Look for my book A WARMER WORLD on the SCBWI recommended reading list for April in the section for nonfiction books. (The list is alphabetical, so go to the end.)
Caroline Arnold Art and Books
Children's Books: News, Views, Projects and Activities
Monday, April 12, 2021
CELEBRATE THE EARTH with A WARMER WORLD on the SCBWI Recommended Reading List
Look for my book A WARMER WORLD on the SCBWI recommended reading list for April in the section for nonfiction books. (The list is alphabetical, so go to the end.)
Tuesday, April 6, 2021
NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK, April 4-10, 2021
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Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library, LAPL |
Did you know that April 4-10 is National Library Week? This year's theme is "Welcome to Your Library," reminding us that libraries extend far beyond the four walls of our buildings, as many of us learned over the past year throughout the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person visits have not been possible.
I want to thank the Los Angeles Public Library and all the people who work there for making books available through the Library to Go program. I so appreciate being able to "check out" books for my book clubs, my research and for pleasure reading. Special thanks to everyone the Palms-Rancho Park Branch, my local library--just a ten minute walk from my house.
Monday, April 5, 2021
UKRAINIAN EASTER EGGS
HAPPY EASTER!
Every year at this time I get out my Ukrainian Easter Egg tools to make new eggs to add to my collection. Using a kistka (a tool with a hollow pointed tip) to apply the melted wax, I draw my designs before dipping the egg in dye. With each succeeding color I add more designs. At the end, I melt the wax on the egg and rub it off, revealing the completed pattern.
My eggs are an amateur version of the beautiful eggs made by professional Ukrainian egg artists. For more about Ukrainian eggs (pysanky) and how to make them, click HERE.
Note: The Ukrainian Orthodox church will celebrate Easter on May 2, 2021. It is on the Sunday following the paschal full moon, which is the full moon that falls on or after the spring equinox. Orthodox Easter will usually fall later in the year than Western Christian Easter because Orthodox Easter uses the Julian calendar and the latter uses the Gregorian calendar.
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
REMEMBERING BEVERLY CLEARY (1916-2021)
The summer I was eight years old, I discovered “chapter books” in the library, falling in love with Henry Huggins (1950), Ellen Tebbits (1951) and Henry and Beezus (1952) by Beverly Cleary. She was my favorite author. Beverly Cleary went on to write many more books and became a favorite author of my children and grandchildren. I was saddened to learn of her passing last week at the age of 104. As one headline said, she was the last of her generation.
I was lucky to meet Beverly Cleary several times. We shared the same publisher–Morrow Junior Books–and took part in dinners and receptions that accompanied national conferences such as ALA and IRA. At one of these dinners my editor assigned me to host Beverly and her husband, which I found to be an uphill battle, as both were quite reserved. I met Beverly Cleary another time when she came to Los Angeles to speak at the SCBWI summer conference. It was the only time my husband Art came to the conference. As a family, we had been reading her books aloud in the evening, chapter by chapter. He too was a Beverly Cleary fan and wanted to hear her in person. His favorite book was The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965).
Beverly Cleary’s stories were inspired by her own childhood in Oregon in the 1930s, but the themes of school, friendship and family are universal. I believe that they are just as meaningful to children today as they were in my generation. Beverly Cleary is no longer with us, but she will live on in her books.
Monday, March 29, 2021
CSLA BLOG: Celebrating Children's Book Illustrators
I was delighted to discover that the CSLA Blog this month is featuring the image from my book A Panda's World that I donated for use on products in the Library Advocacy Store. Many thanks to the California School Library Foundation and to Dr. Lesley Farmer, Professor of Library Media at California State University Long Beach, for her lovely description of my work. I am just one of many children's book authors and illustrators who have participated in this project.
I encourage you to visit the Library Advocacy Store and treat yourself to a cup, bag, pillow and more, or buy gifts for your friends and family. Every purchase supports California libraries!
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Butterfly Craft with Yarn and Pipe Cleaners
With thanks to the Craft Train, here is an easy way to make decorative butterflies with yarn, craft sticks and pipe cleaners. https://www.thecrafttrain.com/woven-craft-stick-butterflies/
Learn about raising real butterflies in my book Butterflies in Room 6: See How They Grow!
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY! A Visit to Ireland
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Newgrange Passage Tomb, circa 3200 BC |
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!
I've only been to Ireland once, and that was in October 2004. It was, indeed, an Emerald Isle. Here is a repost of my report of that visit from my travel blog, The Intrepid Tourist.
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Rossnaree |
Day 2. The next morning we woke up to a light rain, which soon cleared to patchy sun. We booked a tour of Knowth for 11:45 and then picked up picnic food for lunch. After the tour, it began to rain again, so we ate our lunch in the car in the parking lot at remains of Mellifont Abbey, the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland, founded in 1142. When the rain let up and we walked around a bit before taking back roads to Monasterboice to see the high crosses and round tower.
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Proleek Dolmen |
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Celtic Cross, Monasterboic |
Day 4. While Art was at his meetings I went to the National Museum to see the real finds from Newgrange and Knowth–the visitor center at the site only had reproductions–and a huge collection of Celtic gold jewelry. In the evening, we took a chartered bus to Dublin Castle for a reception.
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Georgian House, facing St. Stephen's Green, Dublin |
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Trinity College, Dublin |
Day 6. On our last day we visited an exhibit of the Book of Kells at Trinity College. It was the perfect ending to a short, but full visit to Ireland.
(update June 2012)
Summer Solstice
Here's a recent note from an Irish friend about observing the summer solstice in Ireland.
(update August 1, 2012)
Lughnasadh
My Irish friend recently wrote to me about another festival, Lughnasadh.
(update October 31, 2012)
The Origins of Halloween
My Irish friend Michael Fox sent me this Halloween message:
http://www.facebook.com/DayToursDublin
(update from Michael Fox, Feb 3, 2013)
Celebration of Imbolc