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Charlotte Zolotow's books
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From: Ginny Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 16:50:19 -0500
Hello, out there! Where are you? Are you launching summer library youth programs in your public libraries and schools to comment on CCBC-NET? Have you lost frequent access to the computer on which you read CCBC-NET messages during the school year or academic semester? Are you on vacation?
Please don't answer these rhethorical questions. We know you're busy, but we hope you are still able to check into CCBC-NET and offer your wonderful comments and insights.
Let's think about something together. The last time I checked CCBC-NET members were 584 in number. Is it possible that this many individuals in our CCBC-NET community have some kind of "cyber stage fright" at the very idea of the Real Charlotte Zolotow possibly reading their comments, questions, critical remarks, etc., as they relate to her books? Is this what has happened to people willing to step up and comment on CCBC-NET? Is that what has happened to all of you, especially those of you who remember reading any of Charlotte Zolotow's books to children in your library or in your family?
Regardless of why you are all of a sudden v-e-r-y "quiet," let me tell you that wonderful Catherine Balkin (HarperCollins Children's Books) told me that she plans to look carefully at the CCBC-NET postings she downloads in order to *select* excerpts from some of them for Ms. Zolotow to read. Catherine will not give all of our CCBC-NET messages to Charlotte Zolotow, because, frankly, Ms. Zolotow does not have time to pour over my typos (she's already done enough editing for several careers!). And, now that Charlotte is retired she has no need to read comments that might not be worthy of her attention. Now, don't get me wrong, she is as articulate, witty, intellectual, and warm as anyone who ever met Charlotte Zolotow remembers her as being in past years. KT and I had the opportunity to visit with her in person last month. She was full of incisive, wise, stimulating conversation about today's world of children's books. However, it's our opinion that Ms. Zolotow deserves to use her valuable time reading some but not all of the computer printouts from CCBC-NET - and Catherine Balkin agrees.
Therefore, please step forward and say what you want to say, ask what you want to ask, and continue the discussion which is definitely not limited to CZ's former authors or colleagues or to people who knew her books as children or who are or have been parents, etc.
How about Marvera Murphy's questions: does the size of the book matter? Are the larger CZ books less child friendly or accessible for family reading? (Sorry, Marv, for my limp paraphrasing your keen personal observations.) Remember KT's request? Anecdotes, please. How about reasons why so many Charlotte Zolotow's texts have seem to have stood the test of time, regardless of illustrations or formats? Examples, please. Let's get rolling once again... Sincerely, Ginny
******************* Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison
Received on Thu 12 Jun 1997 04:50:19 PM CDT
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 16:50:19 -0500
Hello, out there! Where are you? Are you launching summer library youth programs in your public libraries and schools to comment on CCBC-NET? Have you lost frequent access to the computer on which you read CCBC-NET messages during the school year or academic semester? Are you on vacation?
Please don't answer these rhethorical questions. We know you're busy, but we hope you are still able to check into CCBC-NET and offer your wonderful comments and insights.
Let's think about something together. The last time I checked CCBC-NET members were 584 in number. Is it possible that this many individuals in our CCBC-NET community have some kind of "cyber stage fright" at the very idea of the Real Charlotte Zolotow possibly reading their comments, questions, critical remarks, etc., as they relate to her books? Is this what has happened to people willing to step up and comment on CCBC-NET? Is that what has happened to all of you, especially those of you who remember reading any of Charlotte Zolotow's books to children in your library or in your family?
Regardless of why you are all of a sudden v-e-r-y "quiet," let me tell you that wonderful Catherine Balkin (HarperCollins Children's Books) told me that she plans to look carefully at the CCBC-NET postings she downloads in order to *select* excerpts from some of them for Ms. Zolotow to read. Catherine will not give all of our CCBC-NET messages to Charlotte Zolotow, because, frankly, Ms. Zolotow does not have time to pour over my typos (she's already done enough editing for several careers!). And, now that Charlotte is retired she has no need to read comments that might not be worthy of her attention. Now, don't get me wrong, she is as articulate, witty, intellectual, and warm as anyone who ever met Charlotte Zolotow remembers her as being in past years. KT and I had the opportunity to visit with her in person last month. She was full of incisive, wise, stimulating conversation about today's world of children's books. However, it's our opinion that Ms. Zolotow deserves to use her valuable time reading some but not all of the computer printouts from CCBC-NET - and Catherine Balkin agrees.
Therefore, please step forward and say what you want to say, ask what you want to ask, and continue the discussion which is definitely not limited to CZ's former authors or colleagues or to people who knew her books as children or who are or have been parents, etc.
How about Marvera Murphy's questions: does the size of the book matter? Are the larger CZ books less child friendly or accessible for family reading? (Sorry, Marv, for my limp paraphrasing your keen personal observations.) Remember KT's request? Anecdotes, please. How about reasons why so many Charlotte Zolotow's texts have seem to have stood the test of time, regardless of illustrations or formats? Examples, please. Let's get rolling once again... Sincerely, Ginny
******************* Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison
Received on Thu 12 Jun 1997 04:50:19 PM CDT
