After Ghandi

Maine Author & Illustrator, Anne Sibley O'Brien, and her son, Perry Edmond O'Brien, have collaborated on a stunning new book, After Ghandi: 100 Years of Nonviolent Resistance, published by Charlesbridge. There's an open house to celebrate the publication of the book next Friday, May 1st, at Arabica Coffee, 2 Free Street, in Portland, Maine, as part of the First Friday Art Walk.

Book Signing & Art Opening
Friday, May 1, 2009 (Art Walk)
5:00-8:00 PM (Open House)

The book is a must-have for social justice awareness, and the illustrations are fabulous. The event is a fundraiser for the Social Action Committee at the Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church.

Here is a link for more information: CURIOUS CITY.

http://curiouscitycalendar.blogspot.com/2009/04/may-1-2009.html

The Almost Librarian

Valerie Baartz, grad school student and mother of two young children, has combined her background in Early Childhood Education, her work in Library Science, and her own experience to produce a snappy blog with great recommendations and comments about children's books. The site is chock-full of great links to early childhood sites, early literacy information, and reading lists. She recently featured my books, which I'm delighted to mention! Check out her site by clicking here: The Almost Librarian.

 

A Shape Capers Day in Westbrook, Maine

Update!

Here are photos from this event!

Photos:

Rick Kimball

rkimbal4@maine.rr.com

 Warren Memorial Library Shape Capers Day!

Puppets for the Ides of March!

The clever kids at Allen Avenue UU had a grand time making puppets today. 

Bravo for Maine's Tom Allen

Our former Maine Congressman, Tom Allen, has been named CEO of the Association of American Publishers. Tom is a brilliant man of integrity, and I wish him well in his new endeavor. 

Creative Kids at L.L. Bean

School vacation time in Maine, so what better to do than make turtle puppets?

L.L. Bean in Freeport hosted a week of children's book folks to read, make things, and have fun with kids. At least 80 small puppet makers stopped by to make SCOOT turtles with me, and then led their critters down to my portable pond for a splash. 

Photos: Kirsten Cappy, Curious City

Happy 112th Birthday

McMullin triplets: Willie May, Tillie Day and Dillie Fay. Born February 20, 1897.

On February 20, 1897, my grandmother and her two sisters arrived into the world. Their births were a home delivery in the Ozarks in St. Clair County, Missouri, and they were named Dillie Fay, Tillie Day and Willie May McMullin. Their names were not unusual for the time, but having triplets born alive certainly was rare. The family history says that they averaged 6 pounds each (!) and that my grandmother, Willie, was the smallest. Since it was feared she would not survive, they tucked her into bed with her own grandmother, who was suffering from tuberculosis, so she could pass away comforted. Tillie died from an auto accident in 1965 at age 68, Dillie died five years later at 73, and my grandmother, who was thought to be too weak to survive, lived to be 88. 

Happy Birthday!