Author Archives: Roxanne Spencer

L’Engle, who made the words “mitochondria” and “tesseract” household words for millions of children, died September 6, 2007 at the age of 88. The New York Times obituary observed that L’Engle, “who in writing more than 60 books, including childhood fables, religious meditations, and science fiction, weaved emotional tapestries transcending genre and generation.”

Wikipedia’s entry on L’Engle provides an interesting explanation of how her “best-known works are divided between ‘chronos‘ and ‘kairos‘; The former is the framework in which the stories of the Austin family take place, and is presented in a primarily realistic setting, though occasionally with elements that might be regarded as science fiction. The latter is the framework in which the stories of the Murry and O’Keefe families take place, and is presented sometimes in a realistic setting and sometimes in a more fantastic or magical milieu.”

L’Engle is best-known for her children’s books, some of which include the best known A Wrinkle in Time (1962; Newbery Award Winner), and other adventures featuring the engaging and lively Murry, O’Keefe, and Austin characters: Meet the Austins (1960), The Arm of the Starfish (1965), the Young Unicorns (1968), A Wind in the Door (1973), A Swiftly Tilting Planet (1978), and A Ring of Endless Light (1980; Newbery Honor Book).

The Educational Resources Center (ERC), 366 Tate Page Hall, has many of L’Engle’s most popular children’s titles including the recent DVD release of A Wrinkle in Time. Madeleine L’Engle will be missed by generations of children and adults who loved her work.

(Photo of Madeleine L’Engle from Random House; book covers from Wikipedia.)

Black Beauty, 1994, with Sean Bean: Faithfully based on Anne Sewell’s classic novel, this beloved horse story is told by its hero, the gallant Beauty, whose joyous and heartbreaking life takes him from idyllic days on a country squire’s estate to London’s hard, cobblestoned streets, through decades of owners both kindly and harsh. VHS.

Peter Pan, 2003, with Lynn Redgrave. In stifling Edwardian London, Wendy Darling mesmerizes her brothers every night with bedtime tales of swordplay, swashbucker skills and the ever fearsome Captain Hook. But the children become real heroes of an even greater story when Peter Pan flies into their nursery one night and takes them on a journey over moonlit rooftops to the lush jungles of Neverland. Wendy and her brothers join Peter and the Lost Boys in an exhilarating life, free of grown-up rules. Eventually facing the inevitable showdown with Captain Hook and his bloodthirsty pirates. DVD.

Holes, 2003, with Sigourney Weaver. Young Stanley Yelnats finds himself at Camp Green Lake, where digging a hole a day keeps the warden at bay and “builds character”. An ancient family curse still dogs Stanley and he’s thrown headlong into the adventure of his life. Stanley and his campmates will have to forge fast friendships to unearth the mystery of what’s really going on in the desert. DVD.

Brrrrr! Time to cozy up with a good story! Check out these winter tales @ the ERC…. Fun for the whole family!

A little boy discovers the sounds of winter, in Winter’s Song, written by Claire Daniel and illustrated by Leslie Bowman.

A collection of poems about winter, including “Sled,” “Icicles,” and “Ice Fishing” appear in Winter Eyes: Poems & Paintings, by Douglas Florian.

A woman frantically rushes to prepare for the fast-approaching winter while her husband sits idly by in Hurry, Hurry, Mary Dear! written by N.M. Bodecker and illustrated by Erik Blegvad.

One winter John Thompson skis across the Sierra Nevada Mountains and creates a path upon which mail and people may travel, thus earning his nickname “Snowshoe Thompson” in Snowshoe Thompson, by Nancy Smiler Levinson with pictures by Joan Sandin.

During a cold spell in December, a song sparrow that has not migrated south must adapt to the changes that winter brings, in The moon of the winter bird, written by Jean Craighead George and illustrated by Vincent Nasta.

Is that hot chocolate ready yet?!

Here are some titles housed at the ERC (366 Tate Page Hall) for elementary, middle, and high school readers to remember Veteran’s Day:

The Car, by Gary Paulsen. A teenager left on his own travels west in a kit car he built himself, and along the way picks up two Vietnam veterans, who take him on an eye-opening journey.

Remember D-Day, by Ronald J. Drez. Photos, timeline, memorabilia, and informative text make this a bold introduction for elementary and middle school students.

Sentries, by Gary Paulsen. The common theme of nuclear disaster and human vulnerability interweaves the lives of four young people, an Ojibway Indian, an illegal Mexican migrant worker, a rock musician, and a sheep rancher’s daughter with the lives of three veterans of past wars.

Those Extraordinary Women of World War I, by Karen Zeinart. More text, fewer illustrations do not detract from this book honoring the efforts and contributions of women to the 20th century’s most devastating war.

Veterans Day: Remembering Our War Heroes, by Elaine Landau. This easy chapter book is filled with pictures and short, descriptive text. Good for new readers learning about America’s veterans.

In honor of WKU Libraries, the Bowling Green Public Library, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers’ collaborative community outreach program “On the Same Page,” the ERC has put up a display of Suzy Kline’s books, just outside our door.

Learn more about Horrible Harry, Herbie, and the other folks that people Suzy Kline’s clever, funny children’s books. The ERC is located at 366 Tate Page Hall–stop by for a visit!

Here is more information about this engaging joint community outreach program: http://www.wku.edu/library/deansoffice/commoutreach.htm

It’s all good @ your library!