Monthly Archives: May 2015

ROALD DAHL-O-WEEN PARTY: MAKING LITERATURE A FAMILY AFFAIR AT P.S. 32 IN BROOKLYN

 

Msfloriowitch

It’s one thing to read a book by Roald Dahl, but it’s quite another to see his books brought to life by an entire school.

When I entered the playground of PS 32 in Brooklyn, here’s what I saw:  Parents, children, and teachers dressed as characters from Road Dahl books such as Fantastic Mr. FoxCharlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Witches.  I saw families playing games based on Dahl books.  I heard songs from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie soundtrack floating in the air.  I felt the magic of these books embodied by a whole community of readers.

The principal, Ms. Florio (see photo above), was dressed at The Golden Ticket from Charlie.  “The art teacher, Dave,  made this costume for me,” she proudly shared.  The back of the costume read, true to the ticket described in the book, “In your wildest dreams you could not imagine the marvelous surprises that await you!”

Over in another corner, a student was dressed like Violet when she turned into a blueberry.

A father and a daughter wore costumes which depicted the foxes from Fantastic Mr. Fox.

After milling around and taking in the pageantry, I stopped to listen to some of the people who had made this event possible; these included school librarian Adam Marcus and Deborah Florio, the principal.  School Chancellor Carmen Farina, who has a 30-year relationship with PS 32, also spoke to the crowd. Off to the side, I chatted with  Francine Cuomo, the school’s Business Manager.  Ms. Cuomo, who had worked hard to help build the library and organize the day’s event, was heartened by the impact of the library on the school culture.  Dave Chimoskey, the school’s art teacher, was also instrumental in creating the enchanted event.

So how did this event, with its beautiful community of readers, come to be?

In the summer of 2009, Principal Florio asked teacher Adam Marcus to build a library for PS 32.  Marcus, with the help of a library advisory committee, raised more than $500,000 to create what would become the hub of the school.

Fast-forward to 2014, when PS 32 became one of 20 schools in the country to receive a Roald Dahl Charlie and the Chocolate Factory grant.  The grant was bestowed by Penguin Young Readers Group as a team with First Book Advisory Boards in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the legendary book.

The honor included multiple copies of all Dahl’s books, a giant Charlie bean bag for the library,  and last Saturday’s party, which was sponsored by First Book, Penguin Publishing,  Hay Rosie Craft Ice Cream Co., and The Chocolate Room.  The party, took place on September 13, Roald Dahl Day, and was generously staffed by 70 volunteers from places like Good Shepherd Services and The American Association of Publishers.

On a personal note, I am greatly inspired by the work and imagination that this school’s teachers, administration, and parents have invested in creating the gem that is the PS 32 library.  Many public schools nowadays do not have a library, or have turned their library into a computer center.  What better way to foster young people’s love of reading by building a beautiful, comfortable, cozy, friendly space where a child (or an adult!) can plop down on a couch and bury her nose in a book.

Keep up the great work, PS 32!!

PS – Check out the PS 32 Library Blog

GOODNIGHT MOON AND THE RED ROOM

 

GoodnightMoonRed StudioLast night, Mike and I went to MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) for a meal and a look around. It’s a great night to go because it’s free and there’s lots of good people-watching. I saw one of my favorite Matisse paintings, The Red Studio. It reminded me of the famous children’s picture book, Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown.

Interestingly, this exerpt from Ellen Hauler Spitz’ Inside Picture Books brings The Red Studio and Goodnight Moon together:

“Goodnight Moon absolutely refuses speed. It cannot be hurried through. In this sensee it works as a welcome antidote to the pressures we impose on our childen. Children who have been rushed though the day can relax into it. Confidently, they know what will come next; and yeg, as they trace the antics of the little mouse or encounter a new word or observe a new form, they are learning as well. They can feel, in this imaginary space, the pleasures of satisfied expectations, the meeting of hope with fulfillment. Thus, never static, Goodnight Moon is also a site of exploration. It creates a world which reminds me of an artist’s studio, where familiarity become the locus for growth.

Think, for example, of Matisse’s painting The Red Studio (1911), with its similar electric Chinese Red; its touches of green and flecks of gold; its wine glass, chair and chest; its framed and unframed pictures; and its possible clock and window.

How like an artist’s studio is the bedroom of a small child? Filled with highly invested possessions, this room is also a dual locus of security and discovery, of work and of rest.”

This post originally appeared in Creative Times.

MEET MAIRA KALMAN, CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

MAIRA

Call me Max.
Max the dreamer.
Max the poet.
Max the dog.

My dream is to live in Paris.
To live in Paris and be a Poet.

These are the first words I came across fifteen years ago, when I opened the front cover of Max Makes a Million. That moment marked the beginning of my ongoing love affair with the work of author/illustrator/designer Maira Kalman.

I read and re-read and re-re-read and re-re-re read that book, soaking up the way the words were arranged and the way they played off the illustrations. I was amazed by the way that earth tones appeared alongside of sorbet colors to create images that were both whimsical and sophisticated. I was delighted by references – in words and in paintings – to aspects of life in New York City. There, for example, in the painting of “The Museum of Incredibly Modern Art” were the very same black grid chairs in MOMA’s sculpture garden that always left tiny squares in my legs and backside!

I gave the book as gifts to adults and read it aloud to children. I distinctly remember sitting in Barnes and Nobles ten years ago, reading Max Makes a Million to twin six-year-old boys. I came to this passage, and they made me read it over and over again and laughed harder each time that I did:

Bruno and I left the studio. Walking to lunch
we passed the door of the mysterious twins
Otto and Otto
and their two dogs
Otto and Otto.

Then there is my personal favorite passage, spoken by Max himself:

There is an old Chinese proverb that says parents must give their children two things, roots and wings. I have the roots. Now I want wings.

The book, at its heart, is about going after ones dreams ,which is why it has appeal and relevance for people of all ages.

Kalman went on to write and illustrate other picture books, and I relished all of those, too. There was Max in Hollywood, Baby; Chicken Soup, Boots; Ooh-la-la, Max in Love; Swami on Rye; Next Stop, Grand Central; and What Pete Ate from A – Z.  I went on several occasions to see her artwork at the Julie Saul gallery in Chelsea and also visited the Children’s Museum of Manhattan when they featured an exhibit based on Maira’s picture books.

I saw Ms. Kalman’s artwork appear in many other places – on the cover of The New Yorker, in The Sunday New York Times Magazine and in the newest edition of The Elements of Style. I saw her designs appear on Kate Spade merchandise and was overjoyed to find a mural of hers at Wave Hill Cultural Center depicting its lush and glorious landscape. Most recently, I enjoyed receiving as a gift The Principles of Uncertainty, the content of which came from her New York Times blog of the same name.

Every time I see Ms. Kalman’s work out in the world, there is the joy of recognition same as when I see someone I love unexpectedly on the street or when I see a dachshund dashing by on the sidewalk. Ah! Something I love – there it is again! Hooray!

So you can imagine my surprise and delight when Ms. Kalman granted an interview in her Manhattan abode.

At the door, I was greeted by her dog Pete (as seen in What Pete Ate) . He was dressed in crème color fur and Ms. Kalman in a crisp white outfit.

We all sat down for some conversation.

What has Ms. Kalman been up to these days?

As of late, Maira has been working under the auspices of the Robinhood Foundation and Pentagram Design Studio to create a three dimensional installation for a public elementary school in the Bronx. The central concept of this 3-D collage is that of a wall poem about the alphabet. It will be made of found objects, made objects, drawings, photographs, letters, words, and bits of text from books.

Maira likes the fact that the children will see mundane objects used as art, thus learning that they can create art from the stuff that is right around them.

For the Rosenbach Museum & Library in Philadelphia, Maira is working on a project based on Lincoln ephemera – letters, photos, etc. – in commemoration of the bicentennial of his birthday.

She’s also creating fabric based on maps for Maharam, a New York based textile design company.

Ms. Kalman was once a student at The High School of Music and Art right here in New York. What was that experience like for her?

Ms. Kalman originally went to HSMA for music. Her entrance was based on her skills as a pianist and, once admitted, she also found her way into the choir.
An important part of being at the school was getting the message that an artist is a real thing to be.

Maira went on to attend college at NYU. Her original focus on writing and she added drawing to her repertoire.

Her literary inspirations include Cummings, Austin and Nabokov. She’s currently reading Ulysses which she describes as “a full time job” that is both stupendous and sleep-inducing.

Does Maira collaborate with other artists?

Maira’s collaborations have been with her late husband, her current beau, and well as with a longtime friend and composer Nico Muhly. Her joint projects tend to evolve out and extend from already existing relationships.

Mostly, Ms. Kalman is a solitary worker who is “looking and absorbing in a daydream world.”

What does Maira like to do when she is not working?

She likes to clean things, travel, and walk. “I’d be happy to walk around the world, just not through wars or up steep mountains,” she shared.

Maira’s ideal is one where work and life are integrated in a seamless way where one can “be pragmatic and in another world at the same time.”

Are there other artists whom Maira considers to be kindred spirits?

Yes, and here’s a list of some of them:

Charlotte Solomon, a woman who made hundreds of gouache paintings of her life and who created books which were exhibited. Ms. Solomon was killed by Nazis in the 1940s.

Louise Bourgeois and Kiki Smith, who are both “trying to inhabit a few different worlds at once.” They both tell a narrative story and use imagery made up of dreams, memory, and childhood.

Eva Hess and Matisse.

From the world of children’s books: Lewis Carol, who wrote Alice in Wonderland and, by using humor on different levels, engaged both young people and adults. William Steig. Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the Madeleine books.

What is Maira’s daily schedule?

First, she does early morning exercise with a friend. Then, she spends time in her studio which is also in the building where she lives. Next, she gathers inspiration and ideas by wandering around New York.

Maira also spends a great deal of time traveling.

What’s the story of Maira and dogs? They appear a lot in her books.

When Maira was a child, she was terrified of pets. As an adult, she liked them conceptually. When her children were young, she got Pete – the dog she’s had for the past eleven years.

How does Maira like to spend her birthday?

In a quiet celebration with her family

PS –  This post first appeared seven years ago in the arts blog Creative Times.  As a longtime fan of Maira Kalman, I was beyond thrilled to get to meet her in person to interview her.

As a note to all the adults and young people out there who admire an author or illustrator,  do consider reaching out to that person!  More often than not, they are delighted to hear from you and may even write back to you!

5 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR GRADE SCHOOL CHILD READING AND WRITING ALL SUMMER LONG

Dad reading

Many parents of grade school children, especially children who struggle with reading and writing, express concern that their young ones will fall behind or lose traction with their skills during the summer months.

Here are 5 strategies to keep your child connected with reading and writing in ways that are fun, pleasurable, and meaningful to them.

Approach these activities, as well as your child’s overall literacy development, with a tone of relaxed encouragement.  Doing so will set the stage for them to flourish!

1.  Visit your local library.  A library can be an oasis of calm, order, and, cool in the midst of summer heat.  Many libraries have summer reading programs for children, so ask your librarian what they have planned.

Let your child make choices about what they want to read, even if a book seems too easy or too difficult.  Allow them to pursue the topics, authors, and genres that catch their interest.  Don’t worry if your child wants to read a book multiple times;  it means that they are enjoying it. There’s pleasure in repetition. We adults read books that we love more than once, as well!

2.  Pick chapter books together and read them out loud to your child/ren.  I have great memories of being on camping trips with my family, and sitting on big rocks in the sun while my mom read A Wizard of Earthsea to us.  On another trip, my dad read Stuart Little.  Being read to is such a treat, and keeps children connected to the pleasures of good literature.
You can also have a lot of fun by acting out books in a charade-like fashion,

3.  Create a Writer’s Box.  Fill a box or a drawer with a variety of materials that children can dig into to engage in lots of different writing projects. This idea is particularly great if you live in small living quarters.  You can use a large Tupperware container, or whatever is handy.  Consider including any of these items in your box:  Different sizes of notepads; loose-leaf paper; construction paper; 3 by 5 cards; pens, pencils and markers; stapler; tape; glitter glue; glue stick; stickers; ruler; stamps; envelopes; return address labels; magazines for cutting out images and text.

What else could you add to your box?  Get creative!

4.  Keep a Summer Scrapbook.  Tape or glue photos, mementos, and found objects from your summer adventures into a book that you buy or make.  A simple 3-ring binder will do! Label your photos and mementos; make simple journal entries about what you do each day.  Your child can do the writing herself or dictate the words to you.  (There’s great power in them getting to see the relationship between the spoken and the written word.)

5.  Write Letters. – Summer is an ideal time to sit down and write postcards, letters, and cards to relatives and far-away friends. Pull out that Writer’s Box and let people know about what your family has been up to!

Summer Literacy Tutoring with Eleanor Traubman
Would you like one-on-one literacy tutoring for your child this summer?  I customize sessions to reflect your child’s individual interests and draw out their strengths.

For More information:

Eleanor Traubman
Facebook.com/brooklyntutor
Creativetimes.blogspot.com
ETraubman@gmail.com