Yes, this is the April edition of the Book Kansas! newsletter. See, it's still April!
Since this is the beginning of the end of school years across the country, I thought you might enjoy this quote to keep everything in perspective:
"A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library." ~Shelby Foote
and that you could also identify with the cynicism of this gentleman:
"There are 70 million books in American libraries, but the one I want to read is
always out." ~Tom Masson
Can you tell we attended the Librarian's Conference this month? It was so good to see and talk to so many book lovers - many who are old friends. Lots of good stories are heading to your local libraries as a result. Enjoy!
Once again, we are in a quandary about which titles to introduce to you. There are soooo many good ones and new ones that we have found, but isn't that a nice problem to have?
For the women of you who like poetry, a new book entitled, "Doggerel, Catharsis and Poetry" by Wichitan Marjorie Rine may be just what you are looking for. We read it to begin with because of the statement on the back of the book! (Covers tell us so much!) The author hooked us with,
"Marjorie Rine was born in Kansas a great number of years ago, the fifth of six
children. Her early years were spent in total confusion because her older brother
had convinced her that she was Chinese. He had given her a clipping from the local
newspaper which stated that every fifth child born in the United States was
Chinese. Due to her mother's innate gift of psychology, she was finally convinced
that she did, indeed, belong to the family. After the trauma was settled, life
became reasonably normal with few residual pains. She and her husband, Jack Rine,
a U.S. Marine wounded off Okinawa, raised three sons. Mr. Rine died in 1995. Marge
(as she is called by everyone but her family) enjoys an ongoing, though,
unfruitful, attempt at gardening, reading eighteenth century literature, travel
and family activities. Note: As she grew older and realized the brilliance of
those whom she had met in the community who were Chinese, she was sorry that
she had been disillusioned."
After that, we couldn't help but read her book and found that we enjoyed the poetry very much. She has a unique way of saying what most women have experienced that allows you to not only recognize the moment, but to laugh at it and yourself. Now, I don't mean to be sexist and indicate this book is only for women. It can also give the men in our lives a little insight, but the women will especially enjoy Rine's perspective.
We also would like to recommend "American Shaolin" by Matthew Polly. Mr. Polly grew up in Topeka, a 98-pound weakling tormented by schoolyard bullies. His solution: go to China and learn Kung Fu from the Shaolin Monks at the monastery home that spawned this particular type of martial art as well as Zen Buddhism. This is the story of his experiences on the road to spiritual and physical development that allowed him to become enough of an expert to, "defend the Temple's honor in a no-rules challenge match, rescue a friend who had crossed an underworld gangster, and fight in one of China's national tournaments." (Again, quoted from the back cover.) And he tells it all with humor, honesty and insight. The reader also learns a great deal about life inside China during the first two years of the Clinton presidency here. Polly offers an affectionate, yet sometimes cynical, account of life in a monastery under a Communist regime. His insights give us a better understanding of
the China we are increasingly doing business with in a very enjoyable style that keeps you reading the next paragraph, the next page, and then the next chapter. Well worth the read.
And for the children - two illustrators whose work makes their books delightful to children of all ages: Brad Sneed and Tim Raglin. Here is a list of titles they've created with special emphasis on their newest and, in our opinion, best. The starred titles have been tested by two 3-1/2 year-olds and embraced -- over and over!
Brad Sneed:
(These are all illustrated by Sneed and some are authored by him. I've listed the authors as well.)
Lucky Russell - Brad Sneed
Turkey in the Straw - Barbara Shook Hazen
The Legend of the Cranberry: A Paleo-Indian Tale - Ellin Green
When the Fly Flew In - Lisa Westberg Peters
I Heard Said the Bird - Polly Berien Berends
* Grandpa's Song - Tony Johnston
The Unbeatable Bread - Lyn Littlefield Hoops
Higgins Bend Song and Dance - Jaqueline Briggs Martin
The Pumpkin Runner - Marsha Diane Arnold
Watch Out For Bears!: The Adventures of Harry and Bruno - Ferida Wolff
Strange and Wonderful Tale of Robert McDoodle: The Boy Who Wanted to be a Dog - Steven Bauer
Smoky Mountain Rose: An Appalachian Cinderella - Alan Schroeder
The Bravest of Us All - Marsha Diane Arnold
Sorry - Jean Van Leeuwen
Picture a Letter - Brad Sneed
When Wishes Were Horses - Sharon Addy
Aesop's Fables - Brad Sneed
Thumbelina - Brad Sneed
* Deputy Harvey and the Ant Cow Caper - Brad Sneed
* The Boy Who Was Raised By Librarians - Carla D. Morgan
Big Bad Wolves at School - Stephen Krensky
He also illustrated a book about basements, but it's not a children's title, so isn't included here. We've featured "The Boy Who Was Raised By Librarians" before, so there's not much left to say about this favorite. But all who know Sneed's work know that any of the titles will be fun for children to "read."
Tim Raglin:
(Again, Tim is the illustrator, but sometimes the author. I've listed the authors here, as well.)
Soldiers Three: The Story of the Gadsbys in Black and White - Rudyard Kipling
Sidekicks, Or, a Merger of Marvelous Magnitude - Anne Croswell
Deputy Dan Gets His Man - Joseph Rosenbloom
The Elephant's Child from the Just So Stories - Rudyard Kipling
How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin from the Just So Stories - Rudyard Kipling
How the Camel Got His Hump from the Just So Stories - Rudyard Kipling
A Gingerbread Christmas - Eric Metaxas
Five Funny Frights - Judith Bauer Stamper
* The Birthday ABC - Eric Metaxas
Five Goofy Ghosts - Judith Bauer Stamper
Jumbled Tumbled Tales and Rhymes: Goldilocks Is - Tim Raglin
Five Creepy Creatures - Judith Bauer Stamper
Pecos Bill - Brian Gleeson
Deputy Dan and the Bank Robbers - Joseph Rosenbloom
The World's Best Dog-Walker - Pam Zollman
The Thirteen Days of Halloween - Carol Greene
Five Haunted Houses - Judith Bauer Stamper
A Cat of a Different Color - Steven Bauer
* The Wolf Who Cried Boy - Bob Hartman
Go Track a Yak - Tony Johnston
Scared Silly Stories to Make You Gasp and Giggle - Judith Bauer
* Bill in a China Shop - Katie McAllaster Weaver
Cowboy Jose - Susan Middleton Elya
The Well-Mannered Monster - Marcy Brown, Dennis Haley
* Dinner in the Lions' Den - Bob Hartman
Uncle Mugsey and the Terrible Twins of Christmas - Tim Raglin
* The Curse of Catunkhamun - Tim Raglin
"The Birthday ABC" was given to granddaughter, Emma, and she has spent much time looking at the beautiful and detailed illustrations. They are so intricate that she also likes to make up stories based on them. Raglin's work is truly inspiring as well as illustrative of some very good stories!
Just a warning: Some of these titles aren't available any longer except in a library. However, I've listed them chronologically by publication date so anything near the bottom of the list we can probably get for you. It is so nice to have such beautiful books to offer by such talented Kansans!
And finally . . .
"Just the knowledge that a good book is waiting at the end of a long
day makes that day happier" Kathleen Norris (1880-1966)
Here's hoping your day is happier for a good book. If not, call us. We've got lots!
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