See how our library grows!

I came to school today to the fun news that there were five boxes of books for me to look through. One of our families had weeded out their boys' library at home and decided Seabury was a worthwhile beneficiary of that gift.

When that happens it always feels like Christmas to me. I sat on the floor of the library and sorted the books into piles: Some for classrooms, a lot of great titles to add to the library and the few that we can't use, for another worthwhile destination.

Check out the pictures of two of the excellent books that were in those boxes, both hardbacks in terrific condition. (Note the Caldecott Honor seal on one of them.)

Seabury has a first-class library, in part because of wonderful donations like this one. We have more than 11,000 books ... good ones. I know our library is better than many in public schools.

Another way families are helping us grow: Since I posted a wish list on Amazon and a link through this blog, we've gotten 11 great birthday/other book donations.

We also have several dedicated volunteers who are covering and otherwise helping get books ready so they're on the shelves faster.

I thank you. The teachers thank you. Most of all, the children thank you.

Keep thinking of us when you're cleaning out the bookshelves, or book shopping on Amazon or anywhere else.

Here's a link to my latest column in The News Tribune. It's about some books the Ladybugs happen to love. (Good gift idea, especially for your younger Ladybugs.)

Talk to you soon.

Gold medal books

On Monday, I got the rare chance to hear the announcements of the 2007 Newbery and Caldecott awards in person.

The American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting was in Seattle over the weekend and the announcement of all the big children's book awards is traditionally made the Monday morning toward the end of the conference.

Each of the committees - Newbery, Caldecott, Printz (for young adult books), Coretta Scott King (for African-American author/illustrators), and others - spent the three days before the announcements sequestered in a locked room at a nearby hotel discussing the books that qualified for their particular awards.

Unlike the Academy Awards, there aren't nominations made beforehand, so the committee members have the daunting task of reading hundreds of books before the meeting, then deciding in just three days which are the best.

Jeri Kladder, head of the Newbery committee, told me she read about 700 books.

The announcements were made to a crowd of at least 1,000 cheering, whistling librarians, publishers representatives and other children's book people.

A woman sitting next to me was alternately whooping loudly as the announcements were made, and excitedly sharing each bit of news with someone via cell phone.

There was some news of special interest to the Seabury community.

Laura McGee Kvasnosky, who visited the school last spring, won the Theodor Seuss Geisel award for "Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways."

"The Runaways," the fourth "Zelda and Ivy" adventure, had just come out when Laura visited. Those of you who bought it and got her to autograph it, now have a first-edition autographed copy of a nationally award-winning book. I bought a set of the shiny, gold Geisel award stickers and put them on our school copies today.

Here's what the Seuss award is for, according to the ALA: "The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, established in 2004, is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of a beginning reader book who demonstrate great creativity and imagination in
his/her/their literary and artistic achievements to engage children in reading. The award is named for the world-renowned children’s author Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss."

This is what the Geisel committee chair said about "The Runaways:" “Our Geisel winner connects with readers by featuring a dilemma many young children understand,” said Geisel Committee Chair Ginny Moore Kruse. “Zelda and Ivy’s backyard escapades spark the imagination and make the reader want more.”

The Caldecott Medal for illustration went to "Flotsam," by David Weisner.
"Flotsam" is an amazing, intelligent, beautifully illustrated book about a boy who finds an old camera washed up on the beach. Weisner has two other Caldecott Medals ("Tuesday" and "The Three Pigs") and two Caldecott Honors ("Sector 7" and "Free Fall").

The Newbery Medal for outstanding writing went to Susan Patron for "The Higher Power of Lucky."

Here's what committee chair Kladder said about the story of 10-year-old Lucky Trimble: “‘Lucky’ is a perfectly nuanced blend of adventure, survival (emotional and physical) and hilarious character study... as well as a blueprint for a self-examined life. Through Lucky’s experiences, we are reminded that children support
one another just as needy adults do.”

Here's a link to my News Tribune story on the awards. And you can find a complete list of the ALA's 2007 awards here.

(I've added some of the award books to Seabury's Wish List on Amazon.com. Check the link at right.)

Talk to you soon

Drop everything and buy your movie tickets?


Today was the day we were all supposed to drop everything at noon and read a pre-selected passage of "Charlotte's Web."

I got an e-mail about this a few weeks ago from Walden Media, one of the companies involved with the new "Charlotte's Web" movie that opens in theaters this weekend.

"It is our hope that "Break a World Reading Record with Charlotte's Web" will introduce this wonderful story to a new generation and reintroduce the story to fans who haven't read it since childhood," is what my e-mail said.

But then at the bottom of the e-mail there's a picture of Dakota Fanning with this bold-faced line: "Opens in Theaters Nationwide on December 20, 2006."

What do you think? Is the real motivation behind the reading event to get children interested in the book ... or to drum up publicity for the movie?

You don't have to answer that. I decided not to get Seabury involved.

I've gotten a bunch of "Charlotte's Web" spin-off books in the mail recently. They make me sad.

As many children's books as I read and love, whenever I'm pressed to name my favorite, I'm loyal to Charlotte. My dad bought me my first copy, a discarded library version, for 10 cents, on his way home from birdwatching early one morning in Southern California. I think I read it that day and many times after. I still have that first copy, ink on some pages, its nondescript tan cover falling off. If it was in our library, I'd discard it, too. But it's got a place in honor next to three nicer copies on a bookshelf in our living room. One is in Latin and two belong to my children. My dog is named Wilbur (that's puppy Wilbur at right) and if I'd had another girl child, I was planning to press for the name Charlotte. (One of my grandmas was also a Charlotte.) I still have not seen the cartoon movie version and neither have my kids, unless they've watched it at someone else's house.

Here are two of the spin-offs:

The covers are cute and almost irresistable, but I hope parents will gather all their strength and try. If a child learns to read on watered-down "I Can Read" stories "inspired by" the real thing, will she still be able to feel the magic that I did the first time I read the book, or that my children did when I read it to them? The picture book uses E.B. White's actual words, but what's the point of amputating a chapter from a perfect book and making it into its own book? (Again, don't answer that. I know the point is money.) They did the same thing with Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books, making them into "early chapter" and picture books. Both are published by HarperCollins, but HC isn't the only publisher guilty of that stuff.

I actually don't have a big issue with movies made from books; films and books are separate art forms. This one is getting good early reviews. But even adults debate the question. Should I read the book first or see the movie?

One set of Seabury parents requires their son to read a book before he sees the movie. Last I heard he was well into "Eragon."

I did something similar when my daughter was about to turn 9. My kids' birthday parties were usually homemade affairs; we didn't go the roller skating; fun-plex route. (At least not until they were older and wore us down!)

But for this birthday, we promised we'd take her and a group of friends to see the new "Little Women" film, then come back to the house for a fancy tea party, if she'd read the book first. She did, so we did.

Okay, I think this was the worst thing I saw in my package of "Charlotte's Web" books.

I'm sure you know the original cover by the wonderful Garth Williams. (Incidentally, I also proposed Garth as a name for one of our boys.)




This is just wrong. Who, besides Dakota Fanning's family, would choose this over the book with its original charming cover? Maybe not even Dakota's family. I'm glad E.B. White and Garth Williams aren't around to see it.

Here's a link to a great essay on Charlotte's Web in the L.A. Times.

My last words on the subject. I'm not expecting that you won't take your children to see the movie. The weather is so bleak, after all, and we've got long vacation days coming. Just please promise me, you'll read them the book to them, too, or have them read it themselves.

It really is "terrific."

Talk to you soon

Not sure where my head is, but I seem to have gotten both days and dates mixed up in the posters I put around school for the Book Fair. Here are the correct days and dates. (I hope!)

Thursday, Nov. 16: 3-6 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 17: 8:30-5 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 18: 10-Noon
MONDAY!!.& Tues., Nov. 20 & 21:
8:30-5

(More interesting posts to come soon I promise. I have a major rant building about all the "other" Charlotte's Web books being published in advance of the movie.)

A change to the Book Fair hours below.
We won't be open until 3 on Thursday.
Hope to see you then!!