A Poem in a Blade of Grass

I've been working with a young girl from Korea since the beginning of the school year. At first she was on a Fancy Nancy reading level and couldn't understand English very well (especially Southern English). Now we are currently reading Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring. We've read the entire Harry Potter series, The Hobbit, and a few other smaller books that she enjoyed including Savvy and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Her reading level went from kindergarten to sixth grade and she's only in fourth grade. I. Am. So. Proud.

So yesterday afternoon as we were sitting on the university's quad reading out loud to one another I stopped her. We began talking about the difference in the English language from one book to the next. When I asked her what she thought the difference was, she said older books sound prettier. I could not agree more.

While there are wonderful children's books out there that are written in modern English and include slang kids use in school now and also a few choice words, there's something to be said about going back to the basics and reading a book that causes a child to really think. 

The two of us have enjoyed the songs in Tolkien more than anything and I have had so much fun with her as we went line by line and made an entire paragraph of story from three words in a song. I explained the hidden treasure in these words.



I recently read an explanation of Whitman's "A Child Said What Is Grass?" and as we sat on the quad I had her list every word she could think of that described the grass.

Green.
Long.
Soft.
Sticky.
Full of bugs. (By the way, she prefers the library to the quad any day, what a girl!)

So I went with sticky. "Why on earth would the grass be sticky?"

"Because it's wet?"

"Yeah! So, if the grass is wet, and you've already said it's green, what does that mean?"

"It's healthy."

"Exactly. So we could just say it's sticky and let the reader know it's green and healthy. If it wasn't, it would be crunchy, right?"


I took this conversation and ran with it, explaining Whitman's lines such as, "Or I guess it is the handkerchief of the Lord/ A scented gift and remembrancer designedly dropped/ Bearing the owner’s name someway in the corners/ that we may see and remark/ and say Whose," which took us into a conversation about the tradition of handkerchiefs.

Also, "Or I guess the grass is itself a child…the produced babe of the vegetation," versus "And now it seems to me the beautiful uncut hair of graves," which told us the earth could be described as young or old depending on the image.

I'm sure you can see the point I'm getting to here; our words can cause a child to think or not think. We have gotten lazy in our writing, it is much more difficult to find good vocabulary words in a children's book, and there is less to talk about. Kids are reading for entertainment, but there is no brain food there.

So, here's the writing challenge:

Choose an object, scene, or person and describe them without being direct. Use metaphors and similes that you have completely made up and haven't borrowed from other writers. Write for 15 minutes without stopping and then go back and cross out words that aren't necessary because of the descriptions you’ve created such as "sticky" instead of "green and healthy." Post your exercises below.

ABOUT THE BLOGGER

Courtney Warren is a writer for her local newspaper, as well as a graduate student at Hollins University where she is pursuing a degree in Children’s Literature. She has a bachelor’s degree from Delta State University, the home of the Fighting Okra (which she is incredibly proud of). She loves to read just about anything placed on the shelves but has a special place in her heart for the Harry Potter series.

When she is not writing about herself in third person, she loves to write stories about middle schoolers with spunky attitudes who intend to save the world, as well as drinking Earl Grey tea from a very prissy teacup.

Check out her blog, Tea, the Spirit, & a Pen.

Deadline for Submissions Extended

We're looking for published authors who have astonishing, surprising ghost stories with a great twist. Leap Books only accepts work from agents, but we're having an open call for submissions. This may be your chance to get a foot in the door and help a charity at the same time.

For more information, visit our home page or click
HERE for more information.


All proceeds to benefit charity.

Call for Submissions

We're looking for authors who have astonishing, surprising ghost stories with a great twist. Leap Books only accepts work from agents, but we're having an open call for submissions. This may be your chance to get a foot in the door and help a charity at the same time.

For more information, visit our home page or click
HERE for more information.


All proceeds to benefit charity.

Congratulations to Jacqueline Horsfall

Cover art by Mary B. Kelly

FOR THE LOVE OF STRANGERS by Jacqueline Horsfall was chosen as a top recommended book and is featured in Bearemy Book Club’s winter spotlight books.

If you aren't familiar with Bearamy Bear's Book Club, it's part of the Build-A-Bear Workshop, "a partnership with First Book®, a national literacy organization that provides new books to children from low-income families. Through the sale of a special bear, Read Teddy®, Build-A-Bear Workshop and First Book hope to put books into the hands of children who would otherwise not have them."

"With the purchase of each Read Teddy, Build-A-Bear Workshop® donates 50¢ to First Book® to provide new books to children from low-income families and 50¢ to the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation to support other literacy and educational programs and the administrative expenses related to these programs."

Bearamy Bear's Book Club was started to encourage kids to read. It also gives kids a voice in reviewing and rating books. If you've had a chance to read this terrific book, please go the spotlight page to enter your own personal paw rating and leave your comments.

Meet 5 Fabulous Authors

This week Oklahoma is holding their annual educators conference, Encyclomedia. A terrific panel of middle grade authors will kick off the first panel on Thursday, October 7, 2010.

Session 1
10:45 - 11:45 a.m.
New Voices, New Books, and a Whole Panel of Characters

Speakers:
Janet S. Fox, Author of Faithful
Joy Preble, Author of Dreaming Anastasia, and Haunted (2011)
Bonnie J. Doerr, Author of Island Sting and Stakeout (2011)
Denise Jaden, Author of Losing Faith
Fran Cannon Slayton, Award-winning author of When the Whistle Blows

With some of the hottest titles out this year, these children’s novelists know a character when they see one. Come and listen as they reveal the stories behind their books, divulge trade secrets that will inspire young writers, and share reading guides that will animate discussion well beyond the classroom.

The Secret Lives of Librarians - Part Two

We continue our series exploring the secret lives of people who turned their passion for reading into a career. Check out today's guest's take on teens and technology.


Next up: Linda W. Braun, president of Young Adult Library Services Association and author of Teens, Technology, and Literacy;

 Or, Why Bad Grammar Isn't Always Bad

Secret passions: Coffee and Technology

What turned you into a reader?
I was surrounded by books when I was growing up. My parents were avid readers and we had books all over the house, in every room including the basement and attic.

If you hadn’t become a librarian, what might you have done instead?
Television producer – probably news or documentaries.

What can booklovers and publishers do to help with the current library funding crisis?
Ask good questions about what a library in 2010 should be doing for the community and don’t make assumptions about what a library is all about. The library is more than a place that members of a community have because they think they should, or because it has sentimental value. The library is a living breathing organization that has a lot to give to a community. Find out what that is and make sure that you get it.

What kind of books are most popular at your library?
I am a consultant and library school educator, so don’t work in a library currently. However, in conversations with teens and librarians I know that a wide-variety of titles are currently popular. There is still interest in supernatural stories with werewolves, vampires, fairies, and so on. These stories that take place in a world which teens can relate to and with which they are familiar has something to do with their popularity. Manga and graphic novels are popular with many teens and these titles span a variety of genres. Non-fiction on topics related to contemporary interests and web-trends are popular as well.

Most people picture librarians sitting around reading all day. What’s wrong with this picture?
Libraries are a customer service institution, just like a bookstore, coffee shops, or computer stores. That means that librarians working on the front lines are always helping people find what they need, answering questions face-to-face or virtually, and making sure that the services provided meet the needs of the community.

What advice do you have for turning non-readers/reluctant readers on to books?
I have advice for the adults that live and work with reluctant readers. Be willing to recognize that reading on a computer screen or a digital device is reading. Help kids and teens that don’t think they like to read see themselves as readers by acknowledging that reading happens in lots of different forms and formats in 2010. When we start to recognize that kids and teens are always reading, and are willing to call that type of reading reading, kids and teens who don’t think of themselves as readers, but who are because they are constantly reading in non-traditional formats, will begin to think of themselves as readers and begin to be more interested in reading as something they like to and want to do.

Here's the secret stuff about Linda:

What book character are you most like and why?

Harriet the Spy because I’m curious.

What 3 things would you never walk out the door without?

iPhone, Starbucks Card, Sunglasses

Did you ever sneak out a window? No fair only answering yes, you have to tell us when and why.

I snuck out of a second floor porch when I was a freshman in high school in order to meet my boyfriend.

What was the worst clothing disaster you ever faced?
It wasn’t a disaster when I was a teen but when I look back now I see it that way – a halter top that was short in front as well as missing in back.

Do you have a tattoo?
Don’t have one and am too scared of the pain to get one.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be and why?
Adults would recognize teenagers as human beings that are valuable to a community and have brains that work. Adults would not treat teens as second-class citizens and would support teen development and not pretend, in many cases, that teens don’t really exist.

If you could star in any TV show or movie, what would it be and why?
Gilmore Girls because I loved the relationships between the characters.

The Secret Lives of Librarians

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to turn a passion into a full time job? Well, that's what librarians have done. They've turned their love of reading into a career. Imagine getting first crack at all the new releases while the rest of us have to put our names on the reserve list. And if someone's annoying you, you get to tell them emphatically to Shush. Sweet!
We decided to talk to some of our favorite librarians. We get them to dish on what a great job they have and maybe even get them to share a few secrets.  Shhh!!! Don't tell!

First up, Dr. Leigh Ann Jones
Coordinator of Library Services, Frisco ISD, Frisco, TX

Obsession: book covers (subject of her dissertation)
Loves: libraries, family time, YA books

What turned you into a reader?

My mom claims I'm a reader because she liked to sleep late. When I'd wake up really early as a toddler, she'd change my diaper, give me a bottle, a banana, and a Life magazine. She swears the Life magazine was worth another hour's sleep for her.

Tell us about your most disastrous author visit. (No names please.)

We host several authors a year and thankfully the great majority are warm, gracious, and interesting. Unfortunately divas do exist. I have frantically driven all over town at 10:00 on Sunday evening looking for "ruby-red grapefruit juice, no sugar." I have been summoned with an imperious wave and told, "Your author is hungry, and I don't do fast food." One author showed up late with his Botoxed wife in tow, was rude, and had his manager call and cancel the afternoon sessions with an hour's notice.

Most people picture librarians sitting around reading all day. What’s wrong with this picture?

That we don't actually get to do it!

What advice do you have for turning non-readers/reluctant readers on to books?

I think it takes the reader finding just the right book. And to find that book, it normally takes a caring librarian or teacher who reads like crazy and is willing to get to know the kid well enough to say, "Hey, I think you'd really like this book."

What can an author do to ensure a successful visit/booksigning?

Like kids. Smile. Get rid of the canned presenation. The best author we've hosted lets the students ask him questions the whole hour, so every session is fresh and it's what the kids want to know.

Here's the secret stuff:    

Did you ever sneak out a window? No fair only answering yes, you have to tell us when and why.

Yep. In high school I crawled out my window to meet this guy who had already graduated and was still hanging around (there's one in every small town). My sister told on me, and my dad followed me to the square where we were sitting and talking. Humiliating. My freshman year in college the guy actually called and asked me out, saying "Maybe your dad won't follow you this time." I was too freaked out to go.

Tell us about a paranormal experience you’ve had.

In middle school I got on a kick of reading books about ghosts, ESP, and reincarnation. I badly wanted to see a ghost, but the closest I ever came was pretending to feel something in the room after playing with the Ouija board at a sleepover.