reading – On the Children's Shelf

“Yes,Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” This is probably one of the most famous lines ever written. It first appeared in an editorial in response to a reader question in the “The Sun” newspaper in 1897. Virginia O’Hanlon, an 8-year-old who lived in New York City, was told by friends that Santa might not be real. Unsure what to think about this, she asked her father who encouraged her to write in to the newspaper. She wrote in to “The Sun” newspaper and awaited a reply. Francis Pharcellus Church, one of the paper’s editors, wrote a reply that has become one of the most famous editorials ever written and most reprinted. This editorial has since been the inspiration for books and movies and the answer is just as important today as it was over 100 years ago.

I love this piece for many reasons. First, Church points out that there is so much that we can’t see that still exists. Church explains “Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see…Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.“

Secondly, while Church is answering the question of an 8-year-old, his answer is thought provoking, deep and something readers of all ages can appreciate. I’ve always believed the best children’s books are written for readers of all ages in a way that is appropriate for but not limited to children. The same can be said for this editorial. It is written for a child but really, it is written for readers of all ages while being appropriate for a child.

Third, I love this because the answer is so much more important because of the impact it had on young Virginia. She had a question she was wrestling with. She reached to an adult to help her sort through it. She wrote out her question and read the reply. She was heard, her question was validated, and she received a wonderfully well written answer. What you might not know about young Virginia…she grew up and continued to ask questions. She wrestled with big ideas. She read. She explored. She pursued finding the answer. In 1930, at a time when many women did not go to college and even fewer pursued advanced degrees, she earned her doctorate degree from nearby Fordham University. Being heard and being taught to look for answers, is so important for a child. She didn’t receive a quick yes or no answer. The reply gave her something to think about. Those moments for a child, when they feel heard and validated, are so significant and can truly be lifechanging. The fact that she wrote and read a reply are of course, so significant. She didn’t know the answer, so asked questions and she read.

While books are so important for so many reasons, reading can be so much more than simply enjoying a good story. Reading answers questions, reading gives us new questions to ponder, reading introduces readers of all ages to new things. Reading helps us grow.

* You can read the full text of Church’s editorial here.

* Learn more about Virginia’s education, doctoral dissertation and role as an educator here.

Keeper of the Lost Cities, book 9.5

I love a good series. Once I’m invested in the character, knowing there will be another book with more story makes the book ending so much easier. I love introducing young readers to a good series because they too get so excited for the next book.

Last week I waited impatiently for the latest book in Shannon Messenger’s “Keeper of the Lost Cities” series. Book 9.5, “Unraveled,”(yes, this book follows book 9 and comes before book 10 because it parallels book 9) detours from the usual narrator, Sophie, to her friend Keefe telling his story of the time he is away from the Lost Cities.

A little background on the “Keeper of the Lost Cities” series…in book 1, we meet 12-year-old Sophie, who always felt different than other children and even her own family. She has a photographic memory, but what really makes her different…she can read minds. She keeps this secret hidden until she meets Fitz, who shares something so big, mind reading seems small in comparison. Sophie is an elf, as is Fitz and there is a whole secret elf world that humans don’t know about. Sophie leaves her family (whose memories of her are removed by another elf) and moves to the elf world in the lost cities.

The series follows Sophie as she learns there are secrets buried in her memories and that she has a much larger purpose in the elf world. She was hidden in the human world for a reason and now that she has been found, Sophie and her friends will need to battle evil, while manifesting other special skills and being normal teenagers who attend elf school.

This series has all sorts of twists and turns, adventures, betrayals, battles, family challenges, friendship challenges, and unicorns. While being an elf and meeting unicorns might make the story seem especially childish, it isn’t. It is written in a way that it feels very real and believable. Shannon Messenger weaves a complicated tale while keeping a myriad of big personalities on their interwoven journeys. It’s a good read for tween, teen, and adult readers.

What Messenger does best…she gets her readers excited for the next book. If your young reader enjoys the “Keeper” series, be sure to follow Shannon Messenger on social media. She talks about the characters, does count downs and give aways for preorders of the next book. Young “Keeper” fans count down the days to the next book. Anyone who can get young readers that excited about the next book in a series gets a big recommendation from me. I highly recommend this series. If your tween or teen likes fantasy, be sure to introduce them to Sophie (definitely start with book 1, this isn’t a jump in the middle of the series kind of book).

A Recorded Story – the Best Gift

Recently, while cleaning, I found on a shelf one of those record yourself reading books. I had forgotten we had this book. My mom recorded it many years ago when my children were small.

I opened the book and heard my mom narrating it with my children chiming in. I’ve talked before about books being portals to different points in time, but none compared to this moment. I was swept into the book listening to their little voices and my mom’s patience while they interrupted the story. Time was frozen inside those pages.

When my mom recorded that book, I thought it was sweet. In this moment finding it, that book became one of the most priceless gifts. I got to travel through time. While we remember being read to and reading to our children, those aren’t usually the moments we record. We tend to record the big moments…. school talent shows, sports, recitals, holidays. This recorded book was one of those moments that fell in between those big moments. It was a regular afternoon, it was reading a book, and I’m so lucky my mom recorded it.

As I listened to it, I took phone video of the pages and started texting them. My family loved reliving the story as much as I did. It was like a hidden gift inside the pages of a book. This book will be carefully tucked away with our holiday decorations this year, so we can take it out each year and listen to story again and again. My mom gave my children a book, but really, she gave us so much more through a book that lets us travel back in time.

If you are looking for a priceless, inexpensive gift, record a book with the child you love. You are not only giving them a story, you are associating love with reading. You are giving them a memory and years from now, they will revisit those pages and be transported back in time. That book will be a portal to years gone by filled with so many good feelings and memories.

Balloons Over Broadway – a Thanksgiving Read

Thanksgiving parade balloons are mesmerizing. They are giant and they are somehow maneuvered around buildings and light posts by a group of people with giant ropes. When I was small, I was so excited to see the Big Bird balloon in the parade, that I took photos of the television screen with our family polaroid. The pictures were blurry but that’s ok, it matches the memory…a bit fuzzy but still special to me.

As a child someone told me that many years ago, at the end of the parade, the balloons were released. If you found one, you could return it for a reward. I imagined walking outside my house and seeing a deflated giant parade balloon in our backyard. It never happened (as they stopped releasing the balloons many, many years before my lifetime, but I still loved to imagine finding one). Since I couldn’t find a released balloon, my next idea….someday being a balloon handler. A few years ago, I got to live out that childhood dream and take a giant dragon for a walk through city streets and it was just as awesome as I imagined it would be.

So my Thanksgiving book recommendation this year….Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet. I love this book for both the story and the illustrations. In this beautiful picture book, we meet Tony Sarg, who invented the giant ballons we see in the Thanksgiving Parade. Sarg had a determination and enthusiasm for his idea of creating these giant balloons that is contagious. Young readers will cheer him on as he works on his idea and it’s exciting to see it come to life.

While this book is geared towards children, it was delightful to read as an adult. I learned new things about the parade, and I look at the parade in a new way after reading this. I highly recommend this book!

The Princess Bride

*Note: This as originally published November 16, 2018.

“He held up a book then. “I’m going to read it to you for relax.”

“Does it have any sports in it?”

“Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True Love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest Ladies. Snakes. Spiders… Pain. Death. Brave men. Cowardly men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles.”

“Sounds okay,” I said and I kind of closed my eyes.”

― William Goldman, The Princess Bride

There are very few books and movies that I love equally. I often read a book with the movie I would like to see in my mind, except I’m not a filmmaker nor do I imagine any filmmakers are interested in the very specific details I hoped to see. I usually wish that instead of being turned into a 2-hour movie, that they could simply make the 12 hour extremely detailed version I pictured in my mind while reading. I would guess that most filmmakers don’t think viewers would sit there for 12 hours watching that movie…I totally would.

There is however one exception, the book and movie I love…The Princess Bride. I love this book. I love this movie. It would be inconceivable to love one and not the other. The story has something for everyone…romance, fencing, a giant (played by Andre the Giant in the movie), rodents of unusual size, and so much more….in both the book AND the movie. Obviously, they aren’t exactly the same, but they are similar enough and yet distinct enough that they are both amazing.

In 2017, my mom gave me the coolest gift ever…a signed copy of The Princess Bride. She knew it was my favorite and when she met William Goldman, she knew a signed book would be the most amazing gift ever (and it definitely was).

Last night (in 2018), William Goldman passed away at the age of 87. Today, I will revisit some amazing characters in my beloved copy of “The Princess Bride,” and I will watch the movie again this weekend. If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, please join me. This epic fairy tale should be enjoyed in both book and movie.

It’s ok to reread books.

I often wish I could go back in time and tell myself not to worry. So many hours spent worrying about things that ended up being totally fine. Yes, some things merited that worry, but many didn’t. How does this tie into reading? I think as parents, we worry about our children reading. Are they reading enough? Are they reading the right books? Are they reading at their appropriate level? Why are they rereading the same book instead of different books? Why do they only read certain subjects?

Looking back at my childhood reading, I don’t recall ever being told to pick a different book. If a book was beyond my reading level at the time, I either put it away to read later or, if I loved the book, persevered slowly trying to understand. Sometimes I read books well below my reading level. I often reread books because I enjoyed revisiting those stories. I remember reading Stephen King as a tween and as long as it wasn’t giving me nightmares, no one stopped me. I believe that this is what made me a reader.

Reading at the appropriate reading level is important. Teachers will recommend books and obviously all school reading should follow what the teacher recommends. If a child picks up a book below their reading level for some at home recreational reading…it’s ok (as long as they are doing their appropriate school reading too). They are choosing to read in their free time. I obviously embody this when writing this column. I enjoy so many of the books I read to write about here. I also read much more complex books that would be deemed an “appropriate” reading level. Neither are better, they are all great books in their own ways, and I grow as a reader from all of them.

In school, rereading a book might not be what a teacher wants a student to do when they are working on specific reading skills. At home, if a child picks up a book they already read and wants to reread it in their free time…it’s ok. There is often a comfort that comes from rewatching shows or movies. The same can be the case for rereading favorite books. For those who are easily stressed, reading a book where they know what will happen next makes it more enjoyable. Also, when rereading a book, readers may pick up on things they previously missed. I love to reread “Harry Potter” in the fall because I enjoy the vivid holidays in the books. I have reread “Charlotte’s Web” so many times and I continue to find more things that I love about that book. My favorite book to reread “A Time to Keep: the Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays.” Broken down into months, I might reread the whole book or simply skip to the current month and enjoy those few pages.

If we feel like we aren’t good at something, someone pointing out what we are doing wrong, might make us shut down or give up. Obviously, I mean this within reason. If a child is attempting a dangerous sport and something is pointed out for safety reasons, that wouldn’t apply here. I also don’t mean this in terms of homework…the student who does a math problem wrong needs to be shown what is wrong and how to correct it. I’m thinking of the child who picks up a picture book to read in their free time because they like seeing the story while reading the words. While it might not be the book they are supposed to read for homework (and as long as they are reading that too), it’s ok.

If you are still concerned because your child does all of these things, there are some great books you can recommend that may help and won’t discourage your reader. If your child loves to reread a particular book, look for other similar books. If your child loves picture books and you want them reading more advanced stories, there are some incredible advanced picture books that cover more complicated topics, have more words per page, etc. Maybe introduce them to graphic novels that combine word and pictures in a different way.

How do you find these books you can recommend to your reader? Stop by your local library or independent bookstore. The librarians and booksellers have read so much and always have incredible suggestions. Many online book retailers also have sections of suggested books based on a specific title. Include your child in finding these books. A great way would be “I know you love this book, let’s find more like it.” Feeling validated about the books they love, will help grow their confidence as a reader.

I truly believe I read as much as I do is because I never felt bad about the books I chose. I never felt like I could only read certain books or others were for smaller children or older children. As long as the topic was appropriate, I was given the green light in the library to pick up whatever books I chose and enjoy the stories. I read books I might not have otherwise, if my reading list had been entirely curated for me.

More Legend – Raising the Horseman

As you all know from reading here, I love when my world and the world inside the books I’m reading overlaps. I love walking through the spaces that appear on the pages. It’s a special vortex where I can almost step into the book and the story jumps off the page and surrounds me.

I love local stories and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is one of my favorites. Of course, autumn calls for a trip down to Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow to walk through the pages and visit that tiny space where the book comes to life and I’m standing in the story looking around. While I love this trip any time of year, autumn is extra special there because the location and season match. My previous reviews of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and related stories can be found here: The Legend, The Hollow Trilogy, and The Horseman.

I saw the site of the Van Tassel house, visited the Old Dutch Church and wandered through the cemetery, of course stopping at Washington Irving’s headstone. I read each signpost that indicated the ties the legend has to that very spot. As I wandered through Tarrytown, I visited a wonderful bookshop and picked up a copy of Serena Valentino’s “Raising the Horseman.”

In “Raising the Horseman” we met the many times great granddaughter of Katrina Van Tassel, who continues her legacy by also being a Katrina (goes by Kat) whose family is preparing for the 200th anniversary of the Horseman’s legendary haunting of Sleepy Hollow. Kat doesn’t believe in ghosts and finds it frustrating that her entire town seems to be obsessed with them. She wants to explore the world and feels frustrated that her parents keep talking about her family obligation to continue the family’s legacy in Sleepy Hollow. Kat meets a new friend, Isabella Crowe, who unbeknown to Kat also has ties to the legend. Kat is given the 1st Katrina’s diary to read and as she does, the legend seems to come to life around her.

I wish I could tell you more, but I don’t want to give away any of the surprises in this book. The story involves surprises, ghosts, and even the Headless Horseman himself. I loved how a 200-year-old Legend could still be believable in a modern-day story. My only complaint is that this book wasn’t longer. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. The story moves back and forth between Katrina’s diary and Kat’s story 200 years later. While this might sound confusing, it isn’t. Katrina’s story brings a new perspective to the Legend, and we see a new side of Katrina along with Kat (who previously knew the same Legend story as the reader).

This is an incredible YA book for both YA and adult readers. I highly recommend this story. I also highly recommend visiting Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow before/after (or even during) your read to walk through the book. While there, stop by Transom Books and get a coffee at Coffee Labs (I can provide restaurant recommendations too for anyone looking to make an entire day of it).

The 1st Woman to Official Run the Boston Marathon

This weekend is the New York City Marathon. Athletes from all over the world will push themselves to run that incredible distance through the streets of New York. I’m in awe of these athletes.

It’s hard for me to imagine that not too long ago, women were told they couldn’t run. There were no women runners in these long-distance races. It was believed women couldn’t or shouldn’t run. As we look forward to seeing incredible runners this weekend, this week’s amazing true story picture book, is a look at the woman who paved the way.

“Her Fearless Run” by Kim Chafee and illustrated by Ellen Rooney is the story of Kathrine Switzer and her historic Boston Marathon run. Kathrine grew up running when no other girl did. She loved the way it felt to run. When she was a student at Syracuse University, the coach saw her run and invited her to train with the team (they did not permit women to race but she could train with the team). As she trained, she increased her mileage and when running 10 miles, wanted to train to run a marathon. As much as her coach believed in her, he doubted she could do it because women don’t run marathons.

Hearing doubt pushed Kathrine to want it even more and she continued increasing her mileage and training with the plans to run the Boston Marathon. She checked the rules, and it didn’t specifically say a woman could not enter so she did. She listed her initials instead of her first name so one realized a woman was running until the race started. While some cheered her on, others (including race officials) tried to stop her. This only fueled her more. She was determined to make it to that finish line because it wasn’t just about it. She wanted to prove women could run a marathon.

While I hope no girl will ever hear that they can’t do something simply because they are a girl, I hope if any girl does hear those words, she can channel her own “Kathrine Switzer” determination and prove the world wrong.

Bookish Halloween Costumes

(*note – this originally was published in October 2022 but always a good reminder to look to books for fun costume ideas).

This week, several friends sent me a photo of a little girl dressed up as a book fairy. Her wings were made from an open hard-cover book. Her skirt was made from loose book pages. The costume was brilliant, and I wish I was going to a Halloween party just to be a book fairy. The fact that multiple friends sent me the same image made me happy…they know me well!

This got me thinking about other bookish Halloween costumes. I know I originally said I would write about ways to bring books alive, and I will cover that more soon, although I think Halloween costumes are a perfect way to make a book come alive for a child (or teen, adult, pet, anyone). Dress up as your favorite character whether they are from a movie, cartoon, book, or comic book.

If a child likes a book series, what better way to get them even more excited about reading more in the series than for them to dress up as that character? We often see Harry Potter and Hermione, and I love that children love the characters so much that they choose to dress up like them. In our house, costumes have been some very popular book characters and some more obscure. Some of my favorite book character costumes from our Halloweens past include Gerald from the Mo Willems “Elephant & Piggie” books, a borrowed Sophie Foster costume from Shannon Messenger’s “Keeper of the Lost Cities” series (and yes, we had a friend who happened to have that costume), Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games,” and a group costume consisting of Hermione, Harry’s Owl (carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet), and Doby.

Some characters are challenging because their costumes look like regular clothes, so how do you identify it as a costume? Fear not, it is still possible. For many of our book costumes, I made a trick-or-treat bag. I picked up a package of plain white cloth bags and printer transfer paper. Print a full-sheet book cover onto your transfer paper and iron it onto the bag. It’s simple (although read the instructions to see if you need to flip the image before printing so you don’t have a backward book cover). The easiest way to immediately identify that the child is dressed up as their favorite book character, and that bag will likely become a favorite little book tote bag.

I can’t wait to see all the costumes, especially the book-inspired ones this Halloween. If you dressed up as a book character, be sure to share a picture. I’d love to see it!

Help me find this picture book!

I have a vague but distinct memory of a children’s picture book from when I was maybe 5 years old. My dad took me to the library and we borrowed this book. I loved the story and wanted to keep the book. My dad found it on my bookshelf and not in the bag of books to be returned to the library. I vaguely remember the discussion that followed about it being a library book and that we borrowed it, thus we must return it (which we did).

I don’t remember the title, but I’m hoping with the power of the internet, someone who reads this recognizes this picture book and can share the title with me.

The story was of a humanized rabbit family. They lived in a home and acted like humans but obviously were rabbits. One of the rabbit children really wanted a dog. His parents would not let him get a dog (dogs were still animals in the book and not humanized). The rabbit child finds a dog and brings him home. He dresses the dog up in clothes and tries to pass him off as a rabbit friend to his parents. At dinner, the dog sits at the table with the family and begins to eat the food off the plate like a dog, not like a (humanized) rabbit using utensils. At that point, the rabbit parents realize the friend is a dog but allow the rabbit child to keep the dog as a pet.

Does anyone recognize this picture book based on my description? To overcomplicate it, I haven’t seen this book since I was about 5 so my recollection could be a bit off but I’m rather confident in my description of the story.