"A Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and Aaron Burr

I was in Troy Saturday night for a performance of A Legend of Sleepy Hollow with the New York State Theatre Institute (NYSTI). My son is an intern there and is learning about building, welding, and making theatre sets. He is also painting. If anyone saw the production he is responsible for the Dutch tiles around the stage. (Yes, I am proud!)

I have recently read The Duel: The Parallel Lives of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr by Judith St. George. I am very interested in NYS history, and Alexander Hamilton because of his connection to the Schuyler family here in Albany. Hamilton was married to Eliza Schuyler and lived for a short time in Schuyler Mansion. What does this have to do with A Legend of Sleepy Hollow? The Duel was an eye opener not only about Alexander Hamilton, but Aaron Burr. And Aaron Burr was a major "character" in the new NYSTI production. If I hadn't read The Duel I would have been completely lost watching the play! I was very surprised that there were no background historical notes for this play.

What I learned from The Duel was how vilified Burr was after the duel that ended Hamilton's life; Burr was Thomas Jefferson's first Vice President (this is the election that ended with a tie between Burr and Jefferson and sent the election to the House of Representatives to break the tie); while Vice President, Burr ran for New York Governor as an Independent, which was an insult to his own Republican party. After he lost that election, he finished his term as vice president, but his political life was over. He continued making mischief. After the duel (1804) he was indicted for the murder of Alexander Hamilton in New Jersey. To avoid arrest he fled. Eventually he concocted a scheme to organize an expedition to conquer Louisiana and form a new empire that would include all of the western states. Eventually he was tried for treason, but the guidelines in the Constitution could not be met for a treasonous act, therefore he was acquitted and set free. He died in 1836.

I think Aaron Burr's story, especially how intertwined he and Hamilton were throughout the course of history and their lives, is more interesting than the character (Burr) that was inserted in A Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It is important to get history right, especially when young people have such a poor grasp of their own country's history. I hope that NYSTI will add notes to their programs to explain the background stories.

Lastly, I highly recommend The Duel as well as a picture book on the same subject, Duel!: Burr and Hamilton's Deadly War of Words by Dennis Brindell Fradin. I can't get enough of it!

~Joyce Laiosa

The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation

As a lover of history, historic landmarks, and tours of houses ("not another dead person's house" is the cry of my youngest) I was surprised that I had forgotten how flexible and unique a document our constitution is. One would think a graphic adaptation might be a silly book, or have a point of view. I don't believe that this applies to author Jonathan Hennessey or illustrator Aaron McConnell. I was very impressed with their knowledge and how they interpreted this document in pictoral form.

The very beginning of the preamble, "We the People" is a broad picture of our fellow citizens. This is followed by a brief history of how our country fought for independence, then the explanation of the preamble into the Articles explaining how the government works. The artwork is wonderful, especially the representations of the three branches of government: legislative (a man in a suit with the Capitol for a head), executive (a man in a suit with the White House for a head), and judicial (a person in a judicial robe with the Supreme Court building for a head).

This book brought new understandings of why articles were written; specifically how population was counted in order to appeal to southern states in order to pass the document and make our federal government. The book explains the Bill of Rights and the amendments that have been passed. The reasons that the Supreme Court still struggles with decisions is easier to understand now that I've "re-read" this U.S. Constitution.

If you have someone taking American History in 8th or 11th grade, do them a favor and make sure they see this book. It will help young people understand their rights and responsibilities. It will be a refresher course for grown-ups !

Afghanistan

War is scary for everyone, children and adults. Listening to news reports about Afghanistan is difficult. I can't comprehend what our soldiers are going through. It is also difficult to understand how people can even live in this country. As much as we want to shelter our children from the news, perhaps we should embrace the good that happens in terrible places.

Adults have been reading Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea since 2006, when the book was first published. He tells the story of his failed attempt to climb K2. On his way back down he became lost in the mountains of Pakistan. He ended up staying in a poor village where he was overwhelmed by their kindness and vowed to come back and build schools. This happened in 1993, and as of now, he has built over 60 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. His book has been adapted by Sarah Thomson for young adults (same title) and in a picture book edition with Susan L. Roth. That edition is called Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea. Roth's collages capture the people of Baltistan and their way of life in the mountains. It is a beautiful story that will shed light on people we know so little about. Learn about Dr. Greg and the great work he is doing.

Another author that will shed light on this area of the world is Deborah Ellis. She is Canadian and has traveled all over the world. I love her book The Breadwinner, and the sequel Parvana's Journey. This is the story of a family living under the tyranny of the Taliban, after the Soviet's have left Afghanistan. Parvana and her family live in Kabul. After her father dies, she must dress like a boy to try and earn money for her family. It is a sad story, a hard story. Ellis has visited Afghan refugee camps and heard many stories like Parvana's. These books can be read by fifth graders and older, more likely middle school students.

Check out these books to learn more about Afghanistan and Pakistan. It will give you and your children a different point of view than one of only war.

You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!

Baseball pitchers are special. The good ones are treated like gods. They do not play every day, and yet, fans can’t wait to see them do their “stuff.” Sandy Koufax played for the Dodgers: first, in Brooklyn and then in L.A. Jonah Winter, with illustrator Andre Carrilho has done a superb job of explaining the qualities of Koufax: athlete, graceful, strong, and determined in the new picture book biography, You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! The cover seems to move, as if you are watching Koufax pitch. It is explained as a lenticular cover. It has three images, digitally sliced into strips and printed on a plastic sheet creating the illusion of movement as you turn the cover. Brilliant! The rest of the illustrations are graphite on paper, with color and texture added using Adobe Photoshop. The stylized drawings do look like Koufax, and I love the little statistic boxes throughout the book. It helps to understand Koufax’s place in baseball history to compare him to other pitchers. Every child knows that baseball is more than just hitting the ball, catching the ball or throwing the ball. It is also how well you do those things, in other words, the statistics. Check this out before opening day!

Spring is Here!

The weather may be frightful, but picture books can put you in a new frame of mind. If you are thinking Easter basket gifts, I’ve got two that I MUST purchase for my grandchildren. (I can’t be stopped!)

First is The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett. Each of the birds has an egg, except Duck. So when Duck finds a beautiful egg of his own he’s delighted-even though the other birds make fun of it. When it hatches, everyone is in for a BIG surprise! The playful illustrations are part of the charm, along with cleverly designed cut pages that allow the visual joke to unfold. Spring? Eggs? You won’t want to miss this book! Emily Gravett has become a favorite of mine for young pre-schoolers. Check out her other books, Orange Pear Apple Bear and Monkey and Me. Every book is a perfect illustration of an early literacy skill. The Odd Egg is perfect for print motivation. Everyone will want to turn the page to find out what happens. Print Motivation is how we demonstrate to children the joy of reading, the fun of books.

The second picture book is from the inimitable Kevin Henkes. He has won a Caldecott Medal, a Caldecott Honor, a Newbery Honor, and he has another winner with his latest, Birds. This time he has written the book (the words), but his wife is the illustrator. She has captured the simplicity of enjoying birds and noticing the many details a young child would discuss with a parent or an adult. The simple story ends with a satisfying declaration that is also a surprise. A lovely spring walk must be taken after reading this! Laura Dronzek’s illustrations are so colorful, especially for a young child. They have a child-like appearance with a sense of movement on every page.

Print Motivation with Twelve Terrible Things!

Print Motivation is an Early Literacy Skill that simply means that the book is so much fun, or exciting, or inviting a child will be ready to turn every page to continue the story. Twelve Terrible Things by Marty Kelley is a perfect example of ‘Print Motivation.’ Inside the book, on the endpapers the reader is warned that turning the page will bring about some terrible things. Well, you have to turn the page now!

There really are twelve terrible things in the book, such as: things that are sad (empty ice cream cone with the scoop of ice cream on the ground); things that are scary (dentist? monster under the bed?); old relative pinching chubby cheeks; to a smelly sock (with the smelly foot still in it). It is funny, well drawn, with funny perspective on each spread. Have a good laugh, a good read with this book.~Joyce Laiosa

What Color is a Bully?

One by Kathryn Otoshi is an extremely simple book of colors and numbers and a story about a bully. I think it would be very useful in a classroom setting, as well as an excellent book for preschoolers. It is a hard lesson to see kids being bullied as well as being the object of the bully. This book shows that a group can work together to thwart the bully and positive remarks can change the focus of the bully. Will it work? I can’t say that one reading of the book will change a bully. But I think it will help children learn to work together to help each other out of difficult situations.

After reading this book, I can see a child making their own book with finger paints. A fun project for everyone and while the child’s fingers are busy, you can have a very relaxed conversation. Check out this title the next time you visit the library. Make it count!~Joyce Laiosa

Wordless Books

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a firm believer in wordless books. I like them because they allow a child to “read” the book; a child who may not be able to read at all. It helps children “tell” a story using the narrative skills, an early literacy skill. The child uses the picture clues to tell the story they want. The story can change every time it is told, the vocabulary can increase by who tells the story, and the book has a timeless appeal that evolves with deepening comprehension of life situations. Lastly, for the child working on writing skills, it helps to have the pictures as a prompt for an essay.

Suzy Lee has taken three simple elements to create a visual tour de force with Wave. We have a sunny day, a curious little girl, and a playful wave. The book is black and white (and shades of gray) with blue. The color blue is, of course, the wave, the water, and the action. There is one other piece of action and that is the “gutter” of the book. Oh, to have a child on my lap talking about this book! Check it out. If you spend any time at the seashore, you must purchase it! ~Joyce Laiosa

The Gates

Have you ever tried to explain a piece of art to someone? It depends upon the work, itself, what you would say, or how you might explain it. I know a little about art, but not enough to explain one of the most beautiful works of art I ever saw. It was called The Gates by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and it was displayed for 16 days in February 2005.

A new book by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan does a wonderful job of shedding light on the work of Christo and his wife, Jeanne-Claude. We learn of their European background and how World War II shaped their young lives; his in Bulgaria, hers in Paris. The art developed over time from wrapping up small objects all the way to encasing islands in Biscayne Bay, Florida.

Every project begins with drawings by Christo. The Gates began in 1979, but New York City had to approve the project because it was going to be outdoors in Central Park. It took 26 years for the project to be approved and it transformed Central Park. I remember taking the train to NYC to see it. My husband and I walked up to the park from Grand Central Station. Crowds filled the sidewalks. Before we knew it, we were swept up into the park with the crowd, our eyes drawn to the bright orange (salmon) color and flapping fabric over our head. We were part of the art experience as we walked through the park, around the lake, and over the rocks.

This experience is vividly remembered because of the book Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond. The photographs are stunning and reminds me of the wonderful day when I saw The Gates. What is art? I couldn’t explain it, but this book will help young people understand this beautiful piece of art! ~Joyce Laiosa

Sibert Medal Winner

Do you love baseball? Spring training is about to begin in warmer climates than here in the northeast. But if you are thinking green grass, breezes blowing the sweat off a brow, and the crack of a bat, have I got a book for you!

This year’s best work of nonfiction (which was awarded the Sibert Medal) is We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson. Nelson’s artistry has been recognized with his past Caldecott honor awards and Coretta Scott King Illustrator awards. This is the first time he has been honored for both words and pictures. First and foremost, the illustrations are rich, beautiful oil paintings. The colors resonate right off the page while you dream of sitting on the grass yourself. There is a double spread of a night game that takes you back to a simpler time. The night sky has a few stars, the lights barely shine on the outfield, yet you can’t take your eyes off the page. You are there, in that game, trying to follow the pitch that has just been thrown. In other paintings you notice that the players stand tall with absolute dignity. These men were left out of major league baseball, yet the endured hardships are history.

Each chapter is an inning, and each starts off with a quote. Nelson writes the book from the point of view of an “everyman” player. The title of the book is from a quote by the founder of the Negro National League, Rube Foster. “We are the ship; all else the sea.” The book is well researched with a bibliography, endnotes, and an index. All baseball lovers will want to read this, but for the youngest T-ball players, please read it to them! ~Joyce Laiosa

Best Books of the Year

I’ve been reading a lot recently. For every three books I read, only one has been a standout. Here are some recent picture books that I absolutely love:

In a Blue Room by Jim Averbeck; Illustrated by Tricia Tusa.
I can only say that I found this to be a perfect book. It is a good-night book, with a charming little girl talking about her blue room, yet we can see from the pictures that she does not have a blue room. As she is tucked into bed, and the pictures give us the wide view, we see that she does, indeed, have a blue room. It is earth. This is an excellent book for the Early Literacy Skill of Print Motivation as a child will want to turn the page to see the blue room. Where is it? Delightful!

Bear’s Picture by Daniel Pinkwater; Illustrated by D.B. Johnson.
First, you must understand that I’m a huge fan of D.B. Johnson. He has written and illustrated three books based on Walden and Henry Thoreau (done as a bear). The books are Henry Hikes to Fitchburg, Henry Builds a Cabin, and Henry Climbs a Mountain. It is a known fact that Daniel Pinkwater is a champion of these books from his commentary on NPR. Together they have teamed up to present a bear who paints. It is wonderful to watch bear’s painting come together while two very skeptical grown-ups fail to see what bear sees. They are NOT art critics! Again, this presents a wonderful book for Print Motivation as a child watches bear create.

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson; Illustrated by Beth Krommes.
I find black and white illustrations extremely imaginative. This book is done in black and white with gold/yellow accents throughout. The story is a reworked Mother Goose rhyme. It is a very striking book that I can see a child looking for clues on every page. It is an excellent book for the Early Literacy Skill of Dialogic Reading. The parent/adult can ask “what” questions of the child to help with comprehension and Narrative Skills to retell the story. The design is lovely. I can see a child asking to have this read every night and never tire of it. There is so much to see, to think and to dream about in this book.

Season's Readings

Looking for gift ideas? Well, look no further than Voorheesville Public Library’s famous “Season’s Readings.” Each year our librarians come up with recommendations in and out of their specialties. I try not to make my list too long, but I believe that my recommendations need to be tailored to each reader: child, teen or parent. Take a look at the list online or stop by the library for a copy. While at the library you can purchase (at the Amazon.com price) a copy of what you want. If we are out-of-stock you can purchase these recommendations at your local bookstore, or from Amazon.com. If you are wondering why we mention Amazon so often, it is because a portion of the sale comes back to us and our Friends of the Library group. How can you order through Amazon and help the Friends? Good question. Just click on the Amazon icon from the Season’s Readings page at our website. Then start shopping. If you are a regular Amazon shopper you can still be at “your” account, but Voorheesville Public Library will be credited. So, let’s go shopping at http://vplgiftguide.blogspot.com/.

The Underneath

I just finished The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. Beautiful, lyrical prose tells the story of an old hound dog, Ranger, chained to the house of his evil, evil master. Along comes a pregnant cat that gives birth to two kittens. It is a survival story interwoven with a Caddo legend (Caddo are the ancient people of the bayou and East Texas). The legend is similar to the selkie/seal/turtle/ etc. that is seen throughout the world: an animal takes the form of a human, but can not return to the animal form unless it is forever. Gar Face, the evil master reminded me of the hard-drinking pirates from Treasure Island, while the poetic language was reminiscent of The Wind in the Willows.

I highly recommend this book, but it is one for upper level elementary into middle school. I think it would work well as a read aloud so that difficult passages from the Caddo legend to the evil Gar Face can be discussed.

Kathi Appelt has written many picture books, poetry and nonfiction. I’m going to check out her other books. I know I’ve read some of her picture books, but they didn’t really stick with me. I loved her book, Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky. It is about the librarians who delivered books to patrons during the depression in Appalachia. Yes, I loved it because it is about librarians!

Music Weekend

Christmas countdown continues with music! This weekend will be a busy one throughout the Capital District. First and foremost is the FREE celebration at the plaza through New York State’s Office of General Services. There will be the lighting of the state tree, holiday sing, arts and crafts for kids, and fireworks. To view the complete schedule take a look at the OGS press release here: http://readme.readmedia.com/news/show/OGS-Kicks-Off-Holiday-Season-With-Annual-Tree-Lighting-Ceremony/17051.

The Albany Symphony has three performances this weekend. Take a look at the schedule here: http://www.albanysymphony.com/index-main.html. I’ll be at the concert on Saturday night to see my friend Kerry Anne O’Neill with the Campbell Dancers. It should be a great holiday event.

Another big concert this weekend is the Trans Siberian Orchestra. I’ll also be at that with a big group of my family, all TSO fans. (This will be my first concert with TSO. I’m a little nervous. Everyone tells me they are very loud!)

Don’t forget the Victorian Stroll in Troy, a performance of Sleeping Beauty (kabuki style) at the New York State Theatre Institute (http://www.nysti.org/beauty.htm) and First Friday activities (http://www.1stfridayalbany.org/) that are free! So, music, shopping, art, and friendship are all here for one busy splendid weekend. Gee, I wish there was a little snow!

Christmas Countdown

It is exactly 25 days until Christmas. I’m feeling overwhelmed by what I did not finish this year, as most years. I don’t get too upset by the shopping, wrapping, baking or planning. I tend to dwell on the pile of books I still haven’t read! One way that I deal with this yearly dilemma is to take out my special stack of Christmas books and place them around the house.

I’ve been collecting Christmas books for many years. I have pop-ups, many different illustrators for The Night Before Christmas, A Christmas Carol by Dickens, and some absolute classics that I delight in every year. I still remember the first time I read Chris Van Allsburg’s Polar Express. There I stood with my son next to me, tearing up in the store, as I read the book. We went home with it that very day.

Start your own memories of the holiday with a special book collection. Come to the library and look over old and new books. You could read a new book every night. Along with the reading tradition, start a paper chain in red, green, gold, silver or white paper. The chain can represent the days until Christmas or the number of books you read.

This month we have a family storytime on December 10th to celebrate many different holiday customs. Come prepared to enjoy latkes with applesauce, Lucia buns, and a few other delicious items. The stories will feed your imagination; the food will enhance the experience!

School bells are ringing!

A new beginning, a new school year, a fresh start; these are my thoughts every September. I have some favorite school stories that I think everyone should read or reread every year. Start off with Officer Buckle and Gloria. Here is a story about safety (very important) and a story about friendship. It won the Caldecott Medal in 1996. John Lithgow narrates the film by Weston Woods which is so much fun to watch.

Check out another Peggy Rathmann title: Ruby the Copycat. Every child wants to succeed in school and Ruby is no exception. Unfortunately she takes it too far and almost loses her way. Ruby is so imaginative you will empathize with her creative solutions to being ‘just like Angela.’

Kevin Henkes is another author to check out. His titles range from Owen to Wemberly Worried to Chrysanthemum and his favorite mouse, Lily. Lily stars in a number of books. These titles all deal with children wanting the security of home, feeling unsure, coping with school and making friends. These books will help children understand the universality of their feelings and let parents open up a dialogue with children.

Come by the library for other school stories, all out on display. Reading every day is a great way to start off a new school year. ~Joyce Laiosa

Catch the Reading Bug

The summer reading program is about to start. There is so much going on, here at the library, that it is hard to make up one single document that tells everybody (all ages) about everything. This year we are advertising to the elementary school kids with a flyer, but the main program calendar is the “program calendar.” It can be printed off the SRP web page and posted on the refrigerator: every home’s bulletin board!

First and foremost is that registration is online for everyone. Just go to our web page at http://www.voorheesvillelibrary.org/. It can be done from home or the library beginning Monday, June 16th and no email address is necessary. The fun part of the registration is to keep track of the books and print off their list to bring to school in September. It’s a good way for everyone to keep track of their reading. So, as we say this year, “Catch the Reading Bug!”
Don’t forget to check out the major display table with easy picture books, readers, fiction and especially nonfiction books about bugs. From Charlotte’s Web to Diary of a Spider we hope you will bee sure to read.!

Middle School Writing Club

School is almost finished; kids are studying for finals; and I’m getting ready for my marathon visits to the elementary school to promote the summer program. One of the happiest moments is this Thursday. The Middle School Writing Club (mostly 8th graders) has been meeting regularly, twice a month, to work on poetry, fiction and nonfiction pieces, and even a picture book submission to Scholastic Publishers. This was an entry for a contest on the theme of environmental awareness. A group of eight girls wrote the text and drew the pictures for their book, The Boy Who Saved the World from His Own Backyard.
This Thursday is the unveiling of the final work product. All the students contributed to a "zine." Mrs. Susan Podgorski and I were the editors. It has been so much fun to work with these kids, see their enthusiasm, and to encourage their writing. ~Joyce Laiosa

Newbery Honor Books

The second tier of books or honor books, are usually wonderful books that just didn’t make it into the top spot. Reading this year’s honor books I can see wonderful stories. I am pleased by these choices, proud of the committee work, and happy to recommend all three titles without reservation.

In Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis, Elijah is the first free-born child in Buxton, a Canadian community of escaped slaves, in 1860. With grand storytelling, humor, and poignant insight into the realities of slavery and the meaning of freedom, Curtis takes readers on a journey that transforms an 11-year-old boy into a courageous hero.

In The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt, seventh-grader, Holling is convinced his teacher hates him. Through their Wednesday afternoon Shakespeare sessions she helps him cope with events both wildly funny and deadly serious. “To thine own self be true” is just one of the life lessons he learns. This, too, is historical fiction that takes place in 1968 on Long Island.

Feathers, by Jacqueline Woodson, tells the story of how a new boy's arrival in a sixth-grade classroom helps Frannie recognize the barriers that separate people, and the importance of hope as a bridge. Transcendent imagery and lyrical prose deftly capture a girl learning to navigate the world through words.

Each one of these authors has won Newbery Honors before, as well as the Newbery Medal for Curtis. They write characters that stay with the reader long after the book is finished. Check out Jacqueline Woodson’s web site to learn more about this author and her other books. It’s a great site! http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/