Pages

Friday, November 21, 2014

ILL Adventure - Hula Lullaby

OK. This one is not about the Appalachian Trail. Plus, it is not an adult book. It is, however, an Interlibrary Loan book! I requested this book for a Hawaiian themed storytime I was presenting to families with young children during the summer at my library. 

Interlibrary Loan Information
Book: Hula Lullaby written and illus. by Erin Eitter Kono 

Where Did It Come From: Irving Public Library System - Valley Ranch Branch. Irving, TX.

Condition: Well read, but in otherwise good condition. Great for storytime use. Sorry, there is no picture of this ILL book. Summer is a crazy season for me!

Book Review 
This books is a simple lullaby that has Hawaiian words, such as keiki (child), and ipu (short for ipu heke, a percussion instrument ) weaved into the lyric. The story is about snuggling close and looking, listening, and feeling to the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of hula dancers, drummers singing, waves crashing and breezes blowing. The illustrations are full of dark yet bright colors and beautifully show the natural surroundings and the people in Hawai'i. This lullaby works great for all ages. If you have little drums or percussion instruments, let the children play with them softly while you read the book. Egg shakers or maracas could work too.

Bibliographic Information 
Kono, Erin Eitter. 2005. Hula Lullaby. Illus. by Karen Eitter Kono. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 97803167359199780811735308.

Addition Information 
Hula Preservation Society - Ipu

Recommended Websites 
Hula Preservation Society - Ipu


Would I Buy It?
Yes. If I could find a copy and it was in good condition I would have this book for my programs. The diversity is great and the potential for music totally adds to it.

Book cover image from www.goodreads.com, 2014

Sunday, March 16, 2014

ILL Adventure - Three Hundred Zeroes

This is the first book that I have Interlibrary Loaned and have actually read (others were just tests to try out my library's new updated service). Let the adventure begin!

Photo taken by Dorothy,
The Wielded Pen, 2014
Interlibrary Loan Information
Book: Three Hundred Zeroes: Lessons of the Heart of the Appalachian Trail written by Dennis R. Blanchard

Where Did It Come From: Chippewa River District Library System - Mount Pleasant, MI (Michigan!)

Condition: Near perfect. According to the CRDL catalog, this book has only checked out seventeen times. The pages are white, and you can see the natural wear on the edges of where previous readers put their thumbs. It goes to prove that we all tend to hold our books the same way.


Book Review 
Dennis Blanchard and his brother Tom promised each other that they would hike the Appalachian Trail after their military duty in Vietnam. Fast forward forty years and the adventure was never taken. Tom was killed in action and the rest of Blanchard's life took over. With his wife's encouragement, Blanchard makes true of his promise and as a celebration his 60th birthday he sets out on the trail at Sprinter Mountain in Georgia as a Northbounder - carrying Tom's Purple Heart Medal in a pocket.  Compared to the popular book A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, Blanchard (trail name K1YPP or simply K1) shares stories of encountering and befriending other hikers, his attempts to contact people with a ham radio, seeing all kinds of plant life, animal life and extreme weather, and simply life on the trail as a thru-hiker. Blanchard made it all the way to Virginia before having to return home just in time to be saved with a six-artery heart bypass; however, that did not stop him; as soon as he was able to he was back on the trail and finished at the top of Katahdin in Maine.

The writing started out a little dry (perhaps a side effect after reading Bryson's book), but soon I was drawn into ventures. It was interesting and actually refreshing to learn that Blanchard opted to use a hammock instead of the traditional tent every night. I loved meeting the different hikers and greatly enjoyed it when some would join Blanchard again (New York Minute is one of my favorites). The encounters with wild life, especially with practically every possible snake known on the A.T., would bring me back to reality after day dreaming of wanting to join the hike in real life. A number of photos taken by Blanchard are laced through out the book which adds to the quality and adventure of the book itself (more pictures are available online). I also greatly appreciated how Blanchard shared with the readers insight the hiker's fitness, hunger, and the weight loss while hiking the trail and how he noticed a difference between men and women. It makes me wonder how Bill Bryson and Stephan Katz managed with noodles and Snicker bars.

One true themes of the book was the discovery (or is it more rediscovery) of America immortalized as the Norman Rockwell America. In his hike Blanchard would visit towns and villages to resupply or have a zero day (a non-hiking day) and he would meet Trail Angels who were more than willing to help a hiker in need just because they want to. Reading vignettes of these Trail Angels is extremely inspirational (perhaps, if you cannot hike the A.T. you can instead have the magic of being an angel?!). The inspiring theme is that you should always follow your dreams. Even though it can have underestimated difficulties the smallest things can change your life forever and for the better.

Along with the recommended resources in the back of the book, Blanchard includes his email and web address for site and blog to learn more. If you are interested in Appalachian Trail in general or if you want to hike it in the future - read this book!

Bibliographic Information 
Blanchard, Dennis R. 2010. Three Hundred Zeroes: Lessons of the Heart of the Appalachian Trail. Sarasota, Fla.: Three Hundred Zeroes. ISBN: 9781450557467.

Addition Information 
Recommended Read Alikes
A Walk in the Woods written by Bill Bryson

Recommended Websites 
Three Hundred Zeroes (Dennis Blanchard's website)
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (the ATC preserves and maintains the A.T.)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail (National Park Service website)

Would I Buy It?
I do not say this often, but yes, I would.

Book covered taken from www.goodreads.com, 2014





The Wonders and Stories of Interlibrary Loans


The Texas Group Catalog
is maintained by the Texas
State Library and Archives
Commission, and is part of the
WorldCat Catalog, which is used
for ILL requests. 
On occasion I take advantage of my library's Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service. I am sure that many if not all readers viewing this blog is already aware of this wonderful service, but for those who do not here's a little summary of the service: If your public library system or academic library does not have a book that really want to reader for pleasure or for research you can place an ILL request. Your library will locate a copy of the book in another library system or academic library and ask if they can borrow the book. Generally, there is a library out there some where - whether in your home state or in another state - that will lend the book out. Now, each library system has policies on what they are able to request and they are not able to request. My library system cannot do materials that are newly published as well as media items. Also, there is a small price to pay... it takes two to four weeks to process the request. Not bad, really. Best part of it all - it is FREE!

Amazing, right? I never used this service before this past year, and I'm seriously asking myself why I never did. Not only am I able to get books that I would have never be able to get my hands on unless I bought the book online (basically unseen - not knowing if I liked it or if it was perfect for my research), if I was lucky and found it in a used bookstore (not likely, but even then do I want to buy it?), or I had to got to a library that had a copy (if I was lucky to have a library in the surrounding area. However, there's the driving and whether or not I could check it out). So! Not only do I get books that I want to read for free and I get books from across the United States. As a nerd who does not travel very much - this is amazing awesome!

To give into my fascination, I'll be sharing moments with the books I've reads thanks to the wonderful service of Interlibrary Loan.


Interested in learning more about Interlibrary Loan? Visit your local public or academic library and ask the librarians! They will be more than happy to help!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Beowulf - The Epic Hero Lives On

Dear blog readers and visitors. It is amazing to realize that it has been a great deal of time since I last spent time on the original Wielded Pen blog. Most of my focus has been on my children book reviews and poetry breaks on the Wielded Pen - Children's Corner blog realm as it does revolve around my profession. However, I must say that I have great aspirations to continue my hobby of providing exploratory insight into some of the great (and perhaps not so great) pieces of literature.

And with that note, I will now move onto the topic at hand. Beowulf. Not too long ago I finally picked up my personal copy of Seamus Heaney's translation of the Old English epic poem of Beowulf. I have read several translation, whether in segments and in entirety, and I find the Heaney's translation is wonderfully lyrical. The words almost roll off your tongue as you read it aloud and this creates the effect of rhythm that should come with poetry. Plus, the English Major and History lover inside of me loves the added bonus of having the original Old English translation on the opposite page. Also, on a side note, I have always been fascinated and mesmerized by the book cover. I could study the strands of hair and underclothing that you can see beyond the chainmail for hours!

Throughout my Bachelor's studies I have explored Beowulf numerous times. Each time I met up with the Geat hero I learned something new. Of course, it has been quite some time since we had these meetings. Now, thanks to a younger brother exploring the great literature in college, I am eager to make the explorations again.

I hope to rediscover the great elements of the story, including the symbolism found within, and share them with any one who cares to visit this blog. If had the opportunity to delve even deeper I would love to expand on what I have already learn, and see what other great authors, such as J.R.R. Tolkien, wrote about this masterpiece.

Does anyone have any opinions on Beowulf? Please leave a comment. I hope that this exploration will enlighten and be, well, exciting!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Quotes on Libraries and Books

Hello all. A long time has passed since our last sharing of all things literature. Over this weekend a friend, colleague, and semi-mentor of mine retired from her job of twenty-three years as a children’s librarian at our local library. Having spent years working along side her, she has become one of my many inspirations in being a librarian and sharing books and stories with others. In her honor, I have compiled some quotes and books that are about libraries and books.

“Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future.”
– Ray Bradbury, author of science fiction novels including Fahrenheit 451.

"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."
– Ray Bradbury

“Libraries are as the shrines where all the relics of the ancient saints, full of true virtue, and that without delusion or imposture, are preserved and reposed.”
Libraries
— Francis BACON (1561-1626)

“A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.”
— Henry Ward BEECHER

“A great library contains the diary of the human race.”
Address on Opening the Birmingham Free Library
— George Mercer DAWSON (1849-1901)

“Library Here is where people,
One frequently finds,
Lower their voices
And raise their minds.”
Light Armour. McGraw-Hill, 1954.
— Richard ARMOUR

“No place affords a more striking conviction of the vanity of human hopes than a public library.”
The Rambler. March 23, 1751.
— Samuel JOHNSON (1709-1784)

“A great public library, in its catalogue and its physical disposition of its books on shelves, is the monument of literary genres.”
Cited in World Literature Today, Spring 1982, p.231
— Robert MELANCON (1947- )
In addition, I just wanted to say that book lovers should check out Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Through the Magic Door. Beyond his Sherlock Holmes mysteries, Doyle has written some great books as well. Through the Magic Door is a tour of his beloved personal library and the cherished books that it has on its bookshelves. I am still finding a personal copy of the book. However, Project Gutenberg has transcribed the book into their archives and can be accessed here: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5317. I’m looking forward spending time reading this work of the love of books!

IFLANET (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. “Quotations about Libraries and Librarians: Subject Lists.” (Accessed 17 February 2009) http://www.ifla.org/I/humour/subj.htm.

Springfield City Library. “One Book, One Springfield.” (Accessed 17 February 2009) http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/onebook/2006onebook/onebook2006.html.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all! I have finally pulled myself away from the gluttonous and lazy holiday life and have come to post for the holiday season. Granted, 'tis past Christmas day; however we are still in the midst of Christmastide (the Twelve Days of Christmas), which permits me to do so – joyously!

I thought for this year's holiday season I would share a brief look at Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Dickens' classic Christmas ghost story has been popular ever since it was originally published in 1843, which is said to have sold six thousand copies within the first few days of its release. Every Christmas there is at two film versions shown on the television, and there are many local stage productions of this "little carol" put on every year.

On top of being a story of one man's redemption, A Christmas Carol is also a story that illustrates an important social situation in Victorian London. Like many of his other novels, such as Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickelby, A Christmas Carol focuses on the welfare of the impoverish people living in London, especially on the treatment of children. Many consider Dickens as a Victorian William Blake, a writer from the Romantic period who wrote and illustrated The Songs of Innocence and Experience that contain many poems like “The Chimney Sweep” that speak of the lives of children in city. According to records, in the year 1839 it was estimated “nearly half of all the funerals in London were for children under the age of ten,” and for the children who lived “grew up without education and resource and virtually no change to escape from the cycle of poverty” (Perdue.) Due to his own experiences growing up poor with his family (he even bases the Cratchit family in Camden Town where he lived with his family), Dickens becomes an advocate, in a sense, for the important welfare of children.

In A Christmas Carol, Dickens uses Tiny Tim as an example of how impoverished children live. Some scholars in medical fields believe, according to the hints in the text that Bob Cratchit’s son is ailing from a kidney disease, which was unrecognized during the 19th century and is fueled by the poverty level that the family is under.

The two other “characters” in this story that illustrate the authors passionate interest in this matter are the twins Ignorance and Want who are seen under robe of The Ghost of Christmas Present. These allegorical children tell the foreboding message of, “This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased” (Dickens 1500). They are the children of Man and “they cling to me, appealing from their fathers” (Dickens 1500.) This warning is telling the readers that unless the education for the impoverished children changes for the better, children will continue to spiral downward – bringing society with them. Ignorance is the downfall of society.

The experiences of seeing the life of the Cratchit family, especially the poor condition of Tiny Tim, and seeing the allegorical twins are two major factors in the change that the readers see in Ebenezer Scrooge. This is first seen when he reaction of “Oh, no kindred spirit. Say he will be spared” when spirit says that he “see[s] a vacant seat, in the poor chimney-corner, and crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die” (Dickens 1493.) Then, in the scene were Scrooge sees Ignorance and Want: “‘Have they no refuge or resource?’ cried Scrooge. ‘Are there no prisons?’ said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. ‘Are there no workhouses?’” (Dickens 1500.)

Through his literature, Dickens did help bring the wellbeing and education of impoverished children. However, the conditions did not truly improve until after his death. During the 19th century there was a rise of literature with a child protagonist and literature orientated for young readers. Dickens greatly contributed this genre and will be forever known as a man who wanted to make a difference.

If you would like to explore Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, his other novels, and about the author himself, please visit David Perdue’s Charles Dickens Page. It is the best website that I have found out there on the Web and has great discussions and facts about everything Dickens.

Perdue, David. "A Christmas Carol." Charles Perdue's Charles Dickens Page. 2007. 27 Dec. 2007 .

Dickens, Charles. "A Christmas Carol." The Longman Anthology: British Literature. Ed. David Damrosch and Kevin Dettmar. New York: Pearson Longman, 2006. 1464-1513.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

News in the World of Literature - Madeleine L'Engle Dies

On Thursday, September 6th author Madeleine L'Engle (Camp Franklin) passed away at the age of 88.

Madeleine is notably famous for her young adult fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time, which won the Newbery Medal in 1963 and introduced the world to The Time Quintet and the Murry family. Madeleine began writing fiction at the tender age of five and eventually studied English at Smith College in Massachusetts. Her first novel was, The Small Rain, published in 1945. In her lifetime, she had published over 60 books. Along with Young Adult novels, she also wrote in the areas of Children’s fiction, General (adult) fiction, Autobiographical, Reflections on Scriptures. Fantasies was a specific genre that she used, however, she also focused on a spiritual theme that reflected her own faith in Christianity.

On top of being a writer and a mother, for amount of time, Madeleine was also an actress, a teacher and a volunteer librarian.

One fact that I love about Madeleine is her response to being called a “children’s author”(as written in AP articles

“She disliked that classification. In a 1993 Associated Press interview, she said she did not write down to children

“’In my dreams, I never have an age," she said. "I never write for any age group in mind. When people do, they tend to be tolerant and condescending and they don't write as well as they can write. When you underestimate your audience, you're cutting yourself off from your best work.'"

Well put. She will be missed by millions

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Literature Used in Pop Culture

While doing research for a book I came across the 19th century Irish poet William Allingham’s poem "The Fairies" that has famous first four lines:
Up the airy mountain
Down the rushy glen,
We daren’t go a-hunting,
For fear of little men;

As I read these eerie lines a distant memory crept into my mind. Where have I heard the beginnings of Allingham’s poem? Why, the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, of course. The quote from "The Fairies," which is foreshadowing the appearance of the Oompa Loompas, is actually spoken by the Tinker to Charlie at the beginning of the film. I then remembered that in the movie Willy Wonka (wonderfully played by Gene Wilder) used very interesting quotes throughout the entire film. Curious of the origins of the quotes, I conducted research and found a fantastic website.

The Complete Willy Wonka Quotes and Sources lists all of the literary quotes that are used in the 1971 film as well as a giving a brief history of why the screenplay does not follow Roald Dahl’s children's classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in some areas and a fascinating comparison between the appearance of Willy Wonka and a picture of Lewis Carroll.

The website is wonderfully organized. It gives the exact quote and to whom and when it is said in the film then it gives the source from literature. Among the list of authors and works are William Shakespeare, Hilaire Belloc, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats, and Lewis Carroll. It’s fantastic! Check it out!

A side note: the author Roald Dahl has an extremely fun website as well!