Blackberry Pie

Blackberry Pie

2 cups sugar                                                    2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup flour                                                        2 quarts blackberries

1/2 tsp. salt                                                     1 stick butter

(Serves 12)

DIRECTIONS: Mix sugar, flour, salt, & cinnamon & sprinkle over blackberries in large shallow casserole. Dot w/ butter. Place prickled pie crust over top. Cook 10 minutes at 450°, then 350° until bubbling. (Brown crust under broil if necessary.) Gently spread 2 tsp. honey mixed w/ 1 tsp. cinnamon on crust while hot. 

Monster Trivia

1. Who is considered the “friendliest ghost you know”? 
2. What was the oldest creature in the graveyard where Nobody Owens lived?
3. What do you call a creature that feasts on the dead?
4. What is the witch’s name from The Graveyard Book?
5. What ‘monster’ is affected by a full moon?
6. What kind of being is Silas?
7. What will kill a vampire?
8. What are The Hounds of God?

1)Casper  2)Sleer  3)Ghoul  4)LizaHempstock  5)Werewolf  6)Vampire  7)A wooden stake through the heart  8)  Werewolves

The Children's Crusade

Looking back in time to the year 1212, I could see this happening although 30,000 – 40,000 children seem like so many.  From reading what different websites had to say though, Stephen of Cloyes (the supposed leader of this crusade) went on this crusade and gathered more and more children as they went on their journey.  The story has it that Stephen had received a letter from Jesus telling him to go to Jerusalem.  He gathered many children and they went on their way, most of them didn’t make it to the Mediterranean, but those who did had to take boats across.  Stephen had promised the waters to part like the Red Sea did, but this was not the case.  No one heard of the children after that.  A priest, years later, said that he ran into some of the children that lived through the ordeal (now adults). 

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/childrens_crusade.htm

Memory for Lynn

It is a Japanese custom to purchase souvenirs (or omiyage) from places they have traveled. Write a description of a souvenir that Katie might bring from California to put at Lynn's grave. I think Katie would take a picture of the bright blue sky while lying on the beach.  She would also take a picture of the horizon as the ocean meets the sky.  She would make frames with Uncle to put the pictures in and place it at Lynn’s grave.

It is a Japanese custom to purchase souvenirs (or omiyage) from places they have traveled. Write a description of a souvenir that Katie might bring from California to put at Lynn's grave. I think Katie would take a picture of the bright blue sky while lying on the beach.  She would also take a picture of the horizon as the ocean meets the sky.  She would make frames with Uncle to put the pictures in and place it at Lynn’s grave.

I think Katie would take a picture of the bright blue sky while lying on the beach.  She would also take a picture of the horizon as the ocean meets the sky.  She would make frames with Uncle to put the pictures in and place it at Lynn’s grave.

Life's a Stage

“No More Trouble” – performed by: Erykah Badu (tribute to Bob Marley)

I chose this song because it talks about not needing any trouble and what we need is love.  It is a really beautiful song.  I imagine this song at the end of the performance, in a way it is telling the audience to continue and love one another and stop causing trouble.

“A Change Is Gonna Come” – performed by Lauryn Hill (acoustic) (originally by Sam Cooke)

I chose this song because it talks about hoping for a change yet times right now are tough.  Again, this is a great song.  I imagine this song being played really anywhere within the musical…the opening, while Cassie and her brothers walk to school, or after Mama lost her job teaching.  The lyrics fit in well with what is happening through out the plot.

“You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover” – performed and written by Bo Didley

I chose this song because it relates to the plot very well.  It talks about not judging people by what you see; you have to know the person first.  I think this song also fits in very well pretty much any where in the story.

Cassie – Yara Shahidi

Stacey – Adrian Kali Turner

Christopher John - Bobbe J. Thompson

Little Man – Tyree Brown

TJ – Tristan Wilds

Mama – Regina King

Papa – Shemar Moore

Uncle Hammer – Curtis Jackson

Big Ma – Maya Angelou

Mr. Morrison - Terry Crews

A Letter to Miss Thomas

Dear Miss Thomas,

I think you are such a kind woman.  The minute you saw little Bud all swollen and infected you nurtured him.  Poor Bud had to act manly around all those men and he didn’t want to complain or cry about some swollen hornet stings or an infected hand.  I think that it was very sweet of you to order him a good meal.  It must have warmed your heart watching him gulp his food up so quickly.  A nice meal of meat loaf, okra, and mashed potatoes really makes a tummy feel good!  Bud had gone through so much before meeting you and I think you came into his life at a perfect time.  He needed a nurturing figure so badly since he lost his mother four years ago.  When you were at the Sweet Pea and he started crying it meant so much to him that you were there.  It was as if you were an angel, pulling him out of his chair and sitting him on your lap rocking him and telling him that you understood.  You even brought me to tears with your compassion.  It was then that he felt you letting him know he was finally home.  When Bud heard you arguing with Herman E. Calloway about letting Bud stay that made him feel safe I’m sure; to have someone on his side probably was a huge relief for him.  He did not want to go back to The Home.  I’m sure you know already, but that picture you gave Bud of his mom that was sitting on your dressing table for so many years meant so much to him.  As you may know he only had that one picture of his mother that he carried around for so long.  To have a picture that was up close and he could see her face and have her eyes follow him where were ever he went is priceless to him.  You see, Miss Thomas, you had such an impact on Bud’s life and you should be proud of it.  You have such a big and warm heart.

Thank you for your kindness.

Color in Film

If I were to make this story into a film I would chose to make it in color versus black and white.  I think that it is important to show the audience color because of many reasons.  One reason would be to show the colors of Ramona’s drawings.  One moment that is important for making the film in color is when Ramona is reviewing her Christmas list after finding out her father was lost his job.  It is a very important moment and it gives the audience a better image when it is filmed in color.  On page 2215 ‘Ramona studied her crayons, chose a pinky-red one because it seemed the happiest color, and printed one more item on her Christmas list to make up for all she had crossed out.  One happy family.  Besides the words she drew four smiling faces and beside them, the face of a yellow cat, also smiling.’  Another moment that seems to make the story important to be in color rather than black and white is when Ramona gets her sheep costume and is about to be in the play at church.  ‘She yanked off the white terry-cloth headdress with pink-lined ears that she was wearing and stuffed it into the pocket of her car coat……She squirmed on the lumpy terry-cloth tail sewn to the seat of her pajamas.  Ramona could not pretend that faded pajamas printed with an army of pink rabbits, half of them upside down, made her look like a sheep, and Ramona was usually good at pretending.’ (2243)  Throughout this chapter, Ramona and the Three Wise Persons, it is important for the audience to feel what Ramona is feeling every time she looks down at her faded pink pajamas.  Her father tries to convince her that no one will notice, with one of his grandmother’s quotes, “Those pink bunnies will never be noticed from a trotting horse.” (2243)  Ramona feels better when she meets the girls playing the three wise persons and one of them paints a black nose on Ramona.  Somehow the black nose takes away the feeling of not looking like a sheep with her faded pink rabbit pajamas.  ‘Ramona felt so much better, she could almost pretend she was woolly.  She peeled off her coat and found that the faded pink rabbits really didn’t show much in the dim light.’ (2245)  There are even small things within the story that really help the audience paint a picture in color.  A small reference to color is made on page 2244, ‘Ramona’s eye caught the reflection of her face distorted in a green Christmas ornament.’  Even though it is such a small reference, the audience wouldn’t have that knowledge of the smallest detail such as a green ornament hadn’t the film been made in color.

The Soundtrack to 'The Tale of Despereaux'

In chapter thirteen, Perfidy Unlimited, Despereaux is being brought to the dungeon by his own brother.  Despereaux is begging to grant one last wish, “’I want to tell her what has happened to me.’ 

‘Geez,’ said the first hood.  He stopped and stamped a paw on the floor in frustration.  ‘Cripes.  You can’t learn, can you?’ 

The voice was terribly familiar to Despereaux. 

‘Furlough?’ he said. 

‘What?’ said the first hood irritably. 

Despereaux shuddered.” (68-69)

Start the song: “The Imperial March” (Darth Vader’s Theme Song)

In chapter nineteen, Light, Light Everywhere, Roscuro left the dungeon and goes upstairs to the light.

“’I,’ said Roscuro, spinning dizzily from one bright thing to the next, ‘I will never leave.  No, never,  I will never go back to the dungeon.  Why would I?  I will never torture another prisoner.  It is here that I belong.’

The rat waltzed happily from room to room until he found himself at the door to the banquet hall.” (104)

Start the song: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”

… “And he made his way into the banquet hall.  He lifted his tail off the ground and held it at an angle and marched in time to the music the minstrels were playing on their guitars.

The rat, reader, invited himself to the party.” (105)

In chapter twenty-nine, Starts with the Cursy and finish with the Thread, Mig has a big job to do.

“On her first day on the job as a castle servant, she was sent to deliver a spool of red thread to the princess.” (145)

“She took the spool of thread from Louise and made her way up the golden stairs to the princess’s room, talking to herself as she went.” (146)

Start the song: “Clumsy” by Fergie (Piano Instrumental) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLDXfkzNJCg

“Here I am, off to see the princess.  Me, Miggery Sow seeing the princess up close and personal-like.  And first off, I must cursy because she is the royalty.” (146)

In chapter forty-eight, On the Tail of a Rat, Despereaux decides to follow Botticelli Remorso (a rat) into the darkness of the dungeon to find his princess.  As he holds onto Botticelli’s tail more rats come out of the darkness, they smell a mouse.

“If what was in front of Despereaux was too horrible to contemplate, what followed behind him was, perhaps, even worse: rats, a happy, hungry, vengeful parade of rats, their noses up in the air, sniffing, sniffing.” (247)

Start the song: Jaws Theme Song

“’Mouse!’ sang out one rat joyfully.

‘Yes, oh, yes, mouse,’ agreed another.  ‘But something else too.’

‘Soup!’ called out another rat.

‘Blood!’ sang a rat.

‘Blood,’ they all agreed together.

And then they sang: ‘Here, mousie, mousie, mousie!  Here little mousie!”  (249)

In chapter fifty, In which the Princess says His Name, Despereaux is led by Botticelli to the princess.

“’PRINCESS!’  Despereaux shouted.  ‘Princess, I have come to save you.” (258)

Start the song: Gonna Fly Now (also known as Rocky’s Theme Song)

“The Princess Pea heard her name.  She looked up.

‘Despereaux,’ she whispered.

And then she shouted it, “Despereaux!’

Reader, nothing is sweeter in this sad world than the sound of someone you love calling your name.

Nothing.” (258)

A Letter to Mr. Selznick

Dr. Mr. Selznick,

                                I wanted to explain to you why I found your book so interesting.  First of all I want you to know that this was an assignment from my children’s literature class, and I was not thrilled about reading your novel, to be honest.  This is why I would further like you to know that I thoroughly enjoyed how you opened your story, making me unable to put the book down even in the middle of a Super Bowl Sunday.  In the first chapter, The Thief, the main element you used was your pictures.  There were little words within this chapter.  I think by doing this you are grabbing your reader’s attention so well.  I must admit that I tried with all my might to look at each one of those first pictures slowly, like you said to do in your brief introduction, yet I found myself flipping page to page quicker as the pages went on.  Your illustrations are so beautiful but I didn’t stop to enjoy them as I should have.  I wanted so badly to see what was going to happen next.

I like how you had little text within the first chapter.  It really makes the reader want to know more, like what is Hugo doing inside the walls of a train station?, what one earth are those drawings?, why is the old man so upset?, why is that notebook that is full of sketches so important to Hugo and the old man?  You wrote ‘“Ghosts…” the old man muttered to himself.  “I knew they would find me here eventually.”  He closed the notebook.  The expression on his face changed from fear to sadness to anger.  “Who are you boy?  Did you draw these pictures?”’ (pg. 60)  That passage sucked me into your novel.  You left so much to the reader’s imagination within this chapter that I couldn’t wait to find out more about this mystery.  What did the old man fear?  What made the old man so sad?  Why did the old man get so angry with Hugo over some drawings?!

The drawings on pages 52-59 also leaves the reader to wonder what this novel will turn into.  I really paid attention to the drawings on page 52-53.  I liked how the sketch book was just that, a sketch book.  In the lower left hand corner of Hugo’s notebook was a hand holding an old fashioned pen.  I didn't think much of that sketch, or the sketch of the back of this ‘man’ on page 55 where it appears to be an upside down heart in his back, yet as I read on and got deeper into the novel I kept flipping back to these pages and the gears in my mind wouldn't stop trying to figure out the next scene to unfold.  I do have to say, the upside down heart shaped key on Isabelle's necklace (pg. 221) was an exciting moment because I knew what that key would fit into right then!

I think it’s important for you to know that this book was very well written.  As I stated earlier, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I want you to know, as well, that I do not plan on selling the book back to my school, I plan on keeping it for my family and friends to read so that they can find the same enjoyment I did.

Thank you very much for your entertaining work, it was much appreciated,

Molly Sturgis

The Grimm Brothers

The Grimm brothers were two brothers, Jakob and Wilhelm.  Jakob was born on January 4, 1785 and Wilhelm was born on February 24, 1786.  They were born and raised in Germany.  They did everything together.  They went to university school together and while in school they started collecting fairy tales and folklore.  It is believed that the Grimm brothers collected these stories from peasants and villagers.  The Grimm brothers, being from Germany, really liked stories that had German culture involved within the plots.  These stories that they collected had never before been put onto paper, they were always told from one generation to the next orally.  The Grimm brothers, having put these stories on to paper, completely changed how stories were told.  People now had them on paper instead of relying on passing them down to the next generation by mouth.  People of that day and age were delighted.  The first book the Grimm brothers published contained eighty-six stories in it.  This book was published in 1812 and was called ‘Children’s and Household Tales’.  It was such a success that the Grimm brothers went on to publish seven more books with fairy tales and folklore.  The Grimm brothers were known all over Europe as experts on fairy tales and folklore.  Their stories mostly taught moral lessons.  Throughout these books that the Grimm brothers published come the stories and fairy tales we have learned to love as children.  Even though centuries have passed the stories still remain, although they are slightly changed as time goes on.  They influenced children’s literature greatly, by publishing fairy tales and folklore rather than it being orally passed down through generations.

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Gi-He/Grimm-Brothers.html#b

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimm_Brothers

http://www.grimmfairytales.com/en/bio

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm.html

Where Does Snow Come From?

The rain goddess and the arctic air god fell in love and had a baby girl.  The daughter was beautiful with white blonde hair and ice blue eyes.  She grew up quickly, like they all do, had many friends that she enjoyed playing with and was kind to all.  One day her father, the arctic air god, was to come home late due to his heavy work schedule and so rain goddess told her daughter that the family would be having a late night dinner.  Her mother, the rain goddess, told the daughter that dinner would be warm beef stew since the weather was changing and the arctic god was causing a cold streak throughout the north.  The daughter was excited for a nice dinner to keep her belly warm.  The daughter asked her mother if she could stay out and play with her friends since dinner was pushed to a later time and her mother told her that she may – only if she put her coat and hat and mittens on.  The daughter ran to the closet and grabbed the items and ran out the door.  She put her coat on but did not zip it up, she put her mittens on and without thinking she put her hat in her coat pocket.  She was too concerned about meeting the other children that she forgot to put her hat on.  She had so much fun jumping in piles of leaves and running around with the other children she didn’t noticed how cold it was outside.  She heard her mother calling her to come in for dinner and with that she said goodbye to her friends and ran home.  She ran inside and yanked her coat off along with her mittens.  Her mother asked her why her ears were so red and cold and the daughter just shrugged her shoulders and washed her hands for dinner.  Her mother asked if she wore her hat and the daughter realized that she did not.  She sheepishly told her mother that she absentmindedly forgot.  Her mother said that the daughter’s health will pay for it in the end.  That night in bed the daughter kept coughing and sneezing, she had caught a cold, and since she was the child of the rain goddess and the arctic air god she coughed and sneezed so much that when she awoke she had created a six inch blanket of snow over the entire north.

This myth follows the guidelines I learned about because it tells of why we have snow in the north, it explains how snow came about.  Jane Yolen said that (often times) myths involve gods and goddess, which my story does as well.  Even though we know where and how snow is made, having a myth to it brings about a fun story to entertain.

Reader's Sketch

Molly Sturgis

Children’s Literature, Spring 2012

Reader’s Sketch

January 19, 2012

Trying to Remember

I can remember lying on the braided rug in the family room as my mom opened up my favorite book, Babies by Gyo Fugikawa.  My mom rocked in the wooden chair; as she pushed her feet from the floor the chair creaked and as her feet were to meet the floor again another creak came from that chair.  She read the book slowly and her head would draw further from her chest with each page.  I examined the pictures as my mom showed them to me.   All the different babies, some smiling and others looked mad, I liked the colors and the clothes the babies were wearing.  She turned the page and said, “But good or bad, all babies like to be hugged and cuddled and loved.”  I looked next to me at my little baby sister.  I took my thumb out of my mouth and touched her and said, “You’re good now.”  I put my thumb back in my mouth and turned to my mom as if to say, “Ok, continue with the story.”  I remember my mom smiling at me as she turned to the next page.  I can specifically remember that this book made me feel like a big girl and I was because I had a little sister.

It was Homer Hanky season; the Minnesota Twins were in the World Series.  My dad came home with Homer Hankies for us and we put them in the air and sang “Take Me out to the Ballgame.”  I remember the announcer saying, “Next up to bat we have Kirrrrrrrr-by Puckett!”  We all cheered and jumped up and down.  The Twins won that night and we all got into our pajamas awaiting a bedtime story.  We brought our Homer Hankies with us to the family room and laid on the faded braided rug as

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my mom sat in the rocking chair.  We were so excited about the game that every once in a while one of the five of us would yell “Kirrrrrr-by Puckett!” and we would receive that look from my mom, the one where her chin meets her chest and one eye is smaller than the other.  She needn’t say a word; we knew that meant ‘knock it off before…’  My mom decided she would pick the book that night, and boy did she pick a fun one.  Tikki Tikki Tembo, by Arlene Mosel was a story about a little boy that had a long name and he fell into a well.  Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo was so fun to say we all giggled laying down on that rug.  For weeks after that story I remember constantly chanting that boy’s name.

                I remember loving the pictures of The Five Chinese Brothers, by Claire Huchet Bishop because they were so simple.  The story was intriguing because of the special powers each of the brothers had.  I loved to just look at the pictures.  I remember sitting in my mom’s rocking chair, my feet not quite touching the floor so I would sit with my legs crossed and rock the chair, and holding the book just like my mom did and reading to my little sister and brothers.  I would read the pages and talk about the pictures, telling them what was happening in case what I was reading didn’t come across clearly.  I would stop on the page where the little boy was collecting the fish from the bottom of the sea, for some reason I really liked the picture.

                I can remember “Book It,” a program that partnered with Pizza Hut, where you had to read for a certain amount of time in which you would earn a free personal pan pizza at Pizza Hut.  I loved this program because that meant we would go out to eat if we read!  I remember a book that I so dearly loved, The Story about Ping, by Marjorie Flack was tracked for many hours of reading through this program.  I loved this book because Ping, a duck, was so little and cute and also because my mom always said Ping was full of mischief like me.  My heart would race every time I read the book worrying

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about Ping returning home.  I would sit and read this book by myself in my room before bed.  My mom and dad bought me a reading light necklace so I could read with the lights out.  I would fall asleep with this book a lot.  I know that this will be a book I share with my children because it, for some reason, was very special to me.

Years go by and I didn’t read books, I didn’t enjoy them like I used to.  I had too many other things to do; hang out with friends, gossip and talk with boys.  I can’t remember any books I read, even for school, within my adolescent years.

                It wasn’t until after I met my husband that my love for reading resurfaced.  For a birthday in my late twenties I received a book by Jodi Picoult called Change of Heart.  Picking up this book for the first time it felt like I was saying hello to an old friend.  I was astonished how much I enjoyed reading and wondered how I went so long without it!  This book was a page turner for me, I considered it a little frightening for my taste (I am a big baby when it comes to scary things – the last scary movie I have ever watched was Gremlins back when I was little) but I couldn’t put it down.  I finished that book in a couple days and moved onto The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory.  This book was introduced to me by my sister in law.  We both read it in record time and finished it before the movie came out.  I remember sitting on the couch in my living room and my husband telling me to come to bed.  I would stay on that couch and fall asleep there with the open book, like I used to as a child.  He would carry me to bed in the middle of the night.

                The last great book I read was The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, again recommended to me by my sister in law.  I took this book with me on our annual camping trip up north a few years back and couldn’t put it down.  I read instead of socializing, and found myself to be consumed with the book. 

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Again, I was astonished by how wonderful reading is and wondered about all the years I missed out on reading.  It’s like they always say: “If I only knew what I know now…”   

                Now-a-days I try to find time to read between school and daily life.  I seem to only find time to read books about parenting, which are interesting none the less.  For the future I would like to find time to read more of Jodi Picoult’s books, as I really found her style of writing to be interesting.  I also see in the near future finding only time to read children’s books, which I love, and am excited to start my own collection for our growing family.  I wish to instill the love for reading in my children as my mom and dad did for me.

First Entry

After reading the first article, written by Megan Cox Gurdon, I thought to myself 'this lady does have a point' yet once I started the second article, by Sherman Alexie, I was drawn in by his passion of writting and I just can not argue with his points he makes.  I think Alexie really shows his passion for writting and reading through out his article.  When he says "As a child, I read because books–violent and not, blasphemous and not, terrifying and not–were the most loving and trustworthy things in my life" I couldn't agree more.  Books draw a reader in and the most magical part of reading is that our minds paint the pictures for us of what is going on within the book, the book becomes a part of us.  I don't believe books on violence will produce violent tendencies within a person.  I believe that books allow us to escape from our life and live within the letters that turn into words that fill pages.  Whether a book's subject agrees or disagrees with your beliefs, that should be your own battle but let others make their own decisions.  If a parent is uncomfortable with a book's subject or language than they should be the ones to talk to their child(ren) about it and decide from there, a book shouldn't be censored across the board because it rubs someone the wrong way.