It is very cold outside. It’s going to get colder. And it will snow. It will snow a great deal tomorrow. My thoughts turn, without help, to spring and gardens and planting. Seed catalogues are filled with color and dreams, the scents of soil and flowers and greens. The tenderness of sunlight and shade. It is gratifying to know that people have sought a winter lifeline in seed catalogues for more than one hundred years. The artwork is an inspiration.
Last night, a group of teachers and children’s literature enthusiasts gathered to place good information in the folders each attendee will receive at the 2019 Books for Breakfast. The 25th anniversary of this event will take place at Rush Creek Golf Club on Saturday, Feb 2, 2019, from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. I am so very grateful that this event is continuing–this connection between educators, librarians, and children’s book authors and illustrators is vital for the mental and emotional health of our children. My heartfelt thank you to Maurna Rome for organizing the event and to all those good-hearted people who worked together on a Minnesota winter evening. I hope you’ll be able to join us at the Breakfast!
Here at The New Yorker by Brendan Gill was one of my best book finds in 1975. This delicious history was a page-turner for me. It began my collection of books about the magazine as well as books by regular contributors to The New Yorker. In 1995, when Genius in Disguise: Harold Ross of The New Yorker, written by Thomas Kunkel, was released, I couldn’t put it down. The Years with Ross by James Thurber (1959) is told from another viewpoint, equally fascinating. Writing this has helped me realize I need to re-read these books! I am grateful to Harold Ross for crafting a magazine that has sharpened the minds of generations of readers. Today, I read their articles daily online, thankful for the journalism that keeps me informed about the world.
