Happy New Year and My Favorite Book of 2015

Happy New Year! May it bring you your heart's desire!

Unless you have avoided media completely for the last week or so, you have seen many, many "Best of" lists! This post is not one of those. I may not read a book in the year it was published, so instead, I chose my favorite book of 2015.

My criteria for a favorite book are stringent. The book must:

-be well-written as a whole (plot, characters, setting, theme)

-hold my interest intellectually and emotionally

-reveal some truth about life, preferably a positive, hopeful one

-stay with me for a long time after reading it.

The ending must be so satisfying that I reread the last lines to let them soak in, and then, taking in the whole, I clutch the book to my chest before setting it down. 

With that in mind, my favorite read for 2015 was (drumroll) 

 The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. This was published in 2008! What took me so long? Well, it's narrated by a dog. How precious would that be? And we know how dog stories tend to go, so I avoided it. I'm so glad I read it! My curiosity from a writer's perspective finally forced me to see how a novel narrated by a dog would work. And I was hooked from the first page, because it's obvious that that this dog story was going to go the way they usually do, and how can a deceased character narrate a book? I found Stein's solution completely satisfying. See my review for more, if you haven't read the book.

I got to hear Stein speak at our state library association conference this fall. His storytelling in person is every bit as engaging as his writing, full of humor and pathos with a big dash of reality. It was worth standing in the loooong line to meet him and get my books signed.

In case you didn't know, he has a couple of Enzo (the dog) picture books out. In the newest, Enzo and the Christmas Tree Hunt, Enzo saves the day for Denny and Zoe, and the same themes as Art of Racing emerge here. (I just found this book in the New Books bin at the library or I'd have featured it before Christmas, but kids will like the story any time of year.)

Here's an interview where Stein gives some background about The Art of Racing in the Rain:

Stein also has a new book out for adults, A Sudden Light, that I look forward to reading.

What book was your favorite read of 2015? Are your criteria similar to mine? Here's to a happy, healthy new year full of good reading!

Waiting--'tis the Season

Kevin Henkes has won a Caldecott Medal before, and many children's lit folks thinks he is on target again with this title.

Let's face it, no matter what our age, we spend time waiting--and complaining about waiting. One source says we spend 6 months of our lives waiting in line!  If a website is too slow to load--a matter of a few seconds--it's bye, bye website. We hate waiting for anything.

By David Shankbone (David Shankbone) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

In my faith tradition, we are at the end of the period of waiting known as Advent. This kind of waiting is more like wild anticipation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Of course, those without faith traditions may also feel this anticipation as they wait for Santa to bring gifts from the North Pole. 

This kind of waiting is much more active than the waiting in line kind. Have you noticed the frenzy as we get closer to December 24 and 25? We remember friends and relatives with cards and gifts, though this may be the only time all year that we are in contact. Still, we appreciate them. We wait to hear from them, too. We flour our kitchens in a flurry of cookie baking, making specialties enjoyed usually once a year. And every year  we wonder if we'll get it all done on time--while we wait for Christmas to come.

As a child did you hate waiting for time to open presents? It's excruciating to wait for grown-ups to visit, and eat, and drink coffee, and clear the table, and do dishes until it's finally time to open gifts!

Which brings me back to this deceptively simple picture book.  Five toys on a windowsill watch and wait, each for something different. The toys are happy to get what they waited for, which happens at irregular intervals. And in the meantime, time goes by, and the toys wait.

I could read in some "live in the moment" advice here. Be happy while you wait. Joyfully anticipate what will happen next. Watch what's going on, and delight in the little things. Or maybe it's just a book about toys waiting on a windowsill.

Christmas is upon us and a new year is around the corner. What do you joyfully anticipate? What are you waiting for? 

I'll leave you with this for Merry Christmas, peace on earth, and goodwill to ALL, today and in the year ahead:

Finding Beauty, Giving Thanks, Serving Others

Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson is a lovely urban story about a boy who travels on the bus with his grandmother every Sunday after church. On the bus, CJ observes other riders and wishes out loud (aka "complains") to his grandmother.  In each case, she finds something beautiful and interesting in the situation, helping CJ--and us--see the world and people around us in a positive way. Nana demonstrates without preaching how--and why--to interact with strangers (keeping in mind all the stranger danger tips we know). The destination of the title's "last stop" is not given until the end (SPOILER ALERT), a soup kitchen.

This book is getting high praise from reviewers, including a nod for a possible Caldecott consideration. It resonates with me because of its themes. Our church participates in feeding the hungry at our city's Banquet. 

Why? "It's something you can do where you know you've made a difference," says our coordinator. Once a month, we serve breakfast at the downtown location and dinner at the Banquet West location. 

When CJ asks Nana why they serve at the soup kitchen, she reminds him that they get to know some interesting people. We have discovered that to be true, too. No breakfast is complete until we've heard a new joke from Ray. 

We have learned that most of the people who come to the Banquet are employed but may have to choose between paying rent and buying food. Some come because they are unable to work because of illness or injury. Some come for a warm meal and companionship in an otherwise lonely world. If you live in our area and want to join us, contact me for info. If you don't live in our area, consider helping out at a feeding ministry in your town.

Veterans Day: a Sweet Remembrance

On November 11, 2015, the United States observes Veterans Day to honor those who have served their country in the US military. Ceremonies, parades, reunions, and reminiscences will take place. Service in battles will be recalled, and while that is certainly of utmost importance, I'd like to draw attention to other important work of United States soldiers--that of humanitarian aid.

The children's book Candy Bomber tells the true story of US Air Force Lieutenant Gail Halvorsen and other troops and citizens during the Berlin Airlift. Michael O. Tunnell's  book is aimed at fourth-sixth graders, but adults would appreciate it and its many photos from those times. (Thank you, Linda Baie at TeacherDance for pointing this book out to me!)

Lt. Halvorsen became known to the children of West Berlin as "Uncle Wiggly Wings," or "Uncle Chocolate" after he saw destitute children who needed a sweet boost. In addition to air drops of food and other supplies, Lt. Halvorsen and others dropped parachutes containing candy. He'd "wiggle" his aircraft wings to let the children know it was him, and they would eagerly rush for the falling parachutes. Lt. Halvorsen became famous for his efforts, but it was not fame he sought. He merely wanted to help others, bringing them hope. See more at his website, and take time to hear Lt. Halvorsen tell about his mission:

The US military continues to provide humanitarian aid around the world. Here are just a few illustrations: 

(By English: Lance Cpl. John Kennicutt, U.S. Marine Corps (www.defense.gov) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

US Marines delivering supplies to the typhoon-stricken Philippines in October 2010

(By U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Bobbie A. Curtis [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

US Marines handing out supplies in Haiti, January 2010

(By English: Sgt. Arthur Hamilton, U.S. Army [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

US Army personnel handing out food and candy in Iraq, 2005

Thank you for your service, veterans.

Native American Day: Celebrating Oscar Howe, Native American Artist

This weekend marks a holiday known in some places as "Columbus Day," but from 1990 forward, in my state it is called "Native American Day." Since 2015 is the 100th birthday of South Dakota artist Oscar Howe, we have been celebrating him with a special exhibit of his work at the Washington Pavilion and a new book.

The Pavilion exhibit displayed works that spanned Howe's lifetime. The accompanying text explained Howe's groundbreaking importance. When his entries for an exhibition were rejected, he fired off a letter that shows his determination and individuality. See the text here. He would not be boxed into a style other than his own.

The Pavilion exhibit held special interest for us because a friend told us about how her family came to have an Oscar Howe original. Her father was then president of Dakota Weslyan College. Her parents did a lot of entertaining, with Howe sometimes among the guests. Her mother asked for a painting, and the next time he came to the house, he brought one with him. We were delighted to see the painting in this exhibit!

The book, Native American Master Artist: Oscar Howe, was written by teachers Lisa Vande Vegte Dresch and Lois Sayre, who admired his work and the personal traits that led to his success. Though written for children, adults can also learn more about Howe's life, personality, and artistry. Designed by Marnie Teppen, the book contains many of his works, beautifully reproduced and true to the original color--not something all printers can do successfully. The book also includes information about the Dakota people and photographs of Howe. For more about the book, see the FaceBook page.

Howe's work is still displayed in many places, including public buildings. Ten of his murals, done as WPA work in the 1940's, are displayed in the Scherr-Howe Arena in Mobridge. Here's a photo I took of the dome he painted in the Carnegie Research Center, Mitchell. The photo does not begin to capture the size, color, or design of the whole.

More of Howe's work can be seen here and in person at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, as well as other art galleries and museums.

His legacy lives on as his work and teaching continues to influence artists and art lovers.

I'll close with the question posed on page 37 of the book, "If you could meet Oscar Howe, what would you ask him?"

Talk Like a Pirate, Hope Like a Father & Son

Aye, maties, it's Talk Like a Pirate Day! Shiver me timbers! You'll find some jolly good pirate books in your libraries and bookstores, but I wanted to tell you about this one.

My Father the Great Pirate by Davide Cali, illustrated by Maurizio A.C. Quarello, was published in Australia. I am thankful that my local library purchases items published elsewhere to give me a broader view of the world.

Well, who doesn't want to think that their father is great? And a great pirate? What's better than that? That's what son thinks when he hears his father tell tales of his journeys on the high seas. But then, something happens, and the boy finds out the truth. Is is father nothing better than a liar? How could the boy love this man? Then, something else happens, and we find out the father's ability to create a metaphor for his son--and himself. And when the final something happens, the son (and we readers) find out that sometimes metaphor is truth. 

The author's note at the end explains the history behind this story, which was inspired by real events--the post-WWII migration of Italian men who went to Belgium to work in coal mines. A tragic fire in one of the mines killed 262 miners in 1956. More than half of them were Italians.

This is a picture book for older readers, and it packs a wallop. In addition to learning about an incident in history, we see some amazing coping skills at work.

Take a look, and fair winds to ye! I'm shovin' off!

For more piratey pursuits, see this previous post

Book Launch Fun for Elise Parsley, Magnolia, and her Alligator

Raise your hand if you're the kind of person who likes to go to restaurants on their opening nights or camp out on the sidewalk to buy concert tickets. Notice? My hand is not going up. I do not need to be the first for any of that stuff, until--

Elise Parsley's first picture book, If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don't! launched at our local Barnes & Noble in July. By the time I got there, the children's area was mobbed and all her books were sold out!

As you can see, Elise was pretty pleased. I borrowed a friend's book for the picture! (And disregard the inaccurate date on the photo. This really did happen on July 7.)

Before I got there, Elise gave a reading and drawing demonstration. Here's an upset Magnolia:

Since then, I've gotten my own copy of the book signed by the author. A fun fact is that the publisher created a font based on Elise's handwriting! Watch for more titles featuring Magnolia. What will she try next?

Here's more about the book: 

If you ever want to go to a book launch, do!  It will make the author happy and could be a way to make new friends, as you stand in the crowd, abuzz about the book. 

Have you attended any kind of debut or premiere? How did you like it?