Feeling Less Than Stellar

For the most part, the past few months have been filled with some light and fluffy books.  But, when life hands you lemons, it might be best to make a Lemonade War.  The book, by Jacqueline Davies just happens to be one of my favorites of the summer.  We even used it as a Summer Reading Club prize this year to go along with our 'Food' theme.  

In the novel, two siblings (a boy and a girl) who spend a lot of time together making lemonade stands start to feel the pressure of competition when it is recommended that the younger of the two should skip a grade and they should start the fall in the same class.  As someone who felt the need to 'compete' with her siblings always, I felt a sort of kinship with the brother in this story.  The frustration of feeling like no matter what you do, it might not ever be good enough is so real that it brought back a flood of memories from my own childhood.

As the middle child, I feel as if I am predisposed to feeling like I am not as good as my siblings and that my parents never really noticed me as a result.  I am quite sure that my parents paid just as much attention to me as my siblings, but the actuality of the situation means nothing to a child.  It is all perception and feeling.  I spent my formative years being told that I was incredibly pretty - only to grow up thinking I wasn't smart.  My brother and sister were always told they were smart.... and because no one ever told me that I was smart too, I thought that I was pretty and dumb.  

No matter what actually happens, the competition that siblings feel for each other trumps reality.  I was talking with a friend a few weeks back and he remarked how his sister is so smart that she has always made him feel dumb.  This particular person is so incredibly gifted in art and music, I thought to myself - I would imagine that growing up in his enormous shadow, she felt she HAD to be smart in order to compete with his greatness, and that she feels inadequate when compared to him as well. 

As children, what makes us focus on our weaknesses to the point of ignoring our greatness?  It is something I have spent quite a few years of my adult life thinking about.  It took until I was 25 for my sister to tell me that she was always jealous of me.  That she and my brother never had to work for a grade, it just came naturally... but that I worked so hard to get what I wanted, it made her jealous.  I just couldn't believe it.  My brother said the same thing.  He had to take a semester off from college because he didn't know how to study, but I already knew when I got to college because I had been doing it for so long.  I can't help but think how weird it is to be jealous of the study habits of someone else.

That is what makes this book so wonderful.  It discusses these sibling relationships and the secrets we keep about them without being preachy.  It allows a child to understand that just as much as they envy their sibling, they are being envied as well.  Perhaps if I had read this book as a child, I would have spent less time feeling little and ignored and more time trying to figure out what my awesome qualities were.  I might have found them sooner.

'Anne with an E'

As a child, the only gift (besides a check) that I can remember getting from my 'Grandpa O'Keefe' is the 2-VHS tape set of Anne of Green Gables.  I don't know if he bought the same movie for all of his granddaughters, but I like to think he bought it especially for me, being that I am named after his daughter, my godmother, Anne (with an E).

I didn't know growing up, but I guess that proper 'etiquette' for names in the 50s and 60s stated that Anne as a first name should have the 'e' and Ann as a middle name should not (just like Jeanne vs. Jean for first or middle names).  Being that my 'Anne' is a middle name, I think that makes me special (and Anne with an E is so much more distinguished!).

Nowadays, people name their kids all kinds of crazy things and spell them any way they want.  I guess there was a time when that wasn't the case.... something that as I just read Anne of Green Gables was mentioned when Marilla remarks about the Barry girl named 'Diana' instead of Jane or Mary or something more common.  In the story, Anne has no problem with wonderfully crazy names and asks to be called Cordelia. 

I have watched those tapes (and now DVDs) probably 20 times since I received them, each time thinking about my grandfather and how much he must have wanted me to have them... seeing as he never again sent an actual gift.  The movies hold a special place in my heart and I still remember what I was wearing and where I was the first time I watched them.

It wasn't until it was a suggested book for a book club that I am in that I happened to read the first in the Anne series, Anne of Green Gables.  This is a book that most people read sometime in their childhood, but for some reason almost half of the book club had not.  I wasn't expecting much, as having been on several book award committees I have found that reading beloved childhood books as an adult doesn't always result in adoration, but I was smitten almost from the first page.

Anne is a lovable, laughable, and kindred character, and through her trials and her excitement I found myself remembering my own childhood and comparing notes.  Did I fall off a ridgepole after being dared to walk it? No..... But I did get challenged to a race through the 'World's Largest Human Maze' in Breckenridge, CO only to finish 40 dizzying minutes later than the other kids and throw up all over upon my exit.  Was it embarrassing? Yes.  Was I being competitive? Oh heck yes.

I actually own all of the Anne books, and never had picked one up to read it - I find it hard to read a book after having seen the movie.  I spent my childhood watching the movie instead of reading the book, but I found myself believing I was one of Anne's 'kindred spirits' just the same.  I am so glad to have been 'forced' to read the book for book club, even if it was some 20 years late.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

It has been awhile since I posted anything - a direct result of the turmoil of my personal life and the loss of my husband.  Through his stay in various hospitals and nursing homes, the 'favorite things' song kept playing through my head like a mantra for when I was feeling sad, mad, bad or any other emotion that ends in 'ad'.

One of my favorite books (which I love to recommend to EVERY child that comes into the library... and adults too) is Shakespeare's Secret.  I know.... those of you who know me well have probably been waiting to see when this book might make its appearance on here.  Although it isn't a book that makes me cry, I do get quite emotional while talking about how much this book inspired me to read all things 'Anne Boleyn'.  

In library school, I had to pick one of the books I read for my Children's Literature class and write a review of it.  This is that review:

Elise Broach’s debut novel about a lonely middle-school girl named Hero is one not to be missed.  Hero and her older sister Beatrice have just moved into a small town outside of Washington, D.C.  The girls may share the source of their names, Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, but they could not be more different.  The story follows Hero as she learns about her new town, the secret of the house into which she has moved, and how to accept herself and grow through her experiences.  The novel allows the reader to enter the overbearing world of English royalty and observe some of the social injustice that occurred at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s rein.  Shakespeare’s Secret is an accurate portrayal of a new student dealing with typical middle-school problems and any reader can relate to Hero’s dilemmas and predicaments.  The narrator of the audio book only adds to the brilliance of this novel, as she provides excellent character separation.  The mood and setting created by her voice are easy to get enveloped in.  This novel, both in print and in audio book formats, is an excellent title to be added to any school or public library and can easily be worked into a school curriculum. 

My love for the book goes far beyond 'the best book I read in library school'.  I was just getting into the world of children's literature in my second semester.  For someone who was stuck reading Sweet Valley Kids and Baby Sitter's Little Sister books well into High School, I missed out on a lot of great books for kids.  It is only lucky for me that I have to read books I should have read as a child for my job.

After reading Shakespeare's Secret, I was so excited to learn about Anne and Shakespeare as well as try to figure out if Hero's discovery of their connection might actually be true.  I devoured books on Elizabethan England and Shakespeare like I was a two year old eating an Oreo.  It was definitely just as messy.  I tell this story to parents as often as I tell it to children - mostly as encouragement to find 'that book' for their child... one that will inspire them to absorb as much information as they possibly can on a subject before finding the next book that inspires them.  It is incredible to watch and even more awesome to experience.  

I encourage everyone to check out Shakespeare's Secret, but on that same note, I encourage them to find their own 'Favorite Thing' and have fun with it!

A Welcome Distraction

Sometimes, instead of books causing me to cry, my real life becomes so overwhelmingly sad that I turn to them for comfort and an escape. Over the past few weeks as my 'real life' became slightly overwhelming, my 'book life' became light and fluffy. Instead of gravitating toward the sad stories that make my heart break, I opted to read The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone (in between adult chick-lit titles).

I have an affinity for books that take place in and around Chicago landmarks (such as The Time Travelers Wife or Chasing Vermeer), especially ones written by Illinois authors. This is even more true when it comes to places I have actually been such as the Thorne Miniature Rooms in the Art Institute of Chicago, which is where this book takes place. Like most other books that 'play on history' such as my most favorite of favorite books, Shakespeare's Secret, I delve into the story and can't be distracted.

This sort of devotion to a story can cause the people around you to be annoyed, but it can also help you through a rough time, creating an alternate reality in which you can live for a few moments at a time. This fascinating story of two friends, Ruthie and Jack, who find a magic key that shrinks them and allows them to live in the 68 Thorne rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago, is one that can do just that.

I thoroughly enjoyed living within the rooms that I have seen so many times, and not only remembering what they look like, but learning about the life outside of the rooms; what it was like in 18th Century France, or in America before I was born. Now, I love a good HGTV interior design show, and this book is basically a child's version of a cross between Antiques Roadshow and House Hunters International with a bit of family mystery, art history, and friendly fun. What is not to like?

While I wouldn't recommend this book to someone looking for a good cry, I did tear up at the end when things come together and Ruthie and Jack help an old artist find his passion for life again. It is a wonderful story to be read aloud or read alone - either way, you can easily find yourself lost in The Sixty Eight Rooms.

On Being Special

As I have mentioned before, I come from a family that includes children with special needs. I have a severely autistic cousin who, although he can communicate through the very few words he uses, barely speaks at all. At family parties, I sometimes look over at him and wonder what he is thinking. I realize that this particular communication issue is probably more emotional for me because of my familiar connection, but I think anyone who has ever interacted with a special needs child would find the book Out of My Mind interesting.

Melody, a wheel-chair bound child diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, can't speak. It isn't that she doesn't have the brain function to speak, it is that her muscles can't move her lips, mouth, and jaw enough to form sounds and words. That doesn't stop her synesthetic and photographic brain from absorbing everything she encounters.

With the help of a computer that she can type into she finally can speak for herself and people begin to realize just how smart she is. The trouble is convincing people to take her seriously and include her, especially for the things that make her 'special'.

I am not sure if it is the fact that I wonder what my cousin would say if he could or the fact that the book is written from Melody's point of view, giving us the insight to understand her frustration, but the book is so well written that I couldn't put it down. Even now, months after I read the book, I sit and wonder how much of what Melody was thinking is what my cousin thinks. Each time I consider this, I tear up.

This is a wonderful book, one which I encourage all people to read. Much like how The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime allowed people to understand the world through the mind of someone who has Autism, this book allows people to experience the life of someone trapped by the limitations of their body. I think it could go a long way to bringing understanding to those who encounter people of all ages with special needs in their daily lives.

Depression... the New Readers' Advisory

It has been a long time since I read a book that created its own depression in me, but it has happened. Sad as it is, while reading The Time Travelers Wife, I came so close to the end of the book at 1am, that I stayed up reading it until 3:30am so that I didn't have to wake up the next morning and be sad again. I cried so hard I woke up my roommate. For days I walked around in a sort of haze... it's a good thing I finished it on a Friday night on a weekend I wasn't working. The lasting effects of the 'book depression' didn't go unnoticed by friends and family (by the way... explaining your depression with a book title does not always make people want to read it).

Anyway, it happened again a few weeks ago while reading a series of books that left me in a 'book depression' for weeks. It all began with the book, The Road to Paris. When I first picked it up, I didn't know I would like it. The young black girl with braids carrying flowers on the cover made me think this might be a black Little House on the Prairie. It wasn't, and boy am I glad.

The story starts out at the end of the book, with Paris sitting at the dinner table, getting up to answer the phone and finding her mother on the other end telling her she wants her to come home. Through the rest of the novel, we follow Paris through multiple houses as she makes her way through the foster system with her brother.

I have to admit, I was crying almost from the very beginning. In a scene I can only describe as emotionally traumatic, it is described that Paris and her brother are locked in a closet, and when Paris has to go to the bathroom so badly she can't hold it anymore there is still no compassion... and she has to pee standing there in the closet. The shame that follows her through the homes that follow is excruciating, but as with most children's books... they don't leave you feeling like you have a hole in your gut. It ends as most books meant for kids do, with a semi-happy ending. Then you can cry out of happiness for the character instead of sadness for her situation.

That Thing About Georgie

While I do read quite a bit, both for pleasure and work, I rarely come across a book that moves me quite like The Thing About Georgie. Today, while recommending another great Lisa Graff novel, Umbrella Summer, and walking the child to the shelf, I noticed The Thing About Georgie sitting next to it. I quickly added the book to the girl's growing pile of reading material, explained how the book was about a dwarf boy and how he learns to fit in with his class, and then grabbed her shoulders and said - don't skip to the end! With tears in my eyes, I walked back to the reference desk. In the instant it took me to sit down, I was taken back a few weeks to when I finished the book.

It isn't every day that I allow myself to finish a book in bed, but it happens. As someone who suffers greatly from 'stuffy noses' at night, I try not to cry too much before bed... but I guess I just didn't see this one coming.

The book was interesting from the beginning, each chapter starting off with a fact about what Georgie can or can't do just like a 'normal' child... such as:

Put your hands in fists... now try to tie your shoes. You can't? Well Georgie can't either.
- or -
Take a tape measure and mark a wall at 42" tall. Look at the items around your room that are taller than 42". Those are the things that Georgie wouldn't be able to reach.

In a polite way, the author of these tidbits of information makes understanding the plight of the dwarf a little more realistic. The rest of the story chronicles the every day events in Georgie's life through the school year, including a falling out with his best friend, the pregnancy of his mother, the impending arrival of his new baby brother or sister, and the torment of having to deal with the meanest girl in the 4th grade.

It isn't until the end that you figure out the author of the aforementioned handwritten information. As it turns out, one of Georgie's classmates has checked out the only book in the school library on what it is like to live as a dwarf, and is writing these bits of information as he or she learns them. As someone who comes from a family that includes children with special needs, it was 1) absolutely heartbreaking to read the story from Georgie's point of view... knowing that the way he feels about being different may be the way my family members feel, and 2) absolutely heartwarming to observe the humanity in those interacting with Georgie. Have you ever had your heart broken and warmed at the same time? It actually physically hurts.

I have to say, sometimes I cry through an entire book, but most times I just tear up a little at the end.... I sobbed through the end of this book, and then woke my husband up so that I could tell him about it. Most times, when telling a real-life story to a friend, I will say 'and then my husband asked me what was wrong', but in the middle of the night, I am not even sure I wait for him to ask - I just simply start to tell him.

A lot of what I read would be considered books for children, but though they are meant for children, I find them more satisfying than any adult title I have picked up (with the exception of Pride and Prejudice). There is something so innocent and gentle about the way they approach every day issues, and for the most part they tend to teach the reader how to deal with a problem in a way that is less than preachy. The thing about Georgie is.... he teaches children to accept life's problems, and that even if you have dug yourself into a hole, a friend's hand is all it takes to help you find the way back out.