My Top 10 Books of the Century (So Far), Part Two

One rainy day, a young caterpillar named Farfallina meets Marcel, a gosling.  The two youngsters become fast, inseparable friends.  As spring turns into summer,  Farfallina and Marcel play games (each careful not to engage in activity too difficult for the other) and enjoy their time together.  However, one day, the caterpillar does not feel right, and goes up into a tree to rest.  Marcel, devoted friend that he is, waits and waits for her return.  When Farfallina does not reappear, the young goose sadly wonders if he will ever see his beloved companion again.  The marvelous conclusion to this heartwarming tale puts Holly Keller’s timeless treasure alongside the greatest friendship stories of all time.

In a kingdom far, far away, live three little dragons.  The realm is also home to the Good Knight, who keeps faithful watch from his tower.  One night, the Good Knight hears a loud roar.  When he dutifully goes to investigate, who does he find but a pajama-clad young dragon who wants a drink of water before bed.  Being a Good Knight, the dedicated guardian complies–then returns to his tower.  He is on watch for only a short time when another loud roar sounds through the night.  When the Good Knight arrives at the cave, another little dragon is waiting for him.  After tending to her needs, he makes his way home, only to be summoned again, and a fourth time.  The Good Knight’s introduction to the three little dragons is the beginning of something wonderful in the world of children’s literature.  Little people (and their parents) will smile at the familiarity of the bedtime scene.  And everyone will be delighted by the further adventures of the Good Knight and his new friends.

A mother bird watches with excitement as her eggs hatch.  When all seven youngsters have emerged from their shells, they immediately begin a chorus of “Feed us!  Feed us!”  The new mother immediately responds, flying off to find food for her brood.  As each baby is fed, he falls asleep–but the remaining hatchlings take up the chant.  Naturally, the increasingly exhausted mama bird rushes to fulfill their needs, until every tiny bird is satisfied.  This treasure begs to be read aloud, and listeners will have a marvelous time shouting out the refrain.  (And mommies will love the spot-on ending!)

Ella knows what a story needs to be perfect.  It should have words like “Once upon a time.”  And, of course, a princess, fairies, and funny and exciting parts are important.  But there is one thing a story doesn’t need: bears.  Once having made her preferences known, Ella begins her tale.  However, unknown to the storyteller, a bear not only makes an appearance, but is an important part of the story.  Hilarious.

Ant is thrilled: the king has invited her to a dinner party.  She is careful to arrive on time, and uses her best table manners.  However, the same cannot be said for the king’s other guests.  As they grab food and otherwise act horribly, the royal host says nothing.  Things reach a crescendo when a cake is passed around the table.  The elephant takes half, and each succeeding guest takes half of what is left.  By the time the cake reaches poor Ant, the piece is too small to divide, and crumbles under the knife (leaving nothing for the king).  Embarrassed, she offers to bake a special cake for her host.  Another participant promises two cakes, another four, and so on.  This rib-tickling story will have kids laughing so hard, they may not realize they are learning several math concepts (and a lesson in proper behavior, as well).

Happy January Revisited

I feel a need to follow up on my previous post.  While 2012 was in so many ways a year for the record books, I, as a believing Jew, look at Earth’s journey around the sun in another way as well.  For our people, there is more than one beginning to the year.  Each is fraught with meaning and provides inspiration and guidance in our daily lives.

First and foremost is one (almost) everybody’s heard about: Rosh Hashanah.   It heralds the awesome, inspiring holy days on which the slate is wiped clean and we look forward to a year of blessing, health, peace, and whatever else we need and desire.  After almost a full month of connecting with the Creator and rejoicing in the goodness bestowed upon us, we return to our regular routine.

For residents of the Northern Hemisphere, that includes watching summer give way to autumn and autumn fade into winter.  When the cold season is at its height, and it seems that spring is far, far away, along comes the next new year.  Tu Bishvat, the New Year for Trees, is the day when trees in the Land of Israel begin another fruit-bearing cycle.  As we commemorate the holiday by eating various types of fruits, there is a feeling of dual celebration: of the Creator’s care for all of His creation, and of the knowledge that spring will arrive in our locales.

At the onset of spring comes Nissan.  It’s is the first month on the Jewish calendar, and all succeeding ones are reckoned from it.  Passover occurs at this time.  At this season of beginnings and positive changes (of our people as a nation dedicated to the ideals of serving the Creator; of going beyond our limitations and reaching new heights; of new animal and plant life), we experience the sensation of making, once again, a new start.

Yes, the twelve months recently concluded were momentous ones.  Yet, we have many occasions to begin anew and celebrate the opportunities that the future brings.  Isn’t that enough of a reason to rejoice?

Every Day Is (Or Should Be) Thanksgiving

Every day should be Thanksgiving.  No, that doesn’t mean we should stuff ourselves with a turkey stuffed with–well, stuffing, along with yams, cranberries, and pumpkin pie on a daily basis.  Nor should we routinely park in front of the television after being so gorged for a marathon session of football-viewing.  And it certainly doesn’t mean it is a good idea to rush out to the nearest megastore or shopping mall immediately following the above activities every day to join the throngs looking for bargains, or simply getting an early start on seasonal shopping!

What I do mean is this.  There is so much around us in this marvelous world of ours that is worthy of our notice, appreciation, and thanks.  Take a look at a bare tree (those of you who live in northern climates).  See those little buds?  Yes, those are next year’s leaves, waiting for the right moment to unfurl.  If that isn’t miraculous, I don’t know what is.  And think about a fragile little butterfly.  In the fall, it makes an arduous trek all the way to Mexico or another warm spot where it spends the winter–before mating and returning north in the spring.  Once back, the female lays her eggs on only one type of plant–a milkweed–because it’s the only one whose leaves her offspring will eat.

There’s so much more.  An ultrasound picture of a yet-to-be-born grandchild at the age of about 13 weeks thumb-sucking.  Bright, sunny, unseasonably warm weather when we don’t have to go to work.  I could go on and on, but the brilliant warmth outside is calling me. . .

Greetings from the Baked Apple

I’m happy.  No, another previously undiscovered Eva Ibbotson novel has not been unearthed (at least not to my knowledge).  Here’s why I’m in a good mood:  Just in time for the advent of summer, the temperatures are soaring toward the century mark.  But is experiencing heat, humidity, and discomfort a cause for rejoicing?  What’s the reason for the celebration?  Only this: since the leaves begin turning their glorious autumn hues and drifting off the trees in the fall, I await the return of summery weather.  Autumn and winter have their beauty and charm, it’s true.  But when the first tiny plants bravely poke out of the ground, my spirits take off.  And when we retire our winter apparel for the season, I feel like we’ve made it.  (It must be how people felt in times gone by when they survived another harsh winter.)

I may be in the minority.  However, that doesn’t bother me.  So, even if my fellow human beings are hurrying to beat the heat, I am enjoying the triple-H weather.  Just give me my trusty water bottle, some sunblock lotion, a bit of a refreshing breeze, and an occasional break in the presence of an air conditioner.  For all too soon, this magnificent season will only be a memory.

Springing into Reading

I woke up yesterday morning, dressed, and rushed off to work.  Once there, I checked the calendar–and sure enough, spring had arrived.  There was no sudden fanfare: the weather has been uncharacteristically warm for weeks (months?) now, and our oft-written-about quince tree and tulips are showing increasing signs of beautiful things to come.  Soon it will be time to plant the marigolds…

Last Year’s First Marigold

Perhaps it has been an early bout of spring fever that has kept me away from this blog, or my Seussing it up at the library, or the necessity of completing my annual book orders in a timely fashion–but I have returned to sharing literary delights with fellow bibliophiles. 

Ella loves stories, and she knows exactly what a book should contain to be perfect: words like Once upon a time, characters like princesses and fairy godmothers, and exciting and funny parts.  She also knows what stories do not need: BEARS.  So our young author begins to tell a bear-less story to her audience.  However, unknown to the storyteller (but obvious to the reader and listener), a bear shows up, wearing a honey-bee-decorated dress.  Kids will delight in pointing out her presence and involvement in Ella’s story.  The funny illustrations match the zaniness of this read-it-again fairy tale.

In another hot-of-the-press blockbuster, we meet Aluna.  The thirteen-year-old is a member of the Coral Kampii, a people who (in the face of severe overpopulation) left the land and adapted themselves to life at sea.  For centuries, they have relied on breathing shells to obtain oxygen from the water.  However, the technology is now failing–but the elders, of whom Aluna’s father is one, refuse to accept the reality of the situation.  And so, the plucky teen decides that if the Kampii leaders are playing ostrich, she will be the one to find the answer–and leaves the ocean for the first time in her life.

Time Waits for No Man…or Woman

“How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”

Dr. Seuss certainly got it right.

I keep thinking of our recently married daughter as a new bride.  However, a recent glance at a calendar made me realize that her June 27 wedding was almost six months ago.

On occasion, when I come out of a subway station, it takes me a moment to recall what happened to the leaves that were so recently on the trees, weren’t they?

And that isn’t all.  Some students came into the elementary library and, looking at newborn pictures of two of our grandchildren, asked who they are.  When I told them that the pictures are not recent–the boys are now almost four and five and are both big brothers–my words gave me pause.

Even the end of our marigold season sent a message about the passage of time.  For, as I mentioned in my previous post, in only four months it will be possible to plant new blossoms.

Lest one think this is cause for a bout of depression, the forward movement of days, weeks, months, and years can be a reason to celebrate.  Each flower that grows and blooms, every child who is born, grows, becomes an adult, marries, and becomes a parent, demonstrates that the world is running exactly as it should.  I feel like dancing already…

Snow?!?!!

It really happened.  The meteorologists forecast it, and we got it.  Snow in October.  It’s the first time, they say, that the white stuff stuck on the ground in the Big Apple in October since they started keeping records back in 1870.

I’m not really surprised.  This has been quite a year for weather events, especially if you include the late-December blizzard of 2010.  Then came the back-to-back snowstorms in January that resulted in an extended stay in Atlanta visiting our grandchildren–flying there the night before and returning home a day later.  (We did not complain about spending extra time with the family!)

Once spring finally came, it was beautiful and even more welcome than usual.  (Of course, with our daughter being engaged and getting married, even if it had stormed into summer, the sun would have been shining.)  Feeling the warmth and then the incredible heat of summer, we began to forget about the power of storms.

But then came Irene.  This monster hurricane was not content to wreak havoc on coastal areas in the tropics and southern climates.  Communities as far north and as far inland as Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains in New York felt the tempest’s fury.  After the water receded, people throughout the eastern United States began to hope for a respite.  Which many of us had, until today.

I usually find the first snowfall beautiful, a bit of softness taking the edge off the starkness of the bare trees.  However, most trees are in full leaf, and many leaves have not yet begun changing color.  It seems incongruous.

But then again, maybe it’s not.  We have been the recipients of many a spring snowfall, dusting flower-laden trees with a layer of the white stuff–and it was lovely.  This even more unusual event also has its own beauty, a beauty which lies in its rarity.  The weather will warm up again before winter really comes for its annual sojourn.  So for the few brief hours that the world is coated in white, let’s pause and enjoy something that the area has not seen in at least 140 years.

Be sure to visit http://BookAndAGarden.com throughout November.  In honor of Picture Book Month, reviews of outstanding picture books will be featured.

And Now, Back to the Books

In the event that readers of my last post were wondering about the conspicuous absence of any book recommendations, rest assured that philosophical musings have not taken the place of discussions about noteworthy reading.  To prove my point, here are some outstanding titles that are perfect for this time of year.

A little caterpillar has just hatched, and she knows only one thing: she’s gotta go to Mexico!  Other critters either have no idea what or where Mexico is, or how it’s possible for such a tiny thing to get there, but that does not deter our heroine.  When, after a long sleep, the caterpillar awakens with beautiful wings, she joins millions like herself on an amazing journey–and, in the spring, turns around and flies back!  This kid-friendly look at one of the most incredible migrations on our planet is a feast for the eyes.  Ages 5-8

Tony’s family has an annual tradition: to have a picnic at the Statue of Liberty every October in honor of the monument’s birthday.  Tony doesn’t think much of the idea; it’s much too cold for a picnic, and he doesn’t understand why it means so much to Grandma anyway.  But then he meets some new immigrants who help him understand the importance of the statue to families–like his–who have come from another land.  Ages 5-9

Donny’s grandmother is coming to visit, and the little boy is concerned: he knows he can never measure up to his grandma’s proper behavior.  But kids will be kids, and when he enters the room where she is staying, Donny can’t resist having some fun with the balls of yarn she has left there–with the result that, before he knows it, there is a tangled mess of yarn everywhere.  His angry mother orders him to undo the damage.  Just when the job seems hopeless, his grandma comes to help with a story of how she herself–to Donny’s astonishment–got into a similar situation with her own grandmother.  A perfect story about forgiveness for this season when Jews the world over are looking inside and looking ahead to a new year of fresh beginnings and all the blessings that life can bring.

May this new year bring you and your loved ones health, happiness, and all good things.

Hello, Autumn!

 

I once heard the phrase “summer fading into autumn.”  Whoever looks outside and sees the explosion of color on the trees and the abundance of fall blossoms knows that the season at our doorstep is anything but a shadow of the one that is concluding.  Even the cooler weather and shorter days have a specialness to them.  Brilliant sunshine and a warm breeze feel like wonderful gifts, and a glorious sunset that greets me on days that I return home from work a bit late is a treasured sight.  No, there is definitely nothing colorless about this time of year.  Even the autumnal appearance of frost, ice, and snow in northern climes is magical.  Frosty designs on a window, ice crystals dripping from tree branches, and the first snowflakes of the season are nothing less than magnificent.  So let’s truly enjoy fall and take the time to partake of  its delights before autumn fades into winter.  But that is another story…

What a Summer It’s Been!

If I had to describe this year’s warm-weather season in one word, it would probably be amazing.  From the happy whirlwind of preparations for our daughter’s June 27 wedding, to the extended visit of our married daughter, son-in-law, and their three kids, to my double cataract surgery (look, Ma, [almost] no glasses!), it’s been one unforgettable summer.  Now that the newlyweds are established in their own home, the grandkids have returned to Florida, and I’m adjusting to my new vision, the future looks very dull by comparison.  Add that to the normal low I often feel as I reluctantly bid farewell to another summer, and there seems little to look forward to, indeed.

However, I seem to recall experiencing similar emotions in seasons past.  As the sun rises later and sets earlier each day, and dusk greets me as I emerge from the subway station on the way home from work, there is a momentary pang for the loss of daylight.  Yet, by the time I can dwell on what has been and is no more, life happens.  Holidays.  Projects and programs at work.  Fascinating books to read and recommend.  Visits from loved ones.  And, suddenly, the calendar has turned again, and–lo and behold–it is no longer completely dark when I come out of the same subway station.  A glance upward shows me the buds on the trees that have been there since autumn and will, within a few short months, metamorphose into the new year’s leaves.  Hope does indeed spring eternal.

Speaking of seasons, phenomenal poet Joyce Sidman has penned some beautiful verses about pond wildlife throughout the year, accompanied by facts about the creatures who call this environment home.  Kids (and adults) will delight in this charmingly illustrated collection.  (A Caldecott Honor Book)

Join Cammy and William as they take a walk through the woods on an autumn day.  They see signs that certain animals have been there, and each sighting encourages them to answer the question, “Who’s been here?”  On the following page, the children discover the identity of the creature with both a close-up picture and informative text.  This treasure is one of the author’s collection for every season of the year.

Have an inc-READ-able new season.

May this year be the beginning of even more amazing happenings.