Can it be? Is Sesame Street really 40 years old! Yes, it’s true, the educational television series that started a new era in educational television for children has reached middle age. The importance of this milestone has been written about in several media articles including: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-sesame-street10-2009nov10,0,147349.storyand http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_e45/street-sesame-show.html Now PBS offers a variety of educational shows for children and provides resouces for parents to extend the learning opportunties introduced by various shows, http://www.pbs.org/parents/ Kids have their own PBS web page with many online educational games and activities: http://pbskids.org/The six Clayton County public libraries own a variety of children’s books based on characters from popular PBS children’s shows. These books are available to check out and enjoy at home. Happy Birthday Big Bird & Friends!!
October Displays at Forest Park Branch
- The original publicity still
Our diorama model
In our display case is our annual “haunted house” diorama, a tribute to the 1960 classic thriller Psycho. Inspired by a famous publicity still and the work of another Haunted Dimensions model builder, uses graphic artist Ray Keim’s paper model of the Bates House sits on a rise overlooking the infamous Bates Motel. Norman Bates stands before the house, silhouetted by the setting sun, as “Mother” sits at her bedroom window.
The diorama will be displayed through mid-November.
Local artist Genathan Gibson made a painting of the Forest Park Library Building, which he donated to us this past Spring. Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Library and Frames and Frames in Forest Park, the painting is framed for permanent display at the Library.
The painting will be prominently displayed through November 6, then moved to another location in the Library.
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Visit the Haunted Dimensions website to download and build the Bates House and other spooky paper models.
The movie Psycho is available on DVD from retailers and rental stores. Turner Classic Movies airs the film on occasion. Check their website for future broadcasts.
The books Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho and Psycho: Behind the Scenes of the Classic Thriller are available at CCLS. Ask a librarian for assistance.
Blue Jesus
I first heard mention of the book Blue Jesus on WABE back in April. I was intrigued by the storyline, and after waiting eagerly for its release and wrapping up some other reading, I recently finished the book. My anticipation was rewarded.
Blue Jesus is a story of Buddy and Early, two pre-teens living in a small town in the North Georgia mountains. Buddy is a sensitive type, viewed by many as a “sissy” and suffers indignities from his schoolmates because of it. Early belongs to a group of “blue people,” whose skin has a blue tint instead of pink, and live apart from the townspeople as outcasts. Things change for the boys when they find an infant’s body in the town dump. Early picks up the child and appears to bring it back to life. On hearing this, the townspeople hold up Early as a miracle worker, and he and Buddy become instant celebrities.
The story centers on the friendship between the boys. As each boy faces challenges at home and in the community and to their own characters, their mutual loyalty protects and sustains each other, even more than the love and support of family members. Buddy looks after Early’s emotional and physical well-being during the frenzy of his newfound fame, while Early encourages Buddy’s spiritual growth and healing as he deals with the death of his mother.
Early and his family are based on an actual group of blue-skinned people who live in the Appalachian Mountain regions of Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee. The blue people’s appearance is due to a blood disorder called methemoglobinemia, a hereditary trait. Isolation and intermarriage has kept the trait largely within a single community in the Appalachians. Rather than be viewed and treated as curiosities, the blue people live in apart from general society. Their detachment and the prejudice of the townspeople are a basis of conflict in Blue Jesus. Both of these attitudes are tested when Early’s supernatural abilities are revealed and desired. Early finds a way to use his power to bring the diverse peoples in the town together.
Blue Jesus is the debut novel of Atlanta writer Tom Edwards. The book is not available in CCLS as of this writing, and the only copy in PINES is not yet available for request. The book is available in stores and from online vendors, and is worth seeking out.
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This article discusses a brief history of the blue people, methemoglobinemia and the doctor who discovered a cure.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With Books
Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15th and continues through October 15th. During this time five Latin American countries celebrate the anniversary of independence in 1821 - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition to these countries, other Latin American countries also declared their independence during this time. Mexico declared its independence on September 16th, 1810 and Chili on September 18th, 1810.
This is a great time to recognize the contributions Hispanic Americans made to the United States, including excellent books! Here is a list of wonderful children’s books with elements of Hispanic culture, family, and food. Click on the image to link to our catalog and see if it is available.
Abuela by Arthur Dorros
Gathering the Sun by Alma Flor Ada
Pablo’s Tree by Pat Mora
Chato’s Kitchen by Gary Soto
I Am Latino: The Beauty of Me by Sandra Pinkney
Some suggestions for Young Adults:
Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa
Buried Onions by Gary Soto
For more titles related to hispanic culture for children and young adults click here. Hispanic heritage is more than good Mexican food. Enjoy the many flavors of Latin American culture…read a book.
Babies Are Smart & Learn Through Play
Alison Gopnick, professor of psychology at Berkeley and the author of The Philosophical Baby recently wrote an op-ed piece in the N.Y. Times, “Your Baby Is Smarter Than You Think,” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/opinion/16gopnik.html?pagewanted=1. Children learn through play and “play with those things that will teach them the most.” One of the ways that Clayton County babies can “Play with a Purpose” is to participate in the weekly “Baby Talk” sessions conducted most Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. at the Clayton County Headquarters Library for infants–from newborns to age 20 months. Most series last 8 weeks and a parent (or grandparent or other individual adult) needs to register for the entire series. Activities consist of playing with educational toys and bubbles, singing songs and rhymes, and sharing simple stories and books with “cardboard” pages. Staff also uses the Souns letter system, http://www.souns.org/
In order to ensure the safety of the infants, no older siblings may attend and the number of babies who participate in a series is limited to 20. Both parents may attend if they wish but child care providers should speak with staff about scheduling a separate story time. Toddlers ages 21-36 months are invited to register for the weekly 10 a.m. series on Tuesdays and ages 3-6 are invited to register for the preschool story time on Tuesdays at 11 a.m.
To register for the series, call 770 473 3850 and ask for the Youth Services desk or email Bea Mengel, mailto:beamengel@claytonpl.org
Jonesboro, GA. Middle School Students Select Books to Read
According to an article in the August 30, 2009 Atlanta Journal Constitution, “New Method to Teach Literature,” teacher Lorrie McNeill encourages Jonesboro, Georgia, Clayton County School District middle school students to their own titles to read and discuss. This article originally was published in the N.Y. Times, with the title, “The Future of Reading A New Assignment Pick Books You Like,” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/books/30reading.html . Her method called “The Reading Workshop Classroom” http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/08/30/weekinreview/20090830_READING_SS_index.html is featured in a slide show posted on the N.Y. Times webpage. This method will encourage teen readers to enjoy reading and become lifelong readers. The six Clayton County Public Libraries invite all middle school students to visit the libraries’ “Young Adult” sections, which are filled with popular titles. The library staff also encourages teens to let staff know about books they think the library should add to their collections. Teens are encouraged to drop suggestions in the suggestion boxes or at public desks or to email suggestions to arcuriaj@claytonpl.org
Julia Child Tribute at Forest Park
Inspired by the movie Julie and Julia and the renewed interest in Julia Child, the Forest Park Branch offers a new display in tribute to America’s first celebrity chef.
The display features copies of Child’s most popular cookbooks Mastering the Art of French Cooking and The Way to Cook, both from the Branch Manager’s personal collection, and food and cooking utensils that reflects her legacy of good food and enjoyment through cooking.
The tribute is on display through the month of September, after which we’ll bring another haunted house diorama featuring models from the Haunted Dimensions website!
See photos of the display on the CCLS photostream.
Read the previous blog to learn about Julia Child. The blog contains several links to related sites and holdings of her books.
The 641 Project – Julia Child
In light of the new movie Julie and Julia, the internet and other media is abuzz with renewed interest in Julia Child. The movie combines Child’s memoir My Life in France with Julie and Julia, Julie Powell’s anecdotal account of the year she attempted to make every recipe from Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The movie parallels the two women’s journey to self-discovery, finding themselves in their passion for cooking.
Child’s own journey began in Pasadena, California in 1912. A member of a well-to-do family, Child attended a prestigious college before working as copywriter, and later a spy for the Office of Strategic Services! She met Paul Child, who also worked for OSS, whom she married in 1946. She went with him when he was assigned to work in Paris, France. It was there that she developed an appreciation for French cuisine. She enrolled in the Cordon Bleu culinary school, and developed the skill that changed her life and the culinary world.
Child went on to author several cookbooks, including Mastering the Art of French Cooking (co-authored), and host a number of celebrated cooking shows on the Public Broadcasting System, the first being the landmark series The French Chef in 1962. I don’t remember any of the episodes that I watched as a kid (only Dan Ackroyd’s parody on Saturday Night Live), but I recall a moment from a later series where Child observed a chef preparing a decadent chocolate pastry. Upon sampling a bite, Child was overcome with ecstasy and burst into tears. It was a moment that demonstrated Child’s genuine love of good food: Pure joy without pretense and conceit. Through her shows and writings, the 6 ‘ 2” woman with an easy going manner and funny accent brought a style to the kitchen that made the techniques of fine cooking accessible – perhaps demystified – for the home cook, with humor and fun to boot. Over a career lasting over forty years, Child’s single-handedly changed the way we think about food in the US (www.starchefs.com, 2004)
Child’s influence was not lost on the professional chef, either. Mastering the Art of French Cooking is considered a standard guide for the culinary community (Biography.com, 2004). She was a member and founder of several professional organizations, and received numerous awards and recognitions for her work in food preparation and knowledge. At her death in 2004, many Food Network celebrity chefs testified to how she influenced their decision to pursue culinary careers.
Readers and foodies are rediscovering and embracing one of the world’s most influential chefs and best known cooking show personality. Five years after her death, and at a time when Americans are seeking safer and more wholesome foods for the table, Child is poised to mold more generations in the way to cook and the fun in making a good meal.
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Julie and Julia opens in theaters on August 7, 2009.
Check out Julia Child’s PBS site devoted to her cooking series.
While she declined offers for a series on Food Network, Child made appearances on its shows, and was appreciated with an episode of the Chefography series. Watch the episode here.
View her kitchen from her Massachusetts home, which she donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 2001.
Read Julie Powell’s Julie/Julia Project blog on the web (Warning: Contains profanity)
More information on Julia Child, including biographies, news articles, blogs and video clips, can be found on the world wide web. Simply search her name in your favorite search engine.
Find cookbooks by Julia Child in CCLS and PINES by searching “Child, Julia” in the PINES catalog.
Georgia Tax Holiday
Georgia’s Sales Tax Holiday begins this weekend, July 30 – August 2. During this weekend, purchases of certain items, such as clothing, personal computers and school supplies, are not charged sales tax.
For example, if you were to buy a computer that costs $700, you would not pay the additional $49 in sales tax. The $49 savings then could be spent on other items. The Tax Holiday is an ideal time to buy school supplies and equipment for the coming school year.
The tax exemption is not limited to students or parents with students. Certain restrictions are in place, however. To find out about eligible items and more information about the Tax Holiday, go to the Georgia Department of State’s web site for the 2009 Tax Holiday.
Consider buying extra school supplies for local school supply drives. See the blog below for information.
School Supply Drive
Supporting Clayton County Schools
July 20th – August 6th
Donate any of the school supplies listed and receive a free coupon for a Chick-fil-A sandwich!
Limit of 3 Chick-fil-A sandwiches coupons per person.
- Wide-ruled notebook paper
- 8 1/2 by 11′ spiral bound notebooks
- #2 pencils (in packs)
- 16-count crayon packs
Drop off school supplies at any Clayton County Chick-fil-A location (including Truett’s Grill and Dwarf House) or at the Clayton County Headquarters Library.
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And don’t forget the Clayton County “Back To School Bash” on Saturday, August 8th from 11:00am to 2:00pm
- Tons of inflatables
- Train rides
- Food and fun
Bring the family to to the Old Clayton County Courthouse grounds across the railroad tracks from Downtown Jonesboro
Ted
