Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue

What luck to be in Hudson, Wisconsin, as the same time as replica ships of Columbus' Nina & Pinta! We walked down to the dock on the St. Croix River and saw these two small ships that looked very much like the ones Columbus took across the Atlantic!

The Columbus Foundation had them built (see the website for much more on that) to educate the public about Columbus' voyage. According to them, the Nina & Pinta were classed as caravels, the explorer ships of the time (1492, remember the rhyme?), whereas his third ship, the Santa Maria, was a freighter that Columbus never liked that ran aground in Hispanola on its first voyage.


Our guides on the ship tour were young crewmen who had volunteered for the adventure. They not only knew the ship, they knew Columbus lore. They told us about the cargo hold below, and how Columbus' crew brought horses with them. To keep the horses in shape, they devised a hoist so that the horses could be lifted over the side and could swim in the water to keep in shape.

According to the Columbus Foundation, the Nina was Columbus' favorite ship. We were surprised at how small it was for an ocean-going vessel.

The modern version has up-to-date navigational tools and a motor, but we could easily imagine being at the mercy of the wind, waves, and tiller--no steering wheel here.
(the tiller)


I wish we could have seen the ships sailing in, their sails unfurled to catch the breeze. The ships were moored, sails tied, near a modern tour boat that outsized these old ocean goers.



Columbus is a controversial figure in our day as the one who opened the door for colonialism and European exploration, leading to exploitation of North America's people and resources. Here's an excerpt from his journal, Oct. 15, 1492, after Columbus and his crew had sailed since August:

"Stood off and on during the night, determining not to come to anchor till morning, fearing to meet with shoals; continued our course in the morning; and as the island was found to be six or seven leagues distant, and the tide was against us, it was noon when we arrived there. I found that part of it towards San Salvador extending from north to south five leagues, and the other side which we coasted along, ran from east to west more than ten leagues. From this island espying a still larger one to the west, I set sail in that direction and kept on till night without reaching the western extremity of the island, where I gave it the name of Santa Maria de la Concepcion. About sunset we anchored near the cape which terminates the island towards the west to enquire for gold, for the natives we had taken from San Salvador told me that the people here wore golden bracelets upon their arms and legs. I believed pretty confidently that they had invented this story in order to find means to escape from us, still I determined to pass none of these islands without taking possession, because being once taken, it would answer for all times...."

Nonetheless, to see this ship and consider his voyage lets us know Columbus' courage and idealism. The Library of Congress has some of his works. For more about Columbus see the Columbus Navigation page.

What explorer do you admire? Who are our modern day explorers?

Children's Author Peter Brown Receives SD Award

The children of South Dakota have spoken! After reading many great books in the past year, kids in kindergarten through second grade voted Peter Brown's The Fabulous Bouncing Chowder as the Prairie Bud Award winner for 2010.

(Brown holds the 2010 South Dakota Prairie Bud Award.)

Brown was in Sioux Falls to receive the award at the SD Library Association Conference at the end of September. He graciously offered an impromptu session about his art and work. Growing up in New Jersey, he began writing at an early age. (His first book is shown on his website, and he showed it to us during his talk.) He was encouraged in his artistic pursuits and graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. After graduation, he moved to New York City and continued developing his artistic craft and his writing craft.

A young man with a good sense of humor, Brown said that his lucky break came at a New York party where he met several young women, all of whom were in the publishing industry. Yes, his first picture book was published as a result of this meeting, but Brown emphasized that the meeting would have meant nothing if he had not been prepared. He had studied, done the work, and done the networking. He was credible and professional. The time was right, and his career as children's picture book author--and book Flight of the Dodo--were launched!

For Brown, creating the pictures comes easily. He says he labors over each word. He tries to use no unnecessary words, letting the artwork help tell the story rather than merely decorating it.

His two books about Chowder, the bulldog, delighted his young readers so much they are clamoring for more, but Brown is not sure he will return to Chowder. He showed us slides from his book Children Make Terrible Pets, released this September and destined to be another kid pleaser.

(Librarian Nancy Eckert introduces Peter Brown and his new book.)

Congratulations, Peter Brown, and thanks for visiting South Dakota!

Hear and see Brown yourself in this five minute interview:

Follow-up to Talk Like a Pirate Day

I'm pleased to announce that Eric Ode's CD, Seven Clever Pirates, has been given a Parents' Choice Silver Honor Medal! See the previous post for the video, and click here for Parents' Choice. Congratulations, Eric!

Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/angstdei/461916765/ by Tim (the enchanter))

Ahoy, mateys! September 19 is officially International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Don't be a bilge rat! Join in the fun. The Web site has pirate talk in English, German, and Dutch.


Here's a brief lesson from the Pirate Guys themselves:


This link takes you to a site where you can find out your true pirate name. Here's mine: Iron Ann Cash. Description: A pirate's life isn't easy; it takes a tough person. That's okay with you, though, since you are a tough person. You're musical, and you've got a certain style if not flair. You'll do just fine.
Is your pirate name as accurate as mine? Arrrrr!

Smartly now with some pirate songs & books--
Avast for Eric Ode's CD "Seven Clever Pirates"!


Shiver me timbers! Here's Mike Mennard's "Pirates." Learn why it's hard to be a pirate in Nebraska!

Aye! Here are some fine pirate rhymes from David L. Harrison's book, Pirates.

And I'll end with a book about a pirate beauty--or was she really a pirate?--The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi.

So, get your pirate name, pirate songs, pirate books, and shove off! But first--what are your favorite pirate songs or stories?

Celebrate International Literacy Day

(Jack's Storytime, artist Gregory Jackson, sculpture at Siouxland Library Main, downtown Sioux Falls)

Being successful in life is difficult if you can't read. Never mind the enjoyment of curling up with a good novel or the sense of victory in conquering a new word. Think about being unable to read instructions, employment applications, forms, signs, food labels, and other everyday survival postings.

Literate people have more earning power, and literate countries are more advanced. They have better economic stability and better health. The United Nations declared September 8 as International Literacy Day to draw attention to the need for the ability to read.
This literacy infographic is from United Nations Human Development 2007-2008. A list of countries' literacy rates, according to the United Nations Development Programme 2009, is found here.

Yet even here in the United States, we find people unable to read or unable to read well enough to function well in society. Efforts abound to teach children and adults how to read through special school and after school programs and literacy programs sponsored by literacy councils and libraries.

How can you promote literacy?
-Read! Let yourself be seen reading at home and in public!
-Read aloud to others.
-Volunteer in a classroom, local library, or senior facility to read or assist with reading.
-Join your local literacy council and participate.
-Tutor someone learning to read.
-See ProLiteracy for more ways to promote literacy.

Victor Hugo wrote, "“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.” What kind of reading sparks are flying around you today?

(Summer Distractions II by arist Lee Leuning, sculpture at Siouxland Library Main, downtown Sioux Falls)

Graphic Novels: Beyond Comic Books

(photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/playfullibrarian/3269942771/ by playfulllibrarian)


Being in the reading & writing business, I couldn't avoid graphic novels. I looked at the popular manga, the superhero, and other types. But actually read one?

Then a review led me to read Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush, by Luis Alberto Urrea. This graphic novel adaptation of one of his magical realism stories is illustrated by Christopher Cardinale. The art depicts the narrator's home town, boyish pranks, and the results of Mr. Mendoza's paintbrush. Mr. Mendoza used his paintbrush to keep the villagers in line, and finally, to step out of town mysteriously himself. The combination of art and story help us see and feel the village, the time, and the culture. (With respect to copyright, I'm not posting art here, but click the links to see samples.)

(photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/66621323@N00/3365849376/ Michael Morrow)

Here are some things I've learned about graphic novels:
-The average reader is 30! This isn't just kid stuff.
-Most of them are NOT full of violence and sex. They have good, solid storylines.
-Some of them are about superheroes, but most are not.
-The vocabulary is twice the level of the average kids' book.
(Thanks to Jasmine Rockwell, South Dakota State Library, whose blog about YA books is here.)

(photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/dainec/182486761/ by Aine D)

Kids do love them, and yes, it is REAL reading. For the most part, I still prefer the traditional book, but graphic novels such as Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush are works of art.

What's your opinion of graphic novels? Have you tried them? Which ones would you recommend?

The Bear Necessities: Bears & Books

"Time to cool off!" we imagine Teddy saying, as he catches some spray from the waterfall.

We met Teddy (from the observation deck a safe distance and many barriers away) at the North American Bear Center in Ely, Minnesota. The Center offers excellent exhibits to teach us about bears' characteristics and is home to bears Teddy, Lucky, and others that have been raised in captivity.

We learned that bears eat grapes and nuts, as we got to observe feeding time.


The exhibits told us that bears are generally gentle creatures and had pictures to prove it. Teddy had his mouth around a Center naturalist's face, kind of like a full-head kiss! Below, Teddy sits in the scale. The read-out inside showed his weight at 670 pounds.



From Yogi to teddies to pandas to grizzlies, people have had a fascination with bears. The Three Bears is a favorite folklore tale. Two of Bill Martin's classic bear stories being re-released, Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, are children's favorites. Let's not forget Helen Oxenbury's We're Going on a Bear Hunt! Find the book, a willing child, and go bear hunting with this story!

Not all bear tales are for kids, though. Many South Dakotans know the true story of Hugh Glass, a mountain man who was mauled by a grizzly, left for dead by his compadres, and who then crawled 200 miles to the safety of a fort. A fictionalized account by Frederick Manfred, Lord Grizzly, tells the dramatic tale. Nevada Barr writes mysteries set in national parks. Her Blood Lure involves grizzly bear research in Glacier/Waterton Peace Park in Montana.

What bear stories can you tell me? Have you ever had a personal encounter with one?