After our Erak’s Ransom treat earlier this summer, it’s great have spent the last few days before school reading The Siege of Macindaw. For my family these books beg to be read aloud. With Storegutt starting high school today, it’s a real treat to still enjoy a family read-aloud.
Without their beloved mentors at hand, Will and Horace have definitely notched up their use of violence to solve the problems they face in this book. They are facing incredible odds in their attempt to retake Macindaw. While the boys love the strategy and action and I love the thoughtfulness and cleverness of all the main characters, the highlight for all of us is the banter, especially between Will and Horace. It is as entertaining as ever.
“Dead cows?” Will interrupted. “Why would you throw dead cows at the walls?”
“You throw them over the walls. It’s supposed to spread disease and lower the defenders’ morale, ” Horace told him.
Will shook his head. “I don’t suppose it does much for the cows’ morale either.”
As hinted at in The Sorcerer of the North, the Scotti are involved in Keren’s evil plans. Flanagan is so overt in his references to other cultures that his books always prompt interesting history discussions. This time it’s the thinly-veiled Picts we’ve been educating ourselves about. I wonder if there’s a blue version of henna. Our Halloween costumes, perhaps? We need something to tide us over until Book 8 comes out and we’re not close enough to the sites on the Escape to Araluen tour by the Striking Viking Story Pirates!
I’m a sucker for books that go into detail about how people in the past solved problems and improved everyday life. The Erie Canal was one of those marvelous engineering feats that changed life in upstate New York and beyond. Its beginnings brought to mind manned space flight – a vision formed and committed to before all the necessary knowledge existed. In a jail cell in 1807, an indebted farmer who needed a cheaper way to get his grain to New York City formulated and then published his thoughts on how a canal could be built. It was only by tackling the problem head-on as Governor De Witt Clinton heartily did- that the solutions arose. The challenges posed by falls, cliffs, marshes and trees required innovative solutions. Having just seen the traditional stump removers of the 19th century at Potato World, I felt like I could really appreciate the improvement the stump puller that could clear 40 large trees a day offered. Locks certainly existed prior to the Erie Canal, but the improvements were startling.
Social issues such as living and working conditions for Canal employees are brought in and help to make the The engineering feats command the spotlight, but due so in a way that sheds light on the connections between the Erie Canal and the westward expansion of the United States. Similarly, recognition is granted to the engineering feats (in railroads and the St. Lawrence Seaway) that ended the dominance of the Erie Canal. Kendall provides a quick and fascinating snapshot of an important contribution to American history. It’s an inspiring story and one that Kendall tells well.
Catchy song for next year’s Summer Reading theme (water, really?! nothing better came to mind): The Water Cycle.
Storytime ideas at SurLaLune: I did the If You are Wearing [Red, Black, etc.] song at a clothing-themed storytime today and it was lots of fun. This vest from China is wonderful for colours. Unfortunately, I left it right by my front door and had to run around the dress-up chests at work to get enough colours on me!
One of my first library jobs involved helping to put together the L.P. Fisher Public Library’s float for the Old Home Week parade. We made a giant globe for the back of the truck since the Summer Reading Program theme that year was something like Reading Around the World. Both making the globe and being in the parade were a lot of fun. At Old Home Week for the first time in many years last week, I was pleased to see the tradition continues. The brick building behind the tree is the library. Nice job!
A few years ago a community college biology teacher surprised me when she complained about how difficult it is to teach evolution and not have a significant section of the class tune her out and refuse to participate. I didn’t understand until then how few Americans accept the theory of evolution (see this year’s Gallup poll results). So a book about the role that Emma Darwin’s faith and the loving relationship between Charles and Emma had in delaying and shaping the publication of On the Origin of the Species intrigued me. That’s what drew me in and the book is well-written and interesting in this regard just as many review journals and Kidlit bloggers have described.
But, given the reviews I’d read, I was expecting that so that’s probably not the part of the book that will stick with me the longest. It’s the surprises/revelations that make me remember nonfiction books. Those things that, as Thomas Henry Huxley said on reading Darwin’s book, makes you think, “How extremely stupid not to have thought of that!” His theory of the origin of the species went against the deeply entrenched British class system. There was a belief that the existing social structure had been created at the same time God created the world (in 4004 B.C. according to Archbishop James Usher). Darwin was afraid to go public with a theory of adaptation that could lead to social chaos.
And it makes a lot of sense to me, really (not the part about God creating the British class system, that’s ridiculous!). When I read about Darwin and the great minds of his era I’m struck by how much time they seemed to have to pursue their passions. The existing social and economic order served Charles and Emma and their circle very well. Despite their inferior status, the servants in the Darwin household and the time they afforded Darwin to study, think and reflect certainly contributed to his phenomenal body of work.
Today I participated in the Handheld Librarian online conference. Interesting stuff about ebooks, mobile apps, augmented reality books, Twitter, etc., but Tom Peters’ keynote left me out of sorts. I attend conferences to be challenged, learn and get inspired about the possibilities. The future possibilities he presented didn’t inspire me in the least. Instead they bother me a lot.
As someone with a perpetual travel bug who has lived in three countries, his statements “although travel costs will increase, we may become less mobile not because we can’t travel as much, but because we don’t need to” and “as mobile technologies advance, how often will we feel the need to be together?” make me sad. It fits in with the press’ annoying obsession with Staycations this summer. Travel and getting together are about so much more than what needs to be done. Technology may allow me to stay more connected to colleagues, friends and relatives, but it is no replacement for “lugging the guts” (a favourite Peters’ variation on Hamlet) into another person’s place, being immersed in their day-to-day environment. Of course preferring to spend a night in a $12 hospedaje or campsite over a $200 hotel room helps shape my belief that travel is not too expensive nowadays. I am all for useful technology, but if I have to decide between upgrading technology and taking a vacation, the vacation is going to win every single time. Even if it means I never own one of these awesome interactive encyclopedias.
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid ice cream truck is going to be at the South Side Library of the Des Moines Public Library August 15, 3-5 p.m. I will just have to treat Lillegutt and his friends to a game of cheese touch and a cone at Dane’s Dairy that night. Cause that’s too far too drive and I’m too filled with envy that they aren’t coming to my library.
I love the Magic Thief series. A talented pickpocket who steals your heart with his gumption and wits. Conn’s voice is terrific. His relationships with Nevery, Benet and Rowan are heartwarming and interesting. Just like the series author, Sarah Prineas. I think the presentation she did at the Iowa City Public Library last weekend could best be described as an enhanced reading. She read portions of her book and the Physics Department provided pyrotechnics and the Fencing Club some swordcraft. Of course we all ate biscuits after and the kids found out what animal they would become after having the Embero spell cast. A great end to our Summer Reading Program, but fortunately not the end of the series!
I could take this as a sign that I should bite the bullet and do the swimming portion of a triathalon. Nah, that would be too mature. Gonna keep looking at ones with canoeing/kayaking portions.
Love that bright yellow cover! I’m thinking some kind of library promotion for kids wearing yellow October 12.
It’s going to be fun to find out how Greg “enjoys” his summer vacation. My favourite part of the Borders interview with Jeff Kinney is his realization that traditional summer activities such as swimming, fresh air, etc. would have no place in Greg’s ideal summer. Curtains drawn and videogames all day long fit the bill. I predict constant tension between his parents’ and his goals for his summer.
After our Erak’s Ransom treat earlier this summer, it’s great have spent the last few days before school reading The Siege of Macindaw. For my family these books beg to be read aloud. With Storegutt starting high school today, it’s a real treat to still enjoy a family read-aloud.
I’m a sucker for books that go into detail about how people in the past solved problems and improved everyday life. The Erie Canal was one of those marvelous engineering feats that changed life in upstate New York and beyond. Its beginnings b
rought to mind manned space flight – a vision formed and committed to before all the necessary knowledge existed. In a jail cell in 1807, an indebted farmer who needed a cheaper way to get his grain to New York City formulated and then published his thoughts on how a canal could be built. It was only by tackling the problem head-on as Governor De Witt Clinton heartily did- that the solutions arose. The challenges posed by falls, cliffs, marshes and trees required innovative solutions. Having just seen the traditional stump removers of the 19th century at 
A few years ago a community college biology teacher surprised me when she complained about how difficult it is to teach evolution and not have a significant section of the class tune her out and refuse to participate. I didn’t understand until then how few Americans accept the theory of evolution (see this year’s 
treat Lillegutt and his friends to a game of cheese touch and a cone at Dane’s Dairy that night. Cause that’s too far too drive and I’m too filled with envy that they aren’t coming to my library.
I love the Magic Thief series. A talented pickpocket who steals your heart with his gumption and wits. Conn’s voice is terrific. His relationships with Nevery, Benet and Rowan are heartwarming and interesting. Just like the series author, Sarah Prineas. I think the presentation she did at the Iowa City Public Library last weekend could best be described as an enhanced reading. She read portions of her book and the Physics Department provided pyrotechnics and the Fencing Club some swordcraft. Of course we all ate biscuits after and the kids found out what animal they would become after having the Embero spell cast. A great end to our Summer Reading Program, but fortunately not the end of the series!
Love that bright yellow cover! I’m thinking some kind of library promotion for kids wearing yellow October 12.