Happy Belated Birthday, Shel Silverstein
October 1, 2009
Last week (September 25) marked Shel Silverstein’s birthday. Here is one of my favorite poems by him:
Mr. Grumpledump’s Song
Everything’s wrong,
Days are too long,
Sunshine’s too hot,
Wind is too strong.
Clouds are too fluffy,
Grass is too green,
Ground is too dusty,
Sheets are too clean.
Stars are too twinkly,
Moon is too high,
Water’s too drippy,
Sand is too dry.
Rocks are too heavy,
Feathers too light,
Kids are too noisy,
Shoes are too tight.
Folks are too happy,
Singin’ their songs.
Why can’t they see it?
Everything’s wrong!
Banned Books Week
September 27, 2009
Banned Books Week, begun in 1982, started on Saturday September 26. As I think back on the different forms censorship has come in over time, I realize that I have a lot in common with the censors. I believe that books matter and make a difference. They open your mind to new possibilities and transport […]
Great Minds Think Alike
September 15, 2009
Thank you Wall Street Journal for choosing The Arabian Nights in your column Masterpiece: Anatomy of a Classic. Abraham Lincoln said that “My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read.” so often the column Masterpiece serves as my best friend by introducing me to books I would […]
Re: “Who Controls the Reading List?”
September 9, 2009
The New York Times featured an article in the latest in a series on the “future of reading.” The article compares two schools of thought: one that lets children have complete discretion of the books they read; the other that dictates assigning children a set curriculum. In the end, these two competing ideologies each have […]
Back to School “Starting off on the right foot”
September 8, 2009
No matter when the school year actually begins, Labor Day symbolizes Back to School. For me, the beginning of a new school year always brought both anticipation and excitement along with the daunting reality of new schedules and responsibilities for my children as well as for me. As much as I looked forward to my […]
