The gift of words inspired by Gary Paulsen and Colby Sharp

 

A few weeks ago, Colby Sharp spoke at a school library conference I attended in Daytona Beach. Colby is a 5th grade teacher in a small town in Michigan. He has co-authored books for educators, as well as the blog Nerdy Book Club. Books, reading, and teaching children are his professional passions. Librarians love his book lists, and his way of incorporating reading into every subject he teaches; I believe that each child in his classroom is truly blessed to have him as a teacher. He began his FAME (Florida Association for Media in Education) talk with what inspired him to read as a child. Like so many children he did not take to reading right away. He tells the story of how he encountered the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and how that changed his life and his world. I find myself going back to Colby’s story often these last few weeks as I consider what it means to be a children’s librarian and how to ignite that desire to read in my students. It is easy to get lost in the politics of education; to give up rather than to keep trying. Listening to Colby speak was a reminder of why I do what I do, and of what is truly important in my professional world. 

In January of 2022, Gary Paulsen has a new book slated to be published – Northwind. Gary died in mid-October of this year at the age of 82. From what I read about Gary, his life was full of adventure, but also incredible early hardship. I am grateful for the gift of words that he gave to our world, and I’m grateful for the hope and inspiration he gave to so many young people throughout the years; something, it seems, lacked in his own early years. I had the pleasure of receiving an advance readers copy of Northwind, and I finished it yesterday. 

Much like Hatchet, Northwind is a survival adventure story. Leif is an orphan, raised on the wharves and ships of the Nordic coast. He is indentured to the seafaring life. A twist of fate sends him to a remote fishing village, left with other sailors to gather and dry fish to be transported for sale. For some unknown reason the few sailors in the village are forgotten, until one day a death ship drifts in and out of their remote bay, leaving behind the menace of traumatic disease. Young Leif finds himself alone, at the edge of death in the Nordic Ocean wilderness. His savior – Old Carl, told Leif to leave their village and never return; to continually head north, and Old Carl provided a small bundle to help Leif on his journey; a blanket, a small quantity of dried fish, spear points and fishhooks, as well as a canoe and paddles. Young Carl was placed in the canoe with Leif, and both suffer from the disease that has struck their remote fishing village. Young Carl succumbs to the disease, and it’s a fluke that Leif barely survives. Northwind is a lonely story filled with the beauty of extreme northern waterways, of fear and adventure, but most of all the glorious wonder of nature and what it means to be alive. Leif discovers that being alone does not necessarily mean being lonely, and despite the hardships he encounters, he learns about freedom and joy of being alive in unexpected moments. 

Northwind inspired me. It’s been on my mind since I finished it. A young boy in the wild, alone – nothing but a small canoe and some meager possessions. He encounters hunger, bears, whales, dolphins – wild whirlpools, strange blue ice and he continually battles the challenge of finding food to eat. There are moments when he discovers true joy and peace and believes everything might be alright; then, along would come another set-back. I like the prose style of writing, and the shorter chapters with plenty of white space will not easily intimidate young readers. I consider this book to be a truly fitting final adventure given to the world by Gary Paulsen. 

For me, the inspiration is in the attitude of this young boy. He is afraid, often, but he does not allow it to consume him. He learns lessons from each hardship he encounters, and he adapts these lessons into doing a task better in the future. Leif becomes fatalistic; he learns that whatever is meant to be, will, and his worry will not change anything. It’s a hard and beautiful lesson to learn, but the most important message in this book, to me, is the hope it instills. We can do nothing in life without hope and belief that just around the next bend in the river is the next best thing in life. 

Foregone, a book review

 

Leonard Fife is on his deathbed. As a legendary filmmaker, he decides to bare his soul and allows his former team to film his dying thoughts. They are convinced they will be filming his thoughts on his career, but instead, Fife chooses to confess to his wife Emma the true life he lived. Or, is it? What is reality; what the public knows, what Emma knows and believes, or is it all a delusion? 

It's an interesting look at the thoughts of a dying man. He feels as if his memories are crystal clear, and if time flows through his words, but as the story moves on it is harder to determine the truth from his jumbled memories. Fife is convinced he has to tell his wife the truth about his past in order to know, when he dies, that she loves the real him; so that someone can know him and love him anyway. The story he spins - it is difficult to determine what the truth is. The filming, which the story is based upon, takes place over just a few hours, and is done in a method Fife himself made famous throughout history; a dark, noir film of a darkened room and Fife under a spotlight telling his story. Getting to know Fife through his memories paints a very different picture of the man we first thought we were meeting. 

I found this book to be thought provoking and intriguing, if not a little confusing at times, as Fife switches between the past and present and as his thoughts become more and more disjointed. What is the reality of memory; are our thoughts and memories really the truth of our lives? Does reality change, or do we?

City Spies: Golden Gate, a book review

 

I absolutely loved Golden Gate. I did not think it was possible to appreciate James Ponti's writing more than I already do, but each book becomes more and more endearing to me. I first read his Framed series when I was on a statewide committee to choose books for pleasure reading for children. Espionage books for kids - what a fabulous concept! 

There is something for all readers in Golden Gate. Espionage, travel, friendship, working together, working out differences. The story starts with a on the high seas. Sydney knows she should not be diving alone, but she just wanted some alone time - meanwhile, Brooklyn is left to thwart the hi-jackers who are attempting to abduct the very girls Sydney and Brooklyn are along ship to protect.

Sydney, Brooklyn, Kat, Paris, and Rio are an elite team put together by Mother, the leader of their group of spies; a faction of internationally known M16. The girls overcome their differences and together the five set out to trap a double agent, along the way trying to fit together the pieces of Mother's missing family and the death of another retired agent. 

As a librarian, I appreciate the diversity of Ponti's writing. He does not write "girl or boy" books, or books for any specific culture. His characters are well written and full of life, and they do not fit into any stereotypical mold. As an adult I can appreciate the time and effort he puts into these stories. As an adult reading to determine a child's perspective, I can appreciate the action, the adventure and the curiosity of the characters. It is not an easy task to write for young readers, and I very much appreciate the quality of the authors writing. Golden Gate is an exceptional book for young readers (and adult readers will enjoy it too!).

Education reform and being a librarian

 

I believe that education reform is needed in our country, and especially within the state of Florida. We are ranked 45^th in the country for education spending. I do not have an inkling what that this reform can and should look like. I do know that our education system here in Florida is at a breaking point. Teachers become teachers not for fame and glory, and certainly not for the money. They want to teach children; it is their passion. Imagine this for yourself. You received education to obtain a career in teaching. You were taught by teachers who knew the world when you were younger; when the world was different, before technology took over so significantly. The issues you face as a teacher are very different from the issues your teachers faced when they taught you; that is the nature of society; issues will always be a part of society. You are required, as is true in many walks of life, to keep up with ongoing education to renew a state certificate every five years; that can help you keep up with ongoing issues and societal changes. I am all for that. All of us should experience ongoing education – it keeps us fresh and our minds moving. But you also must follow state and district mandates about what/how to teach (how to do your job) and still follow your passion. The children you teach undergo standardized testing; tests created by adults who think children at a certain age are one-sized-fits all and should absolutely know this or that at each age. You know better; children come in all shapes and sizes, and they all come to the table with their individual background knowledge (or lack of even the most basic social skills) and personalities. There is no consideration for outside influences. Children do not ever fit into one mold, and as society changes daily, that becomes more and more obvious. However, when the children you teach do not fit into that mold of what others can (“should”) do or learn, you are told you are an inferior educator, and YOU need to take stock of what/how you teach, and you need to work more, do more, change more; put in even more effort than you already do. It does not matter that the children you teach do not know their own birthday or their parents’ names, or even how to say hello, please or thank you. As a matter of fact, the state TELLS you what you should be teaching and exactly how to teach it, without regard for the above. So, the one-sized-fits-all mold gets tighter and tighter, and the children you teach who are vastly different from home to home, neighborhood to neighborhood, city to city, even state to state – they do not fit into that mold, and they fall farther and farther behind. You are held responsible and are told you are an ineffective teacher. It is a slow burn process which is catching up faster and faster. The achievement gap is real, and it gets wider and wider every day. Children of poverty struggle more and more, and the cycle of this becomes more and more prominent. Truthfully, it is not only true of children of poverty; it is true of children worldwide, regardless of skin color, religious backgrounds, or the wealth of parents. Just as adults are vastly different in temperament, in attitudes, in abilities, children are as well. Children of poverty; children everywhere; can and do learn, but they cannot and do not learn the same way as children “just like them” from all over the state or country, and to test them as such is wrong; each child is unique and special and has their own unique, special way of learning. This one-sized-fits all measure sets everyone – the child, the teacher, the school – up for failure.

Through all of this, the teacher is trying diligently to hold it together, to flow with continual daily, weekly, monthly mandated changes. Today, at almost the one-year mark, teachers and students are still expected to learn the same as they were this time last year, before our world fell into a global pandemic. We were heroes, at first, for trying to teach through e-learning. When it came time for a new school year, the state of Florida said, oh, no, our economy is failing. We must get the kids back in school so parents can get back to work. We were told to quit whining, that kids were not as susceptible to the virus killing thousands of people. We would be okay. Keep our kids – KIDS; really? were you not a child? social distanced, wearing masks, and keep on teaching; we have goals to meet, standards to meet. When a vaccine was discovered we would be considered first responders and would be given the vaccine. But not in Florida. We are not in the first or second wave of vaccines. Also? Let us make sure ALL kids get back to school; parents have been told (in high poverty schools), if your child is not back in school and if they are behind, they will not be promoted to the next grade. No pressure there. No child left behind. I pray each day I do not get sick. Because my kids need books, yes. My job is not now and has not been over the past year about books; it is about giving out computers, getting them back, fixing them; adapting to what the teachers need. But even more now, children need hugs and reassurance. They need love. They, too, are afraid. They understand that they might “fail”. They often do not care. But they also understand the world is big and scary and there is a pandemic – but they do not understand that I am not supposed to hug them. So, when they ask, I do. And again, I pray I do not get sick. Because the state says, oh, you are not valuable enough right now for this vaccine. Our school district is delighted to offer the vaccine to people in their employ – for this over 65 right now. I can guarantee you that most teachers/educators IN the classroom exposed daily to 20 or more “social distanced” students? They are under 65, and not any less susceptible. The virus truly does not care about age.

The pressure and stress are taking a toll, and teachers are changing careers. Teachers with passion for teaching children are walking away in high numbers. And I will be one of them in June of 2022.

I am an educator in the State of Florida; I have been proud to call myself a librarian; proud of that MLS after my name. I thought it would be my “forever” career until I retired; sharing my own passion for books and literature with children, hoping to steer them on a path of lifelong learning and reading. What more could anyone ask from a career? Sadly, because of the politics of education from both state and district levels, I have made the decision to leave a job I have no doubt I am good at. I am deemed highly effective in a high needs, high poverty, failing school; I am evaluated on the reading scores of each and every child in my school, but I am still considered highly effective. In June of 2022 I will be vested in the retirement system, and it will not give me much upon my actual retirement, whenever that may be, but it will be a little something. It will be time to leave and move on to something else unless, between now and then, something drastically changes. I know that in my 13 years, so far, I have impacted thousands of children’s lives. In the first half of my life as a librarian I was a true librarian; supplying rich connections and countless ideas of the worlds that books can lead us to; I could share and encourage a passion for reading and learning. In this second, current half of my career, I have given the students a different gift; that of love, connection, and value. I went from a truly high learning environment with students whose parents give their children the moon, to a school in the extreme opposite. My current students are from high needs, low-income housing, and 98% are considered to be living below poverty level. Education is not a top priority for so many of them. To quote Kathryn Stockett, I try to make them know “You is smart. You is kind. You is important” and I mean it when I try to give them that sense of worth. I cannot teach them to read; I can give them books and know they may not read them, but I can let them know they are loved and hope one day that can spark something beautiful inside of them.

I first got into the field of education nearly 14 years ago as a fluke. I had finished my BA after several starts and stops, and when my husband left my mother encouraged me to finish it. In 2004 I did; I was awarded my BA in Humanities, and I had fallen in love with the Italian Renaissance and wanted to pursue a career in Humanities. A wonderful professor advised me to go to library school; she said Kim, in Humanities, without a doctorate, that would be an uncertain career. She suggested library school; with that I could pursue my humanities interest and still be, at that time, guaranteed a career path.

When my mother died in 2005, not long after my graduation, I floundered; I did not want my life to go by me, as hers had, and in a sense, it was her gift to me. She had wanted a career in newspapers, but instead chose the path of motherhood and marriage. At the same time, she also truly encouraged us to follow our hearts and our dreams; to do and be more. When I was a little girl, she and her best friend Donna discussed what their children might become when they were grown. My mom said she saw me, even back then, as a librarian. I remember thinking, um, no. Librarians are stodgy. They wear thick heeled shoes, nylons, dresses, hair in a bun. No. Not for me. After my mother died, I put the advice of Naomi, my humanities professor/advisor, and my mom’s words from my childhood together, and I applied and was accepted to the Library and Information Science program at USF, Tampa.  

I was attending library school with every intention of working in museums and archives. I decided, as an elective, to take a children’s literature course with Dr. Dunkley. Dr. Dunkley told me I was a children’s librarian at heart. Again, I said, no. I want to work in museum archives. She said, Kim. You are a children’s librarian. I took another course with Dr. Dunkley, and when I had four classes left to graduate, I was offered, and accepted a position as a children’s librarian at a private school. It turns out everyone was right, despite my not believing it. I am good at my job; I know this with my heart. It saddens me to think of leaving it. I have no idea what I will do next. I do know that the education system needs reform. I do not have any idea what that should look like. I know my worth as an educator. But I also know my worth as a person, and if I do not take care of myself and my own needs, no one else will. The state of Florida certainly cannot. It hurts my heart to consider leaving a career I have been successful at. But self-preservation is a higher need for me. It is still to be determined what I will do next, but I want to continue to make a difference, somehow, somewhere.

Just Right Jillian, a book review

 Just Right Jillian is a beautiful book for younger middle grade readers. Jillian is in 5th grade, extremely shy and uncertain. She mourns the loss of her beloved grandmother, but she also draws on memories of her words, wisdom and lessons to give her strength and courage. It's  wonderful story of becoming who we are, rather than submitting to the wishes of others.

As a librarian I search for stories that can help my students see themselves within a story. Jillian comes from a strong, loving family, and her school life is filled with normalcy - students struggling to find their place academically, socially, and within themselves. When it is published, this book may be labeled as diverse reading for school collections, but really, that is a label I hope one day we can not look for, or feel the need to divide books into. Children want to see themselves in stories they read, and Just Right Jillian is about so much more. Diverse does not mean just about skin color, it can mean anyone who is different from peers or what society deems as acceptable. In this story, Jillian is black, and the majority of her schoolmates are black; she makes it a point to note that Jake, in her class, is one of a small group of white students, and he is well accepted (he is tall, too!). But this book is not about Jillian's skin color. Her place in the world with her parents is secure and accepting. She suffers from wanting to fit in, but also wanting to stand out and be herself. By unwritten agreement, all the fifth grade girls wear the same types of clothes and the same hair-do's on different days of the week. It makes Jillian feel invisible, and that is the true diversity of this book - trying to fit into a place where she is not entirely comfortable; wanting to conform, yet still be herself. It is about bravery and taking changes and taking a stand for oneself. But it is also about friendships, and what it means to be a true, accepting friend. 

This is a truly wonderful book, and I am going to be so honored to add it to my library collection when it is published.