Friday, April 3, 2009

International Children's Book Day, April 2

I celebrated International Children's Book Day on Thursday, April 2 by reading to my one and only favorite almost 5 year old step granddaughter, Brody, and by giving her a copy of Barbara Cooney's delightful book "Miss Rumphius". "Miss Rumphius" was given to me as a baby gift by a high school friend when one of my daughters was born and over the years this copy has been read and reread until it is almost falling apart. For more information on Barbara Cooney and her other books, see http://www.carolhurst.com/authors/bcooney.html . This looks like a great website about Children's literature.
Miss Rumphius is a lady who was known by different names, according to the various stages in her life. This wonderfully self illustrated book starts when she is a little girl named Alice, who decides at an early age that she will go to faraway places and live by the sea when she is old. Her grandfather wisely advises her that there is one more thing she must do, and that is to do something to make the world more beautiful. I won't spoil the ending, but she does find a way to make the world more beautiful. This picture book would appeal to all ages, but would be at a reading level for approximately grade 3 and older. Scholastic Inc., 1982, Winner of the American Book Award.

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