I Am Loved

I Am Loved

Juvenile poetry
"On a rainy day
When I am sitting
In a tree
Looking for a friend
I hope you'll be the one
Holding out your arms
To gently catch
My fall."
Any book Ashley Bryan has a part in creating is a treasure. So
when I spotted his distinctive art I snatched up Nikki Giovanni's I Am
Loved. Of course I was very glad I did.
Giovanni's poems are vivid and evocative. In Leaves (quoted
above) she describes the yearning for a certain person to appear.
(Don't we all feel that way at times?) A tablecloth hopes that when it
can no longer serve its original purpose it will go into a quilt to
keep a child warm. A poem inviting readers to dance is written in a
musical cadance. My favorite asks how there can be no heaven
"When tears comfort
When dreams caress
When you smile
at me"
Bryan's paintings take readers into a fantasy kingdom where beautiful
brown people interact with vivid creatures. My favorites are a solemn
little blue and grey owl and a rainbow winged bird.
What's not to love about I Am Loved? Make sure your library has
a copy.
On a personal note, I have a big mission to accomplish over vaca:
shelf reading the whole children's wing of the Orono Public Library.
That means making sure every book is in its exact Dewey Decimal spot.
Everything from picture books to YA fiction and nonfiction. I have
time to volunteer over break and that chore is going to be my late
Christmas present to the library. Anyway the librarians are very
excited. My dining services manager, Jodi, will be pleased too
because accomplishing this good deed will reflect well on Wells. I
started with picture books and am up to S. I'll keep you posted on my
progress.
I was reading about how not enough people volunteer once the holiday
season is over. I decided I'll try to log at least 100 hours. It
shouldn't be impossible with the library, the community garden, and
Black Bear Exchange knowing where I live. I put in 5 hours so that
makes 95 to go before next Christmas. Jodi will like that.
A great big shout out goes out to the Orono Public Library staff,
volunteers, and patrons.
jules hathaway


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