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[CCBC-Net] Garmann's Summer & Its Batchelder Honor Publisher
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From: Gardow, Pamela <pgardow>
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:04:04 -0600
I loved it, too. As a high school librarian, I plan on pitching this book for use in art classes, psych classes, and creative writing classes. There are currently English teachers teaching personal narrative writing, and trying to get students to understand what the larger meaning might be in their personal stories. It's the "so what, why should we care?" factor in the story. Garmann's summer illustrates how a "small" story of a little boy's individual fears touches a universal audience. Perfect!!! Pam
Pam Gardow, Library Media Specialist Advisor, Teen Literacy Initiative Memorial High School 2225 Keith St. Eau Claire, WI? 54701 715-852-6309 pgardow at ecasd.k12.wi.us
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu [mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Ginny Moore Kruse Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 5:04 PM To: ccbc-net, Subscribers of Subject: [CCBC-Net] Garmann's Summer & Its Batchelder Honor Publisher
Three cheers to Eerdman's Books for Young Readers for publishing GARMANN'S SUMMER in translation from the Norwegian for U.S. readers now and in future generations! "Garmann's Summer" is a smashing departure from most U.S. picture books. Stian Hole's mixed media illustrations offer extraordinarily exciting opportunities to comment and reflect upon young Garmann's emotional journey. The text is equally astonishing and outstanding.
The story in "Garmann's Summer" is universal. Garmann has to start school in the autumn. This is certain, and it's also unknown. Well, everyone is scared of something, right?. But who knew that - like the six-year-old very white boy pictured on the book jacket wearing flimsy water wings - his gift bearing aunts (great-aunts? It really doesn't matter, though.) also have fears? These three generous magi hardly know Garmann. During their annual visits, they always bring him hand-knit caps. They are each facing the certain, unknown winter of a long life, and each responds to Garmann's questions accordingly. Garmann's otherwise seemingly capable parents tell him that they deal with scary unknowns, too. Thinking literally, Garmann struggles to understand all he's told, and it's puzzling. What's a "green thumb," for example? He's also trying to keep up with a set of fiercely productive twin girls who do everything sooner and better. He has an urgent need to prove big boy status by spelling a hard word like "rhubarb," or by losing at least one baby tooth. Seasons change, flora and fauna change. Garmann slowly realizes that change is natural. All things have their season, but even with "all the time in the world, there is no time to lose." The author/artist explores the profound human condition of mortality without condescension. It's an honest glimpse of the moment when a child might begin comprehending that one can't hurry realities, or otherwise try to tamper with them. One can be attentive. One can be kind. And one will still have worries.
Congratulations to the 2009 Mildred Batchelder Award Committee for bringing "Garmann's Summer" to wider attention. "Garmann's Summer" can be one of the books to which certain children will repeatedly return while they grow in understanding and in life experience. It's mysterious, and it's memorable. Families open to visual innovation or open-ended stories will discover it only if libraries have it, and maybe, too, if someone in the library is as excited about it as several of us seem to be.
Peace, Ginny
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:04:04 -0600
I loved it, too. As a high school librarian, I plan on pitching this book for use in art classes, psych classes, and creative writing classes. There are currently English teachers teaching personal narrative writing, and trying to get students to understand what the larger meaning might be in their personal stories. It's the "so what, why should we care?" factor in the story. Garmann's summer illustrates how a "small" story of a little boy's individual fears touches a universal audience. Perfect!!! Pam
Pam Gardow, Library Media Specialist Advisor, Teen Literacy Initiative Memorial High School 2225 Keith St. Eau Claire, WI? 54701 715-852-6309 pgardow at ecasd.k12.wi.us
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu [mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Ginny Moore Kruse Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 5:04 PM To: ccbc-net, Subscribers of Subject: [CCBC-Net] Garmann's Summer & Its Batchelder Honor Publisher
Three cheers to Eerdman's Books for Young Readers for publishing GARMANN'S SUMMER in translation from the Norwegian for U.S. readers now and in future generations! "Garmann's Summer" is a smashing departure from most U.S. picture books. Stian Hole's mixed media illustrations offer extraordinarily exciting opportunities to comment and reflect upon young Garmann's emotional journey. The text is equally astonishing and outstanding.
The story in "Garmann's Summer" is universal. Garmann has to start school in the autumn. This is certain, and it's also unknown. Well, everyone is scared of something, right?. But who knew that - like the six-year-old very white boy pictured on the book jacket wearing flimsy water wings - his gift bearing aunts (great-aunts? It really doesn't matter, though.) also have fears? These three generous magi hardly know Garmann. During their annual visits, they always bring him hand-knit caps. They are each facing the certain, unknown winter of a long life, and each responds to Garmann's questions accordingly. Garmann's otherwise seemingly capable parents tell him that they deal with scary unknowns, too. Thinking literally, Garmann struggles to understand all he's told, and it's puzzling. What's a "green thumb," for example? He's also trying to keep up with a set of fiercely productive twin girls who do everything sooner and better. He has an urgent need to prove big boy status by spelling a hard word like "rhubarb," or by losing at least one baby tooth. Seasons change, flora and fauna change. Garmann slowly realizes that change is natural. All things have their season, but even with "all the time in the world, there is no time to lose." The author/artist explores the profound human condition of mortality without condescension. It's an honest glimpse of the moment when a child might begin comprehending that one can't hurry realities, or otherwise try to tamper with them. One can be attentive. One can be kind. And one will still have worries.
Congratulations to the 2009 Mildred Batchelder Award Committee for bringing "Garmann's Summer" to wider attention. "Garmann's Summer" can be one of the books to which certain children will repeatedly return while they grow in understanding and in life experience. It's mysterious, and it's memorable. Families open to visual innovation or open-ended stories will discover it only if libraries have it, and maybe, too, if someone in the library is as excited about it as several of us seem to be.
Peace, Ginny
-- Ginny Moore Kruse Emerita Director Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) gmkruse at wisc.edu phone: 608.238.9225 _______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net ****************************************************************************** This email was scanned for viruses at the gateway of the Eau Claire Area School District (ECASD). ECASD is in no way responsible for the content of this email or possible damage to your computer or network as a result of opening it or any attachments associated with it. (PM1)Received on Tue 24 Feb 2009 08:04:04 AM CST
