Teamwork and Individual Stories

Sometimes when I meet a character in a realistic fiction story who accomplishes a major goal or succeeds at a great task that seemed daunting or impossible, I think how lucky I am to have met that person, and been an observer of their life (even though I know the author was the one who did the masterful job of creating the character and challenge and making it all seem real). Then, I often wonder, what about the other characters involved? I don't know if I would have been able to accomplish the same feat as the main character. Just because the protagonist is the star player of the championship team, and the story focused on her, and she has a great story, the other players on the team have a story, too, don't they? I have to tell myself this daily when I doubt my skills and abilities and think that maybe what I have to offer and the stories I write aren't "good enough" when compared to others. We don't know what happens behind someone else's front door.

You know what? My stories matter. And, I want to hear those other stories, too. They do have value. I think this is part of what I love about the character, Nikki, in the debut novel by Barbara Carroll Roberts.

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Nikki on the Line Written by Barbara Carroll Roberts; (c)2019 Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)

In Nikki on the Line, Roberts gives birth to a main character, Nikki, age 13, whose immediate family is comprised of her younger brother, Sam, and their single mom. Nikki lives for playing basketball, even though her mom apparently has no sports genes and seems to zone out when Nikki talks the sport. Readers also learn, when the science teacher assigns a project involving DNA and family, that both Nikki and her brother were conceived via anonymous sperm donors. To Nikki, this is initially the most embarrassing thing her mom could have done to her kids.

The story primarily revolves around Nikki's involvement playing on a club basketball team. After she makes the team, she must convince her mom how much it means to play at the club level. Nikki also must decide what she will sacrifice to make it feasible for her mom to afford the club fees on a single-parent salary. The story continues with Nikki figuring out where she fits on a team of players who each perform at a high level of skill, managing the changes she chose for her life so she can play at the club level, and finding her way with friendships. As the story progresses, Nikki struggles with belief in her own abilities and wondering if her choices are truly worth it.

I loved this book on several levels. First, I'm sure I've mentioned before that I am not a sports person. I watch basketball at times, but I do not know the rules of the game. Until reading Nikki on the Line, I also only saw basketball players from the outside, solely as players, which is also part of the reason watching team sports has not appealed to me. Roberts writes with a clarity that allowed me to see via Nikki's first person point-of-view and be in the game. I was on the floor, in Nikki's mind, seeing through her eyes. This was a perspective I've never had with basketball before. The plays started to make sense. The working together with team-mates and strategy from the coach came into focus. I could see it, and I liked it.

Second, being a mom who also conceived her daughter via a sperm donor, I found Nikki's embarrassment interesting. Each family is different, and I wonder when Nikki first started to have a problem with how she was conceived. I have considered how my daughter will think when she reaches age 13, but we have had conversations about it (at levels that are appropriate for her age). So far so good. My first picture book manuscript draft during grad school was a story I wrote for my daughter about a girl who struggled with making a family tree for school and trying to figure how how to fit in the person who brought her and her mom together. (If you want the actual terminology I used, I am looking for an agent and/or publisher for the now heavily revised manuscript that I included in my graduate creative thesis). In Nikki on the Line I appreciate how, as Nikki starts to learn about the man who she identifies as her "paper dad", she starts to acknowledge and welcome the traits she likely inherited from him.

Third, when looking at the book as a whole, the theme of teamwork comes to mind. Not only do the individual contributions of each player combine to make a dynamic team, everything in Nikki's life relates back to teamwork. Whether it is how she works with a friend and family to improve her basketball skills, how she works with her brother and her mom to make playing basketball a reality, or how all parts of her life come together, like a team, to make her hopes and goals a success.

Finally, I love how this book was not about a girl who single-handedly led a basketball team to a championship or won a super scholarship or was discovered and became a star. It was about a girl who makes up one important part of a greater whole. It was about a girl who understands the value of hard work, practice, family, friendships, and what it takes to be part of a team. I wonder what the story would be if any of the other players on Nikki's basketball team were the protagonists. Any one of them might have a story equally valuable. For now, though, in this story, Nikki is the winning character in my mind.

To discovery of many more perspectives, and individual stories.

Today and tomorrow,

~Tamara

A First Visit to an Unfamiliar World Via a Book

A picture book may show only static, non-moving images on the page, but if we allow the images, along with the book's text to merge in our mind we can travel to other worlds without a computer or other electronic device.

So many people, including kids, view picture books as being only for young children. I know I've written about this before, but I feel I must continue to reiterate how picture books can be like a sample taste of something larger - a small introduction to a grand new concept.

This week's book provides an introduction to a practice performed by another culture - a practice that will likely be new and fascinating to readers. I first learned about the book and story many years ago at a professional development session focusing on the use of picture books in the secondary school setting. I have not forgotten it since.

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Very Last First Time Written by Jan Andrews (1942-2017) and Illustrated by Ian Wallace; (c) 1985 Groundwood Books (Publisher)

On the day of the story, Eva, a young Inuit girl in Canada, prepares to partake in a tradition of walking solo on the seabed floor below the ice to gather mussels for food. Until this day, Eva had always accompanied her mother on the journey.

The two women venture together to find just the right place in the already cracked ice. They make a hole. Then, Eva, along with needed supplies, descends into the darkness below the frozen surface. With the tide out, Eva lights candles and explores the undersea wonderland as she searches for mussels. Colorful illustrations, like the hues of a coral reef, fill the pages. Readers can see Eva discover mussels, coral, anemones, and other creatures and plants that usually dwell in the water's depths. The author and illustrator show Eva's curiosity and wonder through the text and images.  

While the story does not delve into the hazards of walking beneath the ice, the author creates tension when Eva hears signs of the returning tide. Her fear grows as she realizes she must find and return to the hole where she entered the undersea world before the water returns. Did she venture too far? Cries for help go unheard, but Eva has done this before with her mother. Can she finish her task and be all right? Will her solo journey be her only time, or only her very last first time of traveling alone? 

Prior to learning about and reading this book, the thought of venturing below the ice had always been more of a fear of breaking through and falling into the freezing water below. Imagining what it would be like to first have the tide continue to ebb and flow, and then be able to enter the world below the ice when the tide flows out, both scares and fascinates me. Knowing now that this is a real thing, makes it all the more compelling.

As I've researched more about the Inuit practice, I've learned how the harvesting of mussels beneath the ice is not a daily adventure. The phases of the moon work along with the tide. When the moon is full, the tide stays out the longest. This scientific phenomena, alone, fascinates me. The process involves a great number of risks including drowning due to being caught beneath the ice when the tide flows back in, losing the hole where the person entered the sea because of thinning ice shifting and blocking the hole, cracking and breaking ice not supporting the weight of the travelers, and more.  An online search using the phrase "harvesting below the ice" (one of many search terms I've tried) reveals videos and articles that share about the experience of real people who, despite the dangers, continue the practice today.

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Learning about the practices of other cultures, especially when it comes to survival and meeting basic needs, teaches us about the world in ways we would never know if we weren't willing to look beyond our personal experiences. Each time I learn something new, it is a discovery. And, unless my learning reveals something that disturbs me, something that I wish I had not learned about, I almost always feel enriched.

My daughter asked me about the title of the book. "I don't get it," she said, before I read her the story. I then explained how once we learn or do something for the first time, there will never be another first time. We talked more, and it made sense. 

There are countless activities we can say we've done for the very last first time, but some are greater than others. What is an activity you have done that you can look at in awe and recognize that your attempt or accomplishment was truly the very last first time you did it? Can you name a picture book you've read during your life that took you on the first step (as it provided an introduction) to greater learning? I would love to read more about picture books that gave you a taste of something larger.

For now, to more last firsts!

Today and tomorrow,

~Tamara

Seeing Magic and the Extraordinary

Ever since I was little, I dreamed of magic happening to me. I wished fairies would visit. I wished I could travel to a magical world where animals talked and unicorns existed. I wished I could shrink and be friends with my dolls. When I felt lonely, I wished something magical would happen. Today, when I visit cloudy places in my mind, which self-doubts frequently steer me toward, I wish and hope for that magic to appear outside of my head. I want it to be real. I hope. I look. I try to see. Self-doubting hinders the vision, so reminders help me see--at least for moments.

As I continue to acquaint myself with the library book collection in the media center where I now work (since January), I discover new books that make me think, smile, and see. One of my recent finds is this week's book. In fact, it is a new overall favorite of mine. 

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Something Extraordinary Written and Illustrated by Ben Clanton; (c)2015 Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

The main character, a young boy, has many wishes. He wishes for abilities (such as being able to fly or move things with his mind or talk to animals). He wishes he had a bushy tale. He wishes the rain would fall in colors. He wishes for many things, but he longs for something real to happen outside of his imagination. He reminds me of myself.

The story concludes when suddenly, something real happens, right in front of the boy. He does not have to look, as he can see that the magic becomes real when he notices something that already exists. Something ordinary to some folk, may be extraordinary to others. To the boy, his discovery is truly extraordinary. I have seen his extraordinary find, and also believe it is beautiful and wonderful. The magic of birds singing together, and filling the air around trees with lively chatter. and song--this is something extraordinary. 

When the boy shares his wishes, Clanton's whimsical illustrations bring them each visually to life. I smiled while reading the book. My daughter recognized the similarities of creatures in one of the illustrations to Clanton's newer characters, Narwhal and Jelly, (from his Narwhal and Jelly books) who we both love. (It's hard not to love a Narwhal, a Jellyfish, and waffles.)

Something Extraordinary may be a picture book for children, but its message can touch people of any age. It touched me. I could not return this book to the library without knowing that I can continue holding on to the story and message in my home.

My brand new copy arrives in a couple of days. 

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Magic, depending on how one defines the term, exists everywhere. We only need to open our eyes to see it.

What is some real magic that you see? What is your "something extraordinary" find? I dare you to share your thoughts. Perhaps what you see will help another reader gain sight.

To finding magic and seeing something today and tomorrow,

~Tamara

Concrete Thinking in My Abstract Life

Being a teacher, a mom, and a writer all have me living daily in what I call "subjective" or "abstract" roles. The titles themselves are "concrete" and "fixed", but the tasks within each are forever open-ended.

I remember a time when I worked as a math tutor at a community college. Someone who knew of my writing asked, "are you one of those writing people who does math?" I guess I was, and still am (up through basic algebra, and then you can count me out).

I love math because it is concrete. Problems are like puzzles. I can approach them from a variety of directions, but if I solve them correctly, the final solution is the same regardless of my method. When I teach math, I frequently instruct my students in how to use multiple methods for solving the problems. While I want my students to at least learn how to use the different methods, I ultimately let them choose their preferred method, provided they can show their work or explain their process. 

I need math and other concrete thinking in my seemingly abstract life, because at least once I solve a problem, my work is done. With parenting, teaching, and writing, I never know when I am finished. And, for someone like me, who questions and/or doubts herself often, having some concrete/fixed closed-ended results helps keep me grounded.

A couple of years ago, I learned about Hour of Code (Hour Of Code) and discovered the power of writing simple code to accomplish a task and solve problems. This week's book, one of several connected to the "Girls Who Code" movement (and the first book that made me aware of "Girls Who Code") brings coding to life off of the screen or in unplugged mode.

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How to Code a Sandcastle Written by Josh Funk; Illustrated by Sara Palacios; (c)2018 Viking (Publisher)

Meet Pearl, a young girl who chooses to spend her final day of summer vacation building a sand castle. Since past building attempts flopped due to a variety of events beyond her control, such as a "shark attack" and "flying saucers" (not as bizarre as they sound, thanks to the illustrations), Pearl is determined to achieve success with the aide of her robot, Pascal, following "code" or a set of instructions that a computer can understand.

Telling Pascal to only build a sandcastle" means little to a robot. Pearl realizes that if she thinks like a coder and breaks the large task into smaller tasks that make sense to Pascal, then together they can accomplish her ultimate goal. Pearl also realizes that each instruction needs to be clear and specific, such as where to build. Without parameters, Pascal might build too close to water or not even in the sand. At times, such as when gathering sand, Pearl recognizes the need to use a "loop" or a way to repeat directions multiple times without having to write them again and again (similar to how we may do 5x7 instead of using repeated addition of 5+5+5+5+5+5+5). Pearl continues to learn about the importance of specificity when Pascal attempts to fulfill tasks without limits. When she tells him to gather "fancy decorations" for the sandcastle, while she gathers seashells, Pascal grabs a lifeguard tower complete with lifeguard, a pacifier, and other items he comes across. This leads Pearl to implement "if-then-else" conditions so Pascal will consider if each item meets certain criteria to collect or if he needs to then search for something else.

When all finally appears good, another unforeseen event occurs. Rather than viewing this as a failure, Pearl remembers that she already wrote the code, so she doesn't need to start over. She only needs to identify where the problem occurs in the code and then add a fix.

Once Pearl finally achieves her goal, she realizes there is no stopping her from building more.

How to Code a Sandcastle is a book that makes the basics of coding accessible and relatable to real-life off the screen. The humorous illustrations along with the clear writing together make the story not only fun to read, but also educational. While I love learning to code on a computer or tablet, I appreciate having a non-technology tool that can help me introduce coding to others.

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What is something that helps ground you in the abstract/subjective parts of your life? I welcome you to share in the comments below.

To being grounded,
today and tomorrow,

~Tamara

Bucket Lists and Books that Touch Us

Several years ago I learned about the term "bucket list". I hadn't really thought about what I wanted to make sure I did before I died, but now that I have a child, I want my life to feel full. I want my daughter to see her mother as someone who has few regrets. It's so easy to list regrets when life changes unexpectedly and it seems impossible to make up for what we missed had we performed an action only a minute earlier. What are the experiences I wish to do/have before I die? I'm talking about the ones that I have some power in for making them happen. If I was on my deathbed and I had not accomplished specific tasks, what would be the ones that would leave me feeling incomplete?

I don't have a huge list. As my daughter ages, there may be more journeys I realize I wish to take with her, but right now, most of my list remains local.
Some of the greater items include:

• Become a published author (where a company and an editor and agent wants to represent and publish my work) and be able to give public readings and visit schools
• Become fluent in Spanish
• Discover an artform that I can do well and love
• Play various instruments with at least basic proficiency (including the ukulele, guitar, my various dulcimers, the flute, the clarinet, and the violin)
• Visit Disney World and nearby parks multiple at least once (but hopefully more times) with my daughter
• Learn ventriloquism
• Take my daughter to the ocean
• Become an audio book reader
• Do voice overs for an animated show
• Become a mom (DONE!)
• Become a teacher (DONE!)
• Speak at a TED talk
• Live to see my daughter grow up, find love, and possibly have children of her own (my part involves taking care of myself as best I can, and being a guide and role model as my daughter grows)

It is not too early to start acting on our bucket lists. Sometimes, especially for some of the items on my list, it's a matter of figuring out how to start or acquire the means to attempt the task. Sometimes, it's not just about ourselves, though. We may have the info and resources to help others work toward items on their lists without us even knowing it.

This week's picture book starts with the dedication in the front of the book, "For people who love dogs and for dogs who love people." If you are one of these people, or perhaps one of these dogs, then I predict you will connect to Stay: A Girl, a Dog, a Bucket List by the sister team of Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise.

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Stay: A Girl, a Dog, a Bucket List Written by Kate Klise; Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise; (c)2017 Feiwel & Friends (Publisher)

When Astrid comes home from the hospital, following her birth, Eli, the dog, is there. As Astrid grows, Eli continues to be present. As Astrid ages, so does Eli, but faster. Eli is a part of Astrid's daily life, both while she's awake, and while she sleeps. Their bond cannot go unnoticed by the reader, especially while viewing the illustrations showing the two together in various situations.

One day, Astrid recognizes that even though Eli remains the same size, he's getting older. She decides, then, to make a bucket list of activities they must do together before Eli is too old. 

The story continues with the two spending time completing items on the list. Sometimes, the time together is solely about being together and not going anywhere or doing anything else. This is what matters in the end (of the book, too).

At first, an unknown storyteller narrates the story. Later, we can see Astrid's thoughts when she verbalizes them to Eli. What makes the story special next is that we can see Eli's thoughts as he thinks his feelings during or after an activity. This touches me in that having had dogs in the past, I always wondered if my dog enjoyed what we were doing. Dog lovers know when their pooches are happy. Yet, even when the animals express joy through their body movements and facial expressions, are they enjoying the activity, or is the joy more in merely being with their humans? I know I often wondered what Daisy or Brandi (my family's past dogs) would say if they could speak my language.

I discovered today's picture book after a librarian posted, in an online media specialist group that I follow, wondering if anyone else cries when they read certain books to their students. Several elementary librarians shared titles that bring out the tears. I have not read Stay to a class yet, but I did read it to Little Sapling. I didn't cry, but I could have. While various websites I checked show the age range for this book is preschool and kindergarten, I definitely believe that older children, as well as adults, can be moved by the story.  

SPOILER ALERT (in case you are wondering): Eli does NOT die in the book. Even so, the story is bound to touch readers who have ever loved and lost a pet, or who are seeing their current pet slow down with age.

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What are some items on your bucket list? 
Going back to the media specialist's question, have you read any books (either aloud or to yourself) that made you cry? I would love to see titles from readers that have deeply affected you to tears. The first book I remember reading as a kid that made me cry was The Friends by Rosa Guy  (published originally, I believe, in 1973. I read it, likely, in the early 80's).

Post your comments below. (Remember they may not appear right away.) I hope to hear from you!

Today and tomorrow,

~Tamara

Finding Lost Things and Learning a Name

My favorite part about learning is when a subject I did not know was missing from my cabinet of knowledge in my brain becomes a subject of wonder that I wish to remember.

I continue to reiterate that I love nonfiction picture books! In my library, last year, picture books were in the Everybody section. While there are leveled picture books for readers at various beginning reading levels, picture books that are not specifically leveled, can work for all age levels. In fact, the general reading level in many picture books is higher than that of a beginning reader. This doesn't mean young children and early readers cannot comprehend the language, it only means that reading may be more challenging for newer readers. Picture books, in my mind, are meant to be read aloud and shared. If the illustrations are done well, comprehension lost on the words, can be found via seeing the pictures. Plus, pictures tell the reader or viewer details beyond the words.

Unfortunately, people, kids included, assume picture books are only for little kids. NOT TRUE! Nonfiction picture books, as well as fiction picture books that tell stories based on true events are excellent stepping-stones for learning about something new and getting started on further research.

My two recent finds include a MN Star of the North 2018/2019 nominee that I had not seen when it was published in 2017, and a title by my first advisor (aka Jackie) and mentor when I started working toward my MFA at Hamline and realized how little I knew.

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Maya Lin: Artist-Artchitect of Light and Lines: Written by Jeanne Walker Harvey; Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk; (c)2017 Henry Holt and Company (Publisher) 

This story is about Maya Lin, the woman who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. I will be honest, this is a historical fact I did not know. I don't remember if, when I visited the wall many years ago, I noted any information about who designed it. The visit was all about the wall, even though I knew of no names on it.

Maya grew up in a home with a brother and parents who allowed her to think her own thoughts and be her own person. Maya found a passion for creating art with her hands. She loved nature and the shapes of things. She decided to one day become an architect.

During her final year of college, Maya learned about the design competition for a Vietnam War memorial. Using clear and simple language, Harvey details Maya's process, and reasoning while she considered and planned her design. Competing against accomplished architects and artists, it came as a surprise to Maya, as well as many others, that the chosen design belonged to a student. Maya held strong as people held hearings to announce opposition or wishes for changes to her work. Despite challenges, her design eventually became reality, with Maya involved in the construction.

The book pages contain white space, spare colors, and text segments having no more than five lines each. This simplicity reflects the style of work that Maya continues to create. Little detail, thus leaving room for people to engage with the art and ponder what they feel. I find the book calm, and lovely.

The stepping stone created by Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines, for me, will lead me to learn more about Maya Lin's work, and help Little Sapling* see the potential of her art (as her goal is to become an artist one day).

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Creekfinding: Written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin; Illustrated by Claudia McGehee; (c)2017 University of  Minnesota Press (Publisher) 

When things go lost, unless someone remembers, a treasure may not be rediscovered. In Creekfinding, though, someone remembers.

The story begins by sharing what a creek is, and how it can get lost. It continues when a man named Mike buys the land, intending to grow a prairie of flowers and tall grasses. One day, a neighbor informs Mike that he once caught a brook trout where Mike stood. This changes Mike's goal. Now, he sets his mind on finding the creek that once flowed. While ignoring those who scoff at his idea, he works with friends who own bulldozers, excavators, and other machines. He works with plants, rocks, and gravel. He works with time. Working with everything together, Mike finds the lost creek and restores it to life. 

My daughter and I enjoyed this book. Neither one of us had familiarity with the concept of creekfinding prior to reading. I love any idea that involves discovery and growth. We also admired Claudia McGehee's bold and beautiful scratchboard illustrations showing the process, development, and increasing natural beauty of Mike's efforts. I am a fan of scratchboard art and love the use of black outlines and watercolors in the illustrations. McGehee's art truly complement Martin's storytelling.

In addition to the illustrations, Martin's word choices added an auditory element. Water "burbled" and "tumbled". Insects "whirred" and "buzzed". An "outdoor orchestra", comprised of herons, bluebirds, frogs, insects and more, can be heard. I "heard" all of this in my mind. 

Mike, who the reader learns via the end notes, is epidemiologist Michael Osterholm. Osterholm shares that despite the naysayers who laughed at his plan of finding the creek, "the science part of my brain said if the stream flowed once it could flow again." He reminds readers, as does Martin by telling the story, that it is possible to restore natural resources. Osterholm also adds, "I hope kids will remember from this story that we can change the world by acting on our dreams."

The stepping-stone created by Creekfinding, for me, will lead me to learn more about what Little Sapling and I can do to grow flowers and other plants to attract birds and insects we're not seeing as much as we would like near our home.
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What is a recent stepping-stone you've encountered in your reading? I  would love if you would share in the comments sections. (Comments won't appear immediately, but I'll approve them once I see them).

To continued learning and reading,

today and tomorrow,

~Tamara



*Little Sapling - online name I use to refer to my seven-year-old daughter.