Literary Touches to Themed Baskets

I recently agreed to co-chair a charity event -- the silent (bid it or buy it) auction of themed baskets during the Spring Style show of the Mercy Medical Center (Cedar Rapis, Iowa). My agenda was to include a literary component in every basket that I dealt with. For the most part I was pretty successful in that regard. My favorites include the Peter Rabbit Basket, Love of Oz, the Blueberry Blue Basket, the Ladybug Ladybug basket -- and many more. Click on the "preview" link and browse the collection. If you come to he browsing page and wish to see a larger image of the basket, just click the link for the basket.

Just one example of creating a literacy event at every opportunity -- building a Nation of Readers, One Reader at a Time.

Awards and Interview w/Just One More Book

My time does fly -- it's been a few weeks since the prestigious Caldecott and Newbery Awards have been announced. I was somehwat disappointed - -I wanted a picture book for little readers. Don't get me wrong I LOVE The Adventures of Hugo Cabret--LOVE IT LOVE IT; but I still wanted a book for the younger set. I feel cheated this eyar -- but that's my own problem. There were some fine honor books that can be shared and perhaps it is time we paid attention to honor books -- as they are sooooo close to the winner. A different composition of the committee might have made the entire difference.
Check out the winners at the ALA site at http://www.ala.org.

Meanwhile back to reality -- JUST ONE MORE BOOK conducted an interview with me a few weeks ago and now the edited result is online -- check it out on the JUST ONE MORE BOOK Site.

In a few days I am headed off, with Carol Gorman, to visit the American School in Warsaw Poland. Should be an interesting trip.

Award Books -- 2008 Coming Soon

This time last year (2007) I was frantically rereading, scruntinizing, and enjoying the hundreds of books submitted with the hope that one of them would be named the Caldecott title -- and certainly it was. The adventure ended when our 2007 committee met in Seattle, Washington and discussed and discussed the books at hand. Finally we emerged with a book to be named THE Caldecott Award title; and three Honor books.

Flotsam by David Wiesner got the Award nod and the three honor books were named. All the books and summaries are listed on the Amer. Library Association's website at http://www.ala.org

Now it is January 1st 2008 and we are awaiting the 2008 announcements which should come the morning of January 14th (Monday morning) -- the event will be simucast and immediately announced on the ALA website. Make arrangements to watch the simucast of all the announcements and take note of the 2008 winners.

Sharron

Great Pumpkin Pie

All things Thanksgiving --
Ever get disgruntled when the pie crust gets too brown while the pie bakes. If so try this crustless no fuss no mess pumpkin pie.
Happy Thanksgiving.

Great Pumplin Pie

Combine
1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pour mixture into two 8- or 9- inch deep greased pie pans. Sprinkle each pie with 1/2 of one package yellow (or spice) cake mix. Drizzle each pie with 1/2 melted butter and sprinkle with 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 1 hour or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Serve with ice cream or a dopple of whipped cream.

Now what pumpkin book could we pair with this recipe? For other recipes see Authors in the Pantry and Authors in the Kitchen -- great author conenctions with many great books and recipes.

ALA - Washington DC

I've never been to Washington before so flying in was an interesting sight. No delays - despite Chicago being shut down for two hours a day or two ago. Uneventful.
Checked in at the Four Points by Sheraton. Very nice and just three blocks from the convention center (although - trust me I will not walk it again). It's hot and muggy and I end up walking five blocks instead of one because I am so geographically challenged.

This conference is the culmination of my work on the Caldecott Committee - Tonight Walker Books has invited us to dinner and we are to be able to meet David McLimans -- the author/illustrator of Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet. The book was createdentirely in black and white with just one touch of red on each page. So tonight the committee will dress in black and white with just a touch of red. Cool idea -- I can say that because it was not my idea. Fit right into my wardrobe as I generally wear just black and white anyway.

Tomorrow night we dine with Hyperion, the pubishers of Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford and ilustrated by Kadir Nelson (Nelson of course is the winner of the award).

Sunday night is the Newbery Caldecott banquet itself during which the awards will actually be given. I will attend with Walker. Should be much fun.

And finally on Monday night wewill dine with Clarion books and meet David Wiesner who won the Caldecott Award with Flotsam. With that win he became only the seoonc person to have won the award three times. Marcia Brown is the other three-time winner.

I am look forward to a productive (and fun) four days.

More later.
Sharron

Pennies for Poetry -- Bucks for Books: Join Ethiopia Reads

This note just came in from my friend Jane Kurtz and I wanted to ask all of my readers to consider contributing to the initiative to literally help build literacy in Ethiopia.
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Pennies promise poetry.
Dollars deliver dreams.
A buck can buy a book and books change lives.

Instead of asking "a penny for your thoughts,we're asking you to put
your two cents in by donating a dollar to Ethiopia Reads during the month
of May help in celebration of our fourth anniversary.

Ethiopia Reads was founded in May 2003 by Yohannes Gebregiorgis after he
realized how much even one book changed his life. Our mission is to
develop a reading culture in Ethiopia by connecting children with books.

Be a part of our efforts to put books into the hands of every Ethiopian
child by participating in our give a buck campaign. That same dollar may
not travel far here but just imagine all the stories it can tell in
Ethiopia.

Thank you. "Amesegenallo."

For more information: visit http://www.EthiopiaReads.org.


You can donate to Ethiopia Reads and its current and future projects by
visiting the EthiopiaReads.org website and donating through Paypal.
The Paypal button is on the left side of the page. Your donation will be
secure and is tax-deductible as allowed by law.

If you prefer you can mail your donation to:
Ethiopia Reads
50 South Steele Street, Suite 325
Denver, Colorado 80209

Nicole Rubel

This week a local school district has invited Nicole Rubel to be an author-in-residence. The students were well prepared and the visits in the schools are going well. Tonight, however, we had a great dinner at Zinderick's Czech Restaurant -- a restaurant operated by Al Zinderick (who also operates Al's Red Frog -- an establishment next to the resturant). Fresh homemade applesauce began the evening with medallions of tender pork loin and potato dumplings with sweet and sour cabbage. The meal's end came with a delicious fruit and nut pastry.


Nicole Rubel is a very talented author and illustrator. It was a delight to hear about her work and current projects.

We spent some time scouring antique shops on 16th Avenue - -the home of the Czech district in town. We were able to find some great jewelry. I found a faux garnet brooch and another brooch with amber stones. Jeni Reeves - -another wonderfully talented author and illustrator generously gifted me with a Ruby glass and enameled bud vase. It will be a great accessory when I am using my ruby and gold trimmed rose china. We had looked forward to visiting other sights in the Czech district but sadly though the National Czech and Slovac Museum which is part of the district here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa closed at 4:00 p.m. So too did the quaint gift shop -- the Czech Cottage which stands on the corner of a street intersecting with 16th Avenue. I don't quite understand how we (residents of the metro area) are supposed to promote the tourism of the area when nothing stays open past the early afternoon. Aren't most people actually working until 4 or 5 p.m. When do you suppose they have time to visit "the attractions" with their out-of-town guests? In this case Nicole Rubel was busy in schools all day and would have enjoyed seeing some of the "sights" in the locality.

Well so much for trying to promote the Czech district but the meal at Zinderick's comes highly recommended and so does a visit to Al's Red Frog.
And the conversation with Nicole, Jeni, and our librarian friend Jean Schwegler made for a wonderful evening.

Oh, and while at Zinderick's I spotted a Schmid musical box of Mr. Jeremy Fisher. I managed to bargain with Mr. Zinderick for the musical box and was able to take the item home where it will be placed in my Beatrix Potter guest room. Such fun.

But best of all is the original art Nicole brought for my art gallery. The illustration is from one of my very very favorite books, A Cowboy Named Ernestine. Strong female character, cowboy, rural scenes, and a very great picture book read.

Reading for All Seasons

When I spoke at the Nevada Reading Week Conference in Reno, Nevada on February 23 - 24, 2007 the conference had t-shirts designed by a local artist and sold as the official t-shirt. The conference was organized by the terrific Ellen Fockler who has been the main stay of this conference for many years.

The t-shirts were fun designs with ducks stacked in a "pile" and all reading books. Here is a picture of the cutest four children (in Nevada and beyond) wearing their shirts. From left to right: E.J. (age 6), Marissa (age 2 mo), Kylie (age 4), Kaydence (age 2).

In Nevada I gave a keynote address : What Does a Sixteen-Foot Gazoo Have to Do with Reading? and on the following day provided workshops showcasing great new books from 2006: 25 Best Books—Meet Marvelous Mattie, Owen, Mzee, and More; and Authors in the Kitchen: Connecting Books from Little Red Hen to Gator Stew (Feb. 24)

The Following week I was in Wichita, Kansas presenting four workshops for SDE for the first grade conference being held here.

• Top 25 Best New Books for the First Grade Classroom
• Poems, Prose and People-First Grade
• Picture Books and Six Trait Writing-First Grade
• Reading Across the First Grade Curriculum

If you are interested in some of the handouts used for these workshops can be located on my website -- http://www.mcelmeel.com. Click on curriculum and then on presentation handouts. Search around you might find some interesting things.