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Dear Fifth Graders,

As you journal to middle school, remember you can still visit and count on your friends Harry, Hermione, and Ron at Hogwarts, Charlotte, Wilbur, and Fern at the Farm, Lobito at the Market, Francis and friends at the Jungles of Guyana, The One and Only Ivan at the Zoo. and so many other friends. They will always be there for you.

You can still go on adventures with Captain Underpants, Dog Man, Bad Guys, Geronimo Stilton, Superman, Desperaux, James and the Giant Peach, Percy Jackson, Hugo Cabret, And Edward Tulane and have a good time.

You will always have a friend at hand in a book. They will always be there for you in your good times or bad times. So remember to keep them always at hand. Remember, too; I will always be here for you!

Love your friend,

Ms.  Clayton

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In looking at the art on page 233 I immediately was captivated by everything that was popping out from the book shelf.  I found it amazing how the artist took book characters and incorporated them into the art as the little girl is searching for a good book.  Before reading this book I had never heard of this artist.  However after looking at her website she creates beautiful pieces of art and has won many awards doing so.  She is also an author that writes graphic novels!

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This week I would like to share the letter on page 226 by Caroline Paul. As I was reading this letter I was drawn to the life lessons that can be found within books. My students and I read about life lessons in folktales and fables but finding them in other genres of books is so important. It gives students a reason to pick up their next book and be inspired to do and be better versions of themselves.

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Dear Reader,

Reading hasn’t always been my thing.  I used to moan and groan when my teacher would tell me I had to read a book.  I struggled to find something that interested me.  There wasn’t ever a series that I was obsessed with and couldn’t put down.  Here and there I may find a book that I liked but I saw reading as more of something I had to do, not something I wanted to do.  Fast forward 20ish years and here I am, teaching the love of reading to my students.  As an adult, I have a newfound love of reading.  One of my favorite things to do is introduce a new book series to my students.  If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self to fall in love with books.  Go on adventures with the characters and lose track of time in the words on the page.  I regret not having loved books longer and being able to escape into those stories.  So go, run, as fast as you can, find a book and let it take you on your wildest adventure yet.

Sincerely yours,

Taylor Brewer

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Samantha Maddox
Dear Readers,

Here is why I read:
I have traveled with a caravan along the Great Silk Road on the back of a camel
and in a covered wagon with my family and dog across the Great Plains of America.
I fought Voldemort and the White Witch
I felt unexpected things for a spider
and a bat
I met myself within those hundred-odd pages.
I got lost
found
and lost again.
I became someone other than myself.
I developed Quidditch skills
I stood up to the monster under the bed and realized he wasn't that scary.
I reinforced my belief in magic, witches and spirits.
I fell in love
I had my heart broken
then I fell in love again
I got to be Harry Potter, Scout Finch, Anne Frank, Bilbo Baggins, Junie B. Jones and Elizabeth Bennett.
I found the good does conquer over evil.
I flew over buildings and sailed the seven seas.
I ate a candy and grew 3 times my normal size.
I was in a tornado and landed in a whole new world.
I made friend with a bear who doesn't wear pants.

I did all of these things by opening a book.
What will you do?

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Dear young reader,
If you don't want to read, I can't say that I relate to you. I have always loved to read. Still do. Probably always will. But there are plenty of things that I have read that I didn't like. Boring books. Bad endings. Annoying Characters. Uninteresting Topics. But I also have fallen in love with stories. Stories of good triumphing over evil, everyday things, personal experiences, captivating characters, suspenseful storylines, and so much more. It doesn't matter what you like; there's always a book for you.

Do you know what it's like to love reading something that you read it multiple times? Do you know what it's like to be so immersed that you can escape the world? Do you know what it's like to read a book and feel like you're in it because you are so much like the main character?

Because if not, you're missing out. Books are an escape from bad days. Books are gateways to new worlds. Books help us feel close to others that are so far away. Books give us knowledge, entertainment, freedom, advice, sympathy, and so much more.

So, if you don't like reading, I can't really relate to you. But I can tell you that I know without any doubt that there is a book you will like. Books are exactly what you need right now. Ready to always have what you need? Then read.

Sincerely,
Abby

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Dear Young Reader,

Books are your sidekick…

They support you when your world seems dark, lonely, and chaotic.

They teach you life lessons that help you become brave, strong, and courageous.

They make life enjoyable by providing moments of adventure, laughter, and hope.

They push you to predict the future and solve unknown mysteries.

They encourage you to persevere through life circumstances in order to become the best you.

They broaden your perspective of the world around you.

They show you the past and how those who came before you have similar experiences that help guide you to self-confidence in your identity and dreams.

They illuminate a light within you to dream big, shine brighter, and inspire others.

Finally, don’t forget that books are always available in times of joy, sorrow, confusion, loneliness, grief, and exasperation. All you have to do is pick up the book, open to the first page, and let the words touch your heart, mind, and soul.

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This week, I wanted to focus on the first letter of this week's reading. I felt myself intrigued by the author's little mini biography at the bottom of the page and connected to the letter itself. In her biography, it states that Rebecca Newberger Goldstein is married to an author. I wanted to see what types of books her and her husband wrote (I was disappointed to find that both of her husbands only wrote academic books- boring to me). While she has written more books about philosophy, she also written fictional books centered around Jewish women. I would most likely like to read her story Strange Attractors: Stories. I also enjoyed her story because she talked about her love of Little Women, a book that I enjoy as well. She also talked about the connection that Little Women brought to her and her mom. Books have always been a powerful connector to the women in my life and myself. Growing up, my grandmother was an avid reader and we shared many days where we would visit the library and pick out books together. She never told me that a book was "too old" for me and let me read whatever I could read. She never allowed text level to bound me. Now, I have some of her books that serve as a physical reminder of our connection since she has passed away. Also, reading is a connection for my mom and me as well. Now that she is an avid reader, we talk about books and recommend them to each other daily. It's another thing that we have to bond over.

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Notes:

Penguin, 1994

Translated into Italian

Full Text
Click Here to Order

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

A National Jewish Honor Book

From the jacket:
A mathematician studies the geometry of soap bubbles and responds to the rapture of infatuation by reciting Shakespeare in Yiddish. A group of Olympian intellects is made childlike by the appearance of a double rainbow. Becky Sharp steps out of the pages of Vanity Fair to confound a pretentious philosopher. These are just some of the marvelous and unlikely things that happen in Strange Attractors -a collection of stories that explores the interactions of thought and feeling, mind and heart, to reveal the deep mysterious ties between seemingly unrelated lives.

"Goldstein is a writer of powerful gifts."
- The Washington Post Book World

"Rebecca Goldstein is a formidable scholar, and her creative spirit is superlatively generous in its ability to transform daily life."
- Los Angeles Times

"A bold, often extraordinary book... warm and serious and, above all, ambitious."
- The New York Times Book Review

"Rebecca Goldstein has always gone her own way as a writer and thinker. In Strange Attractors she continues to look out upon the world with the gaze of a wise child, bringing us the playful yet profound gifts of her attention. She writes with shining conviction about serious people and complex impulses. If only there were more like her."
-Daphne Merkin

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Penguin, 1994 Translated into Italian Click Here to Order A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A National Jewish Honor Book From the jacket: A mathematician studies the geometry of soap bubbles and responds to the rapture of infatuation by reciting Shakespeare in Yiddish.

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Samantha Maddox
For once, an author sparked my interest in both wanting to share the letter and research the author themselves. Chris Sacca’s letter was filled with satire and really grabbed the readers attention with the “warning” about reading. I fully plan to share this letter with my students in about 5 minutes (we are currently on a break).
I also wanted to spend some time researching who Chris Sacca was. I realized that I had seen him before on ABC’s Shark Tank! He is one of the early investors of Uber and is worth about 1.2 billion dollars. That amazed me that he is that wealthy and still found it important to pen a letter to young readers.

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Dear Young Reader,

This will be a year full of “firsts.”

Your first time walking into a classroom all by yourself.

The first time meeting your new friends.

Your first time learning how this whole “school” thing works.

This may even be your first time holding a book everyday and reading it all by yourself!

If they aren’t already, books will likely become your new favorite thing here.

There's...

The Carrot Seed

Miss Wishy Washy

Caps for Sale

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

And guess what? Even if you have never read a book yet, you are already a reader! You read street signs, chip bags, and so much more all around you.

With each day that passes, your reading super powers will continue to get stronger and stronger. You are going to grow and discover the power of books, words, and stories this year. Don’t be scared, I promise it will be fun!

This year you may fall in love with reading for the first time...and that is a first that will last you a lifetime.

Your First Teacher

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The illustration that stood out to me this week was on page 235 by Carla Torres.  I really liked how she took the letter written by Chris Sacca and made it come to life.  It shows different stories that can take us away on adventures.  I see hereos we read about in books and how their accomplishments and bravery shine.  I love that the title on the book that the boy is holding says, "warning".  Not only do we have to read adventure books, hero books but we can also read books that will help us learn more about something we are interested.  This picture shows us that books have POWER!

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I would share the letter on page 226 written by Caroline Paul. I like how Caroline writes in her letter lessons she learned. I want to share with my students that stories in books are not just for entertainment. I want them to know that stories within books can teach you lessons to carry with you in life. I like how she says if there is a sword in a stone and others tell you no you can't pull it out...don't give up, keep trying. Be kind to animals. When I read that I think of the book, "Hey Little Ant" by Philip and Hannah Hoose. In this book the little ant begs for his life and flips the scenerio on the boy. I read this to my students when Spring rolls around because they always want to kill insects outside in their environment. I keep telling Kellen I am bringing this book home to read to him for him to learn a lesson as well. Caroline reminds students to be heroic because it matters. Not only in life but when reading books too.

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Dear Reader,

Reading is...

Reading is adventure,

Reading is curiosity,

Reading is exciting,

Reading is magic,

Reading is food that feeds our brain, mind, and soul,

Reading is power,

Reading is using our imagination,

Reading is a key that opens up our world to amazing possibilities,

Reading is for AWESOME people like you and me!

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The letter I would share with my students is the letter on pg. 244 by Ann Martin. Ann Martin begins her letter by creating an image of her in her mother and father's arms listening to the books they read to her. I think my students would be immediately drawn in to the stories she lists because many of them are books we have read in school. I think they could close their eyes and envision memories they have of someone reading a book to them. She goes on to list many of her favorite books that she remembers reading. I think exploring some of the books she shares in her letter would really engage my students. Her passion for books is inspiring for all readers. Ann Martin is the author of many children's books, including the Baby-sitters Club, and I think my students would enjoy reading some of her books after finishing this letter.

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The letter that sparked my interest was the letter on pg. 230 by John Maeda. I loved that he started off his letter with his own personal experience of going to the library for 20 mins a week to read books. He then compares the books he read in college to those initial experiences in the library. What really struck me was when he talked about the ways books bring so many different people together and connect people together. My favorite line of this letter is when he says, "The many pages of paper bound simply together as a book are binding the lives of many people together, too." When you think about the vision an author has for their book, then the readers who actually read that book and all they gain from it, it is really cool to think about how one book can connect so many people together. Looking through John's website, he has authored many books and seems to have many different things he is involved with.
https://maedastudio.com/

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Dear You,

If you are a hesitant reader who feels like you have better things to do, or are too busy to read for fun...I feel you. I used to feel the same way, until a book grabbed a hold of me. The Harry Potter series changed my view of reading forever. I found myself really connecting with the characters, as if I was going on all of the adventures with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

That series led me into more and more books with many adventures; sword fighting mice, talking lions, rings of power, wizards, and corrupt governments with an arrow slinging heroine. Books can give you all of that and more. If you love adventure and fantasy, find some treasure or fight some dragons. If you crave a love story or romantic comedy, laugh till you hurt and drop a few tears on some pages. Maybe you just want to learn about a famous person, or a country, or a plant, or an insect. It’s all yours in a book.

Pick up a book and MAKE time to read for fun, and if a book grabs a hold of you and won’t let go, you take hold of that book and don’t let it go right back.

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I love this art because it reminds me of something we discussed in one of our first classes; texts are viewed as windows, mirrors, and sliding doors. Text can be looked through as a window to view something different, or you can step through the sliding glass door and immerse yourself in the story. With this piece of art however, I view it as the reader is seeing a reflection of herself in the reading as if looking into a mirror. This is very powerful because the reader relates to the text at a high level, where she sees herself in the story and can relate to what is being read.

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I would share this letter with students because it showcases the value of reading. "Books are paper ships, to all the worlds...". I feel like many students could relate to this line, and might look towards reading  as an escape or just a place to get away for a bit.
I also enjoy how Anne Lamott describes books as these "flat almost two-dimensional boxes of paper" that can be about anything you want to learn about, from a place to a musician, or even your own family.

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“Without the book, I would only be myself, but with the book there is no end to the people I can be.” This is a quote from Ann Patchett’s letter on page 242.  I just love how thought provoking and insightful this quote is regarding the magnificence of spending time reading books.  Ms.  Patchett is the author of six books and currently co-owns the thriving book store called Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee with her friend Karen Hayes.  Another quote from her letter that I found delightful is “The wonder of books is that they are worlds we enter into alone, and yet at the same time they can connect us to other people.” How very true this statement is.   I would love to visit her book shop sometime in the future.

The illustration I loved most can be found on the accompanying page of Ms. Patchett’s letter on page 243, and it is by the late Vladmir Radunsky.  I love all of the titles of the books he depicted in the picture. In addition, I appreciate that there are not only humans reading, but animals as well.  Mr. Radunsky was first an architect and then, during the 1980s, he began to illustrate children’s books. Throughout his lifetime, he illustrated thirty books, including the cover of the book Holes, by Louis Sacher. He also authored and illustrated a fairytale about asparagus.

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The letter that sparked my interest right off was the letter Dear Reader by Caroline Paul on page 226. I love how Caroline Paul describes the books in our lives as vital pieces in the development of who we are and are becoming through the wisdom that books offer us. I know for me personally some of my greatest life lessons have been brought to my attention through books. As I reflect over the last two years in teaching, I have noticed how a majority of my students love to pick books out that provide them with life lessons that are applicable to their lives. It is so neat to observe how students are constantly pulling out life lessons in the books they are reading like Because of Winn-Dixie, Tiger Rising, Crenshaw, and so many more. As I researched more about Caroline Paul, I came across the following website https://www.carolinepaul.com. Caroline Paul is the author of the books  You Are Mighty, The Gutsy Girl, Lost Cat, A Little Tea Book, East Wind, Rain, and Fighting Fire. Through research, I found that Caroline Paul has strong passion to teach others important lessons she has learned through her own experiences and observed through others lives such as when you fall down or fail get back up, be a risk-taker, don’t let fear get in the way of your dreams, live with more adventure, and so much more. Check out the website https://www.carolinepaul.com where you can see more information about her books, watch her Ted Talk, watch videos about her personal experience in being the first female firefighter in San Francisco, and her articles she has written.

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The letter I would like to share with my students is the letter called Warning! Stop Reading  by Mr. Chris Sacca on page 234. I love how this letter opens up by warning students about books when it says “Don’t you kids realize how dangerous books can be?” In looking at this question, it makes me think about how when your mom says don’t touch the stove it’s hot or when you walk into a museum and it says please do not touch. Of course as young kids, we were always so curious about if it was really that hot or what would happen if I touched the museum artifact that we usually did the opposite of what we were told. Just like those examples, I think this witty letter will help build student’s curiosity of exploring the books that surround them and how they can become the next “professors, authors, doctors, explorers, scientists, and even the leaders of our countries” by just reading and learning. Through this letter, students will gain some insights and curiosity about how books provide us wisdom, teach us how to be innovative thinkers, and how to show sympathy and empathy towards those around us.

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This week Regina Spektor's letter, on page 186, stood out to me the most.  She talks about the importance of book stores and
physically holding a book in your hand, reading it, turning each page, and cracking the spine. In a world filled with technology, especially during this time of virtual learning for some, being able to still touch and feel books is so important. There are things you can do with books that you can't just do by reading off of a screen. The words on the page may be the same on a screen but the experience is totally different. I had never heard of Regina Spektor before reading her letter. However when I researched her, I found that she is a songwriter who wrote the theme song to Orange is the New Black.

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Regina Spektor news, tour dates, music and more.

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I want to share Marina Abramovic's letter with my students. I love how at the end of her letter she leaves the reader with a piece of advice, pushing them to find their own special, secret book. I think my students would like the thrill of finding a secret book that takes them on an adventure. It reminds me of the Magic Tree House book series and how the characters open each book and travel to far away places finding their own adventures. Those special secret books always keep them coming back for more.

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The letter that stood out to me this week was on page 180 by Rebecca Mead.  I really like how the author brings the reader in by making them feel comfortable and cozy with their book choices.  And as soon as you make the connection she immediatley challenges you to step out of your comfort zone.  As for me as a teacher I am always challenging my students to step out of their comfort zone.  I challenge them to thinkers and creators for themselves and not to always do what everyone teaches them.  I want my students to know that when you try something out of your comfort zone and you accomplish it on your own terms then you can are proud and pleaseed with yourself.  Rebecca Mead is a staff writer for The New Yorker.  She is from London. I would also share this letter with my students as well. I believe that they could relate to the story she referenced to Golidlocks and The Three Bears.

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The letter and author that I chose to research was the one from Daniel Handler/Lemony Snicket on page 200. When reading this letter I was immediately transported back to my childhood of the writing style from A Series of Unfortunate Events. As I started researching him, I found websites that I explored as a child to learn and connect more with the series. Ultimately, I found a video where he talks about his pen name and his interview sounds very similar to the way he writes. I would also like to share this letter with my students because as a student, I enjoyed the writing style of Lemony Snicket and I hope this brief letter would expose and intrigue students into reading his series. I also love how he ends the letter with the "perfect book" and running out of ink. It would be a great conversation with students about how there is no "perfect" book, that each and every reader must find it themselves.

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How Lemony Snicket channels his bewilderment into words

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You may not have heard of Daniel Handler, but you've probably heard of his pen name: Lemony Snicket. Handler, author of the children's book series "A Series of Unfortunate Events," says much of children's' literature is about "enforced morality," but he focuses on the bewildering nature of childhood.

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The letter I would like to share with my students is the letter Dear Reader by Regina Spektor. Currently in our class, we have been writing recommendations for books we love and posting them in the hallway for other students to see. I think sharing this letter with my students will create more in depth conversations about how books have captivated their attention in surprising and unexpected ways. It is so powerful to see students recommending books to others and seeing them share their books with one another. In doing this, students are creating shared experiences of “moments like those--of time stopping, eyes searching and minds dreaming.”

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The illustrator that stood out to me was Benji Davies’ illustration on page 187 that goes alongside the letter Dear Reader by Regina Spektor. The illustration strongly depicts how a book can immediately grab a reader’s attention and how “In that moment, you are the only person in the world holding that book and touching its pages. You can stand there for an hour and keep reading--or put it back and start again.” In looking at the illustration, I began to think about all the books I have read that were so hard to put down like The Night Diary, Because of Winn-Dixie, Crenshaw, and so many more. In looking at this illustration, I decided to do a little more research on Benji Davies. Through my research, I found that he is an author and illustrator who loves to capture how it feels to be a child in his writings and illustrations. In his illustration on page 187, you can see how Benji Davis does a great job depicting how a child feels when reading a book that calls out to them amongst the vast book options. Here is a video of Benji Davies reading some of his books https://benjidavies.squarespace.com/reads

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The letter I would share with my students is Dona Ann McAdams letter on pg. 194. I thought this letter was a beautiful description of what someone does when they are reading a book. "Feel the jacket, smooth and shiny." "You become part of it- your fingerprints on the paper." "It holds all of this for you- a good friend." This letter again shows the personal connection with books. They actually shape us and become a part of us rather than something a teacher tells us to read. I think with my kindergarten students, I would have them close their eyes while I read it. I would ask them to think about what this letter could be about and see if they could recognize the letter is instructions for reading a book. We could talk about the various lines that helped them to realize this is talking about a book.

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When I was reading through this section of letters, I was immediately struck by Sonia Sanchez's illustration for the letter by Rebecca Mead. The previous week, I had read the book "Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away." Before looking at who illustrating the picture, I knew it looked familiar. The little girl in the picture reminded me of Evelyn from the book. I looked more into Sonia Sanchez and found that she is actually an author of 16 books and a poet. Here is a video Sonia talking about loving others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp3zyr-EK-w&t=97s
I also loved the letter that went with this illustration. I love the comparison of trying a book you are not familiar with to sitting in Papa Bear's chair from Goldilocks.

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The illustration I chose can be found on the accompanying page of Mr. Heller’s letter. Looking at this illustration reminds me of Saturdays growing up, when my mother would take me to the public library for story time.   Pascal Blanchert is the illustrator, and I learned upon researching him that he lives in Quebec, Canada and not only is he an illustrator, but also an author of several graphic novels; his work has appeared in The New Yorker,  The Seattle Magazine, and The San Francisco Magazine.

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As I draw closer to the end of this wonderful compilation of letters, I find myself wishing there were more letters to read!  Reading each page and admiring each accompanying illustration, I reflect that the letter’s message has been well worth my time and effort.  I found Steven Heller’s letter on page 206 to be very profound. From the very beginning to the end, I was captivated and reminded how true his message really is.  He opens by saying, “Books are weapons in humankind's battle against ignorance.”  That certainly got my attention!  He also pointed out that unlike computers, books cannot be hacked but they can be held prisoner (censorship).  In his closing, Mr. Heller encourages us to read books, protect and savor them, and he leaves us with the realization of our responsibility to keep books from  becoming obsolete.

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As I turned to page 180, I had been fairly unimpressed and uninspired by this set of letters. I know that this is a personal opinion, but I can’t help but to express it. That is until I started reading Rebecca Mead’s letter. The thought of choosing a book that feels wrong to you really spoke to me, as an adult. As a child, I always stuck to books that made me feel comfortable and welcomed. I very rarely stepped out of the status quo when reading (definitely stepped out in real life). So to think that someone out there voluntarily chose to read books that started out uninviting was thought provoking. Then I started to think harder on it and realized that this was the change I made as an adult reader. I started reading books that didn’t seem as inviting to me because I never knew if would get better if I didn’t try. Rebecca Mead is a staff writer for the New Yorker but she also is a journalist and a women’s interest writer! I look forward to reading her book One Perfect Day soon!

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At first, I was fairly set on another author’s letter to share with my kids. I didn’t LOVE it but it was good enough. Then I came across Ellen Handler Spitz’ letter on page 190 and just WOW. It’s just so incredibly different from the rest of the letters in this book. I love how she wrote it as a story instead of just a letter to students/adult. It really immersed the reader into the story itself. It allowed you to jump into Ellen’s life as she was growing up and later as an adult. I feel as though this letter will not only resonate with my students, but hopefully a few parents listening in as well!

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As soon as I saw this page, I knew I had seen this style of drawing before.
I love all the characters playing king of the hill on the books.

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I really enjoyed the message Brandon Stanton delivered in his letter. He discussed how he basically forced himself to read 100 pages per day when he was younger, and it made him into the person he is today.
He discusses how some days it was easy when reading a "breezy" book that was a page turner, but some days were hard when he was reading "vegetable books". Either way he made sure to read those 100 pages, like he was practicing a sport.

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My favorite illustration in this set of letters can be found on page 139 by Gemma Correll.  Upon investigating Ms. Correll, I learned that she was born in and lives in Great Britain.  She is not only a wonderful illustrator but also a cartoonist and author of such books as  The Worriers Guide to Life and  A Pug’s Guide to Etiquette.  With titles like these, I bet Ms. Correll is a lot of fun to be around!

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A Velocity of Being Letters to A Young Reader continues to captivate my soul.  In the collection of letters assigned this week, I found three, especially, to be profound.  The first one, by Parker Palmer, can be found on page 126.  I love when she said,  “There I find gifts of many sorts-comfort, challenge, excitement, insight, inspiration, vision-that can bring back to the world to help me become a better person, and maybe help the world become a better place.”  What a perfect way to describe what reading should be to all of us.  The second letter, on page 36, was written by Steve Pinker.  I was particularly struck by the last line of his letter, which says, “That’s why, of all human inventions, it’s the printed word that multiplies our powers the most.”  I certainly agree with that profound statement.  Another letter I loved was written by David Delgado and is found on page 154.  He writes, “Cherish your curiosity.  It is your questions that will shape you.”  As a reader, I was reminded by Mr. Delgado the importance of using books to stimulate our curiosity and find answers to our questions.

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pg. 146
I would choose to share this letter with my kindergarten students. I think that my students would relate to being someone who isn't a "reader." Since my kiddos are really just reading for the first time, I often hear things like I can't read this or I don't know how to read. I love that this letter is written to books and that the author is thanking books for giving her patience and for waiting for her. I think this is so important for young children to hear. You can tell this author has a personal connection with books and I want my students to develop a similar personal connection as well. I think it would be fun to try writing a class letter to books. After reading this letter, students could share the things they really want to say to books.

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One of the illustrations that just grabs my attention is the illustration on page 152 by Andrea Tsurumi that goes alongside the letter Dear Young Hero. I love how the illustration depicts how powerful reading is in our lives. Andrea Tsurumi does a wonderful job showing how reading is a superpower in that it allows you to gain insight and wisdom from others in the past. At the bottom of the illustration, one can see how the kids are engrossed in their books as if they were having one on one conversations with the people in the story. It makes you wonder what experiences and insights they are gaining as they are reading. In seeing this artwork, I decided I wanted to research more about her as an illustrator. In researching, I came across her illustration Equal Access. Her illustration is such an important reminder of how the learning environment in our classroom should be accessible to all students who walk into our classrooms daily. All of our students should have access to one of the greatest superpowers of all time… Reading! As Kevin Kelly states in his letter on page 150, "reading beats any other superpower you can name."

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Picture done for Gleaners "Hyperdelphia" show about neighborhoods (curated by Derick Jones)

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Letter on pg. 126
While reading this letter, I loved the way Parker Palmer related reading to flying. I loved the line in his letter that said, "Even now, seventy years after my first experience of flying into a story, reading helps me fly, and will as long as I keep my imagination alive." I think this is such an important point, especially for adults. We tend to get so wrapped up in all that needs to done that we miss out on the joy of flying. Diving deep into a book and staying focused on it for awhile is all that is needed. This was a great reminder for me. I also found it interesting that Parker Palmer is a partner at the Center for Courage and Renewal. Here is a link to the website: http://www.couragerenewal.org/about/

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The letter I would like to share with my students would be the letter Dear Young Hero by Kevin Kelly on page 150. I love how this letter portrays reading as a means of developing empathy and seeing the world through another lens when he writes, “When you have this superpower you can see the world from the viewpoint of someone else.” Secondly, I love how he views reading as a superpower and helps students understand how “this superpower will always be with you; it will never leave you. But like all superpowers, it increases the more you use it.” As an educator, I have the desire to see all of my students develop a strong passion for reading and see that they hold the key to knowing more about the world, people, culture, nature, ideas, wisdom, and so much more around them if only they choose to develop their reading powers within them daily. I think this letter will help my students see how important it is to read daily as well as offering them reflection time on how reading has been a superpower in their own lives.

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The letter I would chosse to read to my students is by Terry Teachout.  I love how this letter lets students know that they are not ordinary.  This letter lets students know that they can be anything that their imagination will let them be.  One way to build our imagination is by reading books.  I love the illustration by Kenard Pak that goes with this letter.  I would show my students how once Miranda opened the book and looked the mirror she no longer saw someone ordinary she saw someone strange and wonderful.  I believe this letter will encourage my students to open a book and know they are not ordinary.

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I really enjoyed the letter written by Mariska Hargitay.  I like Mariska did not enjoy reading as a child.  Books indimated me as well.  There are times still today I have to read the paragraph over and over again for it to make sense to me.  I still feel reading a book is for smart people.  As I have gotten older I will pick up a book now and then and read it for enjoyment but that is not very often.  As I read "A Wish in the Dark" it showed me that you can truly get lost in a book and don't even realize how much time has passed.  I also love the illustration that Samantha Cotterill drew to bring Mariska's letter to life.  I love how the book looks like it is glowing as to say pick me up.  Mariska is one of my favorite actors on NBC's SVU: Special Victims Unit.  I have seen every episode of her show.

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During this weeks reading, Mariska Hargitay's letter on page 146 stood out to me. I think it stood out to me the most because I related so much to what she says at the beginning of her letter. I too was not a fan of reading in school and struggled to find the purpose. I didn't understand how people could get lost in books. I am familiar with Mariskas acting and love to watch her shows on TV. In my research I discovered that she has her own foundation called the Joyful Heart Foundation. She helps domestic abuse victims through her foundation and they often write her letters of how she has helped them. That made me wonder if that may have contributed to her writing this letter for students.

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This letter by Natascha McElhone is one that I want to read to my students. I immediately started to think of my more reluctant readers and those who have are struggling readers. It reassures them that reading takes practice and becomes easier and more rewarding the more you do it and that's what they need to hear! Most of them have a negative attitude about reading and I think this letter would validate their feelings and let them know that they aren't alone but to give reading a try no matter how difficult it may be.

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Natascha McElhone's letter on page 140 really drew me in as a reader. I found myself nodding my head along with what she was saying about how we are reading without even realizing it. It's actually something that I have said to my students recently. I was drawn in even more when she was talking about how these stories are unsolicited and you can create your own universe with the stories that you choose to read.
McElhone is an English-Irish actor. She graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. When her husband was found dead by a fellow doctor, she continued to write letters to him sometimes documenting the daily trivia of life. I have since purchased her book After You: Letters of Love and Loss, to a Husband and a Father. I cannot wait to get it and begin reading these letters. She has been nominated for many awards but some notable ones to mention are Best Action Sequence (with Robert De Niro in Ronin) for the MTV Movie Awards, Best Actress (in Solaris) for the Irish Film and Television Awards and Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries (in Revelations) for the Satellite Awards!

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Letter to Read to Students - Samantha Maddox

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Letter to Read to Students - Samantha Maddox

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This is the first letter that I've come across that I felt compelled to read to my students immediately (maybe I've said that before but this time I totally mean it). Like, tomorrow. The way that Parker Palmer (pg 126) talks about flying into a page and then losing it because he lost focus was so incredibly relatable to young readers. In all honesty, it's relatable to adult readers as well! I think that my students will get more out of this letter than the last one that I read to them because it is asking students to really focus in on books and see how it can make them fly as well. It encourages them to lost focus on the world around them and to dive into the story itself.

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During this week's reading, Natascha McElhone's entry stood out to me. I am a fan of her acting work, especially in Designated Survivor. This stood out to me because she mentions how you can see reading all around you. I enjoy how she describes what that writing represents, because many people don't pay attention to it. I feel like she's saying that type of writing isn't for you; it's for the people who "see your attention as a commodity". She goes on to say that you can read things you want to read. She even talks about how reading takes practice, and it's not easy. The students would really connect with this writing.
An illustration I really enjoyed this week was by Peter Brown on page 135. The connection between nature and reading continues. I just really enjoy how the book is the actual environment that the children are reading in.

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For the letter this week, I really enjoyed reading the letter from Mariska Hargitay. This letter really expressed the theme of anyone can be reader at any time. Mariska started out not enjoying reading and thinking it was only for smart people. This story reminded me of my mother. Up until a few years ago, she never read for enjoyment. She would maybe read a book per year. I have always been an avid reader despite both of my parents' hesitation with reading for enjoyment. But one day, she just picked up a book and enjoyed it. She hasn't stopped since. I used to be the "reader" in the family but now she even tops me! She went from one book year to 8-10 books a week. This letter and her experience gives me hope that anyone can be a reader, even if they aren't one while I teach them. It helps me remember that it's not ever really reading that students dislike, but it is the book. It helps reaffirm the belief that there is a book out there for every single person that will make a reader out of them.
For the artist this week, I decided to look research the artist from page 133 Brian Floca. Brian Floca is an author and illustrator that I remembered seeing his name before, but I couldn't remember from where. Out of curiosity, I chose to look him up this week in order to remember where I had seen his name before. I looked at his website and glanced through his portfolio page. My favorites of his were the watercolors that he did for a bookstore's website. It was similar to what he painted on page 133.

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I continue to marvel at each letter’s poignant message; picking one to share with my students was very difficult.  However, I chose the letter written by Richard Branson located on page 102.  Like the students I teach, Mr. Branson struggled in school due to his own dyslexia.  One of my favorite lines from his letter is,  “Let the words of a book guide your imagination, and the spirit of adventure motivate you to set goals, push yourself, thrive in the face of hardship, and achieve epic feats.”  I find that statement so profound and beautiful! If that does not sum up the goal of reading in such an elegant way, then I don’t know what does.  I researched Mr. Branson and found that he is not only an entrepreneur, but he also donates millions of dollars annually to educate teachers globally through Made by Dyslexia. The link can be found here https://www.madebydyslexia.org.  Despite being viewed as the dumbest person in his school, today Mr. Branson is worth around 4 billion dollars and has been interviewed numerous times regarding his own struggles in school.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgHH7ZxWO5k

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There were many letters that I found intriguing in this section of A Velocity of Being. I think I marked at least 5 different ones to possibly research. However, Bruce Handy's letter on page 98 kept me coming back to it over and over again. He talks about how he was jealous of the kid's in the books he read as a child that found new worlds behind a closet or outside of their front door. This is something that really resonated with me, as I have felt that same pang of jealousy. Bruce Handy is not only an author himself, but he is a contributing editor for Vanity Fair and Esquire magazines. He is also a contributing writer for Saturday Night Live! His articles in Vanity Fair range from political exposés to the Minions from Despicable Me. His writing spans across genres and back again. One of the more interesting things I found that he wrote in The New Yorker was about child art and it's place in the art world. I've attached the article below for those of you interested to read!

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A thought prompted by a pair of untitled paintings currently on display at the Queens Museum: My kid could do that . . . but thank God my kid didn't do that. Executed in what looks like tempera, the first painting depicts two tall teal-colored slabs. In the second painting, one of the slabs is now stabbed by a pointy, angry red shape that could be an airplane or an explosion or both, because the subject, of course, is 9/11. The unknown painter, an actual child, had participated in a program that encouraged kids to untangle their emotions about the attacks through painting and drawing. Some of the resulting works are now part of a small but lively exhibition of kid art, dating back to 1900, that will remain on view at the museum, in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, until mid-January.

Can kid art be art art? Can it have not just psychological or sentimental import but genuine cultural worth? Can it even be "good"? Well, maybe. "Children's art isn't really treated as art normally. It's treated as ephemera," Amy Zion, the curator of the Queens Museum show, said. "We don't really have a language to critically engage with it." (Some might argue that this is to kid art's benefit.)

The exhibition has a complicated backstory. It began with an adult artist named Ulrike Müller, who was commissioned, in 2019, to create a temporary floor-to-ceiling mural in the Queens Museum's lobby. That work, also now on view, depicts several animals of indeterminate species, monumental in scale yet drawn with a childlike simplicity of line and shape. Müller was partly inspired by "The Animals' Conference," an allegorical picture book published in 1949, by Erich Kästner, in which the world's beasts band together to rid the planet of war and bureaucracy, disgusted by the slow pace of human diplomacy. (They should see us now!) The mural's palette, though muted, evokes the W.P.A. murals of the nineteen-thirties as well as the slightly more garish aesthetic of the 1964 New York World's Fair. The museum is home to one of the fair's main attractions: the Panorama of the City of New York, an insanely detailed scale model-roughly the size of two basketball courts.

A further strand of inspiration, Müller said, was a conversation she had with one of her art students at the Cooper Union, "who, as a child, lived in lower Manhattan, and told me that for a long time after 9/11 she was drawing smoke coming out of all kinds of objects"-cats' ears among them. That kind of charged kid art, Müller felt, might illuminate and even comment on her own work. She asked the museum about the possibility of installing some alongside her mural.

Children's art can be difficult to curate. Aside from parents stashing it away in the dustier reaches of attics and storage units, it has tended to be valued and preserved only when its scribblers have gone on to be famous adult artists, or when the work can serve some propagandistic purpose, such as bearing heart-wrenching witness to war or injustice, with atrocities depicted in styles usually reserved for drawings of pets or happy families. In the process of curating the show, Zion found examples of both genres. A domestic interior by Louise Nevelson (née Berliawsky) when she was about three betrays an eye for detail befitting the future sculptor of intricate wooden assemblages; a drawing by the roughly nine-year-old Philip Howard Evergood pokes fun at a rich lady in a fancy hat several decades before Evergood became a socially conscious W.P.A. muralist. On the grimmer side are children's views not only of 9/11 but of the Holocaust, the conflict in Kosovo, and the civil wars in Spain and Sierra Leone-the latter including a brightly colored painting of a boy being chased by another boy who is wielding what appears to be a club.

Zion said that she and Müller tried to broaden the usual curatorial boundaries for kid art by including works with no obvious art-historical or political context-works that could simply be described as "good," though neither woman would use that exact term. Both said that they are fascinated by kids' approaches to perspective and the sometimes ingenious ways in which they organize space. Examples, culled from several caches of decades-old work mainly by New York City schoolchildren, include a dramatically angled and foregrounded pool table that Cézanne could have sketched, and a street scene with vertical climbs worthy of Wayne Thiebaud's San Francisco paintings. "These aren't just any kids," Zion said. "They are very talented artists who probably didn't end up becoming professional artists, but their control of the page is really fantastic."

One small but unfortunate by-product of the pandemic is that the busloads of schoolchildren who would normally be pouring into the museum every day on field trips aren't able to encounter these works by their forebears. What might they make of the exhibit, if they slowed down to take it in while tromping to and from the Panorama (where, by the way, the Twin Towers still stand), and then on to the gift shop? ♦

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A thought prompted by a pair of untitled paintings currently on display at the Queens Museum: My kid could do that . . . but thank God my kid didn't do that. Executed in what looks like tempera, the first painting depicts two tall teal-colored slabs.

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From this collection of letters, the one that I would most like to share (yes there was more than one!) was the letter written by Susan Orlean on page 96. Her letter is as open and inviting as it can get. She takes the time to explain different scenarios that a book can be for different children. She isn't overly focused on just one aspect of books like some of the other letters I came across are. For me, this lends itself to far more audiences then just the ones that think like the author. I believe that my students would really appreciate this letter and feel connected to it. Each student will be able to resonate with it and understand the importance of reading. I believe that I will be immediately sharing this letter with my students tomorrow morning!

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I would chose to share the letter that I posted above on page 116 by Felicia Day. I think at this age my 2nd graders could relate to hearing their brain talking to them. Her letter allows the reader to relate to feelings of loneliness, confusion, sadness, anger, and boredom. She explains how books were able to take care of her brain by helping her cope with her feelings. I think in this particular season of life my children need to be able to relate to someone who has similar feelings and emotions. This letter would be the perfect lesson opener to start working on our social/emotional well being.

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Author: Felicia Day
Illustrator: Emily Hughes
Page: 116
I was first drawn to this letter when I saw that at the bottom it says Love, Your Brain.  I then saw the illustration of a brain sitting on a little girls head with her nose in a book and adventures happening all around her. Felicia Day is actress and a writer who is best known for her contributions in the online video world.  Here is a biography so you can see all of the cool projects she is currently working on.

http://feliciaday.com/about/

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For my exploration, I chose to explore a little bit more about Anne-Marie Slaughter after reading her letter Dear Young Explorer on page 104. In reading her letter, the line that stood out to me the most was when she spoke about books and how even, “today they are still my haven, the little place I go to relax every night when I get into bed and let the cares of the day fall away from me.” In reading her letter, one is reminded how precious it is to have the presence of a book in your life whether that book is filled with heroes and villains, adventures, encouragement, and more. In being an educator, I have seen how books have positively impacted my student’s lives in which they have provided them with moments of relaxation, laughter, escape of their troubles, learning about how to overcome obstacles, and moments of encouragement. As I reflect on her letter, I am reminded of how powerful and influential books have been in my life. Lately, I have felt how the books I am currently reading have provided me a sense of relaxation in that they have offered me encouragement, self-development, and words of affirmation.

Biography

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In my third and fourth grade classroom, we have been working on reading intensely. In learning about what it means to read with intensity, I was able to share Sarah Kay’s letter Great Places to Read Books and Art by Lisa D’andrea on page 86. In reading this letter, students were making notices about how the author is encouraging readers to read intensely through their responses like the following: “the author wants readers to read wherever they want and read whatever they want, the author is encouraging us to read intensely no matter where we go, the author is trying to get the reader to find a calm place to be able to think, and the author is helping the reader to know you can read in different spots.” In listening to these student responses, it was so neat to see how students were analyzing and synthesizing the letter. After analyzing the letter, students then began to make observations about the artwork. Students were having great discussions on what reading with intensity looks like by discussing how the bear and mice were reading which was depicted in the artwork. By sharing this letter, I was given the opportunity to see and hear from students about how they see themselves as readers and what they find important in their reading environment so that they can read with intensity.

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This is absolutely an entry that I would share with students. She is speaking directly to kids. She is basically saying to not let life get in the way of your book. Students would love to hear this entry as a read aloud.
I can relate to this feeling of shutting out the world while reading something that you are interested in, as I'm sure many people can. Teaching children to do this however is difficult, especially in the technology age we live in; where everything isn't how or why, but how fast and why not yet.

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I love how Judy Blume wrote hers short and sweet. She stated how writing saved her life and how reading could do the same. She discussed the importance or how reading will give you a way to connect with others.
I found it rather interesting that someone who has written so many widely known books, such as Superfudge and Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing, had one of the smallest entries in this book. The entry was small but powerful, and I'm sure it would speak to people who are truly listening.

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The letter I would share with my students is Sarah Kay's letter called Great Places to Read Books. This letter is on pg. 86. I think this letter is perfect to share with younger students. It shares about many great places to read books, such as the bathtub, under the covers, in a tent, on a beach chair, etc. I think my students would be engaged throughout this whole letter because of the rhyming throughout. They also could connect with great places they have read books before. An extension of this letter could be to create a class story of other great places to read books. I also think this letter would spark joy and allow my students to see that reading is fun and you don't just read in school when your teacher tells you to. You can find a great place to read wherever you are!

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I chose to explore Robin Wall Kimmerer after reading her letter on pg. 78. Her letter instantly took me to a sunny, summer day sitting under a tree. She writes with such passion about the natural world. I loved her connection between trees and books and how just like trees reach high above to the sunlight, books help take our imagination high as well. I read more about her book, Gathering Moss and Braiding Sweetgrass. In her book, Robin shares lessons that the natural world can teach as well as her own personal history. Here is a link to her website: https://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/

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The letter I would choose to share with my future or current students is by Felicia Day on page 116. I really like how this letter makes you feel that you are really having a conversation with your brain. As a kindergarten teacher I would put some action into the beginning of the letter where she acts like the brain is tapping on our head. :) I would also express that our brain is very improtant to us and we need to take care of it and feed it not with just food but with knowledge from books as well. This letter allows me to tie emotions into my teaching as well. I would also have different types of books that would go with each emotion addressed in the letter. This would give my students examples. I would share this letter with my students during our shared reading block. I would connect the letter during our Super Readers unit because this letter expresses how we feed our brain and Super Readers like Super Hereos need their strength. Books give us strength and Knowledge.

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I chose Felicia Day's letter on page 116.  When reading this letter I really felt that I was having an actual conversation with my brain.  I love how Felicia throughout the letter ties the brains emotions with different genres of books.  She expresses how each genre of book helped her get through each emotion whether her brain was lonely, confused, sad, angry, or even bored.  The brain expresses gratitude and is thankful that they will remain together forever.  Felicia Day is also the founder of "The Guild" on youtube about her gaming life.  Here is a link below from her first episode of " The Guild" called "Wake-Up Call".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grCTXGW3sxQ

Here is her letter along with the picture illustrated by Emily Hughes.

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On page 79, Ruth Ann Harnisch describes reading as a superpower. I would love to share this letter with students as a way ti answer the never ending question: "why do we have to read?" At the end of class, I want students to want to read because they want to become better readers. I feel that this letter does a great job encompassing that. With each word students read, it empowers them to become smarter, better leaders, and better for themselves. Readers are superheros. Readers are able to advocate for themselves and learn knowledge themselves. This is a great letter to show students that reading empowers them versus reading humiliates them. The author of this letter is Ruth Ann Harnisch. Currently, Harnisch has her own foundation where she advocates for different issues, one of which interestingly is storytelling. I have included the link to the foundation.

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When the Harnisch Foundation was created in 1998, our grantmaking budget was tiny, we wrote the checks by hand, and we measured our impact through the stories of individuals who'd benefited from the grants. As our budget expanded, so did our vision.

We began investing in larger strategic projects aimed at creating a fairer world that works better for everyone, with special attention on gender and racial equity.

We chose three ways to fund visionary social change work:

LEADERSHIP
We invest in leadership development, including our signature Funny Girls™ curriculum.

STORYTELLING
We invest in creative storytelling, including changing the ratio of storytellers and stories to be more inclusive of women and other people of color.

CONVENINGS
We know there's no substitute for getting together in person, where relationships deepen and ideas flourish. Meetings are magnifiers.

In the decades since our founding, we have set our sights on bigger visions, and some of our grants are bigger, but we still have a heart for the smaller grant that makes a huge difference. That's why we're the home of the Awesome Without Borders chapter of the Awesome Foundation. Giving $1000 every week to something awesome keeps us close to our beginnings.

People tell us that from the beginning, our hallmarks have been:

Early investment in causes, leaders, new ideas

Willingness to make a fast decision

Getting the biggest possible bang for the buck

Connecting like-minds and making key introductions

Offering valuable coaching and guidance along with (or instead of) a grant

Shifting rapidly to acknowledge changing realities

In our third decade, we're committed to living up to what we're known for, doing better where we can. (If you have suggestions, tell us.)

OUR HISTORY

Since our (modest) beginnings in 1998, theHF's notable investments through the years demonstrate how we've expanded our commitment to social justice. We've always put our money where our values are, and it all started with our founder's real-world education as a journalist in the 1970s.

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About The Harnisch Foundation - The Harnisch Foundation

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When the Harnisch Foundation was created in 1998, our grantmaking budget was tiny, we wrote the checks by hand, and we measured our impact through the stories of individuals who'd benefited from the grants. As our budget expanded, so did our vision.

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When I saw Olivier Tallec’s illustration on page 27, I was immediately captivated.  How wonderful to hang that picture on a wall of that little girl reading a book surrounded by those wonderful creatures! I learned Mr. Tallec was born in France and before he became an illustrator, he was a graphic designer.  He has illustrated over sixty books which are well received on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Reading the first 67 pages in a Velocity of Being was like taking a walk in a beautiful garden.  I loved all of the letters, but the one I chose was Jane Goodall’s on page 28.  As a youngster, I wanted to be like Jane Goodall, living and studying the chimpanzees in the African wilderness.  I love how she describes that there is something special about a book, how it feels in your hand, the way it looks on a table, or among others in a bookcase.  Ms. Goodall has written numerous books and is admired by people spanning across the globe.

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I chose the letter by Helen Fagin from page 58. On the brainpickings website, I did some research on Helen Fagin. I learned that not only was she a Holocaust survivor which is evident through the letter, but also she went on to receive her PhD in literature. Personally, this is inspiring as she further developed her love of reading. She was also instrumental in the creation of the Holocaust Museum in the United States. I would love to share this letter sometime with my students. Every year, we read Unbroken by Laura Hildenbrand and I feel that this would go along well with that book. I loved that this letter was a narrative and we get a specific story of how reading is truly more than decoding and understanding words on a page. Reading is a lifeline that we can offer all our students. The illustration draws in the reader and one can truly see the pale-green eyed girl.

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The letter I would share to my students in my classroom is the letter by Rose Styron called Dear Children, Young as You, Old as We on page 48. I would like to share this letter with my students at the beginning of the year when we begin to discuss how to read intensely by reading as if you were in the book. I think my students will be inspired by Rose Styron’s description of all the places the stories she has read have taken her. For example when she writes, “ At dawn I walked the yellow brick road to Oz with Dorothy and her wondrous companions.” Rose Styron writes an excellent piece that helps children see the wonderful impact books can have on your life and how they hold a world of experiences. In reading this letter, students can see how books can open your mind and offer opportunities to encounter the world around you through the perspective of a detective, world traveler, pilot, and so much more as Rose Styron writes throughout her letter. After reading this letter, I feel that students would have meaningful conversations with one another about the places and experiences they have been given through the various books they have read along their journey as a reader. The illustration goes hand in hand with the letter. The illustration does well in depicting how you can experience the world around you by just opening a book while you sit in your own backyard.

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The letter that intrigued me the most was the letter by Diane Ackerman on page 26. I loved how Diane Ackerman shows how books are so much more than words on a page when she writes “No matter where life takes you, you’re never alone with a book, which becomes a tutor, a wit, a mind-sharpener, a soulmate, a performer, a sage, a verbal bouquet for a loved one.” As I read her letter, I began to reflect on the various books I have read over the past year and how those books have acted as a mentor, supporter, encourager, counselor, and so much more in my daily life. Books are so powerful for not only us as adults but for our students as well. I think that is why it is so important for students to be able to identify with characters and make connections with the book so that they are able to experience the powerful influence a book has on their lives.  The following website has additional resources of children’s books Diane Ackerman has written: http://www.dianeackerman.com/childrens-books-by-diane-ackerman

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The letter I would share to my students in Jane Goodall's letter on pg. 28. I would want to share this book in the spring, when they are really starting to read and everything is "clicking" for them. I would read the letter aloud to my students. I think this letter would really spark a passion for books. The way Jane describes her love for reading, would inspire my kindergartners to continue exploring books about the things they love. I also think they would be very intrigues by Goodall's story and want to learn more about the books she has written. There have been times where I have laid in front of a fire to read or found some shade in the summer. I think these pictures of getting cozy with a book, really makes reading appealing. I think my students would be able to connect with this as well. I love that the illustrator drew a little girl up in a tree reading in the midst of a jungle, with animals all around. I think this depicts Jane's love for books and animals really well.

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I chose to explore Helen Fagin after reading her letter on pg. 58. Her letter was so powerful. Books gave her hope and kept her alive. I think we often take for granted the fact that we have access to so many books filled with stories all around us. To read Helen's letter, puts things back in perspective. She risked her life so that she could read a story and share that story with the children she taught. The last line in her letter really struck me, "To read a book and surrender to a story is to keep our very humanity alive." This really is the power of a book. I found an interview where Helen shares more about her journey. She shares about eventually coming to New York and learning English, trying to assimilate to the culture with really no help from anyone. Here is the link to the interview: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn511049

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A letter I would share with my students is by Alain on page 24. I think I would share this letter towards the end of the year when my students have matured a bit. In my classroom we dive into several different genres of chapter books to help hook different readers. I think reading this letter later on would send them to 3rd grade wanting to dive into more books that bring comfort to them. I think often students can feel misunderstood and don't know how to express their feelings. This letter starts off by telling students in an unconventional way that books wouldn't be needed if everyone understood us. It goes on to explain how books can be that escape that students need to feel accepted and not alone. The illustration that goes with this letter shows of many people all in one room reading separate books. Although they are all together they all seem perfectly content and glued to their stories. They appear to be lost in the worlds that they are reading about.

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Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Sophie Blackall
Page: 22
Neil's letter really drew me in immediately. I pictured myself in his words and reflected on how reading books makes me feel. Neil writes most of his books in the fantasy genre, which comes across in his letter of being able to take readers on a journey.  Here is a biography on Neil where you can see his many award winning novels.

https://www.neilgaiman.com/About_Neil/Biography

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The letter I would share with my students is written by Shonda Rhimes on page 62.  I would share this letter with my students during our shared reading time.  I really like how she said at the end of the letter, “if you have a book in your hand, you can stop being invisible.  Because you are a little more invincible.”  When I read that line my brother immediately popped into my head.  Was he a loner, no, but he has always told me, “Kim if you want to know anything, if you want to learn all you have to do is pick up a book.”  As I read this letter from Shonda, she is right with a book you are never alone and within those books we become wiser.  The art by Matthew Forsythe blended so well with this letter.  We have the tree of knowledge but when I look at his art I see the tree of knowledge of reading.  There are so many different characters from all different types of books.  There are books that entertain us, ones that educate us, and ones that make us never feel alone.  There are even books that we want to read over and over again because they have become one our favorite story books.  Sometimes in our student’s worlds they feel all alone and feel that they have no one on their side.  I want them to know that a book can be their very best friend.

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I chose the letter on page 18 by Laura Brown-Lavoie.  I really enjoyed and was captivated how she wrote her letter.  Her words drew me in and I could see myself as the lioness in the letter.  I can relate to the last sentence in her letter, "for the sentences that pull me in with all their teeth."  I love reading a good book that pulls you in.  I believe Laura's performing career really helps her make a story, poem, or letter more realistic.  She knows how to captivate her audience.  I also think that it is cool how she is a poet and a farmer.  Here is another piece I found by Laura:
The Border Picnics
By Laura Brown-Lavoie
There is a tree growing against the fence; its bark is taking on the pattern. The tree gives a little shade on either side, and that’s where Ray sets up his chair to wait for her. Perhaps the park existed before there was a border. Perhaps one day this tree was repatriated, the arbitrary nationality of shrubs.

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The letters that spoke to me the most in regards to reading to my current or future students were written by Neil Gaiman (page 22) and Dani Shapiro (page 50). Neil Gaiman’s letter jumped off the page as an immediate share with my students. I plan to read this to them in their reading groups next week. I think that sharing it during a smaller setting will allow the words to sink in a bit more. His letter is focused on what a book can do for you and your imagination. I believe that sometimes my students need to hear and remember this. It made me remember jumping into the world of Laura Ingells Wilder for the first time and riding in the back of the covered wagon with her. The illustration that goes along with this letter is equally as powerful. It can be found below.

Dani Shapiro’s letter I feel may be better suited for sharing at the end of the year. Her letter feels like a culminating experience to reading. She invites you into her own mind as a child and attempts to relate to readers like her, readers that I suspect exist in my classroom. I think that this letter would be perfect to send my students off to summer and to the third grade with thinking about. It will give them a different perspective of themselves and others as readers. However, I didn’t think that the illustration that coincided with this letter did it justice. I felt that there could have been something more fitting for Dani’s words, “Books made me feel less ashamed” besides a happy girl reading a book.

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Art by Liniers for Rebecca Solnit’s letter.

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The author of the letter that I found the most intriguing was Rebecca Solnit. Her letter can be found on page 36 and is accompanied by the art of Liniers. I have attached both below. Rebecca Solnit is a writer of 20 books on many different subjects. Most interesting to me is her focus on social change and insurrection, along with her comparison of hope and disaster. I listened to her interview with Krista Tippette called “Falling Together”. This interview was focused on the “unpredictable and incalculable events that so often redeem our lives both solitary and public”. To listen to that interview, click the link below! I have also listed her personal website that includes essays, other interviews, books and more.

Interview: onbeing.org/programs/rebecca-solnit-falling-together/

Website: rebeccasolnit.net

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Letters I plan to share with a class.

I would like to share many of these letters with my current and future students. I have selected 3 to focus on however. Page 26 by Diane Ackerman and page 28 by Jane Goodall have a great connection to finding your book place. A bookmobile for example brought back a kind of nostalgia for me, and I remember when the that little bus would show up at my elementary school and I could go through and look for some adventure trapped in pages. Or a local library or old book store that you would save up your money to go and get a book of your very own.
"Find your place to discover reading." is what I would tell my students.
The third letter I would use as a reinforcement with students who seem to be hesitant to read, or who don't enjoy reading. "You have to find what you enjoy reading." I would tell them. One of the other letters even said you don't have to finish the book if you don't want to. Test them out and see what fits you. The letter on page 36 by Rebecca Solnit is an excellent example of what you can discover in stories, and how you can use them as an escape from your world. And like she says, these stories are gifts for strangers. Talking about this with students could bring up some interesting discussions about how they can make genuine connections with books.

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Daniel Salmieri - page 31
I chose this illustration because it is an excellent representation of how reading is immersive. The image wrapping around the reader compared to the cell phones in the illustration show the strength of books compared to technology.
The use of bland coloring in the reader's environment shows how reading a book can bring excitement to the routine feeling of life.

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A Velocity of Being: Letters To a Young Reader Edited by Maria Popova and Claudia Bedrick

Check out Maria Popova’s brainpickings site and the genesis of this book.

Read A Velocity of Being: Letters To a Young Reader (pp. 1-67 )

Choose one author or illustrator of a letter to explore in depth. Do your own research. Read something they have written, view their art, listen to their music, watch a video interview, etc.  Create a Padlet post and include the Author and Illustrator names, page numbers, and the letter, if possible. Post resources to the class Padlet. Come to class prepared to share your opinions and insights.

Choose at least one letter (can be the same as above but doesn’t have to) that you plan to share with your current or future students. How/when might you share this letter with your students? What metaphors arose in the letter? What connections did you make? What insights did you uncover? How do the illustrations compliment/extend the text in the letters? Post to the Padlet and come to class prepared to share your opinions and insights.

Try imitating the illustrative style of an illustration in your notebook. Feel free to post to the Padlet if you are inspired! (NOT REQUIRED).