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Do you remember when I wrote about meeting two very devoted Betsy-Tacy fans for tea?! What an afternoon we had: eating, chatting, and sharing favorite scenes from the books; my cheeks hurt from laughing at their various Betsy-Tacy adventures. It was easy to see how much these books meant to Barb and Jen when they first read them as young girls, and how timeless those lessons are.
Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy books are set at the turn of the 20th century, and follow BFFs Betsy Ray and Tacy Kelly from Kindergarten age into adulthood. I called the books
a book series that grows with the reader; a set of true comfort reads that we can return to again and again.
An Edwardian Tea Party
in celebration of the classic Betsy-Tacy books
Tuesday, February 16
2-3:30 p.m.
Wellesley Booksmith, 82 Central Street, Wellesley
BETSY WAS A JUNIOR and BETSY AND JOE (newly reissued)
The event is co-hosted by the Wellesley Booksmith and the New Betsies (the New England chapter of the Betsy-Tacy Society).
It promises to be a lot of fun, a great way to re-visit your favorite stories, or to introduce them to another reader. There will be tea and snacks, crafts, and the New England premiere of the Barbie Masterpiece Theater, a show chronicling some of the adventures of Betsy and Tacy.
As Jennifer Davis-Kay, one of the organizers says:
The Betsy-Tacy books are timeless stories of friendship, family, and growing up at the turn of the century. Kids who’ve enjoyed Anne of Green Gables or the Little House books will probably like Betsy-Tacy as well.
My kids are on winter recess next week, and this will be a very entertaining way to spend our afternoon – I’m looking forward to it … will I see you there?!
A few weeks ago I told you about My Heart is Like a Zoo, a new children’s picture book which has quickly become a favorite in our house. We love Michael Hall’s bright illustrations, finding the hearts incorporated into the pictures, and the way he has assigned human moods to the animals.
The kids and I have sorted throught the stack of pictures books that have arrived in our house over the past few months, and have culled two additional “love”-themed books to share with you in time for Valentine’s Day gift-giving. Like My Heart is Like a Zoo, neither of these mentions Valentine’s Day, so you can get year-round enjoyment from them.
Selma Mandine’s Kiss Kiss was originally published in 2008 in France as Bisous Bisous; it’s adorable, and I’m so glad the English translation is available from Golden Books. This isn’t the iconic Golden Book I was raised on, it’s a standard-size picture book with illustrations across two-page glossy spreads inside. Texture and shading make the pictures really pop!
Kiss Kiss is a conversation between a teddy bear who asks “What’s a kiss like?” and a boy who explains that a kiss is ”supersoft, like cuddly wool” and that “sometimes, just like a cactus, it prickles” (accompanied by a picture of Daddy and his 5-o’clock shadow). Their Q&A ends with:
Sorry, but I still don’t understand exactly what a kiss is.
Oh! Well, here’s one ….
Hmmmm, it’s soft and warm and fresh … It’s delicious! Can you give me a lot more?
Of course I can. I love you ….
(awww!)
You’re Lovable to Me is written by Kat Yeh, illustrated by Sue Anderson. This is a nice reminder of unconditional love between parents and children, even when those children grow older and become parents themselves. My kids loved the bunny family, saying it reminded them of us, all those bunny children hopping around, and Daddy Bunny nowhere to be found (apparently, like J, Daddy Bunny was out of town on business when the book was written).
“It had been a big day … It had been a hard night.” and the little bunnies sniff “We’re sorry!” as Mama tucks them in. She replies (in part):
“No matter what your feelings are, whatever they may be …
I’m your mama. You’re my bunnies.
And you’re lovable to me.”
Mama bunny puts her little ones to bed, cleans up the house, and falls asleep on the sofa. Grandpa bunny finds her there when he stops by for an evening cup of tea. He wraps a blanket around her, kisses her on the head and whispers:
“When a papa loves a bunny, he still loves her when she’s grown …
with a home that’s filled with love and hope and bunnies of her own.
When a papa loves a bunny, that’s the way it will always be.
I’m your papa. You’re still my bunny.
And you’re lovable to me.”
I appreciated this reminder that parents are grown-up children, never too big to benefit from a little snuggle!
FTC disclosure: books were provided by the publisher
Back-of-the-book blurb:It is 1940. France has fallen. Bombs are dropping on London. And President Roosevelt is promising he won’t send our boys to fight in “foreign wars.” But American radio gal Frankie Bard, the first woman to report from the Blitz in London, wants nothing more than to bring the war home. Frankie’s radio dispatches crackle across the Atlantic ocean, imploring listeners to pay attention–as the Nazis bomb London nightly, and Jewish refugees stream across Europe. Frankie is convinced that if she can just get the right story, it will wake Americans to action and they will join the fight.
Meanwhile, in Franklin, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod, Iris James hears Frankie’s broadcasts and knows that it is only a matter of time before the war arrives on Franklin’s shores. In charge of the town’s mail, Iris believes that her job is to deliver and keep people’s secrets, passing along the news that letters carry. And one secret she keeps are her feelings for Harry Vale, the town mechanic, who inspects the ocean daily, searching in vain for German U-boats he is certain will come. Two single people in midlife, Iris and Harry find themselves drawn toward each other.
Listening to Frankie as well are Will and Emma Fitch, the town’s doctor and his new wife, both trying to escape a fragile childhood and forge a brighter future. When Will follows Frankie’s siren call into the war, Emma’s worst fears are realized. Promising to return in six months, Will goes to London to offer his help, and the lives of the three women entwine.
Alternating between an America still cocooned in its inability to grasp the danger at hand and a Europe being torn apart by war, The Postmistress gives us two women who find themselves unable to deliver the news, and a third woman desperately waiting for news yet afraid to hear it.
She is Too Fond of Books’ review:The Postmistress opens at a dinner party set in the present day. Frances “Frankie” Bard poses this question to the guests: “What would you think of a postmistress who chose not to deliver the mail?” Then she tells the reader:
Long ago, I believed that, given a choice, people would turn to good as they would to the light. I believed that reporting – honest, unflinching pictures of the truth – could be a beacon to lead us to demand that wrongs be righted, injustices punished, and the weak and the innocent cared for … But I have covered far too many wars … to believe in … a single beam of truth to shine into the dark. Every story – love or war – is a story about looking left when we should have been looking right.
Here is the war story I never file. I began it at the end of the forties … What I knew at the time is pieced together here with the parts I couldn’t have known, but imagine to be true.
Blake switches to an omniscient narrator at this point, and the bulk of the novel is told in the third person; it’s easy to forget that Frankie Bard is handing the story to us, because we get a fairly even distribution of the three viewpoints until about midway through. However, her words in this opening provide foreshadowing and explain her motivation as the novel progresses.
Franklin, Massachusetts is the name Blake has given to her fictionalized Provincetown (which caused me some confusion at first, as Franklin is the name of a real town about 35 miles southwest of Boston, not on the Cape). In Blake’s Franklin, the outermost town on Cape Cod, the throngs of summertime beach-goers running on casual vacation time contrast with the orderliness of Iris James’ routines at the post office and Harry Vale’s determined scanning of the Atlantic, ever on the lookout for German invaders.
I admired the three female lead characters for their very different personalities – Iris James, the postmaster of Franklin is all about order, routine, propriety. What is it then, that causes her to shirk this responsibility, to divert mail from its intended recipient?
Emma Fitch is innocent, in every sense of the word. She has led a sheltered life and wants only to settle down in what she imagines will be a fairytale lifestyle with her new husband, Will Fitch, the town doctor. Why does Emma keep to herself? Is she shy, or burdened by the mantle of her husband’s family? Will she allow townspeople to support her when she needs it, or will her armor of pride prove to be impenetrable?
Frankie Bard is my favorite – perhaps because of her adventurous spirit and her desire to do more than “Get in. Get the story. Get out” as she has been instructed. Is it a flaw that Frankie gets emotionally involved in her stories, that she becomes vested in the outcome of the people she reports on? Or does her strong female voice cause people in America to sit up and notice what’s going on past the sandy beaches of Franklin and across the Atlantic to Europe?
Bard wants to report what she sees; she feels that if Americans knew what was happening in Europe, they’d be called to action. Because of censors and her bosses admonitions to report facts, not emotions, she is told that rather than broadcast that
…”the streets are rivers of blood. Say that the little policeman you usually say hello to every morning is not there today.”
Frankie Bard is able to capture the voices of people in mass exodus from occupied Europe. The way she does this, both her personal techniques in talking to people and the new technology she uses, combine in a unique and haunting way.
Blake writes The Postmistress in four parts, corresponding to the seasons Fall 1940 through Summer 1941. The first two sections introduce us to the characters and allow us to observe their routines; the day-to-day of life in Franklin contrasts markedly with the Blitz in London as it is experienced by Frankie. It is at the halfway mark that I read a passage that knocked me in the stomach. Then another. And yet another. The last two sections were pageturners, and I had tears running down my cheeks at several parts.
Two very strong themes have been with me since I finished reading the novel. The first is the question posed by Will Fitch, “What happens to a story around its edges? … What happens after the part you gave us?” He wants to follow up on the people he hears about on the broadcasts. We hear a snippet of a human interest story – what happens to those people after the reporter leaves, after we turn off our radios?
I’ve also been thinking a lot about predestination versus free will. Blake alludes to this with the detailed description of the order of the postmistress’ day, her routines of raising and lowering the flag, sorting the mail, the precise clunk of the franking machine as a postmark is stamped. Iris James believes that:
There is an order running beneath us, an order and a reason, and every letter sent, every goddamned letter sent and received, proves it. Something begins, somethings finishes. Something is sent, something arrives. Every day. Every hour. As long as there are letters –
I feel The Postmistress will be very well-received by book groups; some topics for discussion include our responses to perception and reality, and the desire at times to live as if a false perception is the truth. There are parallels to current events, with questions about how news is disbursed, how images are managed, and whether we choose to get involved or deny the evidence. Readers might also discuss the pacing (the relative easy pace of the first half in contrast with the rapid developments of the second), and the value/necessity of certain scenes … no spoilers here, email me after you’ve read it, if you’d like. My Skype book group will be disucssing The Postmistress in April, I’ll post a recap of our comments then.
FTC disclosure: review copy provided by the publisher
The SheKnows Book Club will discuss a main selection every other month, and will highlight other bonus books with author interviews, sneak peeks, etc. More information is available here on the SheKnows Entertainment channel; you can register for a free account, upload your avatar if you like, and join the conversation on the SheKnows Book Club message boards.
Pieces of Happily Ever After, by Irene Zutell, is the first pick. In it, Alice Hirsch tries to pick up the pieces of her broken “happily ever after” and figure out what to do with them. Will she try to glue her life back together? Throw away those shards of her old life? Or will she find a way to turn those broken pieces into something new, maybe something better than she had before?
Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:
What happens after“happily ever after”? Alice Hirsh is about to find out…
Alice, a former New Yorker who thought she’d never feel at home in the bizarre world of the San Fernando Valley, was adapting, raising her 5-year-old daughter while trying to keep her job and make her new house a home. When her attorney husband lands a trophy client – box-office queen Rose Maris – things begin to look up. Then Alex starts working late – a lot. He crunches his paunch into a six-pack and trades his Gap ensembles for Armani everything.
Soon, Rose and Alex’s affair blazes in the tabloids and Alice is plunged into trash-gossip hell. Her life crumbles around her as she navigates her newly single self through suburban LA –a place rife with porn stars, psycho soccer moms and nutty neighbors.
Is there a chance to wrest Alex from the Sexiest Woman Alive? And if so… would Alice want him back? And what about George–her college sweetheart? Or Johnny, a walking charm-bomb paparazzo? As Alice inventories the rubble of her life, she desperately searches for her bearings and is forced to ask herself what she really wants from life, love and herself.
I’m looking forward to reading about Alice, and how she handles the sudden unwelcome glare of the spotlight, the gossip and the rumors … all while trying to juggle the responsibilities of parenting and figuring out which direction she’ll head now.
Here’s the book trailer, with a little video tease:
When I learned that Beth Hoffman’s Saving CeeCee Honeycutt had been selected for the first Sam’s Club Book Club, I was so excited! I had read an early copy of the novel, and knew that this warm southern story deserved a big spotlight – this connection with Sam’s Club would help do that. I emailed my niece, Nicole, who lives near Atlanta, and rambled on about the novel, the debut at the Marietta store, and asked if she could possibly go to meet Beth and to pick up signed copies for each of us. Nicole said she was up for an adventure, and that she’d ask a girlfriend to go with her and to make a day of it.
Here is her story, and what an outing it was! It involves a big chicken, fancy dog food, a quick resolution of a customer service issue, a lovely spot of tea … and … Beth Hoffman and Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. And, yes, I know that Nicole gives me far too much credit for influencing readers, but I’ll take a little ego boost when I can get it !
I wanted to share with you my girls’ adventure Saturday that included visiting Sam’s Club to get a signed copy of Beth Hoffman’s book, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. The Sam’s Club sits at the 11 o’clock if Atlanta’s perimeter was a circle and I live around 3 o’clock. It’s a little distance away from where I live, so I asked a friend, Leslie, if she wanted to go and check it out with me and we made an afternoon of it.
I didn’t bring a map or directions to the store, because Leslie had her GPS and plugged in the address; unfortunately, the GPS wasn’t working and connecting to a tower or such. We planned to stop along the way and would ask directions or call 411. I noticed a Trader Joe’s as we drove up to to a fancy boutique pet store. My friend shows dogs and likes to get a specialty dog food for her dogs. Although one of the big-box stores just started selling this brand of dog food, she would rather support the smaller businesses, even if they are a little distance away.
We asked the owner if she knew where the Sam’s Club was and she started giving us directions. … “up the road about 4 miles, and then onto route 40, you know where the chicken is? you turn there..” where the chicken is? huh? “oh, you’ve never been way, just look for route 40 and you’ll see the chicken, you won’t miss it.”
okay, so we were off…. and to see the chicken? We drove up the 4-ish miles and we saw the chicken!!! Leslie and I were laughing and laughing, it was hilarious! Fortunately, we hit one of the many red lights around Atlanta and Leslie was able to snap a picture or two. We turned and found the Sam’s Club.
Sam’s Club is a club, right? so do you need a membership to get in? Well I wasn’t even thinking and just walked in, no problem; I later noticed the ladies checking membership ids. I looked around and saw the balloons and author set up, but I also noticed that everything had “member price.” Does that mean that there is also a “non-member” price. I asked one of the people working if I could just buy a book from the author signing if I wasn’t a member? And I couldn’t. Sooo… I back-tracked to customer service and saw the 10 people in line; would it be better to find a bookstore and come back? Leslie and I went and stood in line… and waited. We were talking about how it’s neat to buy in bulk, but neither of us have kids or the space for the ’stuff,’ grabbing 1 or 2 extra when they are on sale at the grocery store works for us.
Finally, we were at the front of the line and I asked if I could get a day pass, because I was only there for the author signing and I just wanted to buy a book for the signing. “No, we only have yearly memberships.” … okay, well I really wanted to get this book for my aunt; and I might consider just getting the membership because I might use it, but that really didn’t make sense. I said again that I was only there for the author signing, could I perhaps ask a manager?
His manager wasn’t behind the desk, but ‘over there’ and he would go and ask, but he sounded quite negative. I told him that I would go along, perhaps we could do something…? He told me that I could wait there as he quickly walked in front of me a distance away nearer to the book signing. Well, even if I couldn’t get the book right off, I would be back, so I wanted to say hi to Beth as my Aunt Dawn’s niece. Aunt Dawn let her know that I might stop by. Well I said hi and introduced myself and Beth was soo enthusiastic and delighted that I came by, she gave me a hug and told me how sincerely she adores my aunt. Since Aunt Dawn posted the review of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, Beth has had 100+ more followers on Twitter overnight and the New York Times are “picking up the book.” Beth’s enthusiasm and energy was contagious, she was raving about Aunt Dawn and told me how much it meant that I did come to the signing… oh, but wait, how was I going to buy and have a signed book? I began to tell Beth that I had a little problem and would have to come back. She gave me the quizzical look and asked, what? When I started to tell her that I don’t have a membership to Sam’s Club and would have go to a bookstore and come back, someone stepped in, sort of between Beth and I, and handed me a card while telling me that I could use their card. I was surprised and taken aback. Thank you…!!!
I picked up a couple of books and stood in line at the counter right next to us… Leslie joined me and told me that the cashier that went to talk to the manager was leaving with his head down because he and the manager realized that it would really bad PR if I couldn’t buy a book especially seeing that Beth was giving me a hug and soo enthusiastic with us meeting; it was actually the manager that stepped in and handed me her membership card to buy the book. =)
Beth and I chatted some more. Beth sold her part of a design business that employeed more than 8 employees after having serious health problems. This was her first book and she was so thrilled. She told me how Aunt Dawn’s review meant soo much to her and she couldn’t wait to meet my aunt. While we were talking there was a PR person snapping a few pictures. I handed him my camera so I could have a picture for my aunt. … well I have to say that it was really, really cold that day and I probably should have kept my winter hat on; the picture of me, ikes! The PR person snapped what seemed to be a few more pictures; however, I later realized that he was having trouble with my camera and 4 of the 5 pictures were out of focus. There was one that would have been soo nice of Beth sitting at her book signing table with the books, flowers, and signs. I’ll send the picture to my aunt and tell her to imagine the picture taken through frosted glass =)
With a few veggies and treats in hand we were both talking about book blogs and how someone reviewing a book could have such an impact. We left Sam’s Club with such a positive feeling. Beth has such a ‘presence’ with her positive energy and, knowing that my aunt loved the book (and my aunt reviews A LOT of books), I strongly feel that Beth is going to be a success…. and, importantly, I also have a signed book!!!
Leslie and I continued our afternoon adventure to Trader Joe’s. We sampled their freebie coffee, wandered through the aisles and looked at some of the ’different’ stuff they sell. I picked up plantain chips to try and Leslie found a couple of bottles of wine. We continued next door to the Nike store looking for a sale rack. Noticing no sale rack at Nike, we headed back towards Leslie’s area of town, around Atlanta’s 2 o’clock, and planned to stop at a tea shop.
The tea shop is just like a coffee shop, but had tea instead. We split a pot of tea and a quiche snack. We girl-gabbed and relaxed on the comfy couches. Leslie was hoping that her husband had finished painting a room by the time she got home and I had no plans that evening, perhaps finish that book I borrowed. Funny enough, in the corner at a long table, there was a book club sitting there talking. What a fun day.
Stacy, please contact me with your mailing address, and I’ll get the book in the mail to you. After you read it, please log it at the GivingTracker at Concord Free Press (you can do this anonymously), then share the book (for free) with another reader … the cycle of giving will continue.
Anyone can follow the news at Concord Free Press on their blog; be on the lookout for information about their next FREE book, IOU – New Writing on Money.
I am so pleased to welcome Beth Hoffman, author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, which debuted last week to great reception: #34 on the New York Times bestseller list, #11 on Heartland Indie Midwest, and #9 on SIBA (Southern Independent Booksellers’ Association); go CeeCee!
This novel is full of southern warmth and charm, and loaded with wise and strong women; the main character is a 12-year-old girl in transition, who in turn inspires changes in those she touches. My review of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is here.
So, I’ve put on tea, Beth has arrived, and we’re hoping Oletta will soon arrive with a plate full of her homemade cinnamon rolls …
She is Too Fond of Books: Hello, Beth, and welcome to She is Too Fond of Books. Thanks so much for taking the time to sit down and chat with us today. It’s been only a few weeks since Saving CeeCee Honeycutt debuted as Sam’s Club’s first book club pick, can you tell us a bit about what your book tour has been like? Are you still on Cloud Nine?
Beth Hoffman: The book tour is a potpourri of excitement, wonderful adventures, and exhaustion. The schedule is grueling—I’m in a different city each day. Yet the minute I arrive at an event and begin talking, I get all fired up and the adrenalin kicks in. Every single event has been wonderful and I’ve met amazing and generous people.
SITFOB: As you know, I was quite taken by Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and all the strong female characters you created, especially CeeCee herself and Oletta. Did you know when you began writing that you’d have such a wonderful women-centered world, or were CeeCee and perhaps Aunt Tootie your starting points?
BH: CeeCee came to me first, and though I knew I wanted to write a story about strong women of all different ages, backgrounds, and cultures, the story often led me on unplanned adventures. Several times I experienced “writer’s alchemy” – that powerful moment when a character takes control and demands to be heard. It was quite something.
SITFOB: Many of Oletta’s conversations with CeeCee were imbued with wisdom, pithy sayings that summed up Oletta’s advice on good clean living. They all rang true, but I’m not familiar with these particular expressions – were they passed down in your family, or did you create them as part of Oletta’s character?
BH: With the exception of a few family sayings that are sprinkled throughout the story, Oletta’s voice and her earthy wisdom came to me as she evolved from chapter to chapter. More than a few times I was genuinely surprised at what I heard her say in my head!
SITFOB: Mrs. Odell’s idea of a Life Book is a fairly spiritual (though not overtly religious) concept, and several of the characters in Saving CeeCee Honeycutt experience new chapters ending and beginning. In the very moving video [it's at the bottom of this page, folks!] about your decision to write, you say you weren’t walking from a successful career; you were walking toward something else. Did your understanding of a Life Book help you make that decision to write, or did the path of your journey gel as you wrote?
BH: After I nearly died of septicemia, I emerged a very different person. It wasn’t an overnight transformation by any means—it happened slowly over several years until one day I felt as if I’d been reshaped. Though it might sound odd, I also felt like I was far more wide-awake and aware. My view of life and my creativity shifted dramatically until I could no longer ignore the fire that I felt for writing. When I finally made the decision to leave design and honor my dream of writing, it was the most empowering feeling I’d ever experienced. In my heart I knew I was gong to write a Southern novel before I even wrote the first word.
SITFOB: Do you identify with any one character in particular?
BH: Though there’s no denying that I can be a bit like Thelma Rae Goodpepper, it was Oletta who stole my heart. She exemplified who I aspire to be as opposed to who I am. Every time I wrote about Oletta she taught me something that I value to this day.
SITFOB: You were a partner in a major Cincinnati-area interior design firm before leaving to pursue writing full-time, and I understand that you’ve renovated your own historic home from top to bottom. Have you, like Aunt Tootie, ever been active in saving a treasure from potential demolition?
BH: I’m in love with old homes and I support many organizations—the Savannah Historic Foundation, the Historic Charleston Foundation, and the Kentucky Historical Society to name a few. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve admired the architecture, solid construction, and charm of older homes, and I feel it’s vital that we protect and preserve them whenever we can.
SITFOB: How would you describe yourself, other than an author/writer?
BH: Animal lover, a darn good girlfriend, and a devoted wife (or at least I certainly try to be).
SITFOB: Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers of She is Too Fond of Books?
BH: Yes. I have been overwhelmed by the support I’ve received from your readers. I’d like to thank each and every one of them for their kindness. And, I also want to thank you, Dawn, for believing in CeeCee—and me! It was so great to meet you in person at ALA, and I hope our paths cross many times in the future.
SITFOB’s further note to readers: Beth Hoffman is the genuine article, and she pours that authentic into the spirit of the characters in Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Check Beth’s book tour schedule, and do try to catch a reading if you can. I’ll just sit here and continuing waiting for Oletta to show up with those cinnamon buns …
Back-of-the-book blurb:In June of 2002, a very unusual ceremony begins in a far-flung village in western Kenya. An American diplomat is surrounded by hundreds of Maasai people. A gift is about to be bestowed on the American men, women, and children, and he is there to accept it. The gift is as unsought and unexpected as it is extraordinary.
A mere nine months have passed since the September 11 attacks, and hearts are raw. Tears flow freely from American and Maasai as these legendary warriors offer their gift to a grieving people half a world away.Word of the gift will travel news wires around the globe.
Many will be profoundly touched, but for Americans, this selfless gesture will have deeper meaning still. For a heartsick nation, the gift of fourteen cows emerges from the choking dust and darkness as a soft light of hope and friendship.
She is Too Fond of Books’ review: I first heard the story of 14 Cows for America when the book was published in the late summer of 2009; because of its connection to, indeed, its inspiration from the events of September 11, I read many very positive reviews around that time. Why, then, did it take me several more months to pick up a copy?! It’s been another month since I bought it, and I can finally read through it without crying or choking up (and that’s a feat!).
This is a wonderful book, based on a true story, and carrying a vivid message about compassion, empathy, and understanding. Deedy sets the story wholly in Kameli Naiyomah’s village in western Kenya. He has returned for a visit to his home after studying medicine in America; his western-style running shoes and Stanford sweatshirt contrast the traditions he encounters – a warrior’s blessing bestowed upon a young child, a visit with the Maasai tribal elders.
Deedy explains that the Maasai are nomadic cattle herders who honor those they tend:
… Without the herd, the tribe might starve. To the Maasai, the cow is life.
After Kameli has changed into traditional clothing, the tribe gathers around him to hear the story he has brought from America. Kameli tells of that day in September 2001; he was in the city and witnessed the devastation, the fires, the smoke and debris, the loss. He finishes the story and waits for a response, “he knows his people”:
They are fierce when provoked, but easily moved to kindness when they hear of suffering or injustice.
Kimeli combines the customary respect for the cow with his wish to offer something to America, and asks the elders to allow him to give his cow, with their blessing. The blessing is given readily, along with thirteen other cows, a beautiful gift representing life, healing, and love (this is where I usually tear up):
Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.
A note from Kimeli Naiyomah in the back of the book explains that these sacred cows will be tended to in perpetuity, and can never be slaughtered. At the time of publication, the herd had grown to over 35 cows … a gift for America.
A companion website to 14 Cows for Americasupplements the book, with information about the Maasai people, a pronunciation guide, and teacher’s resources.
This book trailer, created before the book’s release, will give you an idea of the bold illustrations of Thomas Gonzalez, rich with blues, browns, reds and oranges. Despite the emphasis on numbers in the trailer, this is not at all a counting book … unless the message is that human decency is what “counts:”
14 Cows for America is a beautifully illustrated book. It’s not just for children, however; it is an excellent way to introduce any discussion of compassion in a family, school, or church setting. The focus is on the response of the Maasai, not on the events of September 11.
Are you looking for customized Ex Libris labels for keeping track of books you lend to friends? How about fancy “from the kitchen of …” stickers to put on packages of homemade goodies? Or personal to/from self-stick tags for gifts, maybe with a family picture or child’s drawing?
Ah, New York in May. There’s something in the air; it could be the flowers popping up, the scents of spring mingling with the scent of the subway, mild weather giving way to something hot at the Javits Center … hot-off-the-presses HOT! It’s time for Book Expo America, the annual gathering of publishing professionals, booksellers, librarians, authors, and, yes, bloggers, who are eager to get the latest news on the industry.
BEA is taking place over three days, May 25 – 27, 2010, followed by a separate one-day conference custom-made for book bloggers. Book Blogger Con will be held on Friday, May 28, at the same venue; the ability to service more bloggers, badge bundling, and exclusive news and events are some of the great benefits of the affiliation.
The team coordinating Book Blogger Con has put together a blog tour of a dozen or so people who attended BEA 2009, or other industry events, and asked us to share some of our experiences and offer tips and advice on how to make the most of the program.
Beth F from Beth Fish Reads was the first stop on the tour yesterday, offering her “Top Ten BEA Tips.” When I read the list I thought, “uh oh, I’m in trouble … this list is very similar to my list.” Beth F graciously gave me permission to add to, comment on, and even spoof her list; yes, there’s some original content here, too!
10. Don’t be shy! One of the great benefits of attending BEA last year was meeting so many of my “imaginary friends.” My children were more than a little leery of the plan, not understanding that this was a professional event, and choosing to focus on the “I met them on the internet” part of the story. My 13-year-old told me, “Mom! I’ve taken the D.A.R.E. program at school, and know all about internet safety; what if “Beth Fish Reads” turns out to be “Sam Squirrel Writes”!?
9. Practice up on your text messaging. It is impossible to hear a phone ring in the exhibit halls of the Javits, never mind carry on a phone conversation! You know the expression “a hive of activity”? It was made for a place like the Javits Center during BEA … buzz, buzz, buzz. And if you choose to Tweet, even better, then everyone (those at BEA and those following at home) can share in the excitement. I’m guessing #BEA10 will be the hashtag of choice.
8. Carry water and a snack. And a pack of hand wipes. You can get these little reclosable packs at CVS (or Duane Reade when you’re in NY). If you’re from out of town, you might want to try a swampy dog for lunch; guaranteed there’ll be a truck parked in front of the convention center.
7. Get up early for tickets. Last year, each attendee was limited to 2 ticketed signings per day (they scanned the badges to keep track). As Yoda says, “choose wisely.” I saw some “Yankee swapping” going on with the tickets, kind of like those neighborhood holiday parties where you trade gifts througout the evening. Also, there were large acrylic donation boxes at the beginning of the autographing lines, with a suggested donation of (I think?) $2 per signed book; money collected was donated to a literacy charity at the end of the event. You may want to have a fistful of singles, or even to write a check ahead of time to “cover” yourself, if you’re so inclined.
6. Save your quarters/ buy a MetroCard. I purchased a MetroCard to cover the few bus and subway trips I took. It was a great excuse to register for BEA 2010, “But, J, I have $1.35 left on my MetroCard, I have to go to BEA this year, or we’ll just be throwing that money away!” Also, I highly recommend a Starbucks card – easy in, easy out, no fumbling for money before you’ve had your morning latte/chai/jolt of choice.
5. Look for tote bags. I’m not ashamed to say that I’m the ultimate bag lady (see swampy dog photo for evidence)! Based on experience (ahem!), you may want to pack from home a small waterproof or closed-top bag. Otherwise you might find yourself pulling a clean/empty trash bag out of the garbage because it has started to rain and you don’t want your books to get wet. And your friends will laugh at you. I’m just saying, it’s been known to happen. Wheeled carts are a great idea, but, they’re not allowed.
4. Study the program. There is A LOT going on! There are panels and presentations at scheduled times throughout the day, book signings (some will be publicized, some you might just happen upon), and the exhibit hall (with row after row of exhibitors … did I mention there are two floorsof exhibits?!?). Lover of office supplies that I am, I also pack a yellow highlighter to mark my dog-earred program pages. The highlighter also comes in handy when you spot a favorite rock icon and want him to sign a part of your body. Truly.
3. Be polite: ask. Oh, so, true! You don’t want to be Grabby Gert or Stockpile Stu! It’s easy to get that wide-eyed “kid in a candy store” look, and but it’s harder to realize that “your eyes are bigger than your stomach” (I’m a liberal mixer of metaphors). BEA is not an all-you-can-eat buffet of books … it just looks that way!
2. Bring business cards. Lots and lots of business cards. Yes, it’s fun to exchange with other bloggers (“I love your card! Oh, this is so cute!), and you’ll want to have plenty to share with others when you introduce yourself (to a publisher’s rep on the exhibit hall floor, to the person standing in line next to you at a book signing, to others at the table if you choose to attend a ticketed meal event). A badge holder/lanyard will allow you to have easy access to business cards, a pen, and those Starbucks and Metro cards.
1. Shoes. Comfy trumps cute every time. J says that my comfy shoes look like beach shoes; he may be right, but with a size 10 foot (there, I said it; I have huge feet!), and a short husband (ha! I’m half an inch taller than Mr. Beach Shoes!), I have no need for heels. Can you tell which shoe is which?
bonus tracks: A… You might want a camera. I have a camera in my phone, which will be great for twitpics of the various BEA events. I’m also bringing a lightweight/compact digital camera which will allow me to take more photos (with zoom) as well as short video clips. I was able to record Steven Tyler, Clarence Clemons, and Peter Yarrow last year. They’re as choppy as videos from the Blair Witch Project, but I’m glad I have them!
B … It’s OK to be a tourist. Enjoy New York while you’re there. The schedules of the two conventions are packed, but take time to admire the architecture of the city, visit a bookstore (there are several that have been highlighted in Spotlight on Bookstores that I must get to this May!), gawk up at the gorgeous ceiling in the restored Grand Central Terminal. New York has a lot to offer, enjoy it!
C … Know where you’re going. Get a map (many hotels have simple city maps, or you can pick up a guide ahead of time). When we lived in Connecticut I took the train often enough into New York; our line went to Grand Central. One time, I took our then-8-year-old daughter in to the American Girl Place for the whole tea party celebration; after our mother-daughter day out, we were heading to New Jersey to spend a few days with J’s sister and her family. Did I mention that I was 8 months pregnant? And it was HOT? We hopped in a cab to Penn Station (where trains to NJ depart), I paid the cab drive, got out, and burst into tears. He had dropped us at Madison Square Garden! You see, I didn’t know that Penn Station is under MSG. It’s funny in retrospect, but not at the time.
I hope to meet many of you in New York in May! I’ll be the one with the bags and the comfy shoes!
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