Paddington Bear turns 50 today! Have some marmalade to celebrate.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Little Yellow Leaf
"It was autumn. In the hush of the forest a lone yellow leaf clung to the branch of a great oak tree." So begins Carin Berger's story of The Little Yellow Leaf. This leaf is afraid to fall like all the other leaves. He insists he's "not ready," as the autumn passes and snow falls. But then he notices another leaf, a little red leaf, still hanging on just like him, and together they are finally able to let go.I think the reason I like this story so much is because I can so relate to that little yellow leaf, feeling like I'm not ready. And I know the reassurance that comes of finding a friend who feels the same way. But I can also imagine not liking this book if it weren't so well done--if the text were not as gentle or the illustrations so original. I love that mixed-media style--cut paper and paint and probably some materials I don't know enough to identify--and I love how these illustrations capture the feel of fall and early winter.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
We were pleased to have Nancy Elizabeth Wallace visit us last week. She is the author and illustrator of many picture books, including Leaves! Leaves! Leaves!; Apples, Apples, Apples; Paperwhite; Fly, Monarch! Fly!; Alphabet House; Look! Look! Look!; and many more.
During her visit, Ms. Wallace showed us some of the different kinds of paper she uses, including those recycled paper things you get with coffee--she used one of those for a road in one of her books.
The kids who attended were also able to try their hand at some paper art by making butterfly magnets.
During her visit, Ms. Wallace showed us some of the different kinds of paper she uses, including those recycled paper things you get with coffee--she used one of those for a road in one of her books.
The kids who attended were also able to try their hand at some paper art by making butterfly magnets.
Friday, September 26, 2008
NEIBA Trade Show
Last weekend I was given the opportunity to attend the New England Independent Booksellers' Association Trade Show with Karlene and Leslie. We met lots of authors and got lots of free books and generally had a fabulous time!
The trade show was held at the Hynes Convention Center, which is connected to the Sheraton hotel and a very large mall. (Actually, the whole place was very large. I probably would have gotten lost really easily had I been by myself!) Our room at the Sheraton was on the twelfth floor, and I enjoyed watching the people on the streets below and imagining about them (which I think had something to do with my being surrounded by authors and books.)
The highlights of the first day revolved around meals. We had both the Awards Luncheon and the Children's Book Dinner. The authors who spoke at lunch (and complimentary copies of whose books we received) included Alice Hoffman, Nathaniel Philbrick, Tomie dePaola, and David Macaulay. Tomie dePaola was a definite treat--he had the room of booksellers mesmerized by his reading of one of the stories from his book, Front Porch Tales & North Country Whoppers.
After lunch we went to a couple of workshops, and soon it was time for dinner. I'd been looking forward to this dinner ever since I knew we were going, because two of my favorite authors were to attend--Jeanne Birdsall, author of The Penderwicks andThe Penderwicks on Gardam Street; and Norton Juster, author of, among other things, The Phantom Tollbooth, which is one of my family's favorites! What I didn't know until that day was that our friends at Scholastic had invited us to sit at one of their tables--the very table at which Norton Juster was seated!
Here is a shot of the table (note the SweetTarts and rubber ducks and more free books!):
And here, to my delight, are Mr. Juster and I!
As an icebreaker, we had a little children's book trivia game. There were two envelopes on each table--one marked "question," one with "answer." The question one had the first lines of two children's books, and we had to guess what books they were from. I am proud to report that I knew more of the answers than anyone else at the table. We traded twice with other tables, so we guessed at a total of six first lines, and I knew three of them--The Book Thief, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and The Secret Garden. Other people knew one or two--Karlene got Hoot. Needless to say, I loved this game.
Day #2: The trade show itself!
Basically, our second day consisted of walking around and talking to vendors and finding new things to share with all of you. (We got some really fun reading glasses... plaid and animal print and striped and solid.) At 1:00 we started lining up for more signed books, and by 3:30 we were happily laden with books and ready for lunch!
After lunch it was time for another workshop or two, and then the Author Reception, where we got, you guessed it, more books! Back at home the next day we were all sore from carrying all the books--and we now have enough to read to last us several months!
The trade show was held at the Hynes Convention Center, which is connected to the Sheraton hotel and a very large mall. (Actually, the whole place was very large. I probably would have gotten lost really easily had I been by myself!) Our room at the Sheraton was on the twelfth floor, and I enjoyed watching the people on the streets below and imagining about them (which I think had something to do with my being surrounded by authors and books.)
The highlights of the first day revolved around meals. We had both the Awards Luncheon and the Children's Book Dinner. The authors who spoke at lunch (and complimentary copies of whose books we received) included Alice Hoffman, Nathaniel Philbrick, Tomie dePaola, and David Macaulay. Tomie dePaola was a definite treat--he had the room of booksellers mesmerized by his reading of one of the stories from his book, Front Porch Tales & North Country Whoppers.After lunch we went to a couple of workshops, and soon it was time for dinner. I'd been looking forward to this dinner ever since I knew we were going, because two of my favorite authors were to attend--Jeanne Birdsall, author of The Penderwicks andThe Penderwicks on Gardam Street; and Norton Juster, author of, among other things, The Phantom Tollbooth, which is one of my family's favorites! What I didn't know until that day was that our friends at Scholastic had invited us to sit at one of their tables--the very table at which Norton Juster was seated!
Here is a shot of the table (note the SweetTarts and rubber ducks and more free books!):
And here, to my delight, are Mr. Juster and I!
As an icebreaker, we had a little children's book trivia game. There were two envelopes on each table--one marked "question," one with "answer." The question one had the first lines of two children's books, and we had to guess what books they were from. I am proud to report that I knew more of the answers than anyone else at the table. We traded twice with other tables, so we guessed at a total of six first lines, and I knew three of them--The Book Thief, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and The Secret Garden. Other people knew one or two--Karlene got Hoot. Needless to say, I loved this game.Day #2: The trade show itself!
Basically, our second day consisted of walking around and talking to vendors and finding new things to share with all of you. (We got some really fun reading glasses... plaid and animal print and striped and solid.) At 1:00 we started lining up for more signed books, and by 3:30 we were happily laden with books and ready for lunch!
After lunch it was time for another workshop or two, and then the Author Reception, where we got, you guessed it, more books! Back at home the next day we were all sore from carrying all the books--and we now have enough to read to last us several months!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Congratulations
Congratulations to Mary Margaret, winner of the Summer Sunshine Rays of Reading grand prize!And thanks to all the kids who made our Summer Reading Program a big success. You guys did a great job reading this summer--altogether, you read 543 books!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Summer Reading Program Finale!
This is the last week to come in and report the books you've read this summer. Next Saturday, August 23rd, at noon, we will hold an End of Summer Celebration. Join us for a book signing with M.W. Penn, author of Sidney the Silly Who Only Eats 6; face painting; a craft activity; and of course, the grand prize drawing of a $50 gift certificate to The Alphabet Garden!Mark your calendars now and plan to come out for this fun event!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Beach Reading
I'm going on vacation in a few weeks, and I'll need to stock up on a few good books for the beach. So tell me, what have you read this summer? Which books have you loved? What have you hated? I have some ideas, but I'm eager to hear your suggestions!
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