Happy Halloween

I am now reading twice a month to the children at Presentation of Our Lady School in Denver - thanks to my wonderful friend and librarian there - Peg Higgins.

Peg Higgins- Librarian

 

I love reading scary, spooky Halloween stories to children at this time of year, but I am always surprised at the number of students who are completely unaware of the roots of this holiday, and even of the derivation of the word itself.  At a recent school visit, in answer to my question about the meaning of hallow, the only child who raised his hand to answer, said, “empty,” obviously confusing it with hollow.  I suppose that is not at all surprising, given the number of people in the media who  pronounce it “Holloween.”

Here am I reading "Child of Faerie, Child of Earth" by Jane Yolen

Ever since I came to America, I find that some teachers and parents are somewhat wary of focusing, or even of acknowledging the ghoulish aspect of this holiday, while some go so far as to maintain that it is at odds with our Christian Faith.

However, I think it provides a wonderful opportunity to talk to children about what it really means to say that you are a Christian, a follower of Christ, and a Gospel sower.   Here is what I tell the children before I launch into my stack of spooky stories.

Halloween means Holy Evening from the old English- Hallow – Holy, and een – contraction of eve or evening.   Of course, as most people know (or at least I think they do), this holiday has its roots in the ancient Celtic/Druid/ belief that this was the time of year when evil sprits roamed the earth. In order to keep the dark forces at bay, people dressed up in costumes to “fool” the wandering souls.  With the advent of Christianity, the Celts still retained many of their ancient rituals (jack o lantern to ward off the evil sprits, dressing up in costumes and going from house to house – guising) and simply blended them into their new found Christian practices – going to Mass to celebrate the lives of the Saints and offering up special prayers for the dead.  Incidentally, the reason St. Patrick was so successful at bringing Christianity to Ireland, was that the Celtic people were already completely attuned to the idea of “other worlds” – Heaven and Hell, because they already believed in the “little people,” and they already knew that often times that which you cannot see is actually more real than what you can see.

On this Hallowed night then, I think it is good to read a ghost story or two, because the next day on the glorious feast of All Saints (one of my favorite holy days), I know that I will say a special prayer to all those “big” saints like Patrick and Joseph, Teresa and Bridget who filled this world with their goodness and grace and light.  And I will pray also to all those “little” saints – all those holy men and women who have touched my life with their particular goodness, grace, and light – my mum and my dad, all my dear Irish aunties and uncles, and even those wonderful writers, like C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, and Thomas Merton, whose words continue to feed and nourish me.

To miss this opportunity of spreading the Gospel – the Good News that we are indeed people of the Light and that we know without a shadow of a doubt that goodness and grace will always trump the forces of evil and darkness, would indeed make this a very “hollow” festival!  So, light the lanterns, tell the spooky tales, don the wizards’ robes and witches’ hats, and have a Happy HALLOW  - EEN!

CLN Interview

Here's an interview I did with Tom Owens for Childrens Literature Network.

Kathleen, what’s the good news about children’s literature right now?
The good news in children’s literature can be summed up in the words of E.B. White who said, “All I want to say in books, all I ever wanted to say is, I love the world!” I believe that this love is at the heart of all children’s literature—it always has been and it always will be, no matter the market trends, the gloom and doom of the economy, or the skeptics and the naysayers who wring their hands and bemoan the future of the publishing business. Good writers continue to write out of a radical love for life, the world, and the human spirit, and there are still many, many parents, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and children who crave those kinds of books. I meet them all the time!

From your perspective, what can be done to make that “good” even better?
I recently returned from a trip to Mumbai, India, where my daughter works. While I was there, I visited a little school. The taxi dropped us off at a rubbish dump and, from there, we wound our way past one-room shacks and tiny barefooted toddlers. We climbed up a steep hill, littered with dog dirt, rotting fruit rinds, and swarming flies, and entered this oasis of learning. Sixty children were crammed into one small classroom, three and four squashed into their bench desks and they listened while I read them my latest book, they asked us about America, we talked about stories, and they read us, ever so earnestly, in their halting English, their own stories and they told us of their dreams—to be engineers, pilots, and doctors.
As I turned to leave I saw on the wall behind me two large flash cards with the words BELIEVE and DREAM. Isn’t that why we write books? Isn’t that why we read books? Isn’t that what we want all our children to do? Isn’t that what we writers and storytellers are called to do? To make the good even better, let’s not forget to believe that great stories can help us see heaven on earth, and that we need dreamers to make the impossible possible.
__________

children from Shri Ram Vidya School in Mumbai

 

Reading Raj

Believe and Dream

Raj - Story Hour Poster

Thanks to my wonderful publicist, Kirsten Cappy of Curious City we have a beautiful Story Hour Poster that we are sending out to some lucky bookstores and libraries.

It is the perfect accompaniment to Raj the Bookstore Tiger - a book that celebrates the power of reading aloud.

Click here here to download a Story Hour Kit and Activity Guide.

Lots of Raj Story Hour Posters  - all ready to go!

Check out my article Believe and Dream for Childrens' Literature Network blog on What's Right about Children's Literature.

Magnus is a Colorado Book Award Winner

Receiving the CBA

Winners of the Colorado Book Awards were announced on Friday, June 24, at the 20th Annual Colorado Book Awards Ceremony, as the culminating event for the Aspen Summer Words writing retreat and literary festival in Aspen, Colorado.  Authors, editors, and photographers and their publishers entered 146 titles this year to compete in ten categories.  Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux,in 2010, and illustrated by S.D. Schindler won in the Children's Literature category.

Jennifer Long (who did so much to make this an outstanding literary event) and me - with backdrop of scenic Aspen

Me - waxing poetic about stories!

CBA Finalists reading

A reading of Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer

Colorado Humanities and Center for the Book hosted a reading of the Finalists for the Colorado Book Award.

The winners will be announced on Friday afternoon, June 24 at the 20th Annual Colorado Book Awards ceremony, held at the Doerr-Hosier Center in Aspen.

Poetry Day

Seldom do I get the chance to hear children reading aloud their own poems. So, imagine my delight at being invited back to Dry Creek Elementary to hear the 4th Graders reading their poems aloud! What joy to see all of them so animated by the power of poetry. Take a look at these poetry slogans pasted on their classroom walls. No wonder these wonderful teachers have produced a class full of budding poets!