I came upon this poem by Rumi not too long ago and it is such a beautiful concept of fall. Life is full of hard things and while we tend to try to avoid them we can often look back at those trials and see how they helped to lead us to the people and places we needed or have shaped us to become stronger or teach us important lessons. I, for one, have a hard time seeing the beauty in the situation while I’m in it. It generally takes a few years (if at all) for me to recognize all the positive points of a negative situation. But nature does a better job of accepting what is and taking things in stride. Fall is a natural state of being and part of life and death. With each season of ruin comes an eventual rebirth and rebuilding, with each fall comes the spring. And each season holds its own glorious beauty if we know how to recognize it and appreciate it.
My challenge to you for the next few weeks is to take a moment to step outside and take in the beauty that surrounds you. And remember that when your own life mimics the cycles of the seasons that there’s a beauty to be found in each one. Even if it seems as if everything around you is falling down and apart and into ruin its all just part of the plan. Our desecration, just like nature’s, leads to a remaking, a glorious spring. (You just have to survive winter first!)
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April is National Poetry Month. As a teacher I always pulled out the anthologies and did poet profiles and had my students create poems of their own based on popular styles and forms. But it wasn’t until I was working as a librarian that I made the connection between poetry and music (I know, duh!) So, when April rolls around now I try to make an effort to at least point out the connection especially since so many people think of poetry as being either indecipherable or too academic or in some other way un-relatable. So, here are a few books about music (some with lyrics that can be appreciated as poetry and one without lyrics at all.) And I’d love for you to share your favorites with me in the comments below!
When The Rite of Spring ballet was first presented to audiences in 1913 it was so different from anything people had heard or seen an actual riot broke out in the theater. Some people loved it and some people hated it and it continues to be divisive to this day. This book tells the story of how it all came to be.
Igor Stravinsky was a successful composer who had already revolutionized music with his unusual uses of rhythms and dissonance. Vaslav Nijinsky was a highly celebrated ballet dancer. But when the two met, their individual talents seemed to expand. Nijinsky choreographed the dancing to Stravinsky’s music, both using heavy Russian influences in honor of their home country.
I’ve never been a huge fan of The Rite of Spring though I love some of Stravinsky’s other work and I can only imagine what it must have been like to hear it (and see it) all for the first time. I loved learning about these two men and can definitely appreciate their influence on musical history. There’s some great back matter here too including photos of the men and the dancers in their costumes. There’s also a great note on the illustrations which are bright and a little unconventional, a perfect fit for the text.
Simon and Garfunkel have long been one of my musical inspirations. I grew up listening to my parent’s vinyl copies of Sounds of Silence and Bridge Over Troubled Waters over and over, watching their Central Park concert on TV and even seeing them in concert in person when they toured a few years ago. So I was beyond thrilled to hear about this book and wasn’t disappointed.
Each spread gives the reader a rich illustration accompanying a free verse mini-chapter titled after one of their songs. Starting with the Central Park concert it then flashes back thirty years to when the boys’ childhoods growing up in the same neighborhood in Queens. Their paths don’t really cross until Artie (Garfunkel) sings at a school talent show and Paul (Simon) is struck by the hypnotic voice and decides he’s going to learn to sing like that too. They become friends who spend the bulk of their time studying music, imitating the sounds of new comers like Elvis, and honing their own sounds after a few misses.
As they grow they become increasingly influenced by the folk music scene and Bob Dylan in particular who not only sings but spreads messages of change and revolution with his music. They spend time away from music, time apart and eventually join forces again, this time finding success. And the rest is history.
There’s a lot of depth here, a lot of information covered. And tons of great back matter including a discography, afterword and bibliography detailing the writing process, a list of musical connections and influences…in essence, something for everyone.
Clive was born in Jamaica but moved to NYC when he was thirteen. He loved all kinds of music and imagined himself a DJ creating sounds and experiences for the people who showed up at the clubs and house parties to dance. He soon started hosting his own parties in their Bronx housing project and when they got too big and crowded to be contained inside they spilled out into the streets. He revolutionized the music world and influenced the rappers, break dancers, and other DJs that were just starting to find their footing in the late 70s and early 80s.
I know absolutely nothing about hip hop music so everything in this book was a revelation for me. Filled with vibrant colors, tons of information and fantastic back matter (including an author’s note, timeline, and bibliography). This is a fabulous resource for music lovers and those, like me, who might have little knowledge of the evolution of an entire subculture.
February is the shortest month but by golly, it sure feels like the longest one! We haven’t had as brutal of weather here as many across the country have but it’s still been cold and dreary and well, to be honest, I’m over it! So, welcome March! I’m so glad you’re here! And here’s a lovely little verse from Emily Dickinson to say it better than I could.
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We’re still gray and gloomy in my little corner of the world so we’ve got a few more bright and shiny books to perk up the atmosphere.
An unbidden blob of ink on the first page morphs from a mistake into a unique girl’s face. The smudges and misshapen things that happen along the way all get incorporated into the illustrations (or hidden behind bushes!) to create something unexpectedly magical. This is a fantastic illustration of how life is just not perfect, but with a little ingenuity and a positive attitude everything can be used for something good even if it doesn’t fit into our original plan. The text is anything but preachy though the message is obvious and the illustrations are quirky and endearing.
One of my favorite reads of the year! Check out my Instagram feed for a few more images from inside.
Gilbert’s “Uncle” is none other than the poet Emily Dickinson who wears dresses like a girl but writes poems and studies nature like a man. When she gives him a dead bee and poem to take to his school teacher it leads to Gilbert’s getting into a fight and telling a small lie. Emily encourages him to “Tell all the truth, but tell it slant” and eventually all becomes clear.
Written in free verse (similar to Dickinson’s poems) and based on true events and the poet’s own words, this is a lovely little episode that would fit in nicely as part of an author study or poetry unit.
Written and Illustrated by: James Christopher Carroll
Number of Pages: 32
Age Range: 4-8
Rating: 3/5
When a parent or loved one leaves to serve in the military it can be challenging for everyone left behind, but especially for children. Here, a small bear cub imagines being taken along when Papa leaves, staying safe and providing comfort and support from inside a special backpack. The text is sing-songy and repetitive, almost like a chant or mantra. The illustrations are bold and cheerful. The emphasis is on the emotions of missing someone rather than the realities of the dangers they face while they’re gone.
I have a few more sunny yellow volumes to share to keep the gloom at bay so stay tuned!
For as long as I can remember I’ve been at war with myself. I long for adventure yet I crave the comforts of home. My soul seeks new people and places to discover while simultaneously wanting longevity and stability and sameness in my surroundings and relationships.
This blog is partly a celebration of that split personality complex. The simpler and finer things in life, the ways I seek to branch out and explore this amazing world around us and the ways I seek to enrich but simplify my daily sphere of influence which is sometimes so small it’s nearly microscopic.
As an introvert my natural tendencies are to do things like curl up in a fluffy blanket with a mug of peppermint tea and a good book and stay there forever. If I’m feeling really brave (and the weather is cooperative) I’ll venture outside and do a little reading under the shade of a friendly tree. Not a bad existence, really. But there’s also this insatiable itch inside me that has become more and more persistent with the passing years. I think I did a pretty good job of ignoring it all through high school and college until finally, one day it would no longer be ignored.
I never set out to travel the world, or move thousands of miles from home to live in a place where I didn’t know a soul, or even to learn to play the harmonica but I’ve done all of those things and more. And while at first they happened sort of accidentally, I’ve begun to learn how to listen to that itchy inner voice and plan adventures on purpose, as well (it’s a lot more fun that way!)
Some days the introvert wins the battle and some days the adventurer claims the victory but only time will tell which side will ultimately win the war. Accidents still happen, and adventure still isn’t my default setting. I still love to escape into a world where the only conversation that occurs is between fictional characters on a printed page. But I’m looking forward to a lifetime of continued adventures, big or small, accidental or otherwise, and sharing a few of them here with you.
P.S. I’d love to hear about your adventures as well! Comments are always appreciated!
