The Elephant Quilt

I’m currently working on a book about California, so I’m on the lookout for all things Californian. Imagine my delight when I found THE ELEPHANT QUILT: STITCH BY STITCH TO CALIFORNIA! by Susan Lowell (Melanie Kroupa Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008). Susan is the author of some of my other favorite books including THE THREE LITTLE JAVELINAS.

Lily Rose and her grandma stitch a quilt as they travel from Missouri to California by covered wagon in 1859. An Author’s Note supplies readers with the background for the idea of the book. (I’m a nut about Author’s Notes. Love them.) Every fourth grade teacher in California will want this book and everyone who studies westward movement will find this a helpful addition to their school or classroom library.

Those who love quilt books will want to add the book to their favorite quilt stories including SWEET CLARA AND THE FREEDOM QUILT by Deborah Hopkinson, THE QUILT STORY by Tony Johnston, The JOSEFINA STORY QUILT by Eleanor Coerr, THE PATCHWORK QUILT by Valerie Flournoy, THE KINDNESS QUILT by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, SAM JOHNSON AND THE BLUE RIBBON QUILT by Lisa Campbell Ernst, LUKA’S QUILT by Georgia Guba, THE KEEPING QUILT by Patricia Polacco . . . okay . . . you get the idea! (By the way, Patricia Polacco’s website (www.patriciapolacco.com) is a favorite.)

I hope people find their way to this book . . . Whoop-De-Doo!

As for me, I enjoyed the morning at the swap meet and then took my mom to World Famous for brunch. (One of my favorite ocean-side restaurants.)

California, Here I Come

I’m excited to report that I’m working on a book about California for Sleeping Bear Press. The details are being worked out right now, but it’s for their “The Reader Series.” This series is patterned after the popular nineteenth century McGuffey Readers which were traditionally used to teach life lessons and reading skills to young children.

I started collecting early readers or primers when I started teaching first grade. I’ve found McGuffey Readers in California antique malls and at old Vermont barn estate sales. I really love it when I find an old Dick and Jane reader, but that’s a whole other topic.

THE PENNSYLVANIA READER by Trinka Hakes Noble is one of the books in the series. You can learn more about this book and the series at www.sleepingbearpress.com.

I’ll take this opportunity to tell you that you can find outstanding teachers’ guides for Sleeping Bear Press books at their website. They are available free-of-charge and downloadable from their website. This a fabulous resource for teachers and librarians.

As for me, I’m taking a little break from my writing for a few days. Yesterday I enjoyed lunch with six friends and today I’m visiting San Pasqual School’s second graders.