Out Of Wonder
Juvenile poetry
"A poem is a small but powerful thing. It has the power to
reach inside of you, to ignite something in you, and to change you in
ways you never imagined. There is a feeling of connection and
communion--with the author and the subject--when we read a poem that
articulates our deepest feelings. That connection can be a vehicle on
the road to creativity and imagination. Poems can inspire us--in our
classrooms and in our homes--to write our own journeys, to find our
own voices."
Kwame Alexander (quoted above) discovered the magic of poetry
early in his school years. Later on in his education the kinds of
poems that made his heart sing vanished from the curriculum.
Fortunately for us, he rediscovered the enchantment in college. In
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets, he, Chris Colderly, and
Marjory Wentworth teamed up to give today's young readers the same
mystical experience he had so enjoyed and been influenced by.
The trio chose twenty poets, ancient to modern. There were two
criteria: they had to be interesting people who wrote highly
inspiring poems. "...The poems in this book pay tribute to the poets
being celebrated by adopting their style, extending their ideas, and
offering gratitude to their wisdom and inspiration."
Langston Hughes was one of the Harlem Renaissance's most famous
writers. Much of his poetry was in a speech like cadance and bore the
influence of the jazz and blues that were popular. He dwelt a lot on
the joys and sorrows, hopes and fears of everyday black people.
Alexander's Jazz Jive Jam celebrates an event Hughes would have
been very familiar with--the rent party. It starts out:
"On Saturday, my mama sang
a song that sounded blue.
Then Daddy made his trumpet cry--
I guess the rent is due.
'Round midnight came a band of neighbors
swinging soul to soul.
The landlord even cut a rug
and let the good times roll..."
Can't you just imagine the crowd dancing up a storm while
passing the hat to collect enough money to allow a family to keep a
roof over their head? This day and age we sure could use that kind of
solidarity.
Maya Angelou had to overcome a lot of adversity beginning
early. She was abused as a child in the segregated rural south. By
seventeen she had a child of her own. Having the strength to do a
whole lot of overcoming helped her to lead a truly extraordinary
life. Many of her poems included motivational and inspirational
messages.
The beginning and ending of Alexander's Majestic are as follows:
"Rise
into the wonder
of daybreak.
Be a rainbow in the cloud.
Be a free bird on the back of the night wind.
Shine on, Honey...
Shine on, honey!
Know you
are phenomenal."
I can't imagine a woman reading that without picking up at least
a little pride in her heart, a smile on her face, a spring in her step.
And those are only two of the twenty. Dig in and enjoy!
On a personal note, I had one of the most amazing experiences of my
life as a poet Saturday night. I was with the Young African Leaders.
They had made an incredible barbeque featuring African foods. They
and guests had spent hours feasting and talking. We were later going
to dance well into the night. Anyway I had written a poem to honor
their visit. When they learned that they turned off the music and
gathered to hear it, giving me their total attention. Twenty-five
leaders from 18 nations. I put my heart and soul into reading it.
After they all hugged me and said it had touched their hearts. I feel
like my feet aren't yet touching the ground.
When I got home my husband was sleeping. We celebrated our 28th
anniversary a day late Sunday by having supper at Ruby Tuesday and
shopping at Goodwill where I found--are you ready for this--a tee
shirt with Africa on it. At home I had a bottle of wine I had been
given by my new African friends.
Sunday I also learned that a proposed ugly woman contest (men
performing) had been cancelled. I had voiced serious objections. It
would be so wrong in a world where girls and women are pressured to
strive to meet impossible standards of "beauty." Others then also
urged cancelling. I was so pleased that we weren't ignored.
A great big shout out goes out to my new African friends who are
headed to Washington DC before going home and my husband who is cool
enough to understand the innocence of my late nights.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, July 31, 2017
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Bravo!
Bravo!
Juvenile poetry
"Flight!
I'm the first woman pilot, but I won't be the last--
every little girl who sees me up here in blue sky
will surely grow up with dreams
of flying too!"
Aida de Acosta is known as the First Woman of Powered Flight.
When she visited Paris she was intrigued by the dirgibles she saw.
She was in the air before Amelia or even the Wright brothers. She's
one of the fascinating people readers will meet in Margarita Engle's
Bravo! Poems About Amazing Hispanics. In a letter to readers at the
beginning of the book, Engle (who is an award winning Cuban American
children's book author) states:
"This is not a book about the most famous Hispanics. These
poems are about a variety of amazing people who lived in geographic
regions now included in the United States. They are people who have
faced life's creative challenges in creative ways. Some were
celebrated in their lifetmes but have been forgotten by history.
Others achieved lasting fame."
Some of the others include:
*Baruj Benacerraf who was inspired by childhood asthma to study the
genetics of allergies and won the 1980 Nobel Prize in Medicine;
*Pura Belpre who rose up from the garment industry to become the New
York Public Library system's Spanish Children's Specialist;
*Louis Agassiz Fuertes who was considered the greatest bird artist ever;
and *Ynes Mexia, a botanist who discovered over five hundred plant
species in Mexico and South America.
My favorite was Fabiola Cabeza de Baca, an Agricultural
Extension who, even after losing a leg, traveled to remote rural areas
to teach safe food preparation in four languages, helped poor women
how to preserve food to sell, and wrote cookbooks that made
traditional recipes healthier. After she "retired" she was a UN
representative and trained Peace Corps volunteers.
Many people in the United States, often influenced by those high
in government, think drug dealer, welfare leech, or wetback when they
hear a Hispanic name. The publication of Bravo! could not possibly
have been more timely.
On a personal note, I had a Cinderella evening. I went to a dinner
and dance honoring the Young African Leaders. The menu was African
food. My new friend, Victoria, from Ghana invited me to sit with
her. We had a really good program with six of the Africans giving
their talks. And then what we all were waiting for--the dancing. I
didn't get home til nearly midnight. Joey cat was anxiously waiting
up for me and happy to see me safely home.
A great big shout out goes out to our wonderful Young African
Leaders. Bravo for coming here for such a challenging intensive
program. They will take our hearts back to their home countries.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile poetry
"Flight!
I'm the first woman pilot, but I won't be the last--
every little girl who sees me up here in blue sky
will surely grow up with dreams
of flying too!"
Aida de Acosta is known as the First Woman of Powered Flight.
When she visited Paris she was intrigued by the dirgibles she saw.
She was in the air before Amelia or even the Wright brothers. She's
one of the fascinating people readers will meet in Margarita Engle's
Bravo! Poems About Amazing Hispanics. In a letter to readers at the
beginning of the book, Engle (who is an award winning Cuban American
children's book author) states:
"This is not a book about the most famous Hispanics. These
poems are about a variety of amazing people who lived in geographic
regions now included in the United States. They are people who have
faced life's creative challenges in creative ways. Some were
celebrated in their lifetmes but have been forgotten by history.
Others achieved lasting fame."
Some of the others include:
*Baruj Benacerraf who was inspired by childhood asthma to study the
genetics of allergies and won the 1980 Nobel Prize in Medicine;
*Pura Belpre who rose up from the garment industry to become the New
York Public Library system's Spanish Children's Specialist;
*Louis Agassiz Fuertes who was considered the greatest bird artist ever;
and *Ynes Mexia, a botanist who discovered over five hundred plant
species in Mexico and South America.
My favorite was Fabiola Cabeza de Baca, an Agricultural
Extension who, even after losing a leg, traveled to remote rural areas
to teach safe food preparation in four languages, helped poor women
how to preserve food to sell, and wrote cookbooks that made
traditional recipes healthier. After she "retired" she was a UN
representative and trained Peace Corps volunteers.
Many people in the United States, often influenced by those high
in government, think drug dealer, welfare leech, or wetback when they
hear a Hispanic name. The publication of Bravo! could not possibly
have been more timely.
On a personal note, I had a Cinderella evening. I went to a dinner
and dance honoring the Young African Leaders. The menu was African
food. My new friend, Victoria, from Ghana invited me to sit with
her. We had a really good program with six of the Africans giving
their talks. And then what we all were waiting for--the dancing. I
didn't get home til nearly midnight. Joey cat was anxiously waiting
up for me and happy to see me safely home.
A great big shout out goes out to our wonderful Young African
Leaders. Bravo for coming here for such a challenging intensive
program. They will take our hearts back to their home countries.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, July 28, 2017
Rainbow Weaver
Rainbow Weaver
Picture book
In the book I just reviewed John Deere showed ingenuity and
persistance. Ixchel, protagonist of Linda Flovitz Marshall's
bilingual Rainbow Weaver/Tejedora Del Arcoiris, shows the same
wonderful character traits.
In Guatemala Ixchel's mother weaves beautiful cloth, hoping to
earn enough to pay for her daughter's school books and fees. Ixchel
desperately wants to help. But money is tight and there is no extra
thread.
Ixchel makes her own loom and tries found materials. Grass
blades make a dull, scratchy fabric. Clumps of sheep shed wool result
in a thick, dirty, boring mess. But there are colorful discarded
plastic bags all over. Perhaps they are what she needs.
Although Ixchel is a fictitious character, her story is very
much fact based.
"The Mayan people in contemporary Guatemala are among the most
skilled artistic weavers in the world. Yet they face many problems:
poverty, lack of education, and unemployment. To earn money for food
and education, Mayan weavers have begun repurposing plastic bags as
"threads" that they weave on traditional backstrap looms...Sold
through fair trade cooperatives in the United States and other
countries, their products bring much needed money to the weavers'
families. At the same time the weavers help clean their villages and
keep traditional Mayan values alive."
Yowza!!!
Although I consider Rainbow Weaver to be a must acquire for
school and public libraries, I ask any family who can afford to to buy
the book. Part of the proceeds will help weavers and their families
with stuff like medical and dental care and education.
Rainbow Weaver presents a summer challenge for readers of all
ages: how many unwanted items, often underfoot, and we find clever
used for. I found that the boxes my tea comes in make great plastic
free storage files for my thousands of 3" x 5" cards and boxes for
small gifts.
On a personal note, yesterday the Young African Leaders visited Orono
Community Garden. John Jemmison and I talked about the garden. We
had a group discussion of agriculture and climate change. Then they
helped us harvest garlic and prepare beds for replanting. Many hands
made light work. And it was such a joy to have them join us.
I will have two unexpected chances to join them. Tonight I will be
going to a dinner dance. I feel like Cinderella. I'm not in the
market for Prince Charming. My 28th wedding anniversary is tomorrow.
I just love to celebrate with people who know how. Then Saturday I am
invited to another get together. I am living the dream!
John Jemmison joins me in sending a great big shout out to the amazing
garden crew we had with us yesterday.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
In the book I just reviewed John Deere showed ingenuity and
persistance. Ixchel, protagonist of Linda Flovitz Marshall's
bilingual Rainbow Weaver/Tejedora Del Arcoiris, shows the same
wonderful character traits.
In Guatemala Ixchel's mother weaves beautiful cloth, hoping to
earn enough to pay for her daughter's school books and fees. Ixchel
desperately wants to help. But money is tight and there is no extra
thread.
Ixchel makes her own loom and tries found materials. Grass
blades make a dull, scratchy fabric. Clumps of sheep shed wool result
in a thick, dirty, boring mess. But there are colorful discarded
plastic bags all over. Perhaps they are what she needs.
Although Ixchel is a fictitious character, her story is very
much fact based.
"The Mayan people in contemporary Guatemala are among the most
skilled artistic weavers in the world. Yet they face many problems:
poverty, lack of education, and unemployment. To earn money for food
and education, Mayan weavers have begun repurposing plastic bags as
"threads" that they weave on traditional backstrap looms...Sold
through fair trade cooperatives in the United States and other
countries, their products bring much needed money to the weavers'
families. At the same time the weavers help clean their villages and
keep traditional Mayan values alive."
Yowza!!!
Although I consider Rainbow Weaver to be a must acquire for
school and public libraries, I ask any family who can afford to to buy
the book. Part of the proceeds will help weavers and their families
with stuff like medical and dental care and education.
Rainbow Weaver presents a summer challenge for readers of all
ages: how many unwanted items, often underfoot, and we find clever
used for. I found that the boxes my tea comes in make great plastic
free storage files for my thousands of 3" x 5" cards and boxes for
small gifts.
On a personal note, yesterday the Young African Leaders visited Orono
Community Garden. John Jemmison and I talked about the garden. We
had a group discussion of agriculture and climate change. Then they
helped us harvest garlic and prepare beds for replanting. Many hands
made light work. And it was such a joy to have them join us.
I will have two unexpected chances to join them. Tonight I will be
going to a dinner dance. I feel like Cinderella. I'm not in the
market for Prince Charming. My 28th wedding anniversary is tomorrow.
I just love to celebrate with people who know how. Then Saturday I am
invited to another get together. I am living the dream!
John Jemmison joins me in sending a great big shout out to the amazing
garden crew we had with us yesterday.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
John Deere, That's Who
John Deere, That's Who
Juvenile biography
The name John Deere is widely recognized, at least up here in
Maine, even by non agronomists. I've seen tee shirts with pictures of
Modern Deere products sold up to Sears and on folks who could not tell
a carrot from a potato when both are in the ground. But who was the
man behind the legend? Tracy Nelson Maurer's John Deere, That's Who!
enlightens young readers and the significant adults in their lives.
Deere started out as a Vermont blacksmith struggling to support
his family in tough times. Then he was hit with bad luck. His forge
burned not once, but twice, leaving him broke and desirous of a fresh
start.
In 1836 Deere travelled to Illinois and built a business. He
got plenty of work mending tools including plows. The plows were not
working well for the farmers who had to stop frequently to scrape
gummy dirt balls off. Some were even going back east where the soil
was easier to work.
Deere set his mind to designing a plow better suited to local
conditions with available and cheap enough materials. Of course we
know he succeeded. But the how of his solving the challenge and
selling his sceptical neighbors makes John Deere, That's Who! an
intriguing read...and maybe an inspiration to today's budding inventors.
On a personal note, yesterday I was blessed beyond measure. Each of
the 25 young African scholars gave a presentation on a cause close to
his or heart. They were very courageous (can you imagine speaking
halfway around the world in a language that is not your first?) and
passionate. You know the issues like lack of safe drinking water and
girls being denied education that I read and review books on? They
were making them come alive. It was electrifying. Their hearts
touched those of their listeners. And the world became a little
smaller.
Now I am going to make each of them an origami book mark as a thank
you gift for gracing Maine people with their presence in out midst.
(What else would you expect of a book geek? As I fold I will thank
God for the chance to meet them and pray for their safe travel.
Inshallah, God willing, some day I will go to Africa.
A great big shout out goes out to the young African leaders and all
who hosted them and organized their travel and activities.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile biography
The name John Deere is widely recognized, at least up here in
Maine, even by non agronomists. I've seen tee shirts with pictures of
Modern Deere products sold up to Sears and on folks who could not tell
a carrot from a potato when both are in the ground. But who was the
man behind the legend? Tracy Nelson Maurer's John Deere, That's Who!
enlightens young readers and the significant adults in their lives.
Deere started out as a Vermont blacksmith struggling to support
his family in tough times. Then he was hit with bad luck. His forge
burned not once, but twice, leaving him broke and desirous of a fresh
start.
In 1836 Deere travelled to Illinois and built a business. He
got plenty of work mending tools including plows. The plows were not
working well for the farmers who had to stop frequently to scrape
gummy dirt balls off. Some were even going back east where the soil
was easier to work.
Deere set his mind to designing a plow better suited to local
conditions with available and cheap enough materials. Of course we
know he succeeded. But the how of his solving the challenge and
selling his sceptical neighbors makes John Deere, That's Who! an
intriguing read...and maybe an inspiration to today's budding inventors.
On a personal note, yesterday I was blessed beyond measure. Each of
the 25 young African scholars gave a presentation on a cause close to
his or heart. They were very courageous (can you imagine speaking
halfway around the world in a language that is not your first?) and
passionate. You know the issues like lack of safe drinking water and
girls being denied education that I read and review books on? They
were making them come alive. It was electrifying. Their hearts
touched those of their listeners. And the world became a little
smaller.
Now I am going to make each of them an origami book mark as a thank
you gift for gracing Maine people with their presence in out midst.
(What else would you expect of a book geek? As I fold I will thank
God for the chance to meet them and pray for their safe travel.
Inshallah, God willing, some day I will go to Africa.
A great big shout out goes out to the young African leaders and all
who hosted them and organized their travel and activities.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Emanuel's Dream
Emanuel's Dream
Juvenile biography
"In Ghana, West Africa, a baby boy was born.
Two bright eyes blinked in the light,
two healthy lungs let out a powerful cry,
two tiny fists opened and closed,
but only one strong leg kicked."
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, protagonist of Laurie Ann Thompson's
Emmanuel's Dream, was born into a world of trouble. An orthopedic
defect that would have brought in specialists in an American hospital
was viewed by people in his neighborhood as evidence of uselessness or
even a curse. His father walked out.
His mother, Comfort, believed in him, naming him Emmanuel, which
means "God is with us." She carried him to school until he was too
heavy. He managed on his own, hopping two miles each way. He even
learned to play soccer and ride a bike.
When Emmanuel was thirteen he had to drop out of school and work
in a city over a hundred miles away. His mother was too sick to
work. There were two younger siblings.
Despite all he had going against him Emmanuel had a big dream.
He wanted to show the world that disabled is not the same as unable.
On a personal note, I am having a great weekend. The weather is
perfect: sunny, breezy, good sleeping nights. Yesterday I got my
embroidery floss organized for easy access. Today I went to church
and got to take home lots of cherries, blueberries, melon, kiwi, and
strawberries for reading snacks. Eugene and I went for a drive. I
got a real University of Maine Teddy bear in a free pile. Eugene
bought subs. No cooking tonight. Yowza! A good book, a sub, an ice
pop. Who could ask for more?
Oh, yeah, Joey cat's check up. He passed with flying colors. He's so
much happier after his shave. They call it a lion cut because his
head and front legs are still furry. He looks adorable.
A great big shout out goes out to my church family, Eugene, and the VZ
Vet crew.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile biography
"In Ghana, West Africa, a baby boy was born.
Two bright eyes blinked in the light,
two healthy lungs let out a powerful cry,
two tiny fists opened and closed,
but only one strong leg kicked."
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, protagonist of Laurie Ann Thompson's
Emmanuel's Dream, was born into a world of trouble. An orthopedic
defect that would have brought in specialists in an American hospital
was viewed by people in his neighborhood as evidence of uselessness or
even a curse. His father walked out.
His mother, Comfort, believed in him, naming him Emmanuel, which
means "God is with us." She carried him to school until he was too
heavy. He managed on his own, hopping two miles each way. He even
learned to play soccer and ride a bike.
When Emmanuel was thirteen he had to drop out of school and work
in a city over a hundred miles away. His mother was too sick to
work. There were two younger siblings.
Despite all he had going against him Emmanuel had a big dream.
He wanted to show the world that disabled is not the same as unable.
On a personal note, I am having a great weekend. The weather is
perfect: sunny, breezy, good sleeping nights. Yesterday I got my
embroidery floss organized for easy access. Today I went to church
and got to take home lots of cherries, blueberries, melon, kiwi, and
strawberries for reading snacks. Eugene and I went for a drive. I
got a real University of Maine Teddy bear in a free pile. Eugene
bought subs. No cooking tonight. Yowza! A good book, a sub, an ice
pop. Who could ask for more?
Oh, yeah, Joey cat's check up. He passed with flying colors. He's so
much happier after his shave. They call it a lion cut because his
head and front legs are still furry. He looks adorable.
A great big shout out goes out to my church family, Eugene, and the VZ
Vet crew.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, July 21, 2017
Catching Air
Catching Air
Juvenile nonfiction
Trigger warning: creationists might find this review
offensive. Just saying.
"High in a pine tree in Southeast Asia, a Draco lizard searches
for ants to eat. As it swivels its head...
...and stares into the eyes of a deadly paradise tree snake.
The snake lunges!
The Draco leaps out into space. With the ground a hundred feet below,
death seems certain."
But the splat never happens. The creature spreads its ribs and
skin folds into wing like structures and manages to glide away, land
on a safer tree, and resume its task of noshing on ants. It is one of
the fascinating creatures Sneed B. Collard III introduces readers to
in Catching Air: Taking the Leap with Gliding Animals.
(If the author's name seems familiar, we enjoyed his Hopping
Ahead of Climate Change back in May. I was thrilled to see his latest
offering out so soon.)
In addition to the lucky lizzard, you're going to meet a variety
of varmints from all over the world including:
The flying squirrels (I had some as pets once; they are velvet soft)
that can glide 150 feet when a predator is closing in;
The adorable Australian sugar gliders that are actually marsupials,
related to less than cute American possums;
And even gliding frogs, snakes, and fish.
How do they do it? Collard very capably explains the
evolutionary adaptations that endow them with this very useful
talent. Did you know that gliding mammals left fossil remains 125
million years ago? Bet you can't guess what modern day species has
taken up the habit.
Can you believe Collard is the author of over 80 juvenile
science books? I'd say any volume with his name on it would be well
worth reading.
On a personal note, I had the most wonderful night last night!!! The
visiting African scholars are in Maine for six weeks. They are
leaders in their repective countries, very intelligent, thoughtful,
sociable, and great dancers. I was very fortunate to snag an invite
to a dinner and dance in their honor. The meal was delish! Their
company was wonderful. And the hours of dancing were total bliss!!!
I live for nights like that!!!
Cliffhanger: as I post this Joey cat is at Veazie Vet getting his
summer shave and check up. He gets what they call the lion trim.
Everypart of him except head, legs, and stub tail is shaved. He will
be much more comfortable as we move into the humid dog days. He's
still adorable. I'm expecting his check up to go well. But you never
know...
I'll update you in my next post.
A great big shout out goes out to our visiting scholars and all who
host them and coordinate their program and Joey's vet practice.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile nonfiction
Trigger warning: creationists might find this review
offensive. Just saying.
"High in a pine tree in Southeast Asia, a Draco lizard searches
for ants to eat. As it swivels its head...
...and stares into the eyes of a deadly paradise tree snake.
The snake lunges!
The Draco leaps out into space. With the ground a hundred feet below,
death seems certain."
But the splat never happens. The creature spreads its ribs and
skin folds into wing like structures and manages to glide away, land
on a safer tree, and resume its task of noshing on ants. It is one of
the fascinating creatures Sneed B. Collard III introduces readers to
in Catching Air: Taking the Leap with Gliding Animals.
(If the author's name seems familiar, we enjoyed his Hopping
Ahead of Climate Change back in May. I was thrilled to see his latest
offering out so soon.)
In addition to the lucky lizzard, you're going to meet a variety
of varmints from all over the world including:
The flying squirrels (I had some as pets once; they are velvet soft)
that can glide 150 feet when a predator is closing in;
The adorable Australian sugar gliders that are actually marsupials,
related to less than cute American possums;
And even gliding frogs, snakes, and fish.
How do they do it? Collard very capably explains the
evolutionary adaptations that endow them with this very useful
talent. Did you know that gliding mammals left fossil remains 125
million years ago? Bet you can't guess what modern day species has
taken up the habit.
Can you believe Collard is the author of over 80 juvenile
science books? I'd say any volume with his name on it would be well
worth reading.
On a personal note, I had the most wonderful night last night!!! The
visiting African scholars are in Maine for six weeks. They are
leaders in their repective countries, very intelligent, thoughtful,
sociable, and great dancers. I was very fortunate to snag an invite
to a dinner and dance in their honor. The meal was delish! Their
company was wonderful. And the hours of dancing were total bliss!!!
I live for nights like that!!!
Cliffhanger: as I post this Joey cat is at Veazie Vet getting his
summer shave and check up. He gets what they call the lion trim.
Everypart of him except head, legs, and stub tail is shaved. He will
be much more comfortable as we move into the humid dog days. He's
still adorable. I'm expecting his check up to go well. But you never
know...
I'll update you in my next post.
A great big shout out goes out to our visiting scholars and all who
host them and coordinate their program and Joey's vet practice.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Sea Otters
Sea Otters
Juvenile nonfiction
On a very fortunate June day I found not one, but two new books
about sea otters. Both have scads of adorable photographs of these oh
so cute marine mammals. Both also are fonts of intriguing
information. Either or both would make a hit with future scientists
and vetenarians and animal loving kids.
In the wild sea otters have a fairly long period of dependence
on their mothers. If one becomes separated as a helpless baby, he/she
is in trouble deep unless a human rescuer comes along. It takes a
team with a lot of special skills to save a young sea otter's life.
In her Sea Otter Rescue, Suzi Eszterhas takes readers behind the
scenes at the wildlife hospital at the Alaska SeaLife Center for a
look at all that must done to prepare orphaned sea otter pups for
eventual return to the wild (for those who can) or a forever home like
Seattle Aquarium.
Patricia Newman's Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved An
Ecosystem portrays a real life science mystery. Elkhorn Slough, a
California coastal inlet has strong healthy seagrass. This phenomenon
raised the curiosity of Brent Hughes, a marine biologist. Normally
farm fertilizer run off supports the proliferation of algae that kills
off seagrass.
So what was going right?
Seagrass helps local ecosystems and the planet by calming
erosive currents and waves, serving as a nursery for young marine
creatures, keeps toxic contaminants out of the oceans, and removes
carbon from the atmosphere. Perhaps learning the key element that was
protecting Elkhorn Slough seagrass would lead improving other estuaries.
Perhaps some of the youngsters picking up these books will go on
to become wildlife rescuers or marine biologists. You never know.
On a personal note, yesterday I donated blood and hung out at the
canteen talking to other donors to see if any got dizzy and needed
help. Then I did what I could at community garden which was mostly
making people happy to see me. Harvesting made me too dizzy. Being
most social gardener has its perks. Today I am resting and writing at
home because my Thursday will be huge even by my standards.
A great big shout out goes out to my fellow donors and gardeners.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile nonfiction
On a very fortunate June day I found not one, but two new books
about sea otters. Both have scads of adorable photographs of these oh
so cute marine mammals. Both also are fonts of intriguing
information. Either or both would make a hit with future scientists
and vetenarians and animal loving kids.
In the wild sea otters have a fairly long period of dependence
on their mothers. If one becomes separated as a helpless baby, he/she
is in trouble deep unless a human rescuer comes along. It takes a
team with a lot of special skills to save a young sea otter's life.
In her Sea Otter Rescue, Suzi Eszterhas takes readers behind the
scenes at the wildlife hospital at the Alaska SeaLife Center for a
look at all that must done to prepare orphaned sea otter pups for
eventual return to the wild (for those who can) or a forever home like
Seattle Aquarium.
Patricia Newman's Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved An
Ecosystem portrays a real life science mystery. Elkhorn Slough, a
California coastal inlet has strong healthy seagrass. This phenomenon
raised the curiosity of Brent Hughes, a marine biologist. Normally
farm fertilizer run off supports the proliferation of algae that kills
off seagrass.
So what was going right?
Seagrass helps local ecosystems and the planet by calming
erosive currents and waves, serving as a nursery for young marine
creatures, keeps toxic contaminants out of the oceans, and removes
carbon from the atmosphere. Perhaps learning the key element that was
protecting Elkhorn Slough seagrass would lead improving other estuaries.
Perhaps some of the youngsters picking up these books will go on
to become wildlife rescuers or marine biologists. You never know.
On a personal note, yesterday I donated blood and hung out at the
canteen talking to other donors to see if any got dizzy and needed
help. Then I did what I could at community garden which was mostly
making people happy to see me. Harvesting made me too dizzy. Being
most social gardener has its perks. Today I am resting and writing at
home because my Thursday will be huge even by my standards.
A great big shout out goes out to my fellow donors and gardeners.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, July 17, 2017
Daring Dogs
Daring Dogs
Picture books
"Then, one icy January day, there came an icy knock on Seppala's
door.
'Diptheria,' the man's voice cut through the freezing wind. 'A
young boy...it is so contagious that in two weeks it could wipe out
everyone here in Nome!' He tried to catch his breath. 'Anchorage has
an antitoxin that can stop it, but the train from Anchorage only goes
as far as Nenana.'
Nenana was 600 miles from Nome."
I know we're months from winter snow and sleet. In my mind,
however, there are no often seasons for exciting animal stories. So
when I found three of Robert Blake's Iditarod related stories at the
Orono Public Library, I scooped the up to share with you.
The first Iditarod was a matter of public health life or death.
The year was 1925. The dreaded disease diptheria had arrived in Nome,
Alaska. Anchorage had an antitoxin. Even with a train and a sled dog
team the life saving medicine would still be 300 miles away. A relay
team was needed for the last leg of the trip...under the harshest
weather conditions possible. Togo, from which the lead quote for this
review was excerpted tells that harrowing tale.
Akiak is a story of persistance that would impress even
Elizabeth Warren.
"It was Iditarod Race Day. 1,151 miles of wind, snow, and
rugged trail lay ahead, from Anchorage to Nome. Akiak had led the
team through seven races and knew the trail better than any dog. She
had brought them in fifth, third, and second, but had never won. She
was ten years old now. This was her last chance. Now, they must win."
You know what they say about the best laid plans of men and
mice...and dogs. On the fourth day of the race, with her team in
second place, Akiak had to be pulled because of an injury. She was to
be flown out, but she had other ideas that involved eluding the humans
and getting back on the trail to join them...a lone, injured dog
without the human support system crucial for such a grueling effort.
Painter and Ugly conveys a beautiful lesson on friendship.
Champion sled dogs, Painter and Ugly, are inseperable best friends.
One day, instead of their boy, a man takes the animals from their off
season summer home. Painter is put on a Junior Iditarod team with
strange dogs and no sign of his chum.
But he has no intentions of giving up his search for Ugly.
You know, in the upcoming wiltingly hot and muggy dog days of
August, these fine books may carry a welcome hint of crisp coolness.
On a personal note, I had a wonderful Sunday. Katie and Jacob were up
for a wedding. They, Brian and Amber, Eugene and I had a picnic at
Webster park. The weather was picnic perfect. We spent wonderful
hours together. After Eugene and I went for a drive. At a yard sale
I got 3 hoodies for $1.50 including a vivid tie dye Rainforest Cafe
one. I'll wear it often. Each time it will bring back precious picnic
memories.
A great big shout out goes out to the wonderful family Eugene and I
started almost 28 years ago when we got married.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture books
"Then, one icy January day, there came an icy knock on Seppala's
door.
'Diptheria,' the man's voice cut through the freezing wind. 'A
young boy...it is so contagious that in two weeks it could wipe out
everyone here in Nome!' He tried to catch his breath. 'Anchorage has
an antitoxin that can stop it, but the train from Anchorage only goes
as far as Nenana.'
Nenana was 600 miles from Nome."
I know we're months from winter snow and sleet. In my mind,
however, there are no often seasons for exciting animal stories. So
when I found three of Robert Blake's Iditarod related stories at the
Orono Public Library, I scooped the up to share with you.
The first Iditarod was a matter of public health life or death.
The year was 1925. The dreaded disease diptheria had arrived in Nome,
Alaska. Anchorage had an antitoxin. Even with a train and a sled dog
team the life saving medicine would still be 300 miles away. A relay
team was needed for the last leg of the trip...under the harshest
weather conditions possible. Togo, from which the lead quote for this
review was excerpted tells that harrowing tale.
Akiak is a story of persistance that would impress even
Elizabeth Warren.
"It was Iditarod Race Day. 1,151 miles of wind, snow, and
rugged trail lay ahead, from Anchorage to Nome. Akiak had led the
team through seven races and knew the trail better than any dog. She
had brought them in fifth, third, and second, but had never won. She
was ten years old now. This was her last chance. Now, they must win."
You know what they say about the best laid plans of men and
mice...and dogs. On the fourth day of the race, with her team in
second place, Akiak had to be pulled because of an injury. She was to
be flown out, but she had other ideas that involved eluding the humans
and getting back on the trail to join them...a lone, injured dog
without the human support system crucial for such a grueling effort.
Painter and Ugly conveys a beautiful lesson on friendship.
Champion sled dogs, Painter and Ugly, are inseperable best friends.
One day, instead of their boy, a man takes the animals from their off
season summer home. Painter is put on a Junior Iditarod team with
strange dogs and no sign of his chum.
But he has no intentions of giving up his search for Ugly.
You know, in the upcoming wiltingly hot and muggy dog days of
August, these fine books may carry a welcome hint of crisp coolness.
On a personal note, I had a wonderful Sunday. Katie and Jacob were up
for a wedding. They, Brian and Amber, Eugene and I had a picnic at
Webster park. The weather was picnic perfect. We spent wonderful
hours together. After Eugene and I went for a drive. At a yard sale
I got 3 hoodies for $1.50 including a vivid tie dye Rainforest Cafe
one. I'll wear it often. Each time it will bring back precious picnic
memories.
A great big shout out goes out to the wonderful family Eugene and I
started almost 28 years ago when we got married.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Saturday, July 15, 2017
The Dead Bird
The Dead Bird
Picture book
My children went through a period where they made me the
preacher for a series of funerals that took place on the then empty
(now with a trailor on it--I hope the owners don't dig deeply) lot
next door. We buried everything from a pet clam (yep, clam) to a
snake that was run over (I was tasked with picking that one up). If
you have youngsters you may very well have been asked to help with the
proper disposal of a goldfish and. (Don't even think of the toilet
unless you sneak out and buy an identical replacement.)
It's how kids process concepts. And they will incorporate what
they perceive of their world (even what we try to shield them from)
into their daily life. No one got this better than Margaret Wise
Brown. Luckily for today's parents, her The Dead Bird has been
reissued with lovely illustrations by Christian Robinson.
Some children encounter a dead bird.
"The children were very sorry that the bird was dead. But they were
glad they had found it, because now they could dig a grave in the
woods and bury it. They could even have a funeral and sing to it the
way grown-up people did when someone died."
Everything they do is careful and thoughtful, digging a hole, wrapping
the bird in ferns and flowers, singing, providing a stone, and
planting flowers around it.
If you have young children, they are bound to encounter death
before you are ready for them to, especially if you share your abode
with animal companions. (Hint: goldfish are a very bad choice). The
Dead Bird is a wonderful read aloud for stimulating discussion and
validating feelings. It's a must acquire for public and school
libraries.
Lynn Plourde, author of Maxi's Secrets, made an insightful
observation about reader response to her book. Only adult readers
expressed anger in regard to Maxi's death. (Mea culpa). Child
readers acknowledged the sadness of the event and shared stories of
the pets they had lost.
Kids, it seems, can understand and cope with a lot more than we
give them credit for.
On a personal note, I will be cutting church tomorrow for the most
wonderful reason--a family picnic. Katie is in the neighborhood for a
friend's wedding. So we'll all get together tomorrow in Webster
Park. I didn't know about this til yesterday. You'd better believe
I'm on cloud nine!
A great big shout out goes to my wonderful family!
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
My children went through a period where they made me the
preacher for a series of funerals that took place on the then empty
(now with a trailor on it--I hope the owners don't dig deeply) lot
next door. We buried everything from a pet clam (yep, clam) to a
snake that was run over (I was tasked with picking that one up). If
you have youngsters you may very well have been asked to help with the
proper disposal of a goldfish and. (Don't even think of the toilet
unless you sneak out and buy an identical replacement.)
It's how kids process concepts. And they will incorporate what
they perceive of their world (even what we try to shield them from)
into their daily life. No one got this better than Margaret Wise
Brown. Luckily for today's parents, her The Dead Bird has been
reissued with lovely illustrations by Christian Robinson.
Some children encounter a dead bird.
"The children were very sorry that the bird was dead. But they were
glad they had found it, because now they could dig a grave in the
woods and bury it. They could even have a funeral and sing to it the
way grown-up people did when someone died."
Everything they do is careful and thoughtful, digging a hole, wrapping
the bird in ferns and flowers, singing, providing a stone, and
planting flowers around it.
If you have young children, they are bound to encounter death
before you are ready for them to, especially if you share your abode
with animal companions. (Hint: goldfish are a very bad choice). The
Dead Bird is a wonderful read aloud for stimulating discussion and
validating feelings. It's a must acquire for public and school
libraries.
Lynn Plourde, author of Maxi's Secrets, made an insightful
observation about reader response to her book. Only adult readers
expressed anger in regard to Maxi's death. (Mea culpa). Child
readers acknowledged the sadness of the event and shared stories of
the pets they had lost.
Kids, it seems, can understand and cope with a lot more than we
give them credit for.
On a personal note, I will be cutting church tomorrow for the most
wonderful reason--a family picnic. Katie is in the neighborhood for a
friend's wedding. So we'll all get together tomorrow in Webster
Park. I didn't know about this til yesterday. You'd better believe
I'm on cloud nine!
A great big shout out goes to my wonderful family!
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Village Of Immigrants
Village Of Immigrants
Adult nonfiction
"Greenport is not far from towns where hostility to recent
arrivals is the norm. By contrast, however, it is relatively
peaceful. I decided to channel my general curiosity into a particular
investigation: how twenty-first-century immigrants in this village
were faring in the ambiguous atmosphere of current immigration
policy. What interested me most was the ecology of a small town
undergoing demographic transformation, the interplay of lives and
their surroundings..."
Diana R. Gordon, author of Village Of Immigrants: Latinos In An
Emerging America had taught a PhD level class on American Immigration
Policy twice before she experienced professional discomfort. She felt
that she didn't understand enough about the practical implications of
this policy for either native born or immigrants. "I could not
illuminate for my students the daily details that would have turned
the history and theory of my classes into rich reality."
Gordon moved to Greenport on New York's Long Island. A third of
its 3,000 full time residents (as opposed to second home summer
visitors) were immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Many were
undocumented, unable to obtain more than low income and/or seasonal
work. Although many homeowners and owners of businesses like
restuarants depended on them for cheap labor, there were concerns that
they would make the village a less desirable place in which to live.
Gordon delved into every facet of immigrant life: the schools,
the health care system, places of residence, work opportunities, and
encounters with law enforcement. She found that although her subjects
had better lives than they would have experienced in their countries
of origin, they still faced formidable challenges.
Gordon's format makes for a lively and informative read. Her
first chapters offer up historical bacground to set the scene. The
remainder of her chapters are paired, one on a particular facet of
life followed by a personal narrative, illustrative of the points
covered. For example, the chapter on housing is followed by one on
the struggle of Sofia to keep a roof over her family's head.
Village Of Immigrants beautifully conveys the human dimension
and "rich reality" she had regretted not being able to give her
students. This insightful book is a must read for all wishing to cope
constructively with the changing demographics that are changing
America into a nation where non Hispanic whites will soon be in the
minority.
On a personal note, the community garden is coming along beautifully.
Tuesday was the first day we distributed veggies to our people who
were delighted. We'd worked for weeks to make that possible. This
year we gardeners get live music while we work. The concerts that
used to be over in Webster Park are now in back of the library. Fun
work, friends, refreshments, and live music! Who can ask for more?
I'm scheduled to donate blood next Tuesday. I'm betting all the
organic spinach I'm eating is keeping my blood rich in iron.
A great big shout out goes out to my community garden family and the
musicians who provided us with such fine musical entertainment.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"Greenport is not far from towns where hostility to recent
arrivals is the norm. By contrast, however, it is relatively
peaceful. I decided to channel my general curiosity into a particular
investigation: how twenty-first-century immigrants in this village
were faring in the ambiguous atmosphere of current immigration
policy. What interested me most was the ecology of a small town
undergoing demographic transformation, the interplay of lives and
their surroundings..."
Diana R. Gordon, author of Village Of Immigrants: Latinos In An
Emerging America had taught a PhD level class on American Immigration
Policy twice before she experienced professional discomfort. She felt
that she didn't understand enough about the practical implications of
this policy for either native born or immigrants. "I could not
illuminate for my students the daily details that would have turned
the history and theory of my classes into rich reality."
Gordon moved to Greenport on New York's Long Island. A third of
its 3,000 full time residents (as opposed to second home summer
visitors) were immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Many were
undocumented, unable to obtain more than low income and/or seasonal
work. Although many homeowners and owners of businesses like
restuarants depended on them for cheap labor, there were concerns that
they would make the village a less desirable place in which to live.
Gordon delved into every facet of immigrant life: the schools,
the health care system, places of residence, work opportunities, and
encounters with law enforcement. She found that although her subjects
had better lives than they would have experienced in their countries
of origin, they still faced formidable challenges.
Gordon's format makes for a lively and informative read. Her
first chapters offer up historical bacground to set the scene. The
remainder of her chapters are paired, one on a particular facet of
life followed by a personal narrative, illustrative of the points
covered. For example, the chapter on housing is followed by one on
the struggle of Sofia to keep a roof over her family's head.
Village Of Immigrants beautifully conveys the human dimension
and "rich reality" she had regretted not being able to give her
students. This insightful book is a must read for all wishing to cope
constructively with the changing demographics that are changing
America into a nation where non Hispanic whites will soon be in the
minority.
On a personal note, the community garden is coming along beautifully.
Tuesday was the first day we distributed veggies to our people who
were delighted. We'd worked for weeks to make that possible. This
year we gardeners get live music while we work. The concerts that
used to be over in Webster Park are now in back of the library. Fun
work, friends, refreshments, and live music! Who can ask for more?
I'm scheduled to donate blood next Tuesday. I'm betting all the
organic spinach I'm eating is keeping my blood rich in iron.
A great big shout out goes out to my community garden family and the
musicians who provided us with such fine musical entertainment.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
How to Be a Grown Up
How to Be a Grown Up
YA/Adult nonfiction
"I remember, as a kid, wanting so badly to be a 'grown up.' I
couldn't wait till I was an adult, because once I was, I was
convinced, I'd be free. I would buy myself any toy I liked on the
spot. No one could tell me what to eat, so I could stuff myself with
junk food. I would decide which tv shows were 'appropriate' for me to
watch. I would do my homework if and when I felt like it, and no one
would ever make me clean up my room. Bottom line: I'd do what I
liked, and I would be happy.
So, here I am, and so are you. We've arrived; we are officially
adults. Chronological adults who are free to live our lives any way we
want to. Right? Well sort of..."
Stacey Kaiser, author of How to Be a Grown Up: The Ten Secret
Skills Everyone Needs to Know discovered it isn't all that easy in
today's world. She also discovered that lots of people are mired in
lives that don't feel right or satisfying but are no more able to make
the changes that would make them happier than they were in their "As
long as you're under my roof, you'll play by my rules." days. So she
decided to help them achieve a more empowering skill set. That's what
the book is about.
The ten areas explore the skills needed to be "fully loaded
grown up". They make a lot of sense: communication, dealing with
circumstances beyond your control, friendships, romance, image,
financial responsibility, work, addiction, time management, and
flexibility. What makes this book one of the better ones on the
topic, however, is that Kaiser, a licensed psychotherapist, realizes
that people must take into account her readers are not tabala rasas.
Baggage, voices in our head, and other complexities color our feelings
and actions in any of the arenas. The first step has to be an
awareness of them and an exorcising of harmful ones.
Let's look at work. My earliest experiences were
entrepreneurial in nature: selling night crawlers, collecting
returnable bottles, running errands, odd jobs, animal and eventually
child sitting. Thanks to my dad, I was also a successful card shark.
A one night take of $75.00, for example, neatly supplemented my 35
cent a week allowance. As an adult my biggest work decision, made as
rationally as possible after 16 hours of labor and an emergency C
section and while under the influence of morphine, was to be a stay at
home mom. The transition back to the work world turned out to be
quite complex due to what I want out of work: meaning, purpose, and
community. I was determined not to settle for retail Hell, the
default option many women take after decades of child raising.
Volunteering gave me the knowledge that working with college students
is what makes my heart sing. So I am applying for the masters program
that will enable me to do that. At the same time I am seeking a part
time day job that will let me earn some money until I get with the
program.
Other steps involve building on and moving beyond this
awareness. There's a lot of good, solid advice. If you're an adult
who has areas of life dissatisfaction or an older teen eager to get to
the next life phase, How to Be a Grown Up can be a very profitable read.
On a personal note, yesterday I took a big step by interviewing for a
cashier job at Hannaford. I am a big fan of their corporate ethics so
I didn't feel like a hypocrite applying there. I think it went well.
We'll have to see.
Interviews don't scare me. That's a gift from my school committee
during crisis times days. After facing packed auditoriums of scared,
angry people with often the rudest waiting for the mic, one person who
hasn't already judged me as scum of the earth (and won't slander me on
the Internet the next day) can't help seeming relatively benign.
A great big shout out goes out to Hannaford and other companies for
whom corporate ethics are fundamental, rather than calculated window
dressing.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA/Adult nonfiction
"I remember, as a kid, wanting so badly to be a 'grown up.' I
couldn't wait till I was an adult, because once I was, I was
convinced, I'd be free. I would buy myself any toy I liked on the
spot. No one could tell me what to eat, so I could stuff myself with
junk food. I would decide which tv shows were 'appropriate' for me to
watch. I would do my homework if and when I felt like it, and no one
would ever make me clean up my room. Bottom line: I'd do what I
liked, and I would be happy.
So, here I am, and so are you. We've arrived; we are officially
adults. Chronological adults who are free to live our lives any way we
want to. Right? Well sort of..."
Stacey Kaiser, author of How to Be a Grown Up: The Ten Secret
Skills Everyone Needs to Know discovered it isn't all that easy in
today's world. She also discovered that lots of people are mired in
lives that don't feel right or satisfying but are no more able to make
the changes that would make them happier than they were in their "As
long as you're under my roof, you'll play by my rules." days. So she
decided to help them achieve a more empowering skill set. That's what
the book is about.
The ten areas explore the skills needed to be "fully loaded
grown up". They make a lot of sense: communication, dealing with
circumstances beyond your control, friendships, romance, image,
financial responsibility, work, addiction, time management, and
flexibility. What makes this book one of the better ones on the
topic, however, is that Kaiser, a licensed psychotherapist, realizes
that people must take into account her readers are not tabala rasas.
Baggage, voices in our head, and other complexities color our feelings
and actions in any of the arenas. The first step has to be an
awareness of them and an exorcising of harmful ones.
Let's look at work. My earliest experiences were
entrepreneurial in nature: selling night crawlers, collecting
returnable bottles, running errands, odd jobs, animal and eventually
child sitting. Thanks to my dad, I was also a successful card shark.
A one night take of $75.00, for example, neatly supplemented my 35
cent a week allowance. As an adult my biggest work decision, made as
rationally as possible after 16 hours of labor and an emergency C
section and while under the influence of morphine, was to be a stay at
home mom. The transition back to the work world turned out to be
quite complex due to what I want out of work: meaning, purpose, and
community. I was determined not to settle for retail Hell, the
default option many women take after decades of child raising.
Volunteering gave me the knowledge that working with college students
is what makes my heart sing. So I am applying for the masters program
that will enable me to do that. At the same time I am seeking a part
time day job that will let me earn some money until I get with the
program.
Other steps involve building on and moving beyond this
awareness. There's a lot of good, solid advice. If you're an adult
who has areas of life dissatisfaction or an older teen eager to get to
the next life phase, How to Be a Grown Up can be a very profitable read.
On a personal note, yesterday I took a big step by interviewing for a
cashier job at Hannaford. I am a big fan of their corporate ethics so
I didn't feel like a hypocrite applying there. I think it went well.
We'll have to see.
Interviews don't scare me. That's a gift from my school committee
during crisis times days. After facing packed auditoriums of scared,
angry people with often the rudest waiting for the mic, one person who
hasn't already judged me as scum of the earth (and won't slander me on
the Internet the next day) can't help seeming relatively benign.
A great big shout out goes out to Hannaford and other companies for
whom corporate ethics are fundamental, rather than calculated window
dressing.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Go The Fuck To Sleep
Go The Fuck To Sleep
You Have To Fucking Eat
Picture books for parents
"The cats nestle close to their kittens.
The lambs have lain down with the sheep.
You're cozy and warm in your bed, my dear.
Please go the fuck to sleep."
I adored each of my children from the first in utero stirrings
of life. I thought they were the most beautiful, smart, totally
delightful infants that had ever graced the Earth with their
presence. I also experienced moments when I wished they'd come with
owners' manuals, particularly in regard to sleeping habits. When I
was up to three kids, with a newborn partying at night and his older
sisters needing my presence during the day, I experienced an
overwhelming fatigue no amount of coffee could remediate. Opening my
eyes, gritty with sleepy dust, became a major achievement.
A lot of you have been there. If the issue was not close to
universal in our society, nearly every issue of parenting magazines
wouldn't have a how to solve piece. Even if your kids are fully
functioning adults you haven't forgotten. That's why Adam Mansbach's
Go The Fuck To Sleep is such a relief. The man expresses and
legitimizes what gazillions of us have experienced.
A child is not complying with a dad's desire to hit the sack.
Every stall in the book is being attempted: another story, a drink of
water followed by a potty trip, a missing stuffed animal... By the
time the child has dozed off (temporarily, it turns out) and the dad
is ready for adult entertainment, mom is out for the count.
The sequel, You Have To Fucking Eat, addresses another very
common perrenial parenting problem. The children pictured in the book
demand food at all hours, but find what'd placed in front of them
unacceptable. They suddenly loathe what they've previously craved.
Carefully packed school lunches come back untouched.
On the last two page spread a father is tucking a lovely little
girl into bed.
"I'm pretty sure that you're malnourished
And scurvied. My failure's complete.
But on the bright side, maybe this is the night
You'll go the fuck to sleep."
The text is sweetly rhyming. The kids and animals pictured are
adorable. But this is NOT, I repeat NOT, a book to read to one's
offspring unless they have grown up and been fruitful and multiplied
and are looking a little bleary eyed and rough around the edges.
Then they very much need the reassuring message: been there,
done that, survived.
On a personal note, without kids to keep me awake, my pet peeve sleep
stealer is heat and humidity. I love cool night breezes and their
soporific properties. I used to sleep in a small tent on muggy
nights. Now if it's too hot in the bedroom I adjourn to my studio
with its perfectly placed windows, sleep like a cat, and wake up
refreshed.
A great big shout out to all struggling with children's sleeping
habits with a reminder that this too shall pass.
Sent from my iPod
You Have To Fucking Eat
Picture books for parents
"The cats nestle close to their kittens.
The lambs have lain down with the sheep.
You're cozy and warm in your bed, my dear.
Please go the fuck to sleep."
I adored each of my children from the first in utero stirrings
of life. I thought they were the most beautiful, smart, totally
delightful infants that had ever graced the Earth with their
presence. I also experienced moments when I wished they'd come with
owners' manuals, particularly in regard to sleeping habits. When I
was up to three kids, with a newborn partying at night and his older
sisters needing my presence during the day, I experienced an
overwhelming fatigue no amount of coffee could remediate. Opening my
eyes, gritty with sleepy dust, became a major achievement.
A lot of you have been there. If the issue was not close to
universal in our society, nearly every issue of parenting magazines
wouldn't have a how to solve piece. Even if your kids are fully
functioning adults you haven't forgotten. That's why Adam Mansbach's
Go The Fuck To Sleep is such a relief. The man expresses and
legitimizes what gazillions of us have experienced.
A child is not complying with a dad's desire to hit the sack.
Every stall in the book is being attempted: another story, a drink of
water followed by a potty trip, a missing stuffed animal... By the
time the child has dozed off (temporarily, it turns out) and the dad
is ready for adult entertainment, mom is out for the count.
The sequel, You Have To Fucking Eat, addresses another very
common perrenial parenting problem. The children pictured in the book
demand food at all hours, but find what'd placed in front of them
unacceptable. They suddenly loathe what they've previously craved.
Carefully packed school lunches come back untouched.
On the last two page spread a father is tucking a lovely little
girl into bed.
"I'm pretty sure that you're malnourished
And scurvied. My failure's complete.
But on the bright side, maybe this is the night
You'll go the fuck to sleep."
The text is sweetly rhyming. The kids and animals pictured are
adorable. But this is NOT, I repeat NOT, a book to read to one's
offspring unless they have grown up and been fruitful and multiplied
and are looking a little bleary eyed and rough around the edges.
Then they very much need the reassuring message: been there,
done that, survived.
On a personal note, without kids to keep me awake, my pet peeve sleep
stealer is heat and humidity. I love cool night breezes and their
soporific properties. I used to sleep in a small tent on muggy
nights. Now if it's too hot in the bedroom I adjourn to my studio
with its perfectly placed windows, sleep like a cat, and wake up
refreshed.
A great big shout out to all struggling with children's sleeping
habits with a reminder that this too shall pass.
Sent from my iPod
Friday, July 7, 2017
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Adult nonfiction
These days, whether they post it themselves as in the
prolifically tweeting Trump or have it revealed by someone else,
people are treated to a surfeit of politicians' (I'm not sure if there
is anyone in elected or appointed office today I'd call a public
servant) thoughts, words, deeds, and misdeeds. Before social media,
however, a lot got swept under the rug. Today we are going to look at
a trinity of volumes (one on politicians in general, one on the
foibles of the Supreme Court "justices", and one on oval office
inhabitants) of not so well known info on the politically powerful.
Some of it is just funny. Some of it is alarming. Think Supreme
Court members far enough into dementia to not understand the
arguements on a case, the outcome of which could effect millions of
people, or addicted to hallucination inducing pain killers. But it's
all interesting.
Erin McHughes Political Suicide: Missteps, Peccadilloes, Bad
Calls, Backroom Hijinx, Sordid Pasts, Rotten Breaks, And Just Plain
Dumb Mistakes In The Annals Of American Politics (Is it possible to
pass up a volume with a title like that? McHughes had me hooked at
peccadilloes.) looks at just about every way politicians and wanna bes
shot themselves in the foot. (Some, BTW, do involve guns. For quite
awhile duels were an accepted way of acting on animosity). The sordid
tales are grouped by category. You can look for your favorite type of
misstep, be it finances, conspiracy, or that perrenial favorite, sex.
Or you can read the book cover to cover like I did to catch the whole
messy tableau.
Robert Schnakenberg's Secret Lives Of The Supreme Court: What
Your Teachers Never Told You About America's Legendary Justices gives
us the low down on robe wearers. (No, not the KKK, although at least
one jurist boasted dual membership). Taking a chronological approach,
he introduces readers to the quirks and misdeeds of jurists from John
Jay, the first chief justice who roused enough anger in those pre
Facebook days to unite the states in hanging him in effigy (read the
book to discover why), to people still sitting on the bench.
I wasted no time looking up my most detested (Oliver Wendell
Holmes Jr.) and my favorite (Louis Brandeis, of course). I realize
some of you might not have made such designstiond in regard to
SCOTUS. Then a cover to cover makes for a fascinating
read. Holmes, the social Darwinist who
Wrote in regard to Buck v. Bell (1937): "It is better for all the
world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for
crime, or to let them starve for their imbicility, society can prevent
those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind", would have
been a big fan of President Trump, Governor LePage, and gubenatorial
candidate Mary Mayhew who share a desire to make it more difficult to
the destitute to get help. In his own words, "I have no respect for
the passion for equality, which seems to me merely idealizing envy."
Brandeis, in contrast, reasoned, "We can have democracy in this
country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of the
few. But we can't have both." His votes in his twenty-three years on
the bench were well aligned with this philisophy. He established the
Brandeis briefs which incorporated sociologic data as well as legal
precedent. He was also a lot less pompous than Holmes. In regard to
his Supreme Court nomination, he wrote, "I am not exactly sure that I
am to be congratulated, but I am glad the president wanted to make the
appointment and I am convinced, all things considered, that I ought to
accept."
I'd just started that book when I had the great good fortune of
discovering a companion volume among the piles of student abandoned
goods we were sorting out for Clean Sweep. Cormac O'Brien's Secret
Lives Of The U.S. Presidents certainly lives up to its subtitle: What
Your Teachers Never Told You About The Men Of The White House. Want
an example? Here's a scoop on the dude they called Old Hickory:
"As a young man, Andrew Jackson "studied law" in Salisbury,
North Carolina, adopting a curriculum of reading, clerking, fighting,
drinking, and vandalism. Stories of his besotted hooliganism abound.
When asked to organize the local dancing school's Christmas ball, he
secretly invited two of the town's most experienced prostitutes,
causing a scandal. On another occasion, he and his fellow miscreants,
in an advanced and increasingly rampageous state of drunkenness,
actually demolished a local tavern, beginning with the glassware,
advancing to the furniture, and concluding by setting the building
ablaze. (Boys will be boys!) Jackson was also known to complete many
of his wild nights with a practical joke or. His favorite: moving
outhouses to where they couldn't be found."
Oh my!
One of Jackson's adult hobbies, combining impulsiveness with
anger management issues (not to mention incredible luck), was dueling
with guns. He engaged in over 100 duels, one of which left him with a
bullet that would remain close to his heart the rest of his life.
Booze, affairs (some of which involve the Secret Services
spiriting in mistresses under the radar of first ladies), vendettas,
vanity--one sees the whole range of human vices and shortcomings
played out on the stage of the White House. This makes for quite
entertaining and enlightening reading. But don't be surprised if it
leaves you approaching the voting box with an attitude of caveat
emptor (Let the buyer beware)!
On a personal note, I am royally ticked off with ticks and the nasty
diseases they spread. Already it's been quite awhile since I've been
to the hubby's camp which I really like. It's in the heart of tick
territory. Any time I spend significant time outdoors (like at the
community garden or Rick Charette's concert) I douse myself in Chanel
number Deep Woods Off and wear uncomfortably warm skin covering
clothes. Then at home I take a hot shower and throw the clothes in
the dryer on high. And they say this year is shaping up to be a bad
one in terms of tick proliferation. Yikes!
Now why were ectoparasites as in pestilence packing blood suckers the
first think that popped into mind while I edited this review?
A great big shout out goes out to the scientists who are hopefully in
their labs and out in the field working on ways to cut down on the
tick population without screwing up the web of nature (recall Rachel
Carson's Silent Spring) and vaccines to protect humans from Lyme and
worse. You're rock stars!
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
These days, whether they post it themselves as in the
prolifically tweeting Trump or have it revealed by someone else,
people are treated to a surfeit of politicians' (I'm not sure if there
is anyone in elected or appointed office today I'd call a public
servant) thoughts, words, deeds, and misdeeds. Before social media,
however, a lot got swept under the rug. Today we are going to look at
a trinity of volumes (one on politicians in general, one on the
foibles of the Supreme Court "justices", and one on oval office
inhabitants) of not so well known info on the politically powerful.
Some of it is just funny. Some of it is alarming. Think Supreme
Court members far enough into dementia to not understand the
arguements on a case, the outcome of which could effect millions of
people, or addicted to hallucination inducing pain killers. But it's
all interesting.
Erin McHughes Political Suicide: Missteps, Peccadilloes, Bad
Calls, Backroom Hijinx, Sordid Pasts, Rotten Breaks, And Just Plain
Dumb Mistakes In The Annals Of American Politics (Is it possible to
pass up a volume with a title like that? McHughes had me hooked at
peccadilloes.) looks at just about every way politicians and wanna bes
shot themselves in the foot. (Some, BTW, do involve guns. For quite
awhile duels were an accepted way of acting on animosity). The sordid
tales are grouped by category. You can look for your favorite type of
misstep, be it finances, conspiracy, or that perrenial favorite, sex.
Or you can read the book cover to cover like I did to catch the whole
messy tableau.
Robert Schnakenberg's Secret Lives Of The Supreme Court: What
Your Teachers Never Told You About America's Legendary Justices gives
us the low down on robe wearers. (No, not the KKK, although at least
one jurist boasted dual membership). Taking a chronological approach,
he introduces readers to the quirks and misdeeds of jurists from John
Jay, the first chief justice who roused enough anger in those pre
Facebook days to unite the states in hanging him in effigy (read the
book to discover why), to people still sitting on the bench.
I wasted no time looking up my most detested (Oliver Wendell
Holmes Jr.) and my favorite (Louis Brandeis, of course). I realize
some of you might not have made such designstiond in regard to
SCOTUS. Then a cover to cover makes for a fascinating
read. Holmes, the social Darwinist who
Wrote in regard to Buck v. Bell (1937): "It is better for all the
world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for
crime, or to let them starve for their imbicility, society can prevent
those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind", would have
been a big fan of President Trump, Governor LePage, and gubenatorial
candidate Mary Mayhew who share a desire to make it more difficult to
the destitute to get help. In his own words, "I have no respect for
the passion for equality, which seems to me merely idealizing envy."
Brandeis, in contrast, reasoned, "We can have democracy in this
country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of the
few. But we can't have both." His votes in his twenty-three years on
the bench were well aligned with this philisophy. He established the
Brandeis briefs which incorporated sociologic data as well as legal
precedent. He was also a lot less pompous than Holmes. In regard to
his Supreme Court nomination, he wrote, "I am not exactly sure that I
am to be congratulated, but I am glad the president wanted to make the
appointment and I am convinced, all things considered, that I ought to
accept."
I'd just started that book when I had the great good fortune of
discovering a companion volume among the piles of student abandoned
goods we were sorting out for Clean Sweep. Cormac O'Brien's Secret
Lives Of The U.S. Presidents certainly lives up to its subtitle: What
Your Teachers Never Told You About The Men Of The White House. Want
an example? Here's a scoop on the dude they called Old Hickory:
"As a young man, Andrew Jackson "studied law" in Salisbury,
North Carolina, adopting a curriculum of reading, clerking, fighting,
drinking, and vandalism. Stories of his besotted hooliganism abound.
When asked to organize the local dancing school's Christmas ball, he
secretly invited two of the town's most experienced prostitutes,
causing a scandal. On another occasion, he and his fellow miscreants,
in an advanced and increasingly rampageous state of drunkenness,
actually demolished a local tavern, beginning with the glassware,
advancing to the furniture, and concluding by setting the building
ablaze. (Boys will be boys!) Jackson was also known to complete many
of his wild nights with a practical joke or. His favorite: moving
outhouses to where they couldn't be found."
Oh my!
One of Jackson's adult hobbies, combining impulsiveness with
anger management issues (not to mention incredible luck), was dueling
with guns. He engaged in over 100 duels, one of which left him with a
bullet that would remain close to his heart the rest of his life.
Booze, affairs (some of which involve the Secret Services
spiriting in mistresses under the radar of first ladies), vendettas,
vanity--one sees the whole range of human vices and shortcomings
played out on the stage of the White House. This makes for quite
entertaining and enlightening reading. But don't be surprised if it
leaves you approaching the voting box with an attitude of caveat
emptor (Let the buyer beware)!
On a personal note, I am royally ticked off with ticks and the nasty
diseases they spread. Already it's been quite awhile since I've been
to the hubby's camp which I really like. It's in the heart of tick
territory. Any time I spend significant time outdoors (like at the
community garden or Rick Charette's concert) I douse myself in Chanel
number Deep Woods Off and wear uncomfortably warm skin covering
clothes. Then at home I take a hot shower and throw the clothes in
the dryer on high. And they say this year is shaping up to be a bad
one in terms of tick proliferation. Yikes!
Now why were ectoparasites as in pestilence packing blood suckers the
first think that popped into mind while I edited this review?
A great big shout out goes out to the scientists who are hopefully in
their labs and out in the field working on ways to cut down on the
tick population without screwing up the web of nature (recall Rachel
Carson's Silent Spring) and vaccines to protect humans from Lyme and
worse. You're rock stars!
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Save Me A Seat
Save Me A Seat
Juvenile fiction
"I want say
1. My English is fine.
2. I don't need Miss Frost
3. I was at the top of my class at Vidya Mandir.
But here is what I do instead:
1. Push up my glasses.
2. Rub my nose.
3. Sit down and fold my hands.
My friends and teachers at Vidya Mandir would have a good laugh
if they could see me now--their star student taken for an idiot. What
a joke!"
Ravi and his family have just moved to New Jersey from India. A
stand out student in his native land, he's not prepared to be
considered in need of resource room in his new country. His teacher
and classmates have a hard time understanding him because of his
accent. Math is done differently. Then there's the culture shock.
And he has parents and grandparents, whom he does not want to shame,
eager for every detail about his educational experience.
"It's Monday, so the cafeteria is serving chicken fingers with
canned peas and apple slices. I had a big breakfast and it's only
11:30, but I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. For real. I go through
the line as fast as I can. Ethan and Evan and I used to eat at the
round table near the milk machine, but things are different now. I
have to lie low..."
Joe, in contrast, has lived in the same town all his life. He's
no big fan of school...with the exception of lunch. Only even that
bright spot in his day is getting sketchy. His only two friends have
moved away. Even worse, after losing her nursing job, his mother has
taken a job as a lunch monitor. The school bullies see a bright
opportunity in that.
Two boys who seemingly have nothing in common are floundering in
fifth grade, each feeling overwhelmed and alone. But sometimes help
can come from the most unlikely ally.
That's the empowering message of Save Me A Seat.
On a personal note, Eugene and I did our traditional 4th of July
festivities. We started off with the Bangor parade. My favorite
parts were the bands (especially the steel drums one) and the vintage
cars. Then we went to his folks for barbeque. We finished off with
the fireworks over to Brewer. I was casting a vote of faith that
America's current course can be changed and we can become a nation
with liberty and justice for all.
A great big shout out goes out to all who could commemorate without
complacency.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile fiction
"I want say
1. My English is fine.
2. I don't need Miss Frost
3. I was at the top of my class at Vidya Mandir.
But here is what I do instead:
1. Push up my glasses.
2. Rub my nose.
3. Sit down and fold my hands.
My friends and teachers at Vidya Mandir would have a good laugh
if they could see me now--their star student taken for an idiot. What
a joke!"
Ravi and his family have just moved to New Jersey from India. A
stand out student in his native land, he's not prepared to be
considered in need of resource room in his new country. His teacher
and classmates have a hard time understanding him because of his
accent. Math is done differently. Then there's the culture shock.
And he has parents and grandparents, whom he does not want to shame,
eager for every detail about his educational experience.
"It's Monday, so the cafeteria is serving chicken fingers with
canned peas and apple slices. I had a big breakfast and it's only
11:30, but I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. For real. I go through
the line as fast as I can. Ethan and Evan and I used to eat at the
round table near the milk machine, but things are different now. I
have to lie low..."
Joe, in contrast, has lived in the same town all his life. He's
no big fan of school...with the exception of lunch. Only even that
bright spot in his day is getting sketchy. His only two friends have
moved away. Even worse, after losing her nursing job, his mother has
taken a job as a lunch monitor. The school bullies see a bright
opportunity in that.
Two boys who seemingly have nothing in common are floundering in
fifth grade, each feeling overwhelmed and alone. But sometimes help
can come from the most unlikely ally.
That's the empowering message of Save Me A Seat.
On a personal note, Eugene and I did our traditional 4th of July
festivities. We started off with the Bangor parade. My favorite
parts were the bands (especially the steel drums one) and the vintage
cars. Then we went to his folks for barbeque. We finished off with
the fireworks over to Brewer. I was casting a vote of faith that
America's current course can be changed and we can become a nation
with liberty and justice for all.
A great big shout out goes out to all who could commemorate without
complacency.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, July 3, 2017
The Journey
The Journey
Picture book
"The war began. Every day bad things started happening and soon
there was nothing but chaos."
For the narrator of Francesca Sanna's The Journey, as for far
too many children in today's world, war steals happiness and
security. The first theft is her father. Next is the remaining
family members' peace of mind. Then there is home, friends, and a big
eyed dog.
There are endless days of travel. Treasured possessions must be
shed along the way. A border crossing almost turns tragic.
And still they have not reached safety.
The genesis for The Journey happened when Sanna spoke to two
refugee girls. For months she collected more immigrant stories. When
she began a masters program in illustration she decided to turn the
true stories into a children's book.
"...Almost every day on the news we hear the terms 'migrants'
and 'refugees' but we rarely ever speak to or hear the personal
journeys that they have had to take. This book is a collage of all
those personal stories and the incredible strength of the people
within them."
The Journey has earned the endorsement of Amnesty International
UK for its timely and timeless reminder that "we all have the right to
a safe place to live."
On a personal note, tomorrow is July 4th. Many of us won't be in much
of a mood to celebrate, especially with the stepped up persecution of
immigrants and refuge seekers. Celebrate hope that working together
we can bring this land once again the inclusive greatness symbolized
by the statue of liberty and work to make it happen.
Don't drink and drive. Watch out for ticks. Leave pyrotecnics to
professionals.
A great big shout out goes out to immigrants and refugees and those
who guide, shelter, and protect them.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
"The war began. Every day bad things started happening and soon
there was nothing but chaos."
For the narrator of Francesca Sanna's The Journey, as for far
too many children in today's world, war steals happiness and
security. The first theft is her father. Next is the remaining
family members' peace of mind. Then there is home, friends, and a big
eyed dog.
There are endless days of travel. Treasured possessions must be
shed along the way. A border crossing almost turns tragic.
And still they have not reached safety.
The genesis for The Journey happened when Sanna spoke to two
refugee girls. For months she collected more immigrant stories. When
she began a masters program in illustration she decided to turn the
true stories into a children's book.
"...Almost every day on the news we hear the terms 'migrants'
and 'refugees' but we rarely ever speak to or hear the personal
journeys that they have had to take. This book is a collage of all
those personal stories and the incredible strength of the people
within them."
The Journey has earned the endorsement of Amnesty International
UK for its timely and timeless reminder that "we all have the right to
a safe place to live."
On a personal note, tomorrow is July 4th. Many of us won't be in much
of a mood to celebrate, especially with the stepped up persecution of
immigrants and refuge seekers. Celebrate hope that working together
we can bring this land once again the inclusive greatness symbolized
by the statue of liberty and work to make it happen.
Don't drink and drive. Watch out for ticks. Leave pyrotecnics to
professionals.
A great big shout out goes out to immigrants and refugees and those
who guide, shelter, and protect them.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
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