Appetizer:
Hi! My name is Leah and I’m a hopeless lover of children’s literature in her 20s, foolishly thumbing her way through the Junior Fiction shelves and cherishing memories every time I visit my local library (a trip that is probably more frequent than my ventures to the grocery store). Rather than just dwelling in nostalgia, I wanted to do something productive with that love. I’m a firm believer that good books cultivate the moral imagination, particularly in young children. Good children’s literature is out there, but sometimes it’s hard to remember the books that defined us as children once you’re an adult. Rather than letting those memories fade, I want to aggregate those books, those memories, and the great things I think those books taught in one space. I’m not a teacher and I’m not a parent. In fact, my only qualifier is a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a collaborator (more on that later) who is a Librarian. My purpose isn’t to create lesson plans or tell you how to raise your kids. Rather, my purpose is to aggregate books both for the Nostalgic (like me) and the Benefactor (more on that below) to use as they see fit. Books are an essential part of daily life for me. Not everyone feels that way, especially with the advent of technology. As much as I love my iPhone, movies, and a good Netflix binge, I don’t think imagination can be cultivated by the screen in the same way it grows out of the page. Let me provide the books in a menu fashion, along with an activity “pairing.” Keep an open mind, and maybe you’ll come to agree with me. Or maybe you’ll just have a good time remembering all those books you loved growing up.
The Main Course: The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler
I loved this book from the second I opened the first page. Why? Because Claudia is a planner just like me. She created adventure and independence that seemed plausible, even for a child who grew up in the Midwest, far from the wonders of the Met and public transportation. Claudia isn’t a heroine who has adventure thrust upon her. In fact, Claudia very forcefully throws herself into adventure by planning for weeks, choosing her allies, and laying out the objectives for her adventure well in advance. Claudia is the heroine every type-A child has been craving without realizing it’s even possible to be a type-A heroine.
Though this book is delightful and imaginative, it is also practical. One of my most vivid memories of this book centers around harvesting coins from a public fountain. Not only do the Kincaid children have the fun of splashing around in a public fountain (something I still long to do every time I pass one in a park), but they use this bath time as an opportunity to replenish their dwindling budget. Brilliant! Jamie and Claudia also experience hardship throughout their adventure. They mention many times how hungry they are as they spend the night in the Museum. Their laundry grows grey as it’s washed all together in a Laundromat washer, a lesson we all learned in the book rather than having to encounter it dismally in a college dorm building.
Surely, with all this practicality, this book has to be about as boring for an imaginative child as cardboard, right? Not even close! When paired with the magic of art, the practicality of this book is a vehicle to creating adventure in daily life. Art and history are exciting in the world of E.L. Konigsberg’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The beautiful angel, barely described, becomes real in the mind as the eager reader heads to the Internet or the library to aquaint themselves with Michelangelo’s magnificent sculptures. They won’t find the angel statue, but they will find themselves falling in love with one of the greatest examples of mankind to turn stone into living flesh.
I chose to start this blog with this book because when I think about books that defined my childhood, this one was one of the first that came to mind. It’s a book that makes life adventurous, which is something I continue to search for every day. These are the books that raised me, enhanced my imagination, and instilled in me an appreciation of beauty. In the tapestry of that imagination building, The Mixed Up Files is the thread that ties practical me to the possibility of a grand adventure. E. L. Konigsberg wrote this book 50 years ago this year (2017), yet the story remains vibrant and readable today. Isn’t it time to pass it along to the next generation?
This Blog doesn’t want to just tell you about good children’s books, we want you to create your own adventure for each book. Each book will be accompanied with two pairings: one for the Nostalgic and one for the Benefactor. The Nostalgic is reading each book to rekindle the feelings they felt about books in childhood or just discovering excellent Children’s Literature for the first time. The Benefactor is reading to pass this book on to others, be it the students in their classroom, their child, or any other children upon whom they feel like imposing great literature.
Pairs Well With:
The Nostalgic: A good old fashioned romp through the internet to see what’s fact and what’s fiction in this book. Track down the mystery for yourself. Is there an angel? What inspired the book? Take it to the next level by visiting an art museum in your area (or the Met if you’re able) and imagine what you would do if you lived in the museum like Jamie and Claudia. Maybe use the book as an opportunity to do something creative like painting a watercolor or trying your hand at some sculpting. Or, if you’re like me, just spend an evening listening to a book on tape and working your way through an adult coloring book.
The Benefactor: Start with reading the book and then encourage your reader to do what Jamie and Claudia did and head to the library! Either online or in a real library, check out books, look at pictures, and read articles on the Italian Renaissance, Michelangelo, and Sculpture. Practice your own sculpting skills by trying to copy a sculpture using clay or Playdough. Take it to the next level and visit an art museum in your area. Ask your reader what they would do if they were staying the Museum like Jamie and Claudia. Encourage them to take Claudia’s idea about learning everything about a topic and focus your tour on a particular work of art or collection. Just be sure to keep an eye on the kids when you get near a fountain. Nabbing a coin or two is a very tempting prospect, especially after hearing about it in the book.
The Feasting Imagination 