Summer Senses

              Welcome, June and Poetry Friday, hosted by Buffy Silverman at Buffy's Blog! Thanks, Buffy, for our welcome to a summer month!

          Memories from the senses appear without invitation. Watching the grand-girls climbing a tree perches me in my own tree in a grandparents' backyard where I spent summer days reading after dragging an old pillow up to a limb. A grandpa mows along with me as I push my little mower, listening to its whirr, whirr, whirr. There is no sound I know like it. 
          This poem arrived from a taste, a summer afternoon treat at a grandparents' home where I visited each summer through most of my growing-up years.  That taste of Pepsi let the words pour!

Pepsi Time

Let me be transformed, if only for a while.

I drink my Pepsi and become a little girl again.

On the farm, humidity hovers,

insects surround - showing off,

helping.

Swing, sit and sip
one icy glass under the elm.
The afternoon pauses,
waits for the evening cool.

I escape upstairs to the spare room of stories,

for The Saturday Evening Post,

a gift saved for me all year,

that magazine of good fiction

I read once in a while now,

but only online.

Newsprint smells welcome

and I turn the pages with a clip, flip.

I settle and sigh,

satisfied that nothing has changed.  

For this summer month,

I live my child's life—

nothing to harm me,

no worries around me.

They love me,

daughter of their 

lost son.

And feed me biscuits

and stars

                 and Pepsi.

Linda Baie (c) All Rights Reserved

#NFPB18 - Leaders Who Guide Us

art by Sarah S. Brannen

         Visit Alyson Beecher on Wednesdays for Non-Fiction Picture Books at Kidlit Frenzy.  From her and others, you will discover and want to celebrate terrific nonfiction picture books!  

        This amazing book about Gandhi offers the highlights of his life by illustrator friends of Brad Meltzer. Including Meltzer. Twenty-eight artists collaborated to tell the story, each in his or her own style. They are donating their work to the Seeds of Peace organization which they "feel embodies Gandhi's mission." The long and burdened, but slowly enlightening journey of Gandhi is shown in the variety of styles by the artists making it even more compelling to learn. It includes brief biographies of each illustrator and a timeline of Gandhi's life. The endpapers show his journey to the sea. 

        Telling Malala's story must be a challenge to tell in different ways, to consider the audience. It has already been told several times, this time in a debut picture book written and illustrated by Lina Maslo. In graphic exaggerated pictures, focusing on reds and blues, Lina shows the important parts of Malala's story, from birth to her worldwide fame. There is a focus on her father's unwavering support to help his daughter (deemed bad luck at birth because she was a girl) starting with her namesake. That naming seems prophetic, for the name comes from a Pashtun heroine who died supporting soldiers with inspirational words in a battle in 1880 that Afghanis fought and won against the British. Her name is Malalai of Malwand. For young readers, this telling of Malala's story, especially when she was shot, is done thoughtfully. She is shown to have gone into a dream-like state for seven days when she woke up to find herself in England. She continued to be determined not to keep silent about girls' rights. This focus on Malala's childhood and enjoying school until it's made illegal for girls is done well. Also, the laws that keep girls from learning are explained simply. It's a great introduction to Malala for younger children or for anyone who wants a brief and enjoyable biography. Added are an author's note, a timeline, and further resources.

#IMWAYR - More Books To Know

          Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to see what they've been reading, along with everyone else who link up.  

            Yes, it's still science-fiction and a bit of fantasy, yet there is a part of me that sees this story as the sweetest reunion of family. Like people torn apart in all the terrible times of our world history, seeing the sadness of parting between Roz the robot and Brightbill, her goose son and the joy of seeing each other after the separation brings tears as much as an adult novel will. After her repairs from the island capture, Roz is reassigned to Hilltop Farm where help is certainly needed by the family there. Roz uses her robotic abilities to do the work assigned, but her "extra" abilities endear her to the two children who live there. They've recently lost their mother, their father is injured and desperately needs help to maintain the farm. Not only does Roz befriend the children, but the dairy cows, too, and others who live there. She becomes fond of all, yet continues to miss her island and especially her dear Brightbill. Through migrating flocks, at last a plan for escape is made. Peter Brown manages just the right amount of tension and heartbreak met with actions of understanding and love in his second story of Roz. How he shows the least of the characters with heart is amazing. I smiled when I saw that Chitchat the squirrel remains, and was saddened that Greybeak, the pigeon was gone. It's a terrific story with just the right number of illustrations that punctuate the actions. 

             A few chapters, a lot of laughs, a fun book for early readers and any who love seeing friends have fun along with working out misunderstandings. “May I use your bathroom?” might be the most hilarious because Chick asks that question, and Fox thought what most of us might think, but Chick takes it to another level, “A PARTY”! There’s humor along with both sweet and tongue-in-cheek words. My granddaughter loved it and we both smiled all the way through. Thanks to Sergio Ruzzier, the text is brief but terrific, and the illustrations are straightforward and colorful. It’s created in a comic book format, easily navigated. 

Every day Celebrations

            

      Celebrating today with Ruth Ayres and others who share. I haven't written a celebration post since early April, first caught in the throes of a poem a day in April, then it didn't happen week after week. I have been much more busy at the bookstore where I volunteer. For those of you who don't know, this is a used bookstore that is run entirely by volunteers, and I am the volunteer coordinator. It's great to work with all these people, but takes time, and some finesse I think, too. I celebrate the more than forty volunteers who keep our bookstore going for book lovers!

     It's been a strange weather year for us. We've had winter when we expect spring, and summer when we expect, yes, spring. I hope things settle down soon! But whatever has happened, the flowers seem more beautiful than ever and I celebrate that something worked very well for those flowers this year.
     Ingrid (3rd grade) came home from a three-day overnight on Friday and was so excited about her time in the woods, she wanted to do something else on Saturday, our day this week together. So, we traveled to a favorite lake and loved our walk, seeing beautiful birds, sketching in our notebooks and hearing the concert they gave to us. I don't have a picture of Imogene (kindergarten) who went for one night last week. I celebrate the teachers willing to take their classes out into the wild, to show how wonderful it can be. 
     And finally, many of you know that my father was killed in action during World War II. I celebrate those in the military who keep us safe, today and long ago. The sacrifice of lives taken or years of service given is something we don't always think about, and this Memorial Day holiday is one that helps us remember. 
     It is the start of summer vacation for many of you. Wishing you one filled with rest and a slowing down of your lives so you can take time to celebrate the good things in each day.

Poetry Friday - Being Ready

              Poetry Friday this final one in May is hosted by Margaret Simon at Reflections on The Teche! Thanks, Margaret, for sending us off into summer!

Photo- Linda Baie

        I spent many years saying goodbye in Continuation Ceremonies and with speeches to my students. I taught gifted middle-school students in an independent school and our continuation ceremony felt as important as high school graduations, though not quite as big. Usually, in my speeches to the students and the guests in the audience, I shared a poem, hoping they could take the wise words of a poet on with them. I'm thinking of all of you who are saying your goodbyes to your own grown-up children or students today, sharing the beautiful and wise words of William Stafford. 

You Reading This, Be Ready

Starting here, what do you want to remember?

How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?

What scent of old wood hovers, what softened

sound from outside fills the air?

Will you ever bring a better gift for the world

than the breathing respect that you carry

wherever you go right now? Are you waiting

for time to show you some better thoughts?

When you turn around, starting here, lift this

new glimpse that you found; carry into evening

all that you want from this day. This interval you spent

reading or hearing this, keep it for life -

What can anyone give you greater than now,

starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?

~ William Stafford ~

     Thank you to all those who have served our country. I appreciate each one who has stood in harm's way for us.