have
a blue dress with wings and a pipe cleaner halo.
A great shout out goes out to you, my readers, with best wishes for a
safe and spooktacular Halloween.
jules hathaway



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Falcons

Falcons

Juvenile nonfiction
Falcons are magnificent birds of prey. They reside all over the
world except for Antarctica. But they aren't the run of the mill
backyard bird. And they don't get all the press of the eagle.
Luckily Kate Riggs' Falcons gives readers an intimate look into their
lifestyle.
The pictures take the cake. My favorites are the black and
white gryfalcon flying through a snowscape and the mother falcon
standing guard over her nest of eyases (newborns). But of course
there are plenty of fascinating facts. Do you know a falcon can do
200 miles an hour when diving? No wonder prey animals don't see them
coming!
Falcons is in an Amazing Animals series. It covers creatures
from Alligators to Zebras. Maybe one of the volumes captures your
favorite critter.
On a personal note: OMG! I am walking on air! One of my student
friends told me she wants me to be matron of honor when she gets
married! That is SO SPECIAL! That is also why I am so determined to
get my masters and work in student services instead of settling for
something like retail. Why in the world would I work to live a
persona I'm not and be merely tolerated when there's a place I am
loved for my authentic self?
A great big shout out goes out to the students, staff, and faculty who
make me feel Velveteen Rabbit real?
jules hathaway



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Lemons

Lemons

Juvenile fiction
"Bigfoot.
It's the very first thing I see when we pull into town. A
gargantuan wooden statue of the hairy beast, stuck right smack in the
middle of the square, like he's the mayor or President Ford or someone
really important like that.
'Where are we, anyway?' I asked the social worker who came to
get me all the way down in San Francisco."
Lemonade (Lem) Liberty Witt, almost 11-year-old protagonist of
Melissa Savage's Lemon, is headed toward her new at least temporary
home. Her beloved mother has died of cancer. Now, even though her
teacher has offered to take her in, she is losing her school, friends,
and community. Rules have to be followed. And her mother's father
whom she has never met before has been located.
Willow Creek is nothing like San Francisco. It's much tinier
and more rural. Its claim to fame is that's the world's capital of a
hairy, legendary beast. In fact Lem's newly discovered grandfather is
the proprietor of a tourist oriented Bigfoot Paraphanalia store. The
more than slightly strange boy who hangs around her house is Tobin,
the official investigator of "Bigfoot Detectives Inc. Handling all
your Bigfoot needs since 1974" (Recall the story is set during the
Ford presidency).
Lem is sure she'll blow that Popsicle stand and go home the
first opportunity she gets. But Charlie tries really hard to meet her
needs. Tobin has some good qualities under his outward
obnoxiousness. And this is the community where her mother grew up and
people remember her as a child and teen.
Perhaps when the social worker returns the decision she must
make won't be the slam dunk she anticipates.
Kids and parents alike will enjoy this lively and sweet without
soppy narrative.
On a personal note, I think I've solved my glasses dilemma. I have to
get glasses to see boards or PowerPoints and not flunk grad school
which I'll start inshallah next year. I agree with the kids I
shouldn't get something pricey. Adult preppie/country club set is not
what I'm going for. But blah or something that will make me look
proper, conservative, boring, generic...I wouldn't be seen alive in.
I want something that makes me happy to wear and elicits comments like
wow and cool from the people who I hang with. It's a lot to ask of
glasses. So I wasn't exactly optimistic. But today I tried on a pair
of sunglasses with red plastic heart shaped frames and thought I
looked cute. I surveyed everyone I saw at UMaine and got all two
thumbs ups. So now I'm excited to get glasses that won't cost a
fortune.
A great big shout out goes out to everyone who participated in my
unscientific study.
jules hathaway


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Denizens Of The Deep

Denizens Of The Deep

Juvenile nonfiction
People who say that space is the last frontier forget that here
on Earth we have an equally mysterious realm, the oceans. There is
probably more of the unknown than of the known therein. We ignore
these mysteries at our own peril. We have only the vaguest idea what
human activity is doing to those watery regions basically all life on
Earth relies on. Luckily the Orono Public Library has acquired two
thought provoking books for younger readers.
"With writhing arms
and ghostly, lidless eyes
they glide;
some large as buses,
some weighing a ton.
So big, yet rarely seen."
Candace Fleming's Giant Squid is Bill Nye the Science Guy meets
Stephen King in free verse. Scenes from the life of this mammoth
creature are done justice by Eric Rohmann's dynamic, dark backgrounded
paintings. We are shown a 2" long (Can you believe it?) newly hatched
giant squid and warned that
"In the ocean
it is dangerous to be bite-sized."
You see just the tip of a snout with long sharp teeth emerging from
the top left corner.
On the next two page spread a hungry barracuda is closing in on
an ocean tidbit. It seems like out pint sized protagonist will become
fish food until...
The next two pages are clouded with camoflauging ink.
Giant squids are very reclusive and elusive.
"Incredibly, we have more close-up photos of the surface of
Mars--a planet millions of miles away--than we have of giant squid.
We know more about the behavior of dinosaurs--extinct for 65 million
years--than we do a creature that resides in almost all the world's
oceans and is one of the biggest animals on the planet. So elusive is
the giant squid that the first time scientists ever saw a living one
was in 2006..."
So how did they learn what we now know?
Read the book and see.
Especially following the popularity of the movie Jaws, people
often wish for shark free oceans. Whenever a triangle shaped fin is
spotted near people infested waters panic too often ensues. Less
dangerous seas? What could be wrong with that.
A whole lot, it turns out. Lily Williams' If Sharks Disappeared
gives us some idea of possible unintended consequences.
Trophic cascade is sort of like dominos. You know how you can
make a design of them and then nudge just one to make all go down? In
a similar way, when one species is removed from the web of nature
scads of others are negatively impacted.
Sharks are apex predators. They tend to eat more sickly, weak
members of prey populations. Without sharks prey populations would
grow exponentially, causing other predator species to overprocreate...
...and that's the beginning of a horror sequence that would
scare Mr. Stephen King.
Sharks are in danger. Readers are given ways to help save
them. If Sharks Disappeared is a great book for sustainability minded
kids and families.
On a personal note, I was finally able to get oral surgery done after
years of needing it. It was faster and easier than I expected and
after I didn't even need an aspirin.
A great big shout out goes out to my new dental practice.
jules hathaway


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Dissenting And Persisting

Dissenting And Persisting

Juvenile herstory
Girls and women throughout history have been told to go along to
get along. Rocking the boat was seen as a male perogative.
Fortunately things are changing. Two recent Orono Public Library
juvenile wing acquisitions celebrate females being anything but dainty
and demure.
Debbie Levy's I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark
tells the life story of a Supreme Court Justice. In a time when boys
were expected to do great things and women were limited to being their
wives, Ginsburg's mother wanted more for her daughter and brought her
to the library to discover heroines and be inspired.
Ginsburg's mother died the day before her high school
graduation. She went to college at a time few women did. The anti
Jewish discrimination she had experienced and McCarthyism inspired her
to go on to law school where she could learn to fight for people's
rights. Marriage and motherhood didn't stand in her way any more than
the biases she still faced...
...and she kept on objecting to many beliefs such as "The
natural and proper timidity and delicacy which belongs to the female
sex evidently unfits it for many of the occupations of civil life."
Nothing timid or delicate about Ruth Bader Ginsburg!
Chelsea Clinton's She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed
The World gives readers introductions to a gutsy group of women who
refused to take no for an answer. It's a good mix of the famous and
not so well known. Each woman has a quote that helps to create an
image of her. Some of the feisty females portrayed are:
*strike organizer Clara Lemlich,
*Virginia Apgar who created the score That enables doctors to discover
newborns who need help to survive,
*and Maria Tallchief, a professional dancer who refused to hide or
renounce her Native American heritage.
I was very pleased to encounter my Shero, Margeret Chase Smith, who
had the guts to confront Joseph McCarthy and his Communist paranoia.
I will have to add her, "The right way is not always the popular and
easy way. Standing for the right when it is unpopular is a true test
of moral character", to my quote files.
My moral character gets tested a lot.
On a personal note, I really enjoyed volunteering at the Q conference
Friday and Saturday at UMaine. LGBTQ people and allies came from as
far away as Portland. I was pleased to see a lot of high school
students show up.
A great big shout out goes out to all participants, speakers, and
organizers.
jules hathaway



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Moto and Me

Moto and Me

Juvenile nonfiction.
Suzi Eszterhas was living her dream. Since childhood she had
yearned to live in a tent in Africa. As an adult she was doing just
that, photographing animals and dwelling in their midst. Many of her
encounters were quite up close (and not always safe)--a leopard
slinking past her door, a deadly cobra on her desk.
"But the most exciting animal encounter I had was with a tiny,
helpless wildcat named Moto..."
Moto, a serval, was waiting with his siblings for his mother to
return from the hunt. Suddenly a wildfire started racing toward
them. Their mom arrived in time to rescue them. But when he was
separated from the rest tourists picked him up and looked for help.
By the time they encountered rangers there was no possibility of a
kitten mom reunion.
Moto, at two weeks of age, was incapable of surviving on his
own. He needed intensive mothering. Eszterhas was recruited to
foster him. She had to include all the things a mother serval would
do in her very busy work days. And Moto was no til death do we part
animal companion. His eventual destination was the wild. So she had
to figure out how to inculcate all the skills he would need to survive
on his own.
The narrative is fascinating. The pictures are truly aaw
inspiring. Moto and Me is a must read for all animal lovers, big and
small.
On a purrrsonal note, Joey cat is enjoying the start of a Maine
autumn. He has his food, water, sunny nap spots, windows, toys, love,
and attention. Wilson Center last night featured a yummy stir fry
supper and an insightful discussion about domestic abuse--food for
body, mind, and soul.
A great big shout goes out to people who help and advocate for people
who need to get out of abusive situations.
jules hathaway


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21st Century Adventures

21st Century Adventures

Adult nonfiction
If you were like me as a child, reading Huck Finn made you want
to raft down a river. Lucky for my parents we weren't anywhere near
one. If you're like me as an adult your thirst for adventure hasn't
waned. Only the number of sentient beings counting on you to not take
too many risks has grown exponentially. If you're lucky that is. I
am happy to be tied down by a husband, three children, a tuxedo cat,
and scads of friends.
We are, however, free to travel in our minds and imaginations.
Recall last year we enjoyed and learned from the adventures of Bob
Greenfield in Dude Making A Difference? This year I discovered two
memoirs of dudes hitting the road and off road to really go the
distance.
"That's how I felt about Deadhorse. That we shouldn't be there.
That this place was meant to be still and silent, unbothered and
undeveloped. The giant drills, the mud spattered trucks, the rusty
oil barrels, the big diesel-run complex. It bore a special brand of
ugliness--the ugliness of a place existing in complete disharmony with
its surroundings. The oil was finite, and Deadhorse was temporary.
We'll make a mess of the area for a few decades, then leave the
corrugated mess to the cold and wind forever after. And we are not
real inhabitants--just suckerfish along for the ride, desperately
clinging to the belly of the great oil-filled beast."
Ken Ilgunas, author of Trespassing Across America, was in
Deadhorse, Alaska in 2011 when he had the above epiphany. He was a
dishwasher for oil workers in a place with "no churches, schools,
families, or anything that would make it resemble a normal American
town." As the weeks dragged out he'd become increasingly apathetic
until a trip to the ocean with a friend hit unexpected snags. To get
back to their camp they had to sneak through some off limits drilling
places.
The next year Ilgunas set off to hike the path of the then just
proposed Keystone XL pipeline, a project that, in his mind, perfectly
symbolized the twenty-first century. For the first time regular
citizens were opposing a fossil fuel installation in a battle of
industry vs. the environment...a battle that was far from decided when
he set off on a walk from Canada to Texas.
Ilgunas' story contains quite a few adventures. He had to
outrun a 1,000 pound moose with a 40 pound pack on his back. The
weather didn't always cooperate. Clean water was sometimes hard to
come by. People could be unpredictable, particularly when he was
trespassing on private property.
But some of the most interesting parts of the book are Ilgunas' musings.
"It seemed a terrible shame to meet my end in Iowa; I couldn't
imagine anywhere more disappointing to die. [reviewer's note: another
strong candidate for best opening sentence!] If I were a betting man
I'd have reckoned on the most dangerous thing in this state being
sheer boredom. Corn, beans, corn, beans...a cow...corn, beans...the
scenery hadn't changed for weeks, and I was slowly dissolving into
stimulation-deprived madness...my current predicament, then--
attempting to escape through cornfields from a gun-toting alcohol-
soaked rancher--was not something I expected."
That's the first paragraph of the prologue to Leon McCarron's
The Road Headed West. When you turn the page you see that the drunk,
armed, and potentially homicidal rancher was not the only danger
McCarron faced at that moment in time. Dead ahead was a tornado.
"...A group of trees swayed, snapped, and were swallowed like
twigs. Next, a small lean-to for livestock crumbled, and this too was
sucked in a heap of corrugated iron and bricks. A similar fate (with
only slightly less bleating) was promised to me if I kept going, now
just a mile away."
Talk about being between a rock and a hard place!
The summer of 2008, the start of a global recession, was not the
most propitious time to be a newly minted college graduate. Those of
McCarron's peers who had landed any kind of job were far from their
chosen professions. Some went back to graduate school, hoping for an
economic turn around and racking up more debt. In contrast he chose
an innovative option--crossing the pond (from England) and biking
across America from Atlantic to Pacific and then down to Mexico.
McCarron's chariot of choice was a bike (named Lola after the
Kinks' song) with a trailer attached on the back. Food money was
carefully budgeted. Sleeping was in a tent. Invites to share a meal
or sleep in a home or other building were cherished.
McCarron quickly discovered that he was part of a loosely knit
fraternity of long distance cyclists. He alternated between solo
stretches and time spent with at least another human.
Basically he never knew what would lie around the next corner.
Neither do you. Therein lies the immense appeal of the book.
As much as I loved reading both books, the mostly solitary
nature of the author's journeys did not appeal to me in the least as a
personal option. I could see myself going out with a group to help
out in the aftermath of a disaster. In grad school I would like to
chaperone alternate spring break students. I do plan to visit
Victoria in Ghana. Only I'm gonna wimp out and take a plane. It's a
little too far to swim.
Adventure, however, does not always involve travel. According
to Oprah Winfrey, "The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live
the life of your dreams." I am persistently, insistently, and
consistently working toward acquiring my masters so I can work with
college students the rest of my life. Whenever I have a chance to
learn, to network, or to show what I'm made of I go for it.
On a personal note, on the day to day I'm living the life of my
dreams. I enjoy the class I'm taking. I'm very involved with the
students and their groups. Yesterday was the second day of coming out
week. We had a really good tea party centered around the issue of
coming out. But the highlight for me was when we got to build rainbow
bears and dress them in UMaine tee shirts. The bears are kitten fur
soft in cotton candy colors with little paw rainbows. I named mine
Two Spirit. Everyone was so happy creating and talking about our
bears. Being a part of it all was a dream come true.
A great big shout out goes out to the UMaine students who bring me so
much joy and hope.
jules hathaway



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Lesser Spotted Animals

Lesser Spotted Animals

Juvenile nonfiction
"Bison are banned--we've got the gargantuan gaur instead. And
who needs a grouchy gorilla when you can have the seldom seen
solenodon, with all its noxious slobber. No meek little house mouse
in this book either, just a merciless marsupial mouse that eats little
house mouses.
Discover all the amazing beasts you never knew you needed to
know about, because it's good-bye to the gnu and cheerio to the
cheetah, say hi to the hirola and nice to meet you to the numbat..."
In Lesser Spotted Animals: The Coolest Creatures You've Never
Heard About Martin Brown contends that the celebs of the animal world
have been hogging the stage and book pages far too long. The other
equally cool creatures deserve their fifteen minutes of fame. Among
the ones he introduces readers to are:
*the sand cat (my favorite) which lives in dry desserts in places like
Africa and Asia. They can survive temps ranging from 23 to 131
degrees. They camoflauge themselves so well in the sand it's hard for
people to locate and study them;
*the long tailed dunnart, an Australian creature that looks like a
mouse but is related to the Tasmanian devil and kangaroo. They eat
other animals their size and smaller. Females live twice as long as
males;
*And the tropical forest dwelling dagger-toothed flower bat. They're
about the size of a flying mouse. Although they look like neck
nippers, they nosh on pollen, nectar, and fruit.
These lesser known critters are really fun to learn about. One
might be the inspiration for a truly creative Halloween costume.
On a personal note, yesterday my daughter, Amber, gave me the most
amazing birthday gift possible. She got it at the UMaine craft fair.
It's a hand made blank book I can use as a journal. She knows how I
love to journal. The cover cloth features felines of all tones,
patterns, eye colors... The ages are different colors and textures.
Although most are blank, some have lovely surprises. It's the most
enchanting journal I have ever seen--mine in which to write my
adventures and reflections.
A great big shout out goes out to Amber who gave me such a treasure
and the people who created it so carefully.
jules hathaway


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Wild Women And Water

Wild Women And Water

Juvenile herstory
Recently in the picture book section of the Orono Public Library
I found two books on women well ahead of their times. Their
passionate curiosities centered around the ocean. Needless to say I
dove right in. :-)
Zoologist Jess Keating's Shark Lady: The True Story of How
Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist takes a big
bite out of shark myths as well as portraying a crusading advocate for
those apex predators. Clark was born in 1922. She grew up
considering sharks beautiful and studying all she could about them.
"As she grew older, many were still telling Eugenie what to do.
Forget those sharks! Be a secretary! Be a housewife! Eugenie wanted
to study zoology, but some of her professors thought women weren't
smart enough to be scientists or brave enough to explore the oceans.
And they said sharks were mindless monsters."
Even after she earned her degree people still didn't take Clark
seriously. She didn't let that stand in her way. Readers will enjoy
learning about her amazing adventures and discoveries.
Robert Burleigh's Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea introduces
readers to Marie Tharp. In the 30's her family traveled with her
cartographer father. She became very curious about what the ocean
floor, then uncharted, looked like.
When Tharp graduated college perceptions of proper gender roles
stood in her way. She was even told she couldn't go on research
vessels because of the superstition that a woman on a ship would bring
bad luck.
Readers will enjoy learning how she achieved her ambitious
verging on impossible dream.
Who knows? There may be a future marine biologist or
oceanographer in need of a just right impetus.
On a personal note, Coming Out Week at UMaine started auspiciously.
We had great weather. Dean Dana and others gave dignified speeches.
The guy who was protesting was anything but dignified. He had this
whole list of sins going on at UMaine (perversion, adultery,
fornication, Satan worship...) and he kept screaming that everyone was
going to Hell. A crowd gathered to protest the hate and venom he was
spewing. Some of us tried to counter him with scripture as in only he
who is without sin may cast stones. He didn't listen--especially to
those of us who were not men. In his world we were supposed to be
home cooking and cleaning for men instead of daring to debate theology.
A great big shout out goes out to Dean Dana and the others who share
our pride in the beautiful rainbow flag and the students who spoke up
for what they believe in rather than being silent bystanders.
jules hathaway





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Happenings In The Woods

Happenings In The Woods

Picture books
Recall back in June we enjoyed Tea With Lady Sapphire? Recently
while shelf reading in the children's wing of the Orono Public Library
I scored two of the previous photographic fantasies by Carl R. Sams II
and Jean Stoick. These gentle stories can enhance children's and
parents' appreciation of the natural world and its inhabitants.
A snowscape is the setting for Stranger in the Woods. A crew of
birds and other animals detect the presence of a stranger in their
midst and set out to investigate. The pictures are enchanting.
Eventually the crew discovers that the newcomer is not only benign,
but bearing gifts. A recipe for a snowman including food for winter
hungry critters is included.
Lost in the Woods brings us into the spring. The photographs
are breathtaking. One of my favorites is of a green eyed dragonfly
and a fuzzy caterpillar on the stalk of an opening purple flower. A
newborn fawn is sleeping alone in the woods. The forest denizens are
confused and concerned. Is the baby lost? Where is his mother?
No, this is not a case for Fawn Protective Services. There is a
very important and valid reason the mother doe is staying away from
her baby. It should provide a cautionary tale for well meaning but
naive adults who would take a young animal out of its habitat without
understanding the consequences of their actions.
On a personal note, It's a...
...book. Born 1:45 on Indiginous People's
Day (October 9) 2017. My first book length poetry manuscript is ready
for me to start looking for a publisher. It's the one of feminist
poetry.
A great big shout out goes out to everyone who believes in my writing.
jules hathaway


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A Hope More Powerful Than The Sea

A Hope More Powerful Than The Sea

Adult biography
"Doaa could hear the men on the attacking boat laughing as they
hurled more pieces of wood at Doaa's boat. Those laughs were some of
the most horrifying sounds she had ever heard. She couldn't believe
they were enjoying themselves during their cruelty of trying to sink a
boat carrying little children. All around her were screams of terror
and people shouting desperate prayers.
The attacking boat finally reversed and pulled away from the
ship, and for a moment Doaa hoped that the onslaught was over, that
the men had merely wanted to frighten them. But seconds later, they
sped toward them again, and Doaa understood that they had no mercy and
had every intention of killing every man, woman, and child on board.
This time, when they rammed the side of Doaa's boat, the rickety
vessel took a sudden, violent nosedive into the sea."
Much of what Americans (at least in Central Maine) learn about
the desperate situation in Syria is tangential. We learn about its
diaspora's attempts to reach safety--the life and death litany. We
hear opinions on whether they are people caught in horrific situations
and deserving of sanctuary or potential terrorists who should be sent
back where they came from. But most of us know pitifully little about
their lived experience. Fortunately, Melissa Fleming, chief
spokesperson for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees
(UNHCR), has written an impossible to put down book, A Hope More
Powerful Than The Sea: The Journey of Doaa Al Zamel, that should go
far toward remedying this deficit.
During Doaa's childhood the dictator Hadaz al-Asaad had been
replaced by his son, Basher al-Assad. There was tentative hope. Many
wanted more freedom of speech and association. There was also desire
for economic improvement.
Doaa was the third daughter in a large extended family. (The
sixth child would be the son women were pressured to have). She loved
helping his father at his barbershop. When her older sisters married
young (as was the custom) and people started to tell her she would be
next she was not interested in being a teen bride. She wanted to be
the first in her family to go to University.
By 2011 the reforms the people yearned for were not happening.
Syrians became aware of Arab Spring--neighboring countries
overthrowing their dictatorships. One night a group of boys in Daraa,
Doaa's town, painted anti regime grafitti on their school wall. Boys
were rounded up and taken to a detention center. Desperate fathers
were told, "My advice to you is that you forget you ever had these
children. Go back home and sleep with your wives and bring other
children into the world, and if you can't do that, then bring your
wives to us and we will do the job for you."
Citizen protests were met with violent police crackdowns.
Demonstrators were shot with tear gas and live ammo. Then one morning
tanks drone into Daraa. The army was seeking "terrorists" (anyone who
spoke against the regime). Boys and men were taken away. Houses were
searched several times each day. Doaa and her younger sisters made a
pact to commit suicide if they were raped by soldiers. Their family
was coming close to starvation.
And their ordeal had only begun.
I urge you, my friends, to read this book. Imagine yourself and
your loved ones in the plights it portrays. Then find out what you
can do to raise awareness among your friends and family and members of
the legislature. In my mind ignorance is not an option.
In the epilogue, Fleming reminds us of something too many
Americans seem to forget:
"The simple truth is that refugees would not risk their lives on
such a dangerous journey if they could thrive where they were.
Migrants fleeing grinding poverty would not be on those boats if they
could feed themselves and their children at home or in bordering host
countries. Nobody would resort to spending their life savings to hire
the notorious smugglers if they could apply to resettle in a safe
country legally. Until these problems are addressed, people will
continue to cross the sea, endangering their lives to seek asylum. No
person fleeing conflict or persecution should have to die trying to
reach safety."
On a personal note, today, at least in the more enlightened
municipalities like Portland, Bangor, and Orono, they are celebrating
Indiginous People's Day. I have not been able to celebrate Columbus
Day in good conscience for ages. I don't think the way we've treated
indiginous peoples and trashed the land they took such good care of is
anything to celebrate. I hope this transition is an indication we're
going to actually listen to them and heed their wisdom.
A great big shout out goes out to the amazing indiginous people in our
midst and those who listen to and help advocate for them.
jules hathaway


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Unbound

Unbound

Juvenile literature in free verse
"When Mama tells me
I'm goin
to the Big House,
she makes me promise
to always be good,
to listen to the Missus
n never talk back,
to lower my eyes
n say, Yes, ma'am,
no, ma'am,
n not to speak
less spoken to first."
Grace is heartbroken when she's being sent up from the quarters
to the Big House where the planter and hid wife live. She's being
torn from her beloved family. She will be living in a little room off
the kitchen at the white people's beck and call.
Grace is a child who must learn an adult's share of hard truths
overnight. She'd better keep her ideas to herself. The missus, in
particular, is very mean. Even the slightest assertion of her humanity
could get Grace whipped sold at auction and taken far far away.
Imagine going into a scary living situation under that kind of pressure.
One evening Grace overhears a conversation between the master
and his wife. Finances have taken an unexpected turn for the worse.
They are debating on which slaves to sell and settle on her mother and
toddler half brothers. The master will take care of business the next
morning.
"Fear sits on my bones
heavy as a barrel of lard.
Waves of sickness
roll over me.

The auction block's
a putrid place,
Uncle Jim said.
Folks is pulled n poked
like they's a prize heifer.
You hear auction,
n you run,
he said.
Auction's nothing
but weeping mamas
n whimpering children."
Running is very perilous. Armed men with dogs trained to be
savage ride around looking for runaway slaves to turn in for money.
Savage punishments, often permanently maiming, are meted out to
returned runaways. But family members sold away at auction are almost
never seen again.
This story has an unusual twist. Rather than trying to escape
to the north, Grace and her family seek freedom in the Great Dismal
Swamp, a refuge for runaways. The lifestyle was a perilous one with
fierce wild beasts and hunger taking a constant toll. But a number of
people chose it over being owned as property.
Just recall that although this story is set in the past slavery
has not gone into the oblivion it deserves. In fact there are more
slaves today than back then. There are too many 21st century Graces
separated from families, overworked, abused, deprived of even the
basics, and unable to acquire the functional literacy that would hold
the key to a future. We must take any chance we have to bring this
ugly truth into the light of day.
On a personal note, I had quite the day today. I started out in the
Community Garden planting garlic and getting some winterizing out of
the way. My chore was to chop down the tangled and taller than me sun
gold vines in one of our greenhouses. I did save all the tomatoes.
The green ones will ripen on my windowsills and extend for me the
sweet taste of summer. John has promised to put in fall spinach and
that has me some excited. Then I went to Amber and Brian's early
Halloween party. Katie and Jacob came up from Portland. There was a
really fun crowd. And, of course, the food was divine. An afternoon
to remember. I wore my footed zebra pajamas I got at Belfast Goodwill
last week with Kat.
A great big shout out goes out to the community crew, Katie and Jacob
who drove down, and Amber and Brian, the hosts with the most.
jules hathaway



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Handmade Christmas

Handmade Christmas

Crafts
Many of us love the idea of Christmas crafts...
...until push comes to shove and December 25 is rushing up on us
with the subtlety of a speeding freight train. That's why I decided
to review Handmade Christmas: over 35 step-by-step projects and
inspirational ideas for the festive season (The publisher is CICO
Books.) a little early. That way you'll get a chance to try out a few
of the projects before the holiday season gets hectic.
This book has a lot going for it. There is a wide variety of
creations ranging from decorations through gifts to food. A beginner
can tackle many of them. In fact some of them, such as the
gingerbread house and the snow globe bear a for kids designation.
Ornaments and delightfully simply stitched Christmas stockings can be
enjoyed year after year. The Advent calendar is versetile enough to
help kids count down to other special occassions such a the last day
of school or a vacation trip.
Without a doubt, my favorite (and the one I'm most likely to
try) is the marzipan Christmas figures. The penguins, reindeer, and
snowmen are too cute for words and well within the scope of my
abilities.
If you enjoy crafting I bet there is at least one project in the
book that you will find simply irrisistible. :)
On a personal note, we had a great Wednesday night at Wilson Center.
Russell came through with a great supper. We saw and discussed short
films about immigration and refugee issues. Everyone was involved in
the discussions. We very much value spaces where we can talk about
what's real and important. Otherwise I'm on an antibiotic to clear up
an infection before oral surgery and able to do maybe a fraction of
what I usually achieve. I'm glad October break is right around the
corner.
A great big shout out goes out to my Wilson Center family.
jules hathaway



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Touch The Brightest Star

Touch The Brightest Star

Picture book
Two of the most delightful regular transitions in our world are
those from day to night and vice versa. Christie Matheson's Touch The
Brightest Star helps share this magic with our very youngest
children. Fireflies light up a darkening sky. Stars come out. An
awl swoops through the sky.
The book is interactive in the very best sense of the word.
Children move the action forward with gestures. But a person capable
of reading and turning pages is necessary.
What a precious story to share with a bathed, pajama clad, ready
for bed little one!
On a personal note, after struggling with a toothache for a week and
losing the ability to sleep and eat I finally gave in and found a
dentist. After an infection clears up (medicine) he will take care of
business. I just wish the United States would join the civilized
world and provide universal health care. There is something bizarre
and perverted with a "health care" system where stockholder profit is
the primary concern. When I had to take to bed so I could be strong
enough to go to class I wrote reviews which you'll get to read in the
future.
A great big shout out goes out to all the fine folks working to make
health care in the United States the human right it should be.
jules hathaway


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First Snow

First Snow

Picture book
"Shhhh, listen...
do you hear something?
Pit, pit, pit against the window.
Glistening, floating in the night."
Do you still get overcome by a feeling of magic at a year's
first snow flakes? Do you wish to share this joy with the children in
your life? Well I do. I've finally found the perfect book: Bomi
Park's First Snow.
A little girl wakes up in the night just in time. After
dressing for the weather, she heads out. She shushes the puppy to
runs to accompany her, probably so potentially spoil sport parents
will sleep on. As they head toward the woods the landscape becomes
more and more enchanted until...
...read the book and see.
Park lives in South Korea. I love that across half the world we
share this special joy.
On a personal note, I had a really fun late birthday celebration with
my friend Kat. We were thrift shopping. We went to Belfast (on the
coast) so I could show her the Belfast Goodwill (my favorite). We
found cool stuff. My best buys were 1 piece footed zebra pajamas/
costume for me and a dozen jingle balls for Joey. Our cashier was so
happy when I told her where we'd come from. On the way back we got a
bunch of free stuff. Then we went to Orono. We found good stuff at
Orono Thrift. My best buy was a Chantilly Lane singing bear. Tres
elegante! Kat was happy to harvest kale and sungolds from Community
Garden. Better her than the gophers.
A great big shout out goes out to Kat with thanks for a fun excursion.
jules hathaway


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