Michael J. Rosen for Poetry Month, Part 2

Last week The Open Book featured Part 1 of a special post by guest blogger Gigi Amateau.  She interviewed poet Michael J. Rosen in honor of Poetry Month.  The interview continues below--Lucinda Whitehurst.

Gigi Amateau

GA:  One time a haiku guy told me that to write haiku, you must empty your heart and let it fill back up. I kinda like that…sort of tender and holy and real all at once.

MJR:  I’d never heard that and the idea is appealing. I appreciate that we don’t have to take it literally, so it’s like when the yoga teacher tells you, “Send your breath down your body into the rootedness of your feet,” or “Breathe into the tightness of your hips.” Sure, the lungs don’t exactly function that way, but the idea of concentrating attention, of training your wandering, gathering thoughts into a pure channel—that, I get.

Michael J. Rosen

It’s easy to accidentally sound pretentious when talking about haiku since there’s an almost an obligatory defensiveness.

GA:  What does that mean “to get pretentious about haiku”? To suggest that some people have access to the form and others don’t?

MJR:  Oh, you know, in order to “redeem” haiku from its identity as just a little form taught to kids in school that can’t be so hard…. To say you write haiku, seriously, almost sounds like an oxymoron.   
    

Anyway. There are many more rules and underlying concepts as the form was originally practiced that many of us overlook. But let’s be frank: The original practitioners devoted their lives to this art, this art was their life, and everything else fell somewhere in between. So it does sound a little precious or dilettantish to see this art as cordoned off from the rest of a hectic life. It does sound as if it goes against the very nature of this art to “bring it out” for the special occasion of sitting down to write or stopping to reflect.


Still, we live in a world where we have to support ourselves, yield to many more demands than the devout calling.

So, to me, the notion of haiku as a practice can strike a balance  between the burden of academic heavy-handedness and the dismissible lightness of child’s play.

GA:  I think maybe what I was fiddling with was a thought about using haiku in daily life—regular people keeping a regular practice of intentionally connecting to themselves, the world, other people through the keeping of, say, a haiku notebook. I realized through our discussion here that twice in my life—when my grammy passed away in 2007 and when my best old dog passed away two years later—I wrote haiku every day for no reason other than my heart just hurt so badly that I needed some way to notice something other than my own grief. So, even though I was writing haiku about the river or catbirds or bufflehead they were full of everything that was in me at that time including just horrendous sorrow and longing for my grammy and then my dog, Blackberry.

MJR:  Beautiful. Heartrending. And, coincidentally (or not), I began writing haiku right after my father died. Almost immediately. Out of the blue. I started devouring books on the subject. Reading too quickly, then going back to read one or two a day. Haiku seemed to be the only vessel sized for the concentration I could muster.

GA:  Oh, Michael. So, during that time haiku held you afloat?

MJR:  Or anchored. Yes. What are we told to do at the start of a yoga class? Leave everything else at the door. Clear the mind and focus simply on the linking of breath and movement. Fixity of attention—that’s what it’s about. When we offer that to another person, it’s love. When we offer it to ourselves…it can be a held position, a kinesthetic image of our body in space. It can be a haiku, a calmness…so that the choppy water of time becomes still, mirror-like, allowing us to see something clearly.

GA:  When I read The Cuckoo’s Haiku, I also get a similar sort of feeling—that what I’m reading is a full, heartfelt, complex, and intimate encounter with some of my favorite birds: the Barred Owl, the Cedar Waxwing, the Pileated Woodpecker, and my BFF, the American Crow.

MJR:  I appreciate that very much, although I don’t want to overplay my accomplishments or overinflate the idea of apt observation as a beauty in and of itself. It’s the entire enterprise of writing the haiku that affords me that greater awareness. All the haiku about birds as a book, at least to me, creates a vital sense of participating as an animal among other animals—birds, in particular, in this case.

GA:  I like that idea, too, of “participating as an animal among other animals.” I am a big fan of crows. Once my sister and I were about to walk into a pretty rough bar and a crow swooped down and made that “uh-uh” call. Long story as to WHY we were headed in there, but the short version is the crow’s call was a nice little warning and we got out of there without any trouble. Plus, I always have the feeling that the crows in my neighborhood know everybody and look out for us.

MJR:  Splendid idea for a book, that notion of the crows knowing you all. And I, too, love to flirt with the idea of the pathetic fallacy, that idea that nature does present things to reflect and echo our feelings. The notion of the crow offering you that “uh oh,” sound, suggests that you needed to hear that. You were predisposed to hear it as that expression rather than “ha ha,” or “grek crek,” or any other words or phonemes you might have assigned it.

GA:  So, now, tell me what inspired you to consider hound dogs using haiku? BTW – we have a Redbone Coonhound, Biscuit, such a great dog. Tell me about the hounds in your life.

MJR:  You need a second coonhound, so you can have Biscuit and Gravy! I’ve never spent time with that breed, but what beautiful creatures.  


I’ve written about dogs in prose and verse, for adults and kids, for many years. I’ve shared my life with dogs. I can’t imagine my life without dogs. As Kundera wrote, “They wind the clock of our days.” And as I’ve written haiku, partly because one or another dog is always outside wherever I am working or hiking, that canine presence is part of the watching. Moreover, I am always trying to appreciate what’s being perceived from the dog’s vantage as well: the smells or sounds that I’m missing.

So when I had the chance to create a book for Candlewick on dogs, we followed in The Cuckoo’s Haiku’s precedent and chose different dog breeds and provided “field notes” about them.

GA:  I really love the field notes in both books!

MJR:  Thank you, thank you. For me, it’s the perfect blend: art plus nature, inspiration plus rootedness. My zoology degree and my poetry degree.  


Indeed, I could have done the book about dogs in general, without selecting breeds. But that’s what I did: I wrote or rewrote poems that would be most apt for a given breed. For instance, while many breeds dig, it made sense to let the Parson Russell Terrier be featured in the haiku about digging holes.

As for my own hounded-ness? I grew up with two bassets and a beagle. And, for a third of my life, I had one hound-mix—Treeing Walker Hound/terrier?—that shared my bed, the space under my desk, the passenger’s seat of the car. Eighteen years and three months. A blessed life. And I mean both of ours.

GA:  Oh goodness, there is nothing like writing with a dog beneath your desk. Blackberry had her spot there and she would let me tuck my toes into her coat. Biscuit is just three years old, but now she’s coming around to liking to hang out in my office—definitely, as you say, a blessed life.  Speaking of blessings: Michael, thank you, again, for sharing your time and ideas about haiku with me.

MJR:  Honestly, it’s a great pleasure to share the passion for writing, for haiku, in particular. Especially with a kindred spirit! Our exchange reminds me how poetry, any kind, is practiced as a special pastime or journal or place for emotions for many, many people…who never dream of sharing it. Or reading others’! Why isn’t there the interest, the small investment in reaching across the not-so-great distance, to empathize with or appreciate another’s crafted words.

GA:  One last question before we part: What’s next for Michael J. Rosen? Do you have a new book coming out soon?

MJR:  Yes, this month, Running with Trains, A Novel in Poetry and Two Voices comes out. It’s a sustained set of poems spoken by two boys in 1969 and 1970. One, Steve, is on a farm, shuttling his herd of cows back and forth between barn and pastures, watching the train that cuts across his property; he longs to travel. The other, Perry, is aboard that train, shuttling twice a week between the two places he knows as home; he longs to be settled. Their lives intersect for a brief moment, and each comes away with different perceptions about the other’s “ideal” life.


And I set the story in that particularly tumultuous year of change and unrest. The year, not coincidentally by any means, that I was the age of the middle-school readers for whom the book is geared.

GA:  Running with Trains sounds like another amazing Michael J. Rosen book! I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this interview. I think I’ll go do some yoga and then head down to the river to practice haiku.

MJR:  By way of thanks—a tribute to Blackberry and Ticker and, of course, all the others before…and to come. Another work in progress. Four possible endings to suggest what I’m trying to find…

spring’s dew-heavy grass

prints climb the stairs, each fainter

already, they’re ghosts / ghost dogs haunt the house / already, we’re haunted / just so, the years haunt

GA:  Beautiful, thank you. May I pick this ending?

ghost dogs haunt the house

It makes me think of Ticker and Blackberry and all the other good, old, best dogs out hunting.

MJR:  Done! Thank you. 

Scholastic Discover More Series

Grades K-2

Grades 2-4

Grades 5 and up

Scholastic has recently launched an exciting new nonfiction series, Discover More.  Each volume is informative and visually attractive.  The books are aimed at three levels of readers, from Kindergarten through Middle School.  Spectacular color photographs and thoughtful book designs ensure that children will be drawn to the books.  Parents and teachers get a special bonus--each book comes with a free digital book.  After loading the companion eBook  onto a PC, Mac, or iPad, readers get more information about the topic, including videos, animations, and additional text and photos.  Titles for "Emergent Readers" include See Me Grow, Farm, Animal Babies, and My Body; "Confident Readers" have Planets and Penguins; while Expert Readers can tackle The Elements and Ocean and Sea.  Library patrons can make use of the digital books because code within each printed book allows access to the digital book and can be used multiple times.  These books are a great way to get kids excited about nonfiction!--Lucinda Whitehurst.  (The Elements by Dan Green; Ocean and Sea by Steve Parker; Penguins, Planets, See Me Grow, and Farm by Penelope Arion and Tory Gordon-Harris; Animal Babies by Andrea Pinnington and Tory Gordon-Harris; My Body by Andrea Pinnington and Penny Lamprell; all Scholastic, 2012)

War Horse

One of the Academy Award nominees for Best Picture is the Stephen Spielberg film, War Horse.  While War Horse might be considered a “dark horse” nomination, after seeing the movie a few weeks ago I can understand its being elevated to Best Picture status.  Some people have called War Horse a tearjerker.  I call it a “heart-tugger.”   This story of a beautiful thoroughbred which was sold into the British Cavalry during World War I and the English boy who loved him is a story with which audiences empathize and engage. 

The movie works on many different levels.  The most obvious is the depiction of love and loyalty between a boy and his horse.  Secondly, it is a powerful message about peace.  War Horse also demonstrates how technological developments, which occurred quickly during the four years of war, changed the role of the cavalry, and more broadly, how wars are fought. 

War Horse is based on the children’s novel, War Horse, by  Michael Morpurgo, Children’s Laureate of Britain from 2003 to 2005.  Morpurgo is well-known in this country for The Wreck of the Zanzibar and Why the Whales Came.  His well-received memoir Singing for Mrs. Pettigrew was published in the United States in 2009.  War Horse was written for middle-grade audiences.  The explicitly violent scenes in the movie, such as the execution two deserters, some of the war scenes, and some of the cruelty to the horses, are only suggested in the book.  Consequently, the recommended audience for the movie is somewhat older than for the book.  Parents should consider the maturity and individual sensibilities of the child before allowing them to see War Horse.

War Horse has evolved through several different incarnations.  The book first was adapted into a stage play using life size puppets for the horses and with most of the war scenes projected through a gauze curtain, in combination with a cast of live actors.  It was staged in London then on the New York Broadway stage.  I have not seen the stage play, but from a description by a friend who saw the play in New York I speculate that the movie largely was based on the stage script.  A major difference is that the book is told from the perspective of the horse, much in the style of Black Beauty.  Telling the story from the third person opens up the possibilities considerably.   However, the movie is true to its source material in tone and message.  Don’t miss War Horse, the novel, or War Horse, the movie--Wilma Snyder. 

(War Horse by Michael Morpurgo; Scholastic, 2007; First published in Great Britain in 1982)

(Singing for Mrs. Pettigrew by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Peter Bailey; Candlewick, 2009)  

     

Happy Birthday to my wonderful Mom!

I know all of you out in the Kidlit blogosphere are excited about the ALA children's book award announcements Monday, but January 23 is an important day for another reason too--it's my mom's 75th birthday!!  As you Open Book readers know, Mom and I collaborate on this blog.  What I wanted to tell you today is that I totally owe my interest in children's literature to my mom, and I'm so grateful.  All through my childhood my mother read to me, shared books with me (well, she still does that), and encouraged my interest in books and reading.  She has never lost her enthusiasm for children's literature.  Throughout her careers as a classroom teacher, college professor, and now newspaper columnist, she has brought together books and people, always willing to tell someone about that great new book she just read.  To all the parents, teachers, librarians, grandparents, etc., keep reading with the kids in your lives!  They are listening, and you may never realize all the wonderful things they are learning.  I'm so glad my mom introduced me to the Ingalls and March families, Peter Rabbit and friends,  Dr. Seuss, Babar, Madeline, the Borrowers, and so many others.  Those books and those memories are a priceless treasure.  Thanks Mom, and happy birthday!--Lucinda Whitehurst

The Apothecary and Little Women and Me

Unlike my daughter, Lucinda,  science fiction and fantasy is not my favorite genre.  In order for books of this genre to capture my attention and imagination, they must have a little something extra.  I look for interesting characters, plots which have just enough realism to make me believe in the fantasy, symbolism which makes the story work of multiple levels, and skillful writing which has enough suspense to keep me turning the pages.  Some of my favorites are the Narnia books, the Harry Potter books, everything by Madeleine L’Engle, Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and Peter Rabbit.  I took The Apothecary by Maile Meloy, illustrations by Ian Schoenherr (Putnam/Penguin,  2011) with me on vacation and couldn’t put it down.

It is 1952 and fourteen-year-old Janie Scott has moved with her family from Los Angeles to London.  One of her first acquaintances is Benjamin Burrows, the son of the local apothecary.  When the apothecary disappears, Janie and Benjamin are drawn into a dangerous journey to find Mr. Burrows and prevent an impending nuclear disaster.  The historical setting of Cold War era London, supporting characters which leap off the page, and a breathtaking rescue operation – all seasoned with a touch of magic – make a wonderful reading experience for ages 10 and up.

Lucinda says that Christmas always makes her think of Little Women.  For all of you Alcott fans, I suggest Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (Bloomsbury, 2011).  When Emily March is given the school assignment of describing one thing she’d change about a classic novel, her choice is Little Women.  Just like most readers, Emily has always wanted Jo, rather than Amy, to end up with Laurie, and she really did not want Beth to die.  As she gets into her assignment, Emily is transported into the 1860s world of the Concord March family.  She thinks she might be able to actually alter the events of the story, but discovers things are not always as they seem.  The reader is treated to a time travel fantasy and is also able to revisit an old favorite--Wilma Snyder.  

Lucinda Whitehurst and Wilma Snyder wish all of our readers a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and wonderful New Year!  Please join us in 2012!

Gifts from the Gods

Lise Lunge-Larsen is a professional storyteller and folklorist.  She earned a master’s degree in applied linguistics and wrote her thesis on  using storytelling to teach the English language.  She combines her academic training, her interest in folklore, and her skill in storytelling to create Gifts from the Gods, a fascinating presentation on the derivation of English words which draw their spelling and meaning from Greek and Roman mythology. 

Limiting her scope to words that have their origin in character names, Lunge-Larsen has more than enough material for this illustrated informational book designed for middle grades.  If she had broadened her search to include objects and places, she would have found many more examples.  The Greeks and the Romans sometimes had different names for the gods and goddesses and both came into the English language.  Lunge-Larsen has chosen those whose stories so captured the imaginations that their meanings have endured for centuries.

Lunge-Larsen provides this interesting example:  “The Greek goddess of cleanliness and good health, Hygeia, has given us the word hygiene, which we use to describe good, healthful behaviors.  The Romans called this goddess Salus, and her name, too, survives in English.  As they greeted one another, the Romans called out, ‘Salus!’ meaning ‘How is your health?’  Today we call a greeting a salute, and thus remember the goddess of good health without even realizing it.”

The word fortune means destiny, good or bad luck, or wealth and riches.  Fortuna was the goddess of luck.  She sometimes appeared carrying a “horn of plenty,” meaning that she would bless those she visited with abundance and riches.  A never-ending supply of the most delicious food and drink dripped from this magical horn.  The Romans called the horn of plenty a cornucopia.  Both terms have come into our modern language carrying the very same meaning, a cone-shaped basket overflowing with delectable foods.

Why is a point of weakness called an Achilles heel?  Why do we think of grace as seemingly effortless beauty?  Put this amazing book into the hands of those children who are fascinated by words.  This book is a treasure for any age--Wilma Snyder.  Illustrated by Gareth Hinds; Houghton Mifflin, 2011.

Jeff Kinney's Cabin Fever tour stop in Richmond, Virginia

Brenda and Lucinda in our official Cabin Fever tour shirts.

Last week I unexpectedly became a roadie for a day during Jeff Kinney's Cabin Fever book launch tour!  The Diary of a Wimpy Kid author asked his publisher Amulet/Abrams to send his tour to independent bookstores.  My St. Christopher's colleague, Brenda Snead, and I offered to help our friends at bbgb Tales for Kids.  We thought we might be handing out hot chocolate or directing traffic.  Imagine our surprise when we found ourselves up close and personal on the Jeff Kinney autograph line!  From my vantage point of one foot away from Kinney, I had a chance to witness the power of his books.  

3000 people attended the Richmond Cabin Fever event!  Some of the fans waited two, three, even four hours to meet their hero, but since I was their last stop, I only saw their smiles of anticipation.  My favorite was the 9 or 10 year boy who proclaimed, "This is the MOST exciting night of my life!"  A woman who attended middle school with Jeff came through, yearbook in hand.  The publishers' representatives gleefully took pictures of the middle school-aged Kinney, no doubt to abuse him with later.  A teacher brought an entire busload of students and patiently photographed each happy child with Jeff.  Parents rushed to shake Jeff's hand.  Several thanked him for getting their children interested in reading. Jeff Kinney's brother stopped by. Children brought Kinney stories and drawings.  They proudly displayed Wimpy Kid shirts and toys.  One girl handed over a slice of cheese in a plastic bag, spreading the dreaded cheese touch!   Kinney happily greeted every fan.  "Thank you--that means so much to me,"  he said several times, but I think he truly did appreciate each gesture of devotion.  As my own students came through the line, they were surprised to see me so close to the famous visitor.  One asked, "Mrs. Whitehurst, why didn't you tell us you knew Jeff Kinney?!"  

Surveying all the hoopla, one mother said, "You'd think it was Aerosmith or something!"  Her bewildered child gave us a puzzled look (thinking "who's Aerosmith?" I'm sure) but I was on her same wavelength.  I may never go on the road with a rock band, but briefly being on tour with Jeff Kinney has to come close!--Lucinda Whitehurst

One of my students with his sister, me, and Jeff Kinney

Balloons Over Broadway

 On Thanksgiving morning, many of us will be watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  For more than eighty years, the giant balloons have wobbled and swayed down Broadway.  Has it occurred to you to wonder how the tradition of the balloons began and who invented those balloons anyway?  I have enjoyed a most delightful picture book about that very subject – Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet.

From the time he was a little boy, Tony Sarg loved to figure out how to make things move.  As young as six years old, Tony was inventing gadgets which would help him do his chores.  When Tony grew up, his only job aspiration was to become a puppeteer.  He soon became famous for his marionettes, so he moved to New York City and began performing on Broadway.

R. H. Macy’s Department Store was located on Herald Square.  Tony was hired to decorate Macy’s holiday windows with moving puppets.  The mechanical puppets drew excited lookers and shoppers to the department store.  Many of  the Macy’s employees were immigrants who missed the street celebrations of their native countries.  They influenced their employer to plan a parade and Tony was drafted to help with the planning.  The first Macy’s parade wound its way from Harlem to Herald Square on Thanksgiving Day, 1924.  It was such a success they decided to have a parade every Thanksgiving Day.

The story of how Tony Sarg adapted stick puppets to the huge balloons we see today is told beautifully in Balloons Over Broadway.  Every child who reads this book will look at the parade with new eyes and with greater enjoyment.  Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet has created a picture  book which will delight all ages.  An interesting tidbit I learned is that Bil Baird, the creator of the “Lonely Goatherd” marionette show which was featured in the movie The Sound of Music was an apprentice of Tony Sarg.  In turn, one of Baird’s apprentices was Jim Henson, who invented the Muppets--Wilma Snyder.  (Houghton Mifflin, 2011)

The Secret Life of Boys in The Fourth Stall

Reading Chris Rylander's  The Fourth Stall, I felt like I entered a secret “boy world” that adults seldom access.  Christian “Mac” Barrett keeps his family and his business separate.  He loves his parents, but feels they must be protected from his actual everyday life.  Mac’s nickname comes from the television show MacGyver.  Like that fabled character, Mac is a fixer.  He solves problems for kids and gets them things they need.  He and his best friend Vince have been so successful that these sixth graders have cleared almost $6000 in profits.  Another screen character Mac calls to mind is Michael Corleone.  The book is full of Godfather references, which may be over the heads of its readers but will certainly entertain adults.

Problems are not solved without a cost, however, and Mac faces a fearsome foe in an older boy named Staples.  Staples is encroaching on Mac’s elementary school turf by having his young representatives act as bookies in the school yard.  Everything is translated to the kid world (they’re betting on the JV football game) but the stakes are still high.  Parents may pause over some violence.  The kids’ fear is real and so are a few of the “roughing up” scenes.  Certainly Mac’s encounters are nothing compared to Alex Rider fighting it out with international terrorists, but the realistic contemporary setting makes this plot element a little more scary.

For me, that concern is far outweighed by the clever writing, superb plot development, and sheer fun of The Fourth Stall.  Mac and Vince share a friendship based on personal history and common interests, a relationship which is not often depicted in books for boys.  My favorite supporting character might be Kitten, the bully who fools all the teachers with his excellent manners and neat attire.  I think I've met a few Kittens during my elementary school years, but none were quite this entertaining.  The Fourth Stall would make an excellent family read aloud for children 4^th grade and up--Lucinda Whitehurst. (Walden Pond Press, 2011)

Halloween and Pumpkins

 Halloween is here again.  Many kids say it is their favorite holiday, and why not?  Jack-o-Lanterns, costumes, Trick or Treating, and at the end of the evening, lots of candy!  Here are some wonderful books for this time of year--Wilma Snyder.

In Corinne Demas’ Halloween Surprise, Lily wants to choose the perfect Halloween costume for Trick-or-Treat and to surprise her father.  She tries out several traditional costumes and none is just right.  Her final solution will offer a fun surprise for every young reader.  Artist R. W. Alley makes any picture book more fun. (Walker & Company,  2011)

The youngest readers will enjoy What Am I?  Halloween by Anne Margaret Lewis.  Every page is interactive as the suspense builds.  Big bright pictures and sturdy covers make this perfect for toddlers.  This book is a part of the “My Look and See Holiday Book” series. (Illustrated by Tom Mills.  Albert Whitman,  2011)

Elizabeth Spurr says that she is very fond of monsters, having raised five of them.  She knows the kind of story that appeals to many children and uses her knowledge in Monsters, Mind Your Manners!  These ill-mannered monsters are so rude and rowdy that young readers will feel deliciously superior.  Good for lots of giggles.  (Illustrations by Simon Scales.  Albert Whitman,  2011)

Cat and his friend Mouse work together in the garden.  Mouse shows Cat how to grow pumpkins – from planting the seeds, giving water and sunlight, planting the seedlings outside to watching them grow, protecting them and building a scarecrow to frighten away the crows.  Then when it is time to pick the pumpkin, Mouse has a big surprise for Cat.  Anne Mortimer’s gorgeous art makes this charmer a sure winner.  Look for Pumpkin Cat. (HarperCollins, 2011)

James River Writers Conference

Have you ever thought about writing a children's book?  Or do you just love meeting writers and assorted "book people"?  The James River Writers Conference will be held in Richmond October 6-8, 2011, at the Library of Virginia.  You can hear terrific children's authors such as Newbery Honor winner Kathi Appelt, Gigi Amateau, Meg Medina, and illustrator/author Troy Howell.  Here's the place to go for registration information: http://www.jamesriverwriters.org/jrw_programs/conference/--Lucinda Whitehurst

Children's Authors Coming to Richmond

bbgb Books for Kids will have Michael Buckley in the shop from 3:30-5:30 PM.  Buckley is the author of wonderful middle grade books such as NERDS and the Sisters Grimm series.  bbgb is located at 3100 Kensington Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23221 (formerly Narnia Books for Children).  Phone 804-353-5675 or go to www.bbgbbooks.com for more information.

Read Aloud Virginia/Children's Book Bank will be hosting Kathryn Erskine, winner of the 2010 National Book Award for Mockingbird.  Session A will be held at 11:30 AM at the Library of Virginia; Session B will be at 4:30 PM at the Children's Museum of Richmond.  Go to www.readaloudva.org to register and to learn more about austim workshops and lunch and dinner options.  Contact Joanie Bache at 804-627-2847 or joaniebache@readaloudva.org for more information.

Forget about political elections--Richmond is having its very own SUPER TUESDAY on September 27.  Two amazing authors will be in town that day.  If you plan carefully, you might even be able to see them both--Lucinda Whitehurst.