Thursday, November 30, 2017

Good Night, Firefly

Good Night, Firefly

Picture book
"Nina was scared of the dark,
so it was good she had a night light,
which made things better.
Then one night..."
You probably guessed what happened. A little girl peers
fearfully at a scary, evil looking tree shadow. Her mom (who
obviously wasn't me) and dad are sleeping too soundly to be of any help.
What's a girl to do? There are fireflies lighting up the
night. And our resourceful heroine has a glass jar.
Gabriel Alborozo's Good Night, Firefly will charm children who
fear the dark and adults who can remember being afraid of the dark and
still may be spleeny under certain circumstances. When I was in
college the woods path to the president's family's house where some of
my best chums roomed always was twice as long and full of scary
shadows and noises after darkness fell.
On a personal note, I was involved in two lively discussions of
perfection yesterday: at Mind Spa and Wilson Center. I am starting
to get a little anxious about grad school. Will this be the year they
accept my much less than perfect self?
A great big shout out goes out to my Mind Spa and Wilson Center chums.
jules hathaway



Sent from my iPod

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

No Is Not Enough

No Is Not Enough

Adult Must Read Nonfiction
"A state of shock is produced when a story is ruptured, when we
have no idea what's going on. But in so many ways explored in these
pages, Trump is not a rupture at all, but rather the culmination--the
logical end point--of a great many dangerous stories our culture has
been telling for a very long time. That greed is good. That the
market rules. That money is what matters in life. That white men are
better than the rest. That the natural world is there for us to
pillage. That the vulnerable deserve their fate and the one percent
deserve their golden towers. That anything public or commonly held is
sinister and not worth protecting. That we are surrounded by danger
and should only look after our own. That there is no alternative to
any of this."
A year after the 2016 election people are still picking at it
the way many of us used to pick scabs when we were kids. We're
drowning in if onlies. If only Bernie had won the primary... If only
Hillary had used other tactics... Naomi Klein, author No Is Not
Enough: Resisting Trump's Shock Politics And Winning The World We
Need, says it's time to move on already. For reasons cited above,
even if we could violate all the laws of physics and go back in time
to change the results, we'd only be putting the proverbial bandaid on
a rapidly growing cancer. Her book is very much worth reading for
three reasons.
For one thing No Is Not Enough gives readers the big picture.
Before I picked the book up I was trying to make sense of today's
world and feeling like I was trying to put together a 10,000 piece
jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the cover. Klein gives us the
cover picture. She even fills in the edge pieces. Why do the rich
deny climate change? Other people will suffer while they and theirs
will be in a members only haven. What could America and Russia gain
by colluding? Maybe a rise in gas prices that would empower both to
drill, baby, drill...
Secondly Klein gives us a mandate. We can't look for Superman
or Wonder Woman to bail us out. Citizenship has to mean something a
lot more active than campaigning every couple of years. No more
legislative outsourcing! We have to be the change we need to see in
the world. Rather than our arguing with all the other players, we
have to learn to communicate, listen, and compromise if we want to
have an America in which caring trumps conquest and wealth is measured
in depth of connection rather than material possessions.
Finally and most importantly, Klein tells us that even as the
world and our political parties tell us to settle for scraps we must
be bold. If we just react to crises as they pop up, our best case
scenario will be being trapped in an endless, unwinnable game of whack
a mole. We must decide what kind of world we want for ourselves, our
children, and generations yet unborn. We must settle for nothing
less. In fact, as she shows us, around the world citizens are rising
up to meet the change.
Naomi Klein gives me hope.
It also gives me hope that a lot of people are wanting to read
the book. I asked my head librarian to acquire it. When I had had it
out only a week there were twenty holds on it. That means twenty
people who wanted it strongly enough to get put on a waiting list. So
even if you can afford it, make sure your library gets a copy. A lot
of folks will benefit from it.
On a personal note, the Union at UMaine is beginning to look a lot
like Christmas! Everywhere you look there are decorated trees and
adorable blow up figures.
A great big shout goes out to the elves who accomplished all that
while we enjoyed Thanksgiving break. Also to Bangor Daily News
reporter Abigail Curtis. When she saw a food collection table that
was obviously discards from people's pantries she was inspired to
write a piece on what food pantries really need. It was well
researched and very timely!
jules hathaway


Sent from my iPod

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Dragons Love Tacos: The Sequel

Dragons Love Tacos: The Sequel

Picture book
A disaster has happened. There are no more tacos in the world.
This turns out to be a catastrophe because the dragons running around
an alternate story universe love tacos.
Our entrepid boy hero takes it upon himself to use a time
machine to solve the program. Only it's a bit tricky to get back to
the right era...
Plus the time machine's getting pretty beat up.
Adam Rubin's Dragons Love Tacos: The Sequel is a delightful
read aloud romp...perfect for a day when tacos are on the menu.
On a personal note, Mostly this weekend has been for writing and
getting the living room ready for a Christmas tree. It's clean enough
for me to start nagging Eugene to deliver one. Today I am making an
Advent calendar for my Counseling Center friends. It will be 25
colored paper stars with numbers on the front and inspirational quotes
on the back. They'll think that's the cat's pajamas. I got the idea
from my daughter Amber's blog post about quote jars. If you need good
ideas for homemade gifts or fun winter projects go to http://amberscraftaweek.blogspot.com
for inspiration.
A great big shout out goes out to my crafty daughter, Amber.
jules hathaway


Sent from my iPod

Friday, November 24, 2017

The Fact Of A Body

The Fact Of A Body

Adult nonfiction
"Ricky climbs the stairs after him. He only wants to watch
Jeremy play--later he will say this, later he will swear to it. But
the watching changes something in him, and from this point on it is as
if he is in a dream. He walks up behind Jeremy and hooks his forearm
around the child's neck, lifting him into the air. Jeremy kicks so
hard his boots fall off. Ricky squeezes.
Jeremy stops breathing."
You'd think a child molester and killer who never acquired as
much as a high school diploma and a writer with a Harvard law degree
would have little, if anything, in common. You'd think wrong. In The
Fact Of A Body: A Murder And A Memoir Alexandria Marzano-Lesnivich
shows readers that there's a lot of truth to the adade: things aren't
always as they seem.
The year was 2003. Marzano-Lesnivich was spending a law school
summer interning for a Louisiana law practice. Strongly opposed to
the death penalty from her childhood, she had sought out a firm that
sprcialized in preventing legal executions.
On the second day of orientation her group was shown a taped
confession of a child molester and murderer from the trial in which
he'd been sentenced to death. The firm had just had his sentence
commuted to life.
Something in Marzano-Lesnivich snapped.
"But I look at the man on the screen, I feel my grandfather's
hands on me, and I know. Despite what I've trained for, despite what
I've come here to work for, despite what I believe.
I want Ricky to die."
This epiphany haunted her. How could she be a lawyer if her
emotions clouded her judgement? In fact, after finishing law school,
she dropped that long worked for career path in favor of writing.
Years later she still had Ricky on her mind. She returned to
Louisiana to learn all the could about him and his story.
The Fact Of A Body juxtaposes Marzano-Lesnovich's memoirs with
Ricky's life story. It is compelling, fascinating, and impossible to
put down.
Truth can be much stranger than fiction.
On a personal note, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I
certainly did. I have to admit getting up well before sunrise so the
hubby could hunt made me a tad grouchy. Nothing three cups of coffee
and a good book couldn't cure. Then in the afternoon I was thrilled
to spend time my kids, Amber, Katie, and Adam, Amber's fiancée, Brian,
and my niece, Maggie. Supper was delish.
A great big shout out goes out to everyone I spent Thanksgiving with
and Joey cat who will be thankful today to get a little turkey meat.
jules hathaway




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Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Saved By The Boats

Saved By The Boats

Juvenile nonfiction
"While more than one million people searched for escape,
hundreds of boat captains sailed into the destruction. They felt a
call to action, a desire to help, a realization that they could
provide a safe harbor. They were ordinary people who became heroes on
a day when greatness was desperately needed.
A day when the unthinkable had happened."
September 11, 2001 Julie Gassman dropped her son off at day care
in New Jersey and commuted to Manhattan by underground train. As she
arrived at her workplace she heard about the planes that hit and
destroyed the World Trade Center towers. The subways shut down. She
and her husband took a boat to New Jersey to take their child home.
Ten years later she received a link to Boatlift, a documentary.
She then saw the scope of the evacuation she had benefitted from.
History's largest sea evactuation transported almost 500,000 people to
safety! Fortunately for us, she shared this little known part of 9/11
history in Saved By The Boats.
Steve Moors' unusual illustrations are very effective in helping
convey the atmosphere in which the incident took place. Extremely
detailed line drawings are fleshed out in only black, grey, white,
beige, cream, and aqua. The absence of the full color spectrum
creates a sense of suspense and draws the eye to the very expressive
human faces.
Our children are constantly exposed to commercial superheroes
and the lines of merchandise by which corporations exploit their
loyalty. We need a lot more narratives like Saved By The Boats that
celebrate the valor of the "ordinary" human--a valor they can
incorporate into their lives, on the playground as well as in adulthood.
On a personal note, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I know I am really
looking forward to time with my children. Although gratitude is an
integral part of my daily life, I am very grateful for an occassion
that brings families together.
A great big shout out goes out to you, my readers, with best wishes
for safe travel if that's involved and a wonderful celebration with a
lot to be thankful for. If your special day contains an element of
detente (temporary coexistence with kin with views an abyss apart from
yours) I wish you good luck. You are very far from alone.
jules hathaway


Sent from my iPod

Monday, November 20, 2017

The Moth

The Moth

Adult nonfiction
The oral tradition, the telling and retelling of stories was a
well loved form of connection, communication, and entertainment
through much of human history. For awhile rapidly proliferating
electronics threatened to take over. But reports of its demise were
quite premature. There is something bone deep, soul deep in us that
is fascinated by the lives of those with whom we share this planet.
We want our stories.
In 1997 The Moth began. Celebs and not-so-famous people would
tell interesting real life stories to avidly attentive audiences.
"At The Moth, people tell intimate stories, stories that are
sometimes so private you could have known a person for five years
without hearing them. Your neighbor who you think you have nothing in
common with gets on stage, and you discover that you actually share a
good deal. When you see them on the street the next day, your
perspective of them is changed because you know something imortant
about them."
Now those of us who can't get to The Moth venues are in for a
treat. The Moth (the book) brings together fifty stories chosen out
of thousands. They are well worth reading.
My favorite, Easter in a Texas Roadhouse, is about a minister
who has worked very hard on his Easter sermon, creating a careful
blend of reflections, experiences, and famous theologian quotes. Late
Easter Eve he's lost and out of gas. He ends up in a roadhouse where
he impresses the clientele with his pool shooting abilities. They all
end up conversing. One of the guys asks him what Easter is.
"So I thought for a moment, and then I swallowed and started
in. 'Now, there was this guy named Jesus. He was born to an unwed
teenage mother, and when he grew up he gathered around him twelve
guys--his friends--and they were his gang, and they roamed the
countryside together, and they talked about peace and justice and love
and God. And they did great things. But the authorities wanted to
get him, and so they tried to find ways of either capturing him or
killing him."
Did he get through to his new froends? Guess who showed up in
church to hear the Easter story again?
Bicycle Safety on Essex is a very important cautionary tale for
our times. The narrator tells of observing the police stopping a man
and a boy who are riding a bycicle late at night. The man, who has
worked the late shift, is bringing the boy home from a play date.
There is a lot of interrogation concerning the black man's
relationship with the family, including a covert insinuation that the
man may be a child molester.
"And the kid says, 'If you fucking assholes arrest him again one
more time just because he's black and I'm not, I'm going to kill
myself. You came into my apartment and dragged him out because the
crazy lady next door said he was a rapist, you put him in handcuffs
when he came to pick me up at school, you pulled him away from me at
the street fair and made me wait for my mom! I swear to God, I'm
going to lose my mind!"
Whoa!
Tajic Sonata starts off grimly and carries an unexpected twist.
The author is living in a city at war. A flag telling which side is
in charge tells her how to dress. Her husband and a lot of other men
have disappeared. There is no food and she and her children are in
constant danger.
When she gets to the University where she teaches piano there
are soldiers in the music room destroying the instruments. Although
she's in shock she also has hit the point she can't take any more.
She offers to play music to show how precious the instruments are.
The soldiers get quiet. She begins to play Moonlight Sonata.
"And then one of them came even closer and asked me to play a
Tajic folk song. When I had first walked in, they were all speaking
Russian, but when he asked me to play, he asked in our native Tajic.
So I played it and all of them started singing along. They were like
a choir.
And then out of nowhere, a man came to the door, and he said
something to them, and they stood up quickly, took their armor and
guns, and left, shutting the door behind them."
And there are forty-seven more stories, each drawing the reader
into its universe. This is a perfect read for folks who must grab
their reading time in bits and pieces.
Actually it's a perfect read for any adult with a caring heart
and an open mind.
On a personal note, I had a real Wilson Center Weekend. Saturday
afternoon I went to a program for people who had lost loved ones to
suicide. People had lost friends, parents, a spouse, children... I
had lost a cousin. We talked at soul depth and supported one
another. Sunday after church Wilson Center people joined folks from
other campus faith groups. We went out to Food & Medicine to help
them fill Thanksgiving Baskets. Food & Medicine people are solidarity
champions. They pay local farmers fair prices for food, helping them
stay in business as well as helping good people put food on their
tables. Before we left we had a home made supper.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in both events.
jules hathaway



Sent from my iPod

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Kate Warne: Pinkerton Detective

Kate Warne: Pinkerton Detective

Juvenile herstory
Kate Carter was in quite a predicament. She'd never known her
mother. The printer father who had raised her had died, leaving her
alone in the world. The jobs open to women before the Civil War in
America--washing clothes, teaching--did not appeal to her. But there
was an ad in the newspaper that intrigued her. She would be willing
to reinvent herself to snag the job it described.
People then considered detective work to be suitable only for
men. The profession was considered to be too dangerous and demanding
for women. Kate, however, could see advantages accruing to her
gender. Girlfriends or wives of criminals who would not speak openly
to men might be more forthcoming with another woman.
As Kate Warne, she joined the fledgling Pinkerton Agemcy and
helped establish its reputation. She even saved President elect
Abraham Lincoln from an assassination attempt. Her success paved the
way for other woman detectives including Hattie Lawton who gathered
Confederate military intelligence during the Civil War.
Marissa Moss' Kate Warne: Pinkerton Detective narrates Kate's
very first case--a bewildering crime involving the theft of $40,000
from the Adams Express Company. Without the missing money as proof,
there would be no way to convict the miscreant. Fortunately a jailed
suspect had a girlfriend ripe for befriending...
Moss has written over seventy children's books and won a bunch
of awards. With Kate Warne: Pinkerton Detective she introduces
readers to a fascinating, little known chapter in American herstory.
Way to go, Marissa!
On a personal note, Gay Thanksgiving at UMaine was AWESOME!!! The
place was packed and the food was scrumptious! I went with my chum,
Olivia, and some of her friends. We had a wonderful time. Then
Friday I spent seven hours learning a lot at a sustainability event.
It was interactive--with people, not computers--and lively and well
worth attending.
A great big shout out goes out to the attendees of both events and the
folks who worked hard to make them happen.
Thursday I'll be giving thanks for living so close to UMaine with its
wonderful people and fascinating programs. I call it my dork
Disneyland.
jules hathaway


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Thursday, November 16, 2017

Scary Faces

Scary Faces

Halloween may inspire face painting. But imagination and
creativity never go out of season. Caro Child's Scary Faces And Other
Arty Face Paintings gives detailed instructions on how to face paint
and create amazing characters such as:
*a loyal sheepdog
*a glittery peacock
*a magical wizard
*a leaping dolphin (my favorite)
*a cut throat pirate and so many more.
Can you believe a solar storm?
Readers who master this fun skill cab find their services in
much demand at plays, parades, school fun days, and just about any
festivity they can imagine. What a fun way for artistic volunteering
and community involvement!
Luckily for parents, clean up instructions are also included.
On a personal note, I was flattered to get an invitation to audition
for a musical. My student friends wondered why I said no thanks until
I explained that if I tried to do too many things I wouldn't do any
well. My campus involvements are more important to me. And I can
always sing my heart out in choir.
A great big shout out goes out to the fabulous UMaine students who
make this such an easy decision.
jules hathaway


Sent from my iPod

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

My Encyclopedia of the Forest

My Encyclopedia of the Forest

Juvenile nonfiction
"Forests are mysterious and beautiful places. Under the vaulted
ceiling of tall trees, you feel protected and sheltered."
Most of us have images of children's encyclopedias are: adult
encyclopedia mini mes with simpler words, shorter entries, and a lot
more pictures...alphabetically ordered and sometimes a tad on the dull
side. You can forget that expectation in regard to Alain
Pontoppidan's My Encyclopedia of the Forest. It takes young readers
on Bill Nye the Science Guy meets Magical Mystery Tour. Kids are
taken to see some of the most beautiful and fascinating creatures and
places on Earth.
The chapter Into The Woods gives glimpses of the different kinds
of forests around the world. The great north features birch trees,
maple syrup, moose, and bears. Baobabs, humungous termite mounds,
acacia trees, and giraffes are found on the savanna. The Amazon rain
forest is home to red-eyed tree frogs, leaf-cutter ants, Indians,
macaws, and rubber trees.
Not surprisingly, my favorite is Woodland Animals. The
exquisite photography that is one of the real strengths of the whole
book is especially evident in this chapter. A poplar admiral
butterfly spreads its wings. Several kinds of mother birds feed their
downy young. A squirrel and a wood mouse peer out, ready to run at
any sign of danger. A lynx pads through deep snow on fur trimmed
paws. A stealthy fox surveys his domain.
I suspect many kids will enjoy the forest jobs chapter. They'll
get to meet researchers, ranger, and those oh so outdoorsy loggers.
The steps in the path from tree to end products is also very cool.
My Encyclopedia of the Forest is a wonderful acquisition for the
public, school, or family library.
On a personal note, last Sunday at Church of Universal Fellowship our
choir was belting our anthem out loud and proud. We had four rows of
singers and a very lively piece. It felt so good to be up there
making a joyful noise unto the Lord as the Bible instructs us to do.
Then yesterday I tried out the new dress I was thinking of wearing to
the in-laws on Thanksgiving. It's a long sleeve peacock blue lace
with solid sheath underneath number. When I wore it to campus people
were some impressed. So it passes muster.
A great big shout out goes out to my choir family with whom I make
beautiful music.
jules hathaway


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Sunday, November 12, 2017

Our Story Begins

Our Story Begins

Juvenile nonfiction
"I was born in New York City in July 1923. My earliest memories
are of drawing, drawing, drawing. After my earliest drawings, under
ten, I copied comics and art from magazines. To free myself from
copying, I began drawing from life, using my brothers and sisters as
models...These drawings are the source that nourished my growth as an
artist."
Ashley Bryan [quoted above], one of the artist/writers who has
done the most to bring authentic multiculturalism to juvenile lit, is
one of twenty-six children's book authors and illustrators featured in
Elissa Brent Weissman's Our Story Begins: Your Favorite Authors And
Illustrators Share Fun, Inspiring, And Occasionally Ridiculous Things
They Wrote And Drew As Kids. What a concept! So simple and yet so
elegant.
Kwame Alexander is brilliant at telling dynamic, complex stories
through free verse. He also empowers student writers through his Page
to Stage Writing Workshop and travels the world promoting literacy.
He shares his first real poem he write about his mom. Awwww! It took
him two days and lots of drafts to complete it to his satisfaction.
Linda Sue Park, a Newberry Medal winner, has written over two
dozen picture books and novels. She grew up writing poems and was
thrilled when her father gave her her first typewriter. She
contributes a poem inspired by the first time she ever saw the ocean.
The very prolific Phyllis Reynolds Naylor loved her parents'
evening family story times. As a child, she drew and illustrated
little books. This was during the Depression. With new paper an
unavailable luxury, she worked with used paper her mother brought home
from work. I suspect you'll enjoy her The Food Fairies, created on
Gospel Trumpet Company Stationary.
And there are twenty-two other equally fascination authors and
illustrators to read about. This would be a highly empowering book
for kids to see that their favorites started out a lot like them and
parents to see that the creators of books they enjoyed as youngsters
weren't always polished book cover presences.
Now, for you lucky blog followers I am going to add a twenty-
seventh. True, I have not had a single book published yet.
Inshallah, God willing, it's only a matter of time. So I will share
my first saved piece of writing, a tribute to a special companion. I
wrote this when I was ten.

Sheba
Sheba, prettiest of ocelots,
Has tawny fur in stripes and spots.
She's a sage little creature clothed in fur
With a lion's roar and a tigers purr.
If you search the world around
I doubt there ever will be found
Another Sheba.

And, yes, I did have a pet ocelot. Try not to be too jealous.
On a purrrrsonal note, last night we had the annual Orono Community
Garden dinner and awards. John, Shelley, and their puppy pal, Effie
Mae, hosted at their home. We had a scrumptious homemade soup supper
topped with a perfect pie. The people who attended were a just right
mix. A wood fire and great background music capped off an evening to
celebrate. I surprised John and Shelley (Effie Mae was none too
impressed) by giving them a best garden family award. I am once again
most sociable gardener. I received a planter with green shoots coming
up. I will keep it in the kitchen and hope Joey does not see it as
salad bar.
I am getting lots of positive feedback on my latest BDN opinion piece.
jules hathaway


Sent from my iPod

Friday, November 10, 2017

This Would Make A Good Story Someday

This Would Make A Good Story Someday

Juvenile fiction
"It's official. We are on board. Goodbye, Shipton, Em, Vi,
surf lessons, and our adorable cats, Amos and Boris, who are being fed
by Fiona Dunphy and will probably poop in our shoes to show how much
they miss us. Goodbye, space to get away from Mom and Mimi, who have
practically killed each other fighting about luggage...Or space to get
away from Ladybug, who has brought four stuffed animal cats and Bruce
the Roman centurion. Or space of any kind really."
If Sara, narrator of Dana Alison Levy's This Would Make A Good
Story Someday, sounds morose, she has every reason to be. She and her
best friends have big plans for the last month of summer vaca before
they start middle school. Now she won't be part of their self
improvement projects.
Mimi, one of Sara's mothers, has won a big national competition
for "serious writers to have time and space to create while immersing
themselves in the magic of viewing the country by train." Mimi gets
to take the family so Sarah is about spend that month in very close
quarters with:
*her two mothers
*her obnoxiously loud and cute little sister, Ladybug
*her older sister Laurel who seems to think of nothing but saving the
world,
and *Laurel's ecowarrior boyfriend, Root. As if that prospect is not
bad enough, Mimi, who has blogged about many of Sara's embarassing
moments, is taking notes and seeking quotes for a book she wants to
get published.
An unexpected complication reveals itself on the train. They
will be travelling with the other winner and his family: two
nonegenarian ladies and a strange boy everyone expects her to
instantly bond with because they're about the same age.
It sounds like a twenty-first ring of pre teen Hades or at least
purgatory. But between the East and West coasts a lot can change. A
girl can come to see things quite differently. So in between the
amusing mishaps there moments of sweetness and poignancy.
This Would Make A Good Story Someday is a great read for kids
with less than perfect families nearing middle school and anyone who
has had experiences with the potential to be amusing...
...someday.
On a personal note, I had a very nice surprise when I woke up this
morning. My latest opinion piece was in the Bangor Daily News in the
best spot on the op ed page: center with the cartoon. :) I had a lot
of fun writing it. It was inspired by the athletes trying to draw
attention to injustice by not standing for the national anthem. I
can't say the pledge of allegiance because America does not have
liberty and justice for all. I wrote about my growing disillusionment
with it going all the way back to elementary school when I encountered
the civil rights movement. I'm already getting good feedback on it.
A great big shout out goes out to my editor and the BDN readers.
jules hathaway


Sent from my iPod

Two Cat Tales

Two Cat Tales

Picture books
One day I was about to rush out of Orono Public Library,
fortified with two bags of fresh reading material, when our children's
librarian notified me of two new cat books I'd love to read...unless
it would be too many. Too books, especially ones featuring my
favorite animal? Can there be such a thing?
Jason Carter Eaton's The Catawampus Cat, while full of zip and
pizzaz, has a simple but profound lesson for kids and parents alike.
Into a town where everyone's doing the same old, same old
regular like clockwork...walks the catawampus cat all tilted to one
side. When the people tilted their heads and bodies to match, amazing
things happen.
*A woman finds her wedding ring that has been lost 20 years.
*A barber gives a client a new haircut she loves.
*A librarian takes the wrong book and swaps out her job for a life of
adventure...
Eventually when everyone in town is refocussed and happy there
is a celebration of the catawampus cat. You'll never guess what
happens next.
The moral of the book for kids and parents alike: a slight
change in perspective can make a world of difference. And you don't
have to walk slantwise and risk falling over. Ages ago I had moments
I felt frustrated living in a trailer because they look so much
alike. Then I would pretend to give a tour to a refugee from a
country at war who would really notice the running water, electricity,
full fridge and cupboards, healthy children... I never got all the way
through my home before realizing how much I have to be grateful for.
Alert readers of The Catawampus Cat will notice something
interesting in the illustrations. Embedded in nearly every one is a
realistic detail. In a street scene where people are watching the cat
a green car looks like it came out of a 50's magazine. The posters in
the school and library scenes really jump out at you. Why do you
think the illustrator included them?
There are no wrong answers.
Holly Hobbie's A Cat Named Swan starts off quite precariously.
A kitten born in an alley wakes up to find his mother and littermates
gone. He is all in a big, harsh world, contending with inclement
weather, big dogs, and wheeled vehicles.
One day he is captured and taken to the pound. Well at least
he's safe and well fed. But something even better is in store, a
forever family who brought him home and named him Swan.
"After many days had passed, he learned that the house was his
house, the yard was his yard. He learned that the people were his
people and he was theirs. He belonged to them and he belonged to
them. After many days had passed, he learned that the days would
continue to come and go in the same way."
That's about the happiest ever after any feline can get.
If you have kids clamoring or you find yourself yearning for a
family cat please don't immediately go for a purebred. At least take
a walk through a shelter or pound and see if one of the residents
catches your eye and heart. You may be literally saving a precious
life.
Joey is a random breed. We know who his mother was. The rest
of his lineage is a total mystery. For fourteen years he has been the
dearest companion I could wish for. As I write this he is sprawled
out on my legs, purring heartily, and gazing at me with unconditional
love.
On a purrrrrsonal note, UMaine had two fine events this week. There
was a two day blood drive with fine attendance. I donated and
volunteered. We got lovely long sleeve holiday shirts. Last night we
celebrated multicultural Thanksgiving with all kinds of nontraditional
good food. People who went had a wonderful time.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in those events.
jules hathaway



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Tuesday, November 7, 2017

I'm A Girl

I'm A Girl

Picture book
"I'm supposed to be nice...
all sugar and spice...
but I'm sweet and sour!
not a little flower!"
The protagonist of Yasmeen Ismail's I'm A Girl delights in
riding fast, being spontaneous as in stripping to her undies and
jumping into a pool, learning, and playing loud music. There's only
one problem. Everyone she encounters mistakes her for a boy.
What's a girl to do?
Read the book and see.
With short sentences that can be read with plenty of expression
and vivid, dynamic pictures, this is a good selection for really young
kids who are starting to wrap their minds around what being a boy or
girl is all about.
On a personal note, I'm loving my life: family, cat, friends, school,
church, the groups I participate it, my library books, my cute
clothes... There's just one thing I'm not crazy about: daylight
savings time. It gets too dark too early. Everyone I talk to
agrees. I heard somewhere Massachusetts is not observing it this
year. I hope Maine joins in next year.
Wish me luck. I donate blood tomorrow, inshallah (God willing).
A great big shout out to the family members (including Joey cat) and
friends who add so much joy to my life.
jules hathaway




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Saturday, November 4, 2017

Sail Away

Sail Away

Juvenile poetry
"To make words sing
Is a wonderful thing--
Because in a song
Words last so long."
If ever there was a poet who could make words sing, he was
Langston Hughes. One of the outstanding writers of the Harlem
Renaissance, he practiced his craft masterfully for nearly half a
century. Sail Away brings together a selection of his poems centered
around waters for a juvenile audience. They evoke a full range of
feelings and tempos and are meant to be read aloud.
My two favorites are the very wistful Water-Front Streets
"The spring is not so beautiful there--
But dream ships sail away
To where the spring is wondrous rare
And life is gay.

The spring is not so beautiful there
But lads put out to sea
Who carry beauties in their hearts
And dreams like me."
And the tender Moonlight Night: Carmel
"Tonight the waves march
In long ranks
Cutting their darkness
With their silver shanks,
Cutting the darkness
And kissing the moon
And beating the land's
Edge into a swoon."
If there is any living artist who deserves to illustrate the
poetry of Langston Hughes, he is Maine's own island dwelling, as in
ocean close, Ashley Bryan. I think he has earned every juvenile lit
award there is to be had. Rightly so. His collages, blending simple
shapes into complex patterns, are masterpieces of color and motion.
With Moonlight Night: Carmel, cresting waves reach up to a star filled
sky. The cautionary tale simply titled F shows a greedy fish about to
chomp down on a big green fly and the hook it disguises while a
smaller fish looks on aghast.
Sail Away is a must acquire for public and school libraries and
a wonderful addition to family collections.
On a personal note, today was Culturefest at UMaine. We had groups
from all kinds of organizations tabling. I was with Amnesty
International. We had this huge world map and a bunch of markers. We
invited people to write in their visions for a better world. Everyone
who stopped by participated. One 4-year-old carefully printed DOG.
There was lots of international food to buy. Many people wore
colorful international clothes. In fact after the tabling there was a
fashion show.
I had a wonderful yesterday too. Kat and I photographed a cool
beetle. Before our lunch Liv and I went shopping at Black Bear
Exchange. We found me 4 shirts including a cat one and three amazing
dresses. (Today I wore a fifties style sailor one and got scads of
compliments). Supper was pizza at International student coffee hour.
And I ended up at my Peace & Justice Center steering committee meeting.
A great big shout out goes out to all the people who were with me
through my two days of adventures.
jules hathaway





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Thursday, November 2, 2017

Seeds Of Change

Seeds Of Change

Juvenile biography/herstory
"'Feel,' her mother whispered.
Wangari spread her small hands over the tree's trunk. She
smoothed her fingers over the rough bark.
'This is mugumo,' her mother said. 'It is home to many. It
feeds many too.'
She snapped off a wild fig from a low branch, and gave it to her
daughter. Wangari ate the delicious fruit, just as geckos and
elephant did. High in the tree, birds chirped in their nests. The
branches bounced with jumping monkeys."
This morning I started drawing water for my bath and picked up
the next picture book on my sizeable stack. OMG! It's lucky for me
the tub didn't overflow and really cause a mess. Jen
Cullerton Johnson's Seeds Of Change, illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler,
is one of those extremely rare picture books that totally takes my
breath away. Story, voice, and illustrations combine into a creation
that grabbed me and didn't let go.
When Wangari Maathai, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, was a child
growing up in Kenya, her mother taught her to treasure trees. It was
believed that beloved ancestors rested in their shade.
Wangari was the her family's oldest daughter which meant she had
many chores. Few Kikuyu girls were able to even acquire functional
literacy. But when she expressed a drive to go to school, her parents
managed to pay fees and buy supplies. After elementary school
continuing her education required moving further from home: to
Nairobi for high school and all the way to America for college and
grad school.
Returning to Kenya to teach at the University of Nairobi,
Wangari was in for a rude awakening. Big foreign companies were
engaged in systematic deforestation. Soil no longer held in place by
tree roots was being lost. Hunger was stalking her people.
To find a solution to this problem, Wangari went back to her
roots. Literally. The greedy capitalists tried to stop her by having
her arrested. Fortunately this was one of the few instances in the
modern world where good won out. Wangari left jail even more
determined to spread the word.
If you want a story for yourself or your children that engenders
hope and strength, if you read no other book this year, read Seeds of
Change. It was published in 2010, so you may have to get it through
interlibrary loan.
The voice of the narrative evokes the ancient oral tradition.
The words and tempo invite lingering, not rushing.
"Wangari was sad to leave, but she knew that what her mother
said was true. Wherever Wangari went, so went her family, her
village, and her Kikuyu ways. She kissed her family and said good-bye
to the mugumo tree, remembering her promise always to protect it."
The pictures invite even more lingering. Each is like a mosaic
with a thick white lines around sections. The colors are bold and
bright, as merited by African subjects. And the details are
enchanting. As Wangari and her mother eat wild figs, above them in
the trees you see a nest of birds, an agile looking lizard, and two
mischievous monkeys. The river abounds with frogs, polliwogs, and
fish as a long legged bird scans the water for a meal.
Ashley Bryan has to share his all time best (human, not just
black) children's book illustrator ranking in Jules World with Sonia
Lynn Sadler. I checked out her website. I have decided that when I
have worked my way from graduate school, earned my masters, and am
working professionally to help college students achieve their
potential I will save up and buy something she has painted. Now that
is quite the incentive!
On a personal note, I had a wonderful experience today. My friend Liv
Ruhlin had organized a student activist organization panel. I was on
it to represent Active Minds. It's an organization working to remove
the stigma surrounding psychological challenges. Each panelist had
five minutes. We all spoke with passion and conviction. Then we
answered a bunch of really good questions. In the evening I went to
Active Minds and told everyone about the panel. People were so happy
that I represented us.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in the panel
and my Active Minds crew.
Jules Hathaway



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Stand Up And Sing!

Stand Up And Sing!

Juvenile nonfiction
"Pete Seeger plucks and strums his guitar. His warm, high voice
floats over the crowd. Heads begin to bob and toes to tap. Suddenly
Pete stops.
'Now, even if you have never heard this song before, you can
sing it with me,' he says.
He calls out the words. Gradually, quiet folks find their
courage, and the chorus of voices grows. Soon nearly everyone has
joined in, and Pete's voice is ringing out in harmony. His fast-
picking fingers fly over the strings as his boots bang out the rhythm.
'Everybody, sing it!' he cries.
When the music ends, people leap to their feet, clapping,
whooping, and whistling."
Susanna Reich feels she has a special affinity with Pete Seeger
for a number of reasons. Both grew up with music and political
activism in their homes. Both grew up in politically turbulent times:
he in the 1930s; she in the 1960's. She's had the great good fortune
of seeing him perform many times.
This passion for her subject gives her Stand Up and Sing! Pete
Seeger, Folk Music, and the Path to Justice a depth and intimacy
lacking in so many juvenile biographies.
Starting with the lively scenario quoted above, Reich vists the
phases of Seeger's life, showing us:
*the child who loved music and was fascinated by the communal life
style of Native Americans;
*the young adult who protested with his father, experienced Depression
hunger, and learned to play banjo;
*the singer who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era;
*the peace activist and folksinger;
*and the guy who found a unique way to bring attention to the plight
of the polluted Hudson River.
The narrative is beautifully enhanced by Adam Gustavson's
expressive, dynamic paintings. When Seeger and his father walk among
tenements, the laundry hung across the alley adds to the
authenticity. When Seeger is driving home from a concert with his
family and racists throw a rock at their car, shards of glass
practically fly off the page. When Seeger is shown learning banjo,
his face is wreathed in an inner contentment few people will ever
achieve in this lifetime.
If you grew up with Seeger's music, you have to read the book.
If you need evidence that one person can make a difference, you need
to read the book. If you have young children, grands, or other
special people in your life, you need to share the book with them.
Capiche?
On a personal note, haven't we been having an adventure here in
Maine? A little old wind storm slammed us, cutting the electricity to
more homes than the ice storm of '98. My home lost power for three
days. Some people still haven't gotten it back. Even UMaine was
closed 2 days. When it opened Wednesday the heat, light, and hot food
were such luxuries. You appreciate stuff most when you have to do
without it.
Great big shout outs go out to my fellow storm adventurers, good Joey
cat who kept me warm at home, and the line people who are putting in
the hours to get us all powered up again. Some even came from Canada.
jules hathaway


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