Trudy Phillips, New Girl

By Barbara Bates

Illustrated by Dorothy Grider
Copyright 1953

 

It was Trudy Phillips first day at a new school and she was understandably very nervous.  Would she fit in?  Would she make any friends?  Fortunately, it doesn’t take Trudy long to find a group of girls and boys to hang out with.  She is frustrated though because for some reason she just can’t seem to get in with the beautiful, popular, and stylish Gloria Holden.  If only Trudy could befriend Gloria, she could be popular too and everything would be perfect.

There is also a mystery to solve at Trudy’s new school.  Money is being stolen – from students and from the school clubs.  The thief has been impossible to catch.  The school officials make the obviously smart decision to enlist the help of the new girl to catch the thief so they don’t have to call in the police.  Trudy plants money and hides so the culprit can be caught in the act.  It works, but Trudy is shocked to find that it is Gloria who has been stealing!

Gloria didn’t need the money, she admits.  She’s just craving some attention.  With her parents busy working all the time, Gloria is very lonely.  And then Trudy came to school and everyone liked her, so Gloria had become jealous.  That is yet another shock for Trudy.  She thought Gloria’s life was perfect, when all along Trudy was the fortunate one. 

Life lesson for Trudy Phillips:  Just because someone appears to have it all together doesn’t mean they really do! 

Swimmy

By Leo Lionni

Copyright 1963

The story of Swimmy, a little black fish among many, many little red fish was a Caldecott Honor book in 1964, the same year Where the Wild Things Are won the prize.

Swimmy was a much faster fish than all his little red siblings.  Fortunately, that meant he was able to outswim the giant tuna that came after them.  Unfortunately, none of his slower brothers and sisters could, so Swimmy was left by himself.  He traveled on all alone and saw some amazing sights.  He swam by beautiful sea anemones, a marvelous jelly fish, and a forest of seaweeds, growing from sugar candy rocks.  As amazing as the sights were, he was so happy when he came across another school of little red fish, just like his own.  

All those little red fish wanted to do was hide among the rocks.  They knew the giant fish were out there ready to eat them up.  What could Swimmy do to help?  Fortunately, he was quite the innovative problem solver!  He taught his new friends to swim in the formation of a giant fish, with Swimmy himself as the eye.  That way, they were able to scare all those big bullies away.

Swimmy teaches valuable lessons.

We are safer when we band together.

Community matters.

Be yourself – but be part of a community.

89 Poems

An Anthology in Honor of Marilyn Claus
Copyright 2016
 

This book contains 89 Poems.  Some are written by well-known published poets;  Emily Dickinson, Joan Walsh Anglund, Robert Louis Stevenson.  But many others are written by lesser known poets; my Mother, my siblings, my daughters, nieces and nephews, and even one by me.  Needless to say, this is a very special book, compiled lovingly by my sister Amy with contributions from all of us.  

When I thought about composing a contribution of my own, I was stumped at first.  I’ve never considered myself a poet!  But then I looked back at a poem my Mother wrote for me when I was 10 years old as she remembered herself at that age.

ADRIAN, AT TEN   (by Marilyn)

Turned up nose—usually tucked inside a book,

Enormous blue eyes—looking out at the world, shyly,

Smiling mouth, that doesn’t tell your thoughts,

Wee, warm body, sitting close, holding my hand.

Are you saying something, while saying nothing?

Is this as image of me, at ten, I see?

My mother wrote about our similarities, both in hobbies and in disposition.  Then it struck me.  I could sure do the same.  Now at age 50, I can remember my mother at this same age.  I was startled when I realized the similarities!

            MARILYN, AT FIFTY   (by Adrian)

Turned up nose—usually tucked inside a book,

Eyes wide open, studying the Dewey Decimal System,

Smiling mouth, teaching others the love of reading,

Open hands, handing a child a magical book.

At 10, what did I see, while watching you?

It was an image of me, who at 50, I would be!

Happy Birthday Mom!  I hope you like your very own book of poetry!

The Sense of Wonder

By Rachel Carson

Photos by Charles Pratt and others

Copyright 1965

The Sense of Wonder was intended to be expanded into a longer book.  Unfortunately, Carson died before she was able to complete it.  The essay was written in 1956, but this book with accompanying photographs was published after her death.  

As much about child development as it is about conservation, this book is full of nature photos from the coast of Maine where Carson and her young nephew spent many happy hours exploring.  She begins with describing the pure joy of a toddler meeting the tumultuous ocean waves for the first time. Further observations of her nephew led her to conclude that it is nurturing that sense of wonder that is of utmost importance to a child’s education of the natural world.  Teaching the names of plants and animals or explaining the science behind the wonder of nature should be secondary. 

 

She also brings up an interesting thought stemming from an evening of stargazing.  The sight of the Milky Way, the brilliant stars, and a meteor burning through the atmosphere was so amazing.  Why wasn’t everyone outside looking at it?  “But it can be seen many scores of nights in any year, and so the lights burned in the cottages and the inhabitants probably gave not a thought to the beauty overhead; and because they could see it almost any night perhaps they will never see it.”  

There are valuable lessons to be found in The Sense of Wonder.  Let yourself be awed by our world; by the plants, trees, sky, water, animals.  And never take that world for granted.  As Carson says, “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”

Early Bible Heroes

Bible “Foldorama”

A Warner Press Product

1950’s

I found this little gem in a unique shop in Champaign called The Idea Store.  My nickname for it is the Garbage Store, because a lot of what you’d find there many people would consider trash.  One person’s trash is another’s treasure, though.  I’ve found materials there for children’s art projects.  My daughter found vintage fabric for a dress.  During my most recent visit, I picked up this tiny booklet that was floating around in a bin of old greeting cards and calendars.

Early Bible Heroes gives summaries of the lives of historical figures from the Old Testament in a very short rhyming verse.

 

“Joseph’s brothers sold him into Egypt land where he became a ruler just as God had planned.”

“Ruth spoke to her mother-in law, ‘Wherever you go I will trod, your people shall be my people too, and your God shall be my God”

“The Israelites were ready, and at the Lord’s command Moses bravely led the host out of Egypt land.”

They certainly are catchy little verses, and for a child could be an easy way to learn the basics about the Old Testament figures.  But what struck me was how easily a person’s life was cut down to one little verse.  In my opinion, the meaning of a life lies not necessarily in the big accomplishments, but in how a person deals with the mundane happenings of everyday life.  What were these heroic people really like?  Did they carry out their callings with grumbling and griping, or were they good-hearted and hospitable?  Did they leave the housework for the rest of their families, or would they willingly take on the drudgery?  A singular event or action may have made these people heroes, but what I really want to know is if they took the time to laugh and play and bring joy to those around them.  To me, that is the ultimate measure of a life.