This last week has been rough; the library unexpectedly lost a much-loved and valued friend and advocate, and we’ve all been very saddened by the loss.
Writing blog entries hasn’t been on the top of my priority list this past week.
All posts by Abby
Happy Birthday!
A very happy birthday to my beloved aunt, Mafa. I hope your day is fabulous!!
The Sky Inside
My current book-for-fun is Clare Dunkle’s The Sky Inside, which I first heard of when placing my monthly standing order with Listening Library two months ago (it was one of the featured new titles for that month). I was intrigued by the book’s premise, but couldn’t find any reviews online at that time – the only resource I could locate was the novel’s first chapter on Amazon. I was home sick that day, so I took the time to read the entire first chapter, and I was hooked. When Nanette brought me the processed, ready to circulate book last week, there was no doubt that I would be the first patron to check it out and take it home.
I’m about halfway through The Sky Inside, and enjoying it. Living in a frighteningly vanilla world, Martin and his friends and neighbors have no idea how molded and manipulated they are. Everything about their lives is tightly controlled, most especially the atmosphere, since their suburb is inside a protective dome with no direct access to the outside world. “Packets” come and go from the dome, carrying food and supplies in and the bodies of those who have died out, but no residents are allowed to leave. Any resident who disobeys the social order ends up on televised game shows that pretend to be fun and games, but really are a means for eliminating the problem citizens. Though most viewers don’t realize it, when contestants fail on the shows, they are killed on live television, either by lethal injection or by falling to their deaths or by being shot. And children? Married couples don’t have children naturally, they purchase models of children that are advertised on television.Â
Martin’s younger sister (in this world, it’s very rare to have two children in a family, since each child bears a high price tag) belongs to the troubling generation of Wonder Babies. Though initially advertised as the best things to hit the suburb, Wonder Babies turned out to be children who are devastatingly intelligent and ask so many questions that no adult will teach them in school - these children teach themselves. Over time, the Wonder Babies begin to be known as the “freaks,” and no adult protests when a man arrives in the suburb via a packet, a rare occurrence, and offers to take all of the Wonder Babies away with him…
And that’s where I am in the story right now. Pretty creepy. I’m not a science fiction fan, so my thoughts on this work aren’t as educated or sophisticated as, say, my brother’s would be (Dan does know his science fiction), but at this point in my reading, I give The Sky Inside an A-. When I’ve finished it, I’ll let you know its final grade.
Loving that storytime
Years ago, when I was the manager of the Toy Shop, I had a vague dream of using puppets to work with groups of kids, and I used that excuse to purchase a vast supply of puppets for my personal collection. But I didn’t really think that the dream would materialize, and mostly just collected the puppets.
The puppets now live up in my attic, in plastic storage boxes, and are rarely used because they’re so hard to get at (oh, for a few more closets in our house – one large closet and one small closet doesn’t quite meet the demands). Even though the puppets aren’t being used, though, I am actually making that ancient dream of mine real, and loving it more and more each week.
I haven’t quite gotten to the point where I’ll have my puppets speak to the kids in the toddler storytime (I still have a sense that my family’s strength with puppet-usage is a bit odd and perhaps something to be ashamed of rather than flaunted), but I do use puppets on a regular basis. Yesterday I had Zebra, the official finger taster puppet, share with the kids some information about his home. Zebra whispers in my ear, then I speak his thoughts out loud. Working this way, Zebra told the kids about his school year home on the top of the bookcase in my office, where he can look out the office window into the children’s room. He also told the kids that he summers on Cape Cod (since Zebra will be put away for the summer, and it’s much more fun to say he’s on vacation than that he’s locked in the storage cabinet). The kids AND their parents loved that, and they all seemed to love the rest of my storytime, too.Â
The more storytimes I do, the more I’m able to incorporate some of the educational knowledge that I have and also let go of my inhibitions and ham things up.  Yesterday I used a so-so book, Robert Kalan’s Moving Day, and made it wicked awesome by turning it into a felt board story. I had worried that the story would be too boring, but by acting things out and adding some humor (when I picked up the “heavy” shell, I pretended to have a hard time lifting it – when picking up the “rough” shell, I said “Ouch!!”) it became something wonderful. I even got a round of applause in the second storytime of the day. Wow.
Clearly, the best route to success in these storytimes is to use multiple mediums (felt board stories, puppets, stuffed animals, fingerplays, songs) and to forget that you’re a grownup and supposed to be dignified. Once those inhibitions are gone, magical things happen.
The Falcon’s Malteser
Tomorrow is the second-to-last 6th grade book group meeting of this school year, and we’ll be discussing Anthony Horowitz’s The Falcon’s Malteser. I had a moment of inspiration tonight, and checked the library catalog to see if The Maltese Falcon, starring Humphrey Bogart, was on hand and available – and it is (Jennifer is pulling it off the shelves for me right now). So tomorrow I’ll bring in my copy of Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon (given to me by my big brother years ago, in a very cool slipcase that he made), and I’ll bring in my laptop to play a scene from the movie, and then we’ll discuss the Horowitz book. I have a feeling that these three ingredients will make for a fun book discussion…we’ll find out tomorrow whether I’m right about that!
Tad Hills painting
It’s been five months since Tad Hills visited the library and gave a personalized painting of Duck to the children’s room, but I finally – finally – got to a frame shop and left the painting to be framed. It will be a couple of weeks before the finished, framed painting is ready for pick up, so I thought I’d post a photo of the painting for your enjoyment.  Click on image to enlarge.
(Please remember that this image is copyright Tad Hills and owned by the library, and may not be reproduced.)
Bad Horse
Dad sent me a great photo that he took at Monday’s parade, of the horse misbehaving when he was supposed to be leading two other horses in pulling a cannon down Main Street (click on image to enlarge):
The best parade ever…
Though Dan couldn’t make it up from New Bedford for the parade today (we missed you Dan, hope you are feeling less phlegmy and more rested), today was the best Patriot’s Day parade ever. Ever. The weather was fantastic – not too cold, not too hot, sunny but not sun-burny – and Dad and I managed to do everything just right.
I picked Dad up at 8 AM, and as we drove to Concord center we worried about where to park. Which was a silly worry, because the best parking spot ever appeared before our eyes: on Main Street right by the Concord Public Library. The weather was still chilly, so we sat in the car and chatted for a bit, and within ten minutes of our parking there wasn’t a spot to be found on Main Street. Yay us. And the day just got better from that point…
We decided to catch the parade at its beginning, and stood in front of Sally Ann’s Bakery waiting for it to start. And who can stand by an open, wonderful bakery without buying a muffin (blueberry) and a cup of steaming hot coffee (Jamaican Blue and Colombian mixed together). Dad and I sipped and nibbled as the parade began the day’s march, shivering a little in the morning cold.Â
The parade’s opening is never its best part, though we enjoyed it, and once it had passed we strode over the raised walkway between the Keyes Road lot and the Christian Science church, with the Old Manse as our next destination. Along our way we ran into a mom and four boys who are from the town in which I am a librarian and had a lovely chat about growing up in Concord (me) and Lincoln (her), and I shared with her where we were headed. Her eyes lit up at the mention of the horses at the Old Manse, and she eagerly asked if she could follow us on our sneaky shortcut. But when she asked the four boys whether they would rather see the horses or watch the guns being fired – you guessed it, the boys all yelped “Guns! Guns! We want to see the guns!!” As we parted ways with the group, the mom sighed and said, “I wish I could go with you guys and see the horses!!”
Dad and continued on past Concord Lumber and to the old railroad embankment, cutting across to Monument Street and the Old Manse. There all the horses stood with their handlers, away from the sound of cannons and guns. Jean has asked what kind of heavy horses are in the parade, and I don’t really know – they’re a buff color with paler manes and tails, beautiful and solid and huge. I took lots and lots and lots of photos of them and of the graceful Arabians who also march with the Concord Independent Battery. Usually I’m one of the few people who hang out by the horses, but this year there was a gaggle of little girls and their moms petting the Arabians’ noses and ooohing and aaahing wistfully. And then the first cannon was fired, which spooked the sweet patient pinto who had been receiving the most attention from the cluster of horse fans. That put an end to the petting, but allowed me to get some great photos of the horses with the Old Manse in the background. But I could see that Dad was getting a bit tired of the girly horsey thing, and so we walked back to the center.
And we got the best viewing spot EVER. This year the reviewing stand was moved to the intersection of Main and Walden streets, and I spotted a family seated in portable chairs on the Monument Square side of the reviewing stand, right next to the area reserved for Important People. I elbowed Dad and we took up residence directly behind them, for an unobstructed view of the parade and unlimited photographic opportunities.
So here’s the secret: each group who marches in the parade struts their best stuff in front of the reviewing stand. It’s the most awesome place to be. The bagpipe and drum unit from Boston stopped just by us to perform a beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace”; the Navy Band pulled out all the stops and even pointed their trumpets and tubas right at us; the Fenn School band turned out a great performance in front of us; and we had a front row (and safe) seat for the drama of the CIB’s horses. As I wrote yesterday, the CIB’s horses bring up the rear of the parade, and haul the cannons down Main Street at a good fast clip for a dramatic finale. The first cannon was drawn by a pair that pulled side by side, but the second cannon was drawn by three horses, one leading in front, followed by a side by side pair. That lead heavy horse got spooked and frisky, though, and started to pull the cannon and other horses towards the crowd on the other side of the street. It took a lot of hard work from the CIB rider on him AND a man pulling on that horse’s lead rope to redirect those huge horses and heavy cannon away from the crowd and back towards the center of the street. Pretty dramatic!
So I’ve probably gone on for far too long about this perfect, wonderful Patriot’s Day, but let me say one more thing: when I moved away from Concord four years ago after thirty-five years of being a resident, I was saddened to think that I was no longer a Concordian. I realized today that I was wrong. I’ll always be a Concordian, though I’ll probably never again live in Concord. It’s just who I am, and where I’m best known.  And where my favorite holiday takes place each year.
Patriot’s Day
Saturday was my favorite holiday, and today I’ll be at the official parade. I remember several years ago when the push was made to move Concord’s Patriot’s Day parade to the Monday holiday, rather than hold the parade on the 19th regardless of the day of the week. I was sad when that switch was made, and I know I’m not alone. Certain events are still held on the actual holiday, like the Patriot’s Ball and the Dawn Salute near the Old North Bridge, and I think the Sudbury Minutemen still insist on making the trek to Concord on the 19th (which means that they miss the parade most years, which is a shame, because they’re a fun-loving crew and add a lot to the parade).Â
I missed the Dawn Salute this year, due to my total inability to haul my butt out of bed and into my car at 5:15 AM, and I’m sad about that. Though it’s cold and painfully early, it’s the best part of an awesome holiday, especially when Prescott rides his horse across the bridge while yelling “The Regulars are coming! The Regulars are coming!” Sends chills up my spine every time. And I love that not too many people attend the Dawn Salute; only the truly dedicated show up.Â
But today’s parade comes in a close second to the Dawn Salute. Concord’s parade (unlike arch-rival Lexington’s parade) is very homegrown and unadorned. There are great marching bands, but no floats; lots of people dressed in period-appropriate costumes, but no one in clown suits. My favorite part of the parade is the unit from the Concord Independent Battery. I love to hang out at the Old Manse during the ceremony at the Old North Bridge, because the Battery’s horses rest there before the last leg of the parade. There are some lovely little saddle horses (I watch out for one palomino in particular each year), but the heavy horses are my absolute favorites. They are awesome – there’s something about being in the same space as those huge and beautiful horses that takes my breath away. And each year, when I develop my roll of film from the parade, most of the photos end up being shots of the horses at rest at the Old Manse and running the final run down Main Street.
Which, of course, is the best part of the best day of the year: standing at the head of Main Street (selfishly, I won’t give away the prime viewing spot) and watching while the Battery holds back at the rear of the parade, allowing space to grow between them and the unit in front of them. Then the signal is given, and those fantastic heavy horses take off at a run down the street, hauling the heavy cannons in grand style. For me, it’s the best thrill of the year.
Happy Patriot’s Day, everyone.Â
The Books That Got Away
I’ve been a bit remiss in the last month and a half or so, and haven’t written my usual detailed posts on book group meetings and the kids’ reactions to the book group books. So here’s a quick overview of some the books we’ve read and discussed lately:Â
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt ~ The 5th grade group discussed this book back in March. To facilitate our discussion, I brought in my laptop and played the first scene-and-a-bit from the recent movie that starred Sissy Spacek and William Hurt. Prior to playing the selection from the movie, I had read aloud that first lovely, perfect chapter from the book, then we settled in to compare and contrast. To my dismay, there were several kids who preferred the movie’s opening (and there was a competitive scramble to see who would be the lucky one to take the DVD of the movie home that day), but there were also the kids who loved the language of the book and spoke eloquently about it. Our discussion did end up focusing on the pros and cons of eternal life, and I was very impressed by what the group had to say. (Too bad that the distance of a month has blurred my memories of their specific comments, but suffice it to say that they’re a smart, well-spoken bunch of kids.)
A Girl, A Boy, and a Monster Cat by Gail Gauthier ~ Discussed by the 3rd grade book group just a week and a half ago, this book proved to be a disappointment to both me and the kids. We all had the same thought: the book didn’t live up to its title, and would have been better served by a different title. All of us had expected the Monster Cat to play a major role in the story, and when it didn’t, we all felt a bit cheated and let down. Not that this was a bad book – it was just less than we had hoped it would be. On a side note, it’s fun for me to observe the formation of a new book group with these third graders, to see them learning to work together as a group and to share the discussion time with each other. I’ll miss working with the younger kids when Jennifer picks up the 3rd and 4th grade groups in the fall.
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke ~ Once again, I chose to go the multi-media route for the 6th graders’ March discussion of Funke’s modern classic. Using the surprisingly excellent and entertaining movie of the same name, I played the merry-go-round scene for the kids, then read selected parts from the book (the merry-go-round chapter of the book is quite long, and it would be tough to read all of it aloud for an even comparison, so I had to pick and choose bits to share).  Our discussion was fairly good, but with the distance of a few weeks, I can’t honestly remember what we talked about. I’m hoping that the next two 6th grade books will inspire an animated conversation that involves all group members…
March’s teen book group discussion centered on Airborn by Kenneth Oppel, a book that I chose to appeal to the boys in the group (who, ironically, either no longer attend or attend only sporadically…). Surprisingly, given that I chose the book based solely upon my need to find a good book that wasn’t a “girl book,” it’s one of the best books we’ve read this year. Taut plot, great premise, heart-stopping suspense – I loved this book, and so did everyone in the group. One boy did attend that day, having picked up a copy of Airborn on the day prior to our meeting, and he said something like, “Finally! A book that I liked in this group!” The girls shared their happy surprise at having thoroughly enjoyed the book, and admitted that they would have never picked up this book on their own, but were very glad that they had been steered towards it. We all agreed that we’d like to read the sequel, and E. was the lucky one who got to take the sequel home with her that day.Â
So that’s the update on the books that we’ve read since March. Three out of the four are exceptional reads, highly recommended by me and by the book groups, and the fourth is acceptable, though not fabulous. There are only four more book group meetings this school year, and I’ll do my best to write posts on those as the groups happen.