for the love of libraries

yesterday ched commented a recommendation that I ought to post pictures of the inside and outside of cleveland's main public library. I think this is a terrific idea.

however, why limit myself to the main library or even to cleveland. I love libraries and when I have my camera (which yes, is most of the time) I sometimes snap a picture of some image that strikes my fancy while visiting a library.

recently I was in metro dc. while I was down there I visited the main regional library for fairfax virginia. for the last several years I've been trying to locate a high school friend named jenny. we lost touch with each other in the mid 1980s, during the time my family of creation moved from new haven to hartford and jenny moved from new york to somewhere else (in retrospect, I remember she was going to return to virginia and stay with her folks until she found a new job - I remember she left new york for a myriad of reasons, the least being she didn't really enjoy her job) - any how long story short, I never had a new address for her nor did she have mine. and life happens.

all previous attempts to find jenny via googling her name produced nada. I couldn't remember her father or mother's first names and their last name is incredibly common.... think smith or jones. one has the added problem with women changing their name when then get married.

this time when I was visiting my folks, I realized that if I could find her parents (or even a sibling - whose names I also couldn't remember) I could probably find jenny. I figured the best way to do that was to go back to the 1973 phone directory (the year we graduated from h.s. and the year I was certain that her parents lived in the house I knew). I remembered the name of the street she lived on. first task was to find out if her folks were still alive. not only are her folks still alive, they were still living in the same house! I would have saved myself a lot of time had I just gone from the 1973 phone directory to the 2007/8 phone directory - but some how I had it in my head that they moved (in retrospect I realize that I mixed up the story of jenny's parents with the story of another high school friend's parents - karen's folks did move).

I called the number, spoke to jenny's dad. he didn't remember me but her mother did - but only from our days in high school and nothing of my life afterwards - so I expect jenny's mom didn't really have fond memories of me - in high school, I admit I was a bit of a wild child; some would say still am. jenny did marry and she did change her name. she is living about thirty minutes from where we used to live in northern virginia. her new a community is a bit further out from washington d.c., but still in the metro d.c. area.

I have jenny's number and now I all I have to do is call. people can change a great deal in twenty-some years but then again, we also are what we always have been..... I feel good now that I have jenny's phone number. one of these days when I have some time, I might just give her a ring and see what she's been up to these last twenty-two years!

photos: interior shot of the city of fairfax regional library. 1973 phone directory

what I've been reading

the intention behind setting up this third blog (thinking mousemedicine is #1 and magical mouse quilts is #2) is that along with archiving the kids books I 'recommend' on #1's sidebar, is to write up brief reviews of books I've read. alas this intention has been little more than a promise and an aid for helping me pave my way to you know where!

with that said, there are a few books that I've read the last few months that I'd like to call attention to. the first is the birth house by ami mckay. I absolutely adored this book. I don't know if it was because of the main characters (two extraordinary women midwives/healers); the place (it's set in a small rural community in nova scotia located near the bay of fundy in the days before, during and after ww1); or the fact that the book addresses many of the complex social and political issues that ring my bell (gender issues, women's health as contested terrain; war and peace). anyhow, I actually know my reason for connecting so much with this brilliant book is because of all three of these things - character, setting and theme and mckay's ability to weave a story in a manner that is graceful, historical and yet extremely intimate. thank you susan - a midwife and healer herself - for bringing this book to me. I hope susan won't mind if I hold on to her copy a while longer as I know a couple other book-loving friends who will find this tale completely captivating.

another book I read recently that I just couldn't get enough of was motherless brooklyn by jonathan lethem. I admit I am fan of the mystery genre (yeah, me and how many billion others?). but here is a very different take on the genre of crime fiction. I was completely smitten by the 'hero' of the tale - lionel essrog -- who has to be the unlikeliest detective one will ever encounter. lionel has tourette's syndrome - and we're not talking 'mild case' easily disguised. anyhow, if you're looking for a romping good read check out this little gem. while looking for an image of the book on google I ran across this - man, I hope this is gonna happen!

speaking of mysteries, I have jen clair to thank for turning me on to another unlikely protagonist in the genre - aloysius pendergast and the pendergast series of books. I think there are eight books so far in the series. unfortunately I didn't start the series with book number 1, instead I started with book 3 (the cabinet of curiosities) - I immediately was hooked and proceeded to work my way through the 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 finishing up this wheel of darkness about a week ago. I guess I can go back and read the first two book in the series while I wait for authors preston and childs to finish up the next book in the series. I have likened pendergast to be a cross between sherlock holmes, macgyver, and indiana jones! I did see that there was a movie made of the first pendergast movie but when I checked out imdb it didn't even list pendergast as a character in the flick - so why bother!

last book on mousemedicine for pinkys, pups and kittens was shel silverstein. to me silverstein is the bard of contemporary children's verse. every child and every home needs to contain at least one volume of his remarkable poetry! I have yet to read his book the giving tree without breaking into tears....but that's okay - I'm always up for a good cry - especially if it's because something has touched my heart and my soul. of course it is a bit annoying if I find myself sobbing when I'm trying to read a book out loud to a pinky, pup or kitten - but when I'm 'on' I'm usually pretty successful in just having some leakage and avoid the full blown sobs.....

a wonderful place to visit!

april is national poetry month, so the mouse decided to highlight just a few of the many books for kids celebrating verse.

the first book I posted on mouse medicine for pinkys, pups, and kittens is a visit to william blake's inn by nancy willard and illustrated by alice and martin provensen. this wonderful book introduces children to the poetry and magic of william blake by taking the reader to an imaginary inn populated by a most amazing collection of individuals.

nancy willard was inspired by william blake’s songs of innocence and songs of experience. in 1982 this book won the newbery medal for children's literature and was a caldecott honor book.

she's worth a lot more than a dollar!

the following description is from the craig orback website:

Susan B. Anthony: Fighter For Freedom and Equality
Written by Suzanne Slade, Published by Picture Window Books

When Susan B. Anthony was born not all Americans had the same freedoms. Find out how she fought to win equal rights for all women and men.

Susan B. Anthony Fighter for Freedom and Equality is one of only 32 books to be selected for the 2008 Amelia Bloomer Project list of recommended feminist literature for young readers. The award is sponsored by the Feminist Task Force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association.

february titles for pups & kittens

I've fallen a bit behind archiving the mouse's books. here are some titles for kids that I know I missed transferring over to the bookmouse.

when harriet met sojourner (2007) by catherine clinton, illustrated by shane w. evans

one day in 1864, the lives of harriet and sojourner converged. this beautifully rendered book is a portrait of these two remarkable women and their pivotal and powerful place in the history of america.


this land is your land ( 1998 ) words by woody guthrie, illustrated by kathy jakobsen, written tribute by pete seeger

read more about this wonderful book here

year of the rat

for those who are interested in celebrating the year of the rat by getting a little more familiar with the natural history of brother rat, the bookmouse recommends two. the first book is for the 'mature' reader, rats: observations on the history and habitat of the city's most unwanted inhabitants by robert sullivan (2004) has the uncanny ability to create both respect and repulsion.



the second book, oh rats! (2006) by albert marrin is aimed at younger readers (grades 3-6), but truth be told anyone interested in the subject will be pleased. unlike sullivan's book, this book is wonderfully illustrated by c.d. mordan (major disappointment with sullivan's book - NO PICTURES!) the collection of interesting facts and the incredible history about the rat will is simply amazing. will some cultures venerate the rat, others try and eradicate the rat. but friend or foe, the rat does deserves attention!

stitching stories

in my book, faith ringgold is an artist and author extraordinaire. if you are unfamiliar with her books for children the this is the perfect time to get to know her and read some of her stories to the children in your village.

given that february is black history month I recommend dinner at aunt connie's house and aunt harriet's underground railroad in the sky. along with introducing readers to a pantheon of famous african-american women these books bring a bit of magical realism into the world of children's literature.



I first got to know faith during the 1980s through her art quilts only later did I discover that she is also author of some of fabulous children's books. faith's quilts are unique and inspiring, in her quilts she combines painting, traditional quilt techniques and storytellling. within the african-american community narrative quilts have a long and powerful history. this month there's a new play which is opening at the cleveland playhouse on the quilters of gee's bend. the story of the women of gee's bend is yet another tale both unique and inspiring - I can't wait to check out the play.

cassie's word quilt (2002) art and words by faith ringgold.

to learn more about faith ringgold visit her at her website - click here!