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To This Great Stage of Fools: Born February 5th

Feb5

William Earl Johns, British children’s author, b. 1893. Has anyone ever heard of a series of children’s books about a character named Biggles? I never have, but apparently they were very popular in England and around the world in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

“By 1964, the UNESCO Statistical Yearbook placed Biggles books 29th on a list of the most translated books in the world and Biggles was the most popular juvenile hero in the world. However, sales in North America were low and Johns never really cracked the American market. The books were considered just ‘too British’.” From the website biggles.org

David Wiesner, b. 1957, children’s author and illustrator, also has a birthday today. He’s 50 years old today (and I know that for a very good, non-mathematical, reason). As an early birthday present Mr. Wiesner won the Caldecott Medal for the third time in January 2007 for his pcture book, Flotsam. He’s the second person to win three Caldecott Medals. Does anyone know who the other author/illustator who won three Caldecott Medals was? Can you name her three Caldecott medal-winning books? Can you name Mr. Wiesner’s other two winners?

(This is a test of the Emergency Caldecott System. Had this been an actual emergency, you would have been directed to your nearest children’s librarian.)

Newbery Project: The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles by Padraic Colum

Feb4

In 1922, the first year that the Newbery Medal was awarded, one of the “runners-up” later called “honor books,” was The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles by an Irish storyteller named Padraic Colum. Mr. Colum was a poet and a playwright and a friend of James Joyce, but his retelling of myths, legends, and folklore for children came to be his most enduring work. Padraic Colum won the Regina Medal in 1961 for his “distinguished contribution to children’s literature.” Some of his other books include The Children’s Homer, The Children of Odin, The Arabian Nights, and The King of Ireland’s Son. Padraic Colum was born December 8, 1881, and he died on January 12, 1972.

“In transferring a story of the kind I heard then to the pages of a collection, elements are lost, many elements —the quietness of the surroundings, the shadows on the smoke-browned walls, the crickets chirping in the ashes, the corncrake in the near meadow, or the more distant crying of a snipe or curlew, and (for a youngster) the directness of statement, or, simply the evocation of wonder.” ~Padraic Colum

Padraic Colum grew up listening to stories told by the fire or in the meadow, and The Golden Fleece is written in the voice of a storyteller; it’s meant to be read aloud and to evoke wonder. The syntax and writing style are poetic and begging to be read to listening ears. In addition to the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece, Colum blended into his narrative many of the older Greek myths: Persephone, Pandora’s Box, Theseus and the Minotaur, and the Labors of Hercules, just to name a few. I’m planning a year of ancient history and literature next school year, and I think The Golden Fleece will be our first read aloud as we study Greek history and literature.

Willy Pogany, the illustrator for this compilation, is one of my favorites. In some of the other books I have that are illlustrated by Pogany, his illustrations are full-color paintings, but the illustrations in The Golden Fleece are black and white line drawings reminiscent of the pictures on Greek vases. I can envision having my urchins copy one of the pictures in the book as an art project, then maybe make their own drawing in the same style.

Although The Golden Fleece would be perfect for read aloud time, I also think that all those kids who can’t get enough of Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief might want to go to the source, so to speak, and I can’t think of a better source for Greek mythology than Colum’s The Golden Fleece. So, as I begin my Newbery Project, Padraic Colum’s Newbery Honor Book wins a Newbery renewal for its beautiful use of language and powerful storytelling voice. This one stands the test of time, maybe because the stories themselves are timeless, but also because the storyteller, like Orpheus the Singer, knew how to tell a tale.

“Many were the minstrels who, in the early days, went through the world, telling to men the stories of the gods, telling of their wars and of their births. Of all these minstrels non was so famous as Orpheus who had gone with the argonauts; none could tell truer things about the gods, for he himself was half divine.

Orpheus sang to his lyre. Orpheus, the minstrel, who knew the ways and the stories of the gods; out in the open sea on the first morning of the voyage Orpheus sang to them of the beginning of things.”

February Homeschool Fun

Feb1

February 1: It’s Friendship Month, American Heart Month, Library Lovers’ Month, National Bird Feeding Month, National Cherry Month, Black History Month, and National Hot Breakfast Month.

February 2: Groundhog Day. Last year we watched the movie Groundhog Day because Barbara likes it.
Groundhog Day was first known as Candlemas Day, a holy day still celebrated within the Catholic Church. Candlemas Day marks the end of the Christmas season and the midpoint of winter, halfway between the shortest day and the spring equinox. Light the candles in your house to celebrate Jesus, the Light of the World. The custom of predicting the spring weather from conditions on the 2nd of February also comes originally from Candlemas Day.
Here’s more about The Loveliness of Candlemas from a Catholic point of view, lots of ideas and thoughts on celebrating the feast of Candlemas.
Journey Woman on Ground Hog Day, the movie and the holiday.

On February 2, 1949 RCA issued the first 45 rpm record. Do you remember 45’s? If so, do you remember any specific songs you purchased on a 45 record? I remember listening to a set of 45’s of the music from the musical Oklahoma. “Poor Jud is daid. Poor Jud Fry is daid. He’s lookin’ oh so peaceful and serene. And serene.”

February 3: Felix Mendelssohn was born on this date in 1809.

February 4: Lord’s Day and then Super Bowl. Will you be watching the Super Bowl at your house?
Charles Lindbergh, the first man to make a solo transatlantic flight, was born on this date. If you’ve never read the journals of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, I recommend them. The first volume is called Bring Me a Unicorn and covers the years 1922-1928.

February 6: George “Babe” Ruth was born on this date in 1895.
Waitangi Day in New Zealand, celebrating a treaty signed in 1840 between the British colonists and the native Maori tribesmen.

February 7: It’s always fun to see that Laura Ingalls Wilder and Charles Dickens, two of my favorite writers, share a birthday. I think we’ll read some Little House today and maybe we’ll try something with the little ones that I did long ago with the older urchins: make a churn out of a coffee can and make butter. I think I used Tinkertoys for the dasher, but we don’t have any of those, so I’ll have to come up with something else.

February 8: On this date in 1932, John Williams, American composer and conductor, was born in Flushing, New York. I still enjoy the music from Star Wars although I have grown weary of the saga. Play it and remember, if you can, the first time you saw a Star Wars movie.

February 10: February is Friendship Month. Send a friend a letter or a card or a valentine. Renew an old friendship or make an effort to start a new friendship.

February 11: Thomas Alva Edison’s Birthday. On February 19, 1878, he patented the phonograph. Draw an invention that you would like to build. Name ten machines or inventions that are no longer in common use. (Actually, Computer Guru Son prefers phonograph records. Who knew they’d become popular among the musical snobs?)

February 12: On this date in 1924, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue premiered in New York City. Play a recording of it and draw a picture of the city that Gershwin put into music.
It’s also Abraham Lincoln’s actual birthday.

February 13: Betsy-Bee will be eight years old today.

February 14: Valentine’s Day. We’ll be giving out valentines to all our friends and neighbors with these verses printed on them: “Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God, and everyone who loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love.” I John 4:7-8

February 15: In 1874, Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Antarctic explorer, was born. Of course, he wasn’t a “sir” when he was born.

February 16: On this date in 1923, King Tutankhamen’s burial chamber was opened by archaeologist Howard Carter.
Discovering King Tut Online.

February 18: On this date in 1885, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published. Some people say Huck Finn is the Great American Novel. What novel do you think best epitomizes the American experience?
On February 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as the first and only president of the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis’s Inaugural Speech.
Did you know that February 18-24 is National Engineers Week? Celebrate your favorite engineer.

February 19: President’s Day. Since February is National Cherry Month, and George Washington may have cut down that cherry tree, and my Engineer Husband likes cherry pie and we’re still celebrating National Engineers Week, I declare today Cherry Pie Day. “Can you bake a cherry pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?” I’ll let you know how the pies come out.
Memorize the names of all the presidents of the US in order.
Plans for a President’s Day Cabin Fever Party.

February 20: Shrove Tuesday, also called Pancake Tuesday or Mardi Gras (Greasy Tuesday). On the day before Ash Wednesday, you were supposed to use up all the butter and cream in the larder before the Lenten fast. >Read about Shrove Tuesday in England.

February 21: Ash Wednesday. Christians from liturgical raditions may go to church on this day, and the minister or priest may smear ashes on the foreheads of worshipppers to signify repentance. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent, forty days leading up to the celebration of Resurrection Sunday. Does your family observe Lent, and if so, how?

February 22: On this date in 1620, the Indians introduced popcorn to the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. That fact sounds like a good excuse to enjoy some popcorn, the homeschool snack.

February 23: Handel’s Birthday. Listen to some Handel today. The Messiah is great, but be adventurous and try something else.

February 26: In 1932, Johnny Cash was born.

February 27: Birthday of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Evangeline anyone? Or Hiawatha?
Also born on this date was Gioacchino Rossini who said, “Give me a laundry-list and I’ll set it to music.” What a challenge! Can you and your children set some words to music today? Perhaps something more significant than a laundry-list—a Bible verse or a poem?

February 28: On this day in 1854 a new political party was organized. Their common goal was the complete and final abolition of slavery; their slogan was “Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Speech, Free Men, Fremont!” Their candidate for president, John Fremont lost the election of 1856, but in 1860 their candidate, Abraham Lincoln, won —a victory that caused the Southern states to secede from the Union in horror.

To This Great Stage of Fools: Born February 1st

Feb1

Arthur Henry Hallam, b. 1811, the subject, upon his death in 1833 at the age of 22, of Tennyson’s famous poem In Memoriam. The poem wasn’t actually published until 1850; I guess it took Tennyson that long to work through his grief in poetic form over Hallam’s untimely death.

Charles Nordhoff, b. 1887, was the co-author, along with his friend James Norman Hall, of one of my favorite books, Mutiny on the Bounty, the fictionalized story of Captain Bligh, Fletcher Christian, and the mutiny that took place on HMAV Bounty (His Majesty’s Armed Vessel) in 1789. It is Nordhoff’s and Hall’s book that is the basis for most of the movie versions of the mutiny story.

Langston Hughes, American poet, b. 1902.

Jerry Spinelli, b. 1941, won the Newbery Award for his book, Maniac Magee.

To This Great Stage of Fools: Born January 31st

Jan31

(Pearl) Zane Grey, Western author, b. 1875 in Zanesville, Ohio. He dropped his first later in life. Engineer Husband has an uncle named Horace Pearl; I think Pearl was an acceptable name for boys around the turn of the century and before. Zane Grey wrote over 90 books, travelled all over the world, and became one of the first millionaire writers. Not bad for guy named Pearl.

Gerald McDermott, b. 1941, author and illlustrator who won the Caldecott Award in 1975 for Arrow to the Sun.
Gerald McDermott’s website.

Here’s a critical view of McDermott’s book from a blogger who writes about American Indians as portrayed in children’s literature.

An art activity to accompany the reading of Arrow to the Sun.

To This Great Stage of Fools: Born January 30th

Jan30

Walter Savage Landor, poet, b. 1775.

Ann Taylor (b. 1782) who along with her sister Jane published several books of poems for children. Among the poems she and sister Jane wrote was the well-known Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. I found an online copy of a book of the sisters’ poems entitled Little Ann. Most of the poems are about little children who misbehave and what will happen to such naughty little boys and girls–refreshingly politically incorrect in this day and age when we’re supposed to pretend that they’re behaving even when they’re not.

Gelett Burgess, poet, author, and humorist, b. 1866. He’s most well-known for his poem:

I never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one;
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I’d rather see than be one!

He also coined the word “blurb,” placing a picture of a fictitious character, Mis Belinda Blurb, on the dust cover of one of his books with a caption that said she was “blurbing.” The word came to designate the text telling about the book rather than the picture or the dustcover itself.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, b. 1882.

Angela Margaret Thirkell, b. 1890. Read some thoughts on Ms. Thirkell’s book, Private Enterprise or on County Chronicle by the same author.

Barbara Tuchman, historian, b. 1912. I am very fond of Tuchman’s book, A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century, a history of France during the high Middle Ages. However, I must enjoy reading about the Middle Ages more than I like reading about WW I because I have yet to finish The Guns of August, the first book for which Tuchman won the Pulitzer Prize.

Francis Schaeffer, b. 1912, Christian theologian, philosopher, and apologist.

Lloyd Alexander, b. 1924, is one of my favorite fantasy authors (after CS Lewis and Tolkien, of course). His books have won the Newbery Award, Newbery honor, and have a place on my very exclusive list of the 100 Best Fiction Books Ever Written.

Last but not least, Richard Cheney, b.1941, the 46th vice-president of the United States, is 66 years old today. I watched him during the State of the Union address, and he didn’t look any happier or more supportive than the Democrat Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, did. Maybe he had a stomach ache. I wonder if he likes sharing a birthday with FDR.

To This Great Stage of Fools: Born January 27th

Jan27

Lewis Carroll, b. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, 1832 at Cheshire, England. Now you know where the name for the Cheshire Cat came from. At least, I assume so.

My favorite Lewis Carroll poem: Jabberwocky

My favorite scene from Alice in Wonderland: The very mixed-up croquet game in which the players keep on chasing their hedgehog balls around the lawn.

My favorite Lewis Carroll quote:

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less.”

“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.”

“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master – that’s all.” Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

More quotes:

“The horror of that moment,” the King went on, “I shall never forget!”
“You will, though,” The Queen said, “if you don’t make a memorandum of it.” (Through the Looking Glass)

“The rule is, jam tomorrow and jam yesterday – but never jam today.”

One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.
“Which road do I take?” she asked.
“Where do you want to go?” was his response.
“I don’t know,” Alice answered.
“Then,” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter.”

The children are watching Disney’s version of Alice in Wonderland. I did read the book to them, before I allowed Disney to corrupt their minds.

Eldest Daughter took a Victorian fantasy class last fall, and she fell in love with dear old Professor Dodgson. She won’t hear a word against him and insists that his photographic hobby was completely innocent. Did you know that George Macdonald and his family read Lewis Carroll’s “Alice story” and encouraged him to have it published?

To This Great Stage of Fools: Born January 25th

Jan25


Robert Burns, Scots poet, b. 1759.
Kate’s Book Blog on Burns’ Birthday
Semicolon: January 25, 2004
Rebecca celebrates with a whole slew of Robbie Burns posts from 2005.

Somerset Maugham, b. 1874. “There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”

Virginia Woolf, b. 1882. Eldest Daughter on Virginia Woolf: “To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. This is a beautiful poetic exploration of the ephemerality of human relationships. You can have Joyce; give me Woolf for the highest example of the stream of consciousness technique. Because with her it’s not about the technique, it’s about the people.” I couldn’t say. Modern-day philistine that I am, I’ve never read Joyce or Woolf.

Edwin Newman, b. 1919. Longtime anchorman of NBC News, he also wrote the book Strictly Speaking about the use and misuse of the English language.

To This Great Stage of Fools: Born January 24th

Jan24

Edith Wharton, b. 1862. Wouldn’t it be exciting to meet famous and not-so-famous thinkers and writers? Wouldn’t you love to discuss writing and books with Madeleine L’Engle or Marilynne Robinson or or Leif Enger or Bret Lott, to name a few living authors that I admire and enjoy? (Tomorrow is the day I’m planning to go to Houston Baptist University to hear Ms. Robinson speak. I’m excited.) I’ve always thought the French idea of a “salon” where people meet in the evening or afternoon to discuss and experience art and literature was a delightful picture. The internet and the interaction between bloggers is as close as I’ve come to a literary salon. Edith Wharton lived amost of her adult life in France, and “she held salon where the gifted intellectuals of her time gathered to discuss and share ideas. Teddy Roosevelt, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway were all guests of hers at one time or another.” How exciting!

If you haven’t read Age of Innocence and House of Mirth, run out and get you a copy now. These are seriously good stories in the Jane Austen/Emily Bronte/George Eliot tradition of gifted women authors. Age of Innocence is a melancholy book with a melancholy ending, and House of Mirth is seriously sad. I wanted to slap Lily Bart up the side of the head because she made such appallingly stupid decisions. Yet I could see why she made those decisions. Anyway, read Edith Wharton’s books. She’s a great writer.

To This Great Stage of Fools: Born January 19th

Jan19

A day for weirdness and horror:

Patricia Highsmith, b. 1921. We used to rent DVDs from Clean Films, movies that had been edited to remove profanity and nudity. One of the films we rented has become something of a family joke, The Talented Mr. Ripley, based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith. I think something was definitely lost in the editing; it was a very confusing movie experience for us, and by the time we realized what the movie was all about and that we really didn’t want to watch it at all, it was too late. I still can’t watch a movie with Matt Damon and feel comfortable with whatever character he’s playing; I’m always afraid he might turn into Mr. Ripley before the end of the movie. Anyway I read Strangers on a Train also by Patricia Highsmith last year. The characters in that book are rather disturbed, too.

January 19th is also the birthday of Edgar Allan Poe. I posted in 2005 on Poe’s birthday about Tintinabulation and in 2004 about my favorite poem, Annabel Lee.
I also wrote about the Poe forgery, Leonainie. Does anyone know without looking who the forger was?
Finally, have you heard about the Poe Toaster? He comes in the night every January 19th and leaves a half-filled bottle of cognac and three roses on Poe’s grave. Some unknown person has performed this ritual every year since 1949.