Children's Literature New England: Secrets Told and Untold

It was a couple weeks ago, but I still have my hand-scrawled notes from the CLNE colloquy sitting right on my desk. I gave a talk on non-fiction, and helped roast our wonderful new National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Katherine Patterson. My part was easy -- I did a riff off the outgoing Ambassador's recent open letter in the Hornbook to the new Ambassador. The roast was fun, and she was a very good sport about it. Here's a great interview with Patterson by Roger Sutton from several years ago.

Here's Peter Sis at dinner one night: not exactly shy. And I love a guy who'll wear checks. And a striped hoodie.

All the speakers at CLNE were terrific. But my notes are still humming and vibrating next to me because I want to share how amazing Ashley Bryan's presentation was. It was in the evening, and all the lights were turned down low, except at the podium. He recited, by heart, a group of poems. He'd put on his glasses, check the title of the next poem, whisk off his glasses, and sing/shout/whisper a poem. We heard the voices of wise old grannies, gleeful children and sad, gravelly-voiced old men. Ashlely's whole body was part of the poem as he reached and spun and swayed. Sometimes he'd ask us for "help" and draw us into being part of the poem as we recited refrains with him. He did more than forty poems, and what I remember is is love of the poetry, and his pleasure in making the poems fill the room and sweep us into their magic.

As we wrapped up the colloquy, Ashley put his love of poetry so eloquently: "When I read a poem," he said, "I am living it all again. The poems will make it of the moment again."

More photos from CLNE on facebook.com/elizabethpartridge

Hero

The older I get, the harder it is to find everyday heros to look up to -- living people I admire with all my heart and want to be like when I'm older. Here's one. Makes me laugh, makes me cry, makes me think about what's really, really important in my life.

New year huzzah and upcoming talks

I love the first Monday at the beginning of the year. It's like fresh snow has fallen. All those footprints from last year and the year before are erased. Sure, we'll each put on our snow shoes and trudge along the same paths where we left off, but there's a lovely pause, isn't there? I always feel a burst of new enthusiasm for my old paths, and a renewed desire to stamp some new ones into the snow.

And here is the most fantastic news: Katherine Patterson is our new National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. I can't tell you how much I love her work, and once you meet Katherine or hear her speak, it's impossible not to adore her as well. She has so much to say, on so many levels. Several years ago Roger Sutton at Hornbook interviewed her. Anyone know when this was, and if it's online? It's a wonderful interview between two old friends.

I have lots to look forward to this year. I'm just finishing my first "real" novel. What a challenge! And I'm sure once my editor gets back to me, I'll be chained to my desk, rewriting madly. But what a gift; write something and get incredible feedback on how to make it better!

I've got some great talks coming up. I'll be one of the speakers at Kindling Words in late January, doing talks at the Mechanic's Institute and Bookshop Santa Cruz in February, and traveling to Selma, Alabama in March for the 45th anniversary of the bridge crossing. Later in the spring/summer I'll be at the International Reading Assoc., Children's Literature New England, and Brigham Young University.

I wish for all of you a gratifying new year and new decade. Remember to take opportunities that come your way, work hard, love deeply and recklessly, and help make the world a better place, one small, insignificant act at a time.