7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #110: Featuring Jason Stemple
and Jane Yolen

h1 April 12th, 2009 by Eisha and Jules

Jules: In a continued celebration of National Poetry Month, this morning 7-Imp welcomes author and poet Jane Yolen and freelance photographer Jason Stemple, who happens to be Jane’s son. Jason’s photography has illustrated over ten of Jane’s previous titles, and their latest artistic collaboration is the beautifully (and cleverly) designed, A Mirror to Nature: Poems About Reflection, released this month by Wordsong. The book features twelve poems, along with Jason’s nature photography, which reflect upon (excuse the bad pun) the doubled images and patterns created by the reflective nature of water. “The first mirror was water: puddles, pools, lakes, quiet rivers,” Jane writes in the opening author’s note.

Pictured here are some wood storks, the only stork species, the book notes, that breeds in North America, and a bird on the endangered species list. Below is Jane’s poem about the wood stork, followed by one more poem-photo pairing from the title, as well as the book’s cover image (a blue heron):




I chatted briefly with Jane about the book (and a couple other items), since it’s National Poetry Month, and that is below. I gave Jason the chance to talk a bit about his photography, too, but I believe he chooses to let his beautiful art work speak for itself. But I will intersperse more of his photos amongst my brief conversation with Jane — more of his nature and wildlife photography, as well as some photos he took of his “adopted hometown,” Charleston, South Carolina.

Jules: Tell us what collaboration was like on this book (did you see Jason’s photographs first or write the poems first?)

Jane: All of the books with Jason (except three) have been photos first, and I then responded to them. The three that were different were not poetry books — two autobiographies, A Letter from Phoenix Farm and On the Slant, out this year and both from Richard Owens, and the historical book, House/House (Cavendish).

Basically, whenever I go for a visit to Jason’s—he lives in South Carolina, and I live in Massachusetts—I take some time to go over the new work he has been doing. I then come up with thematic groupings: Aha! He has a dozen or so pictures with birds and animals mirrored in water. . . why not a book about reflections! Look at all those egret photos—why not a book about an egret’s day? Armed with about three or four such themes from me, Jason mentally adds them to his shooting schedule. A book with photos has to be overshot, needing many more photos than just the ones he already has. But, of course, unlike posed pictures, he has to get what he finds. Still, as Pasteur said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” And as my late husband, Jason’s father, used to say—and he was known by his ornithologist friends as a “lucky birder”—“you can only see the birds if you are out there looking every day.” Jason is out shooting wildlife and nature every day.


Jules: What’s the secret to raising such talented kids?

Jane: Good genes (their father!), hard work, modeling behavior, and letting them follow their own bliss. Oh, and insisting they get a good agent (mine!).

Jules: What are you working on now?

Jane: I have eight books coming out this year, including poetry, a novel, and an autobiography for young readers. Jason and I have The Egret’s Day coming out from Boyds Mills this Fall. And another bird book from them, Birds of a Feather, as well as a book of bug poems in the next couple of years. We are working on a bunch of other things. He is working on something with his sister, Heidi Stemple. His brother, Adam, and I are writing a new novel that will have song lyrics (another kind of poetry).

Other poetry projects of mine, all with long lead times, are Wee Poems (Simon & Schuster), a collection of my poems for very young children; Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs (Charlesbridge, with J. Patrick Lewis); Twinspiration, also with Pat Lewis (our poems about twins for Candlewick, because he is a twin, and I am a grandmother of twins); also with Pat: A book for Creative Editions that are poems about Chagall. With Andrew Peters, my co-host of Here’s a Little Poem, we have done a companion anthology of lullaby poems that Brian Karas is illustrating right now. And a bunch of picture books in rhyme, including Scarecrow’s Dance (out this Fall from Simon & Schuster) and My Father Knows the Names of Things (also Simon & Schuster), Not All Princesses Wear Pink (with daughter Heidi, from Simon & Schuster), and a bunch more How Do Dinosaurs… books. I love writing poetry!

Thanks, Jane. And many thanks to both of you for stopping by.

Jason Stemple’s work can be seen at jasonstemple.com and the new site he just launched, charlestonstockphotography.com. And here is Tricia Stohr-Hunt’s recent interview with Jane. We’ll close with an unpublished set of poems from Jane in celebration, again, of National Poetry Month (and in anticipation of summer)…

Peonies

I turn the knobs of peonies
and the door to summer opens.
The garden had been all spring before,
green, lush, inviting to rabbits
lounging on the mossy lawn
as if in their own parlor.
But now, at my invitation,
summer marches in
through the open door
decked in full regalia,
bright red epaulets on its shoulders,
clutching a dozen pink roses,
not minding the thorns.

Peonies 2

If peonies were an instrument,
I would say: trumpet.
See them blare the news
That summer has finally come,
Stepping briskly, despite the winds
Into my garden.
Tan-tan-ta-ra, the trumpet spits
And a dozen new flowers
Spring into life,
Taking the place of dying poppies
And capturing the garden’s unbroken walls.

Peonies 3: A Haiku

Peonies in bloom
Need no silly metaphor,
Already a poem.

* * * * * * *

As a reminder, our 7-kicks are our weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. So, let’s kick it up. Absolutely anyone is welcome to list kicks — even if, or especially if, you’ve never done so before.

* * * Jules’ kicks * * *

1). The photographs. The poetry.

2). When I interview my favorite illustrators (or author/illustrators), I always wrap up our correspondence by inviting them to stop by 7-Imp any time and share new art work. Julie Paschkis took me up on that. Below is an illustration from Summer Birds by Margarita Engle, to be released next year. Click on it! Click on it! And be amazed.

3). I co-presented on Friday, kinda last-minute, at the Tennessee Library Association 2009 Annual Conference with a professor from The University of Tennessee, who has done research on blogs as it relates to collection development in libraries. She asked me to talk about blogging and the best YA blogs out there, so the ears of many talented bloggers were burning that day. I was out there evangelizing, yo. The presentation went well, I think, and…

4). I also got to see friends from East Tennessee at this conference, even having a nice, leisurely, kid-free lunch with a good friend whose son is my five-year-old’s age and we totally have an arranged marriage between the two of them in our heads. (And, Eisha, I turned around, and THERE WAS STANDING JASON EZELL! I believe I yawped loudly in happiness and surprise.) Also…

5). We all survived another round of cyclones here in middle Tennessee, even all of us conference-go’ers having to sit on the bottom floor of the Nashville Marriott for a bit that day, as a tornado-churnin’ storm was right above us. I’m grateful my family and house are okay—and Eisha’s family—as tornadoes touched down close to where we live and destroyed homes and even took lives.

6). “Only now, with the advent of ‘Potato Day,’ has tyranny come to our shores.”

7). Keeping up. For different reasons, but mostly because it’s National Poetry Month, I turned around and realized I’d promised many folks that I’d post certain things this month, despite me deciding last summer to not be so schedule-y about blog posts anymore. I am constitutionally incapable of breaking a promise to someone, though, so if I said I’d post it in April, I will. I’m glad I’ve pulled it off thus far, and I think I’ll sloooow down in May.

BONUS: “Atonement” (Good gracious, what a story — I’ve never read the book) and the Kingdom of Kiss-My-Anthia.

* * * eisha’s kicks * * *

Tornado's path1* More than anything, I am so glad my mom, my brother and his family; my aunts, uncles and cousins; and my BFF Jules and her family were not harmed by the tornado that did THIS to my hometown (photo by George Walker IV of The Tennessean). The damage it did is unfathomable to me, and I am so very sorry for all those who have suffered damage to their homes, injuries, or have lost loved ones.

Fables: Legends in Exile2* Today’s photography and poetry is a real breath of fresh air.

3* That gorgeous illustration by Julie Paschkis up there. In-freaking-credible.

4* I finally read the first volume of Fables, the graphic novel series by Bill Willingham. The premise is kinda like Michael Buckley’s Sisters Grimm books, or Sarah Beth Durst’s Wild books – fairy tale characters in exile, trying to get along in the real world – only a bit more grown-up (i.e. more sex and violence). Also, obviously, more pictures. Good stuff. Thanks to the Poets Upstairs for loaning it to me.

5* The Strunk & White Elements of Style exhibit went up early in the week, and I’ve made a dent in the towering to-do pile that had gathered during its construction.

6* Random kick: I just found out in looking up the EoS link that Cornell has an Annual Dragon Boat Indoor Regatta. Hubba-wha? I’m… pretty sure that’s not possible. But whatever. GO TEAM!

7* This was quite the week for funny videos. Jules sent me the Jon Stewart link above, David Elzey posted this story on the conservative “teabagging” movement (serious!) on Facebook, and my husband sent me this (below). It’s the extended version of a commercial I hadn’t seen because we don’t have that elusive magical force you people call “TV reception.” Anyway, it’s Burger King’s latest attempt to sell burger & toy combo meals. TO CHILDREN. WHO DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO SIR MIX-A-LOT IS.

There’s so much wrong here I don’t even know where to begin.

But it cracks me up anyway.

Arthur Rackham’s Lady and Lion. This would look really good on, say, a maroon t-shirt. Jessie Wilcox Smith’s Little Women. This one should be on a black shirt, because otherwise it’s just too girly. BONUS KICK: I just now found out that SurLaLune, the fabulous fairy tale website, has a CafePress shop. I can get t-shirts and coasters and whatnot with Arthur Rackham illustrations on them. Or Jessie Wilcox Smith. This is a very dangerous thing for me to know. However, YOU should all know that my birthday is in August. *hint*

What are YOUR kicks this week? And Happy Easter from 7-Imp! May you have good chocolate — and happiness in your heart.

* * * * * * *

A MIRROR TO NATURE © 2009 Jane Yolen, illustration © 2009 by Jason Stemple. Published by Wordsong, Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Posted with permission of publisher. All rights reserved.





37 comments to “7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #110: Featuring Jason Stemple
and Jane Yolen”

  1. Jules and Eisha, I am so glad that you and your loved ones and homes are all okay!

    My kicks:

    1. The Poetry Makers series at The Miss Rumphius Effect. WOW.

    2. 30 Poets/30 Days at GottaBook. Addicting.

    3. The poetry Twitter chat that GottaBook’s Gregory K. organized. For about an hour more than 12 people on 4 different continents had a conversation about poetry using Twitter! It was around 3 a.m. my time, but it was so worth it. It was fun, informative, and inspiring!

    4. The entertaining and funny feel-good “Japanese dorama” Yamada Tarou Monogatari. It’s about an incredibly poor junior in an elite high school. He provides for his entire family and is number one in his class. This series makes me smile. 🙂

    5. Eggs sunny side up. Runny, and seasoned only with salt. Yum.

    Happy Easter! May you all have brightly colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, and marshmallow peeps!


  2. P.S. Does Jane Yolen ever SLEEP???


  3. I sleep eight hours every night. One of my kicks!

    And thanks, Jules, for spreading far and wide the work of my so-talented photographer son, Jason, who was too shy (he hides behind his camera) to say anything for himself. No,wait–those photographs speak volumes!

    Jane


  4. Jane, you and Jason ROCK!


  5. Wow, wow, wow! Thank you for featuring the photos and poems of Jane Yolen and her son! The photography, incredible! and I love that Jane uses photos as inspiration for the poems. I will share this with my poetry club on Tuesday as this is their focus.
    Jules and Eisha, I am so glad that you and family escaped the onslaught of the tornados. Scary.
    My kicks:
    My trip to Florida was good. Got to go to Dry Tortugas National Park. Amazing! But it’s always good to return home.
    The Postcard Poetry Project is in full swing and I hope to have them ready to send out by April 24. Anyone interested in getting a poem postcard?
    Getting into writing a poem everyday and posting at Deowriter.
    Have this year’s play casted and we have 50 kiddos!
    Get to see the grand girls today!
    My tulips and daffodils in the front planter. They will be featured at Deowriter soon.
    Have a wonderful week.


  6. I am so looking forward to Jane’s collaboration with Andrew Peters that is being illustrated by Brian Karas. That is a recipe for good. I’m also excited to see another collaboration between Jane and her son. I give Color Me a Rhyme and Count Me a Rhyme to patrons in my library all the time.

    Jules and Eisha, I am so glad your families are safe and sound.

    Jules, Yay to keeping up!

    Eisha, Someone told me I should read Fables just the other day (in the context of expressing outrage that I hadn’t already done so). It seems perhaps I must do so.

    My kicks:
    1. I had Monday-Thursday off work, and it was nice to get a little break.
    2. Of course, I stayed busy even so. On Monday, I had a friend and her parents who were visiting from out of town over for lunch.
    3. For #2, I put together a meal they all loved, which is a trick, since my friends’ parents are omnivores but my friend is a vegetarian who is also lactose-intolerant. I’ve been working on my vegan cooking skills this last year, and I think I’m getting somewhere with it.
    4. On Wednesday, my co-children’s-librarian and I drove to Amherst, Mass to visit the Eric Carle Museum and pick up some book bins we ordered from them.
    5. The Carle has a Virginia Lee Burton exhibit up right now, and if you are within driving distance, you should really go see it. It’s interesting on a lot of levels–a different perspective on Burton than I’ve seen elsewhere, and it was fascinating to see how her books were put together. Also, even with the age of the pieces (which is showing), they are still so much more sharp and vivid than the reproductions in the books.
    6. Eating a whoopie pie from The Black Sheep in Amherst. That is also worth a drive.
    7. Watching The Amazing Screw-On Head.


  7. Tarie, so glad you did that Greg-Twitter chat. I remember reading about it. Sounds like it was a blast. ….Happy Easter to you, too, by the way! My three-year-old this morning named each and every one of her pieces of chocolate from the Easter Bunny. It was pretty hysterical the names she came up with.

    Jane, thanks again to you and Jason for stopping by. Jason’s made me want to go to Charleston again something fierce.

    Jone, looking forward to seeing your new flower photos. Have fun with those granddaughters today! How’s your nephew doing?

    Adrienne, I think I already told you this, but something else I want to do extra fiercely is see the Eric Carle Museum. One day. One day. Man, I’d love to see that V.L. Burton exhibit….Glad you had some rest and some fun, too, this week with your time off.

    What’s a whoopie pie? I could look this up myself, but I’m off for Easter breakfast. Toodle-oo….


  8. […] a lovely interview at 7-Imp of Jane Yolen and her photographer son, Jason Stemple. Their books of poetry & photographs are […]


  9. You know it’s a strange week when the best news is about something that *didn’t* happen, but I’m very happy that y’all’s families in TN were safe during The Blitz. Very scary to read about, even at a distance.

    LOVE Jane’s poems and especially Jason’s photos, commenting back and forth on each other! (The “Peonies” series are little gems, too.)

    I’ve been weirdly sick for the last few days — a cold-ish, sorta flu-y thing — and my memory of the first half of the week is shaky, but I’ve got a couple kicks to share:

    * Sleep. Man, do I love to sleep. But it’s a love I seldom yield to; there’s just so much to be done requiring consciousness, y’know? In the last 3 days I’ve probably slept 40 hours, w/out even trying hard, and I feel like I’ve spent a weekend at a health spa. (Er, not that I’ve ever done that.)

    * Kickin’ (for different reasons) movies: Slumdog Millionaire and Quantum of Solace. Although, having typed that, suddenly I’m wondering about a film starring Daniel Craig as a “Millionaire” contestant, whose revenge against the smarmy host is especially clever and satisfying…


  10. Just a quick fly-by stop to wish everyone a Happy Easter, and to say how happy and relieved I am that Jules’ and Eisha’s families are okay.

    Thanks for featuring Jane and Jason today. Gorgeous photos, and I love Jane’s peony poems :)!


  11. Jules–come to see the EC Museum and stay overnight at my house which is twenty minutes away. We can do dinner with a bunch of local illustrators and authors.

    Jane


  12. Happy Easter to all! This is my first post, although I have been lurking about on this beautiful blog for a couple of months, wishing that I had the amazing artistic gifts that the guest illustrators, poets, and all of you seem to have in abundance.

    7 kicks is a lovely idea, but I will limit mine to 5 today:

    1. Connecting with Jules on Facebook and indulging our eternal devotion to the consummate Sam Phillips through several rather gushing emails – I’m grateful to have found you, Jules.
    2. Spring!
    3. Finding two old friends on Facebook and catching up after 20+ years – the internet can be a truly benevolent gift sometimes.
    4. Finally taking the plunge and buying all of the art supplies I need to start making soldered jewelry. I’m very excited to move forward with my new hobby after letting my creative juices lie dormant for far too long. Whether I will be able to make something that even resembles jewelry is another story!
    5. This lovely blog – thanks to Jules and Eisha for the time and effort they obviously put into it – it’s a wonderful place to visit! I’m also very glad that you and your families are safe, and my heart goes out to everyone who lost loved ones and homes from those nasty tornadoes.

    Everyone have a great week!


  13. Tarie, thanks for the reading rec – that sounds intriguing. And runny eggs? Really? I’m a hard-and-dry kinda girl myself. Which sounds like a euphemism, but I swear it’s not.

    Jane, thanks to you and Jason for sharing your works with our readers.

    Jone, heck yeah I want a poetry postcard. And I’m glad your trip was so fun. Although at first glance I read “Dry Tortillas” park.

    adrienne – YAY for seeing Amazing Screw-On Head. I believe I raved about it here a few weeks ago, and I’m still quietly cracking up to myself every so often when one of the lines pops into my head.

    JES, I’m so sorry you’ve been sick, but I’m glad you’re taking it as an excuse to catch up on ZZZs. And I have got to see Slumdog Millionaire already.

    jama, thanks! And have a lovely Easter.

    Jill, I’ve always wanted to try jewelry-making too. Good luck! And thanks for dropping by.


  14. Oh, and I forgot another funny video. My co-worker sent me this:


  15. John, get well soon! (That phrase always make me think of when I was in kindergarten, I think it was, and I got a big bad bout of pneumonia and was in the hospital. My classmates made me a bunch of cards, and I remember noticing and CARING about the fact that most of them wrote “git well soon,” instead of “get…” Lordamercy, I was an orthographic nerd, even then.)….I hope you feel better, but I’m also glad you got lots of sleep. Keep resting ’til you get better, says my maternal side.

    Hi, Jama!

    Jane, I WISH. I’ll do that when the economy gets better and can afford to travel that far. Actually, every year I head to Boston for a co. meeting for the folks I work for, so maybe one year I’ll make an extended stay of it.

    Jill!! (to whom I’m going to send an email soon)….Hi! So glad you came out of 7-Imp lurk-dom, and I hope you continue to come a-kickin’. I’m also feeling kicky to have found you, too. I think your jewelry-making venture sounds fabulous.

    I also wish I had the talents of the folks featured here, Jill. Talent in abundance. I just live vicariously through the artistic genius of those who visit.

    Eisha, HA. That makes me happy now, and it would have made me SERIOUSLY happy in high school, during my surliest stage. And is that, like, Onion News Network? How did I not know they have a fake t.v. news channel, too?


  16. Eisha, you haven’t watched Slumdog Millionaire yet?!


  17. Happy Passover Easter Spring, everyone!

    Best wishes to Jane Yolen and Jason Stemple upon the release of A Mirror to Nature! I like reflections. I also like Jane’s works, especially her novels. Their collaborations sound lovely. I’ll have to check them out. I want that bobcat as a friend!

    eisha & Jules: I’m EXTREMELY glad that you and yours are safe.

    Jules: Congratulations on your successful presentation! I’m glad that you were able to see your friends. I’m picturing Will & Grace’s kids when you speak of your kids’ projected future!

    eisha: How’s the exhibit looking? How’s the response so far? Fables sounds interesting. Think I’d like it?

    Tarie: You may have my share of marshmallows.

    Jane: I wish I could claim the same re: sleeping 8 hours a night!

    Jone: Glad that you had a good trip to and from, and that the Postcard Poetry Project is in full spring swing!

    adrienne: Hurrah for days off, and hurrah for vegetarians! Did you see the Very Hungry Caterpillar? 🙂

    JES: Feel better soon.

    Jill: Welcome to Seven-Imp Sundays, Jill! Good luck with your jewelry.

    My kicks for the week:

    1) Surviving
    2) Checking
    3) Asking
    4) Auditioning
    5) Ornamenting
    6) Performing (we opened to a full house on Friday night, then oversold Saturday night and had people STANDING IN THE AISLE/hallway!)
    7) Speaking up


  18. Cool, cool photos. Inspiring.

    I hadn’t heard about the tornadoes…scary stuff. Glad to hear your families and friends are ok.

    John, I hear you on the sleep thing — it’s what I sacrificed this week to get a few things done (working on my ICE book, at least partly inspired by all you 7-IMPers), but I sure notice when I get a few long sleeps in a row how great I feel (and the reverse is also true).

    Quick kicks:
    1) Baraka — I don’t know why it took me 15 years to see this incredible film. It’s weird: no real narrative, no dialogue, not even really a cohesive theme…but stunning cinematography and taken all together has quite an impact.
    2) Much less highbrow film selection this week: The Breakfast Club. Kinda too awesome, and I just had stirrings of my teenage crush on Molly Ringwald.
    3) I got to keep our teacher’s viola an extra few days, and played a song I had composed on it for her when I returned it, which was nerve-wracking and fun.
    4) Bike rides in warm weather…not just mountain biking, but riding into town with the kids again.
    5) Seeing things come alive at our local Ornamental Gardens after a long winter.
    6) Maybe not really my kick, but Tannis (my sig.other) took up pottery this spring and has been bringing home some really cool stuff already.
    7) A date! My parents are so great about offering to take the kids (all three!) out for the afternoon, and did so last Sunday.

    Happy Easter everyone…always great to see what people are thankful for.


  19. I was just thinking about Jane Yolen this morning! I was working on the song “Simple Gifts” for the Liturgy of Light this week, and since it’s a Shaker tune (the only one I know), the first book I ever read by Jane Yolen, The Gift of Sarah Barker, popped into my head. I read it in the early eighties, so I must have been 9 or 10, and it stuck with me for years. It was only later, when I started reading Yolen’s work with intention (i.e. Sister Light, Sister Dark) that I made the connection.

    My kicks for this week:
    1. Any time Julie Paschkis’ artwork crops up, I’m happy.

    2. I finished the daffodil doll I made for my daughter’s teacher in exchange for a snow maiden marionette. You may view it on my Shutterfly gallery website [spinneret DOT shutterfly DOT com]. The kick? There’s a bulb baby in a basket.

    3. I made a double-batch of baba ganouj, and I’m still amazed at how little eggplant there is after the oil is all drained out. If we could run our cars on eggplant oil, we could eat our baba ganouj and drive it, too.

    4. My storytelling gig at the Madrona Library is this coming Saturday. It was postponed from December due to the snow. Let’s hope we don’t get a snowstorm in April! We already had snow here in Seattle on April 1.

    5. I really enjoyed reading the entries for the Unnecessary Children’s Book Sequels contest. Minh and I hope to have the results with illustrations by mid-week. Thank you to everyone who contributed and promoted.

    6. My husband and I took our daughter to see “Swan Lake” yesterday. It was long– four acts! Lucia did quite well. And that brings me to my final kick….

    7. “Sleeping Beauty” is going to be performed next February!

    –Farida


  20. Charleston is my most favorite place in the US, so I was very excited to see those pics.
    Jules – sorry I missed you at TLA. The Brit in me forces me to treat Good Friday as a holiday, so I could not bring myself to go to the conference on that day. I’m glad the session went well.
    Eisha – I’m glad the tornado did not touch down in your neighborhood. At one point, I was thinking of going to Murfreesboro on Friday, and I am so glad I did not.
    My kicks this week:
    1 – My sister and her family escaped a very serious car accident unhurt. Their car is a write-off, but at thankfully, everyone is okay. Too bad it happened on my nephew’s 18th birthday.
    2 – As terrifying as Friday afternoon was (we live around 30 miles away from where the tornado hit and I was home alone with a sick child whilst the town’s tornado sirens were screaming), I am very grateful that my Murfreesboro (and Smyrna) friends were not hurt and did not suffer any damage.
    3 – Easter Sunday was a big hit, and for the first time this spring, Cy and Ruby got to play in the backyard.
    4 – Speaking of the backyard, Fred spent part of the morning planting a herb garden for me.
    5 – Although I missed seeing many of my librarian friends at the TLA conference, I did enjoy the pre-conference session I attended on Wednesday. It made me enthusiastic and gung-ho about being an academic librarian.
    6 – Receiving “Owl Moon” as this month’s Imagination Library gift for Cy.
    7 – Enjoying the somewhat surrealistic moment of Cy requesting to watch “A Hard Day’s Night” immediately following “Toy Story”. From Buzz and Woody to John, Paul, George, and Ringo – brilliant.


  21. Eisha, email me your address. and anyone else: macrush53 at yahoo dot com


  22. Jules, A whoopie pie is comprised of two ginormous soft chocolate cookies with whipped cream in the middle. It’s the same taste/flavor combination of a Ho-Ho, except for it was baked by a person with identifiable ingredients and tastes way better.

    Eisha, Oh, I know–the lines come so fast in that film that it’s hard to catch them all. I thought the voice acting was really quite good, too.

    Little Willow, Yay to people standing in the aisles! I wish I could have been one of them!


  23. Hello All! I haven’t commented in a while, but I’ve been here reading and sharing your joys.

    The last time I was here I mentioned my father wasn’t well. Since then he’s been placed in home hospice to see him through to the end. I’ve finally come to grips with this (for now) and am trying to get on with life here. My kicks this week revolve around two big projects.

    1. I am having a fabulous time putting together the Poetry Makers series. I hope you are having as much fun reading it.

    2. The musical I am appearing in opened this weekend. Three performances down, 5 more to go. I do have a dressing room (in what has been dubbed the “over 40 suite), but I have SIX (count ’em, 6) QUICK CHANGES that all take place in the crossover or the wings. Hey, there’s nothing like stripping down to your skivvies in front of your students. Did I mention that this is actually fun? (The play, not the stripping.)

    That’s it for me. Have a great week everyone.


  24. Tarie, I haven’t seen “Slumdog” yet either. But I hope to change that soon.

    Little Willow, standing room only? ROCK IT, you all.

    Jeremy, you’re working on an ice book???!!! I am very excited to hear this, ’cause you know how I feel about your photography talents, and I’m truly not just in need of some Despondex here, what with all these exclamation marks. I kept meaning to ask you, after that one post of yours in which you were contemplating it—at least in the comments section—if you were gonna do it. (Of course, you might have blogged about this, but I’m behind on my favorites.)

    And, wow, Baraks looks fascinating…Congrats, too, on your kid-free date.

    Farida, if Kevin Henkes ever ever, by some chance, reads my entry, I hope he has a big ol’ sense of humor. Gulp. Also, I love the idea of baba ganouj-driven cars, and I’ve always loved the words “baba ganouj.”

    Zoe, so glad your family is okay after a bad car wreck. Sorry I missed you at the conference, too, but I saw Jamie! (It’s Jackson and Piper whose marriage we’ve arranged. I don’t even call him Jackson; I just refer to him as “my future son-in-law.”)

    Also: Owl Moon = one of the top-ten best picture books ever…which reminds me: Are you reading Fuse’s list of the 100 picture books? So great. I meant for it to be a kick today.

    Adrienne, I must have a whoopie pie in my life one day.

    Tricia, I’m so very sorry to hear that about your father, but I’m glad you’ve come to some sort of peace about it maybe possibly perhaps. You do know that all of us bloggers who adore you will do anything to help out if you need anything, right? Also, yes, your Poetry Makers series is great, and I don’t know how you do it with your teaching and everything you do. ….Continue to break a leg in your musical! WOO HOO!


  25. P.S. – I do have one more kick to add. I forgot to mention that I learned this week that Lady Jane will be speaking at UR in the fall. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this. I have class the evening she’s speaking, but you better believe I’ll be there!


  26. Tarie, I know, I suck. I’ll get around to it.

    Little Willow, it looks quite nice, IMO, and thanks for asking. And WOOHOO to you for filling the house!

    Jeremy, YAY for The Breakfast Club, which I haven’t seen in way too long. But I still say “You never know when you might have to jam” whenever I have an opportunity. And I’m also very glad that there’s an ice photo book in the works.

    Farida, the more I hear about your daughter, what with her love of opera and ability to sit through long ballet performances, the more she amazes me. Also, I LOVE baba ganouj, and I’m solidly behind any plan that results in more reasons to eat it. Helping the environment is just gravy.

    Zoe, holy crap, that is one scary week. I’m glad you and all your loved ones are unscathed. And I loved Beatles movies as a kid, too. They are kind of cartoony.

    Tricia, I am so sorry about your father. I don’t even know what to say, other than take care, and I hope it’s as painless as such a thing can be. Also, you (and Jone) are edging up on Little Willow for the title of Hardest Working Blogger in the Kidlitosphere. I wish we could arrange some sort of talent show to get you all together. Farida and her daughter too.


  27. Happy Late Easter everyone!

    What a treat to get the mother-son team of JY and JS. The poetry with reflecting waters is simply gorgeous.

    Jules, so glad to hear the tornados missed you and yours. (And yours too Eisha.)

    jone, ooooo, I want a poetry postcard. Email to follow this post.

    Congrats on such a hit show LW!

    JES, hope you are feeling better soon!

    Jeremy, The Breakfast Club is one of my all time faves.

    We had the first motorcycle race weekend of the season here, so many of my kicks will be motorcycle-related:
    1. The BF did well in his first race, riding a new-to-him smaller bike, (a 650) and was switching 6/7 place with his teammate for most of the 12 laps.
    2. He crashed in the last lap, but only hurt his finger. (This time last year he broke his collarbone, so trust me, this is a BIG kick.) And the bike wasn’t badly damaged, which is also kicky.
    3. Hanging out with the other GFs/wives in the pit, great group of women, always fun.
    4. Halfway through A Girl Named Zippy, and loving it. Jules, your story about the “git well card” reminded me of it, which is fitting since I am reading it due to your recommendation. : )
    5. Took my first ever spinning class yesterday morning. Wow! Kicked my butt, and I am now hooked. (And a bit sore.)
    6. Had Friday off! Yay for 3 day weekends.
    7. Its been raining all day today, and is still raining, but the forcast promises sun again later in the week. The promise of sun is something I can hang on to.

    Have a great week!


  28. PS – I am sure most of y’all have seen this, but I just love the Peeps Diorama contest: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2009/04/10/GA2009041001969.html


  29. […] Eisha at 7Imp had this link in her Kicks yesterday. Sur la Lune Fairy Tales publishes annotated fairytales online as well as fairytale-themed books for young readers. And they have a CafePress store filled with fairytale stuff and of course, lots of Arthur Rackham-inspired notebooks, coffee mugs, even shoes! As a research assistant I once got the wonderful assignment of finding Rackham artwork online, and since then I can’t keep myself away from sites like this. […]


  30. Tricia, excellent news.

    RM, why, no, I had not seen that link, which was very entertaining… so, thank you. ….So glad your boyfriend is okay after a MOTORCYCLE WRECK. I don’t think I’d be a good cyclist’s wife, ’cause you’re taking it much better than I would. Are they called “cyclists”? Or did I just screw that up? I don’t know these things.

    Here’s hoping you get some of that sunshine…


  31. Jules, you sent the sunshine – its out already this morning!
    Re: the crash. They all crash, and we SO’s get used to it. (Well, sort of. The first year I was NOT so calm about it.) This was a teeny tiny crash, but I did worry a little while waiting for him to get back to the pit. It helps when his other teammates come over and tell me “it didn’t look bad” and “I saw him get up,” which they did on Saturday.
    Oh, and they refer to themselves and each other as “riders”, (if someone crashes, its always “rider down in turn __”) I think not to confuse themselves with the pedal-pedal-cyclists.


  32. Jeremy, to echo Jules’s lapse into COMPLETELY uncharacteristic (heh) enthusiasm: you’re working on an ice book???!!! You slipped that in so casually that I almost got whiplash. (And then, of course, I crashed headlong into Jules’s wall of exclamation. I feel like the official 7-Imp Crash Test Dummy.)


  33. Sneaking in late after a lovely Easter in Wales to say, wow, there’s lots to be thankful for this week with accidents working out OK and tornados (so freaky and scary!) leaving you all alone! I’ll be back with a proper list next week but despite generally loving my work I have to say a four day week never goes astray, so there’s a kick!


  34. Jeremy: Congrats on the viola-composition sharing! How fantastic. Certain scenes or aspects of The Breakfast Club have always upset me, such as the fact that the nerd is made to write the essay in the end! 🙂 Anthony Michael Hall rocks. My favorite John Hughes film is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

    Farida: Best of luck on your Saturday gig, and good wishes for the ballerinas! Daffodils have been on my brain because I read the picture book Daffodil by Emily Jenkins on Saturday.

    Zoe: I am so glad that they are all okay. Wishing them well, emotionally, mentally, and physically.

    Adrienne: Thank you! That’s sweet of you to say. 🙂

    Tricia: My thoughts are with you and your father. Be strong, and enjoy every moment. Congrats on opening weekend. Tell me all about your show! 🙂

    jules: Gracias.

    eisha: You are welcome! Thanks.

    rm: Ow! Glad it wasn’t anything more serious. (I get easily worried!) Thanks.


  35. Little Willow, I thought the same about the nerd having to write the essay…but I think it makes sense. They admit to him that they’re not going to be friends with him on Monday, at least not visibly. Even after they all cry and laugh and sort of resolve things, nobody even pretends they’re going to hang out with him later. And agreed, Michael Anthony Hall totally rocks. In Sixteen Candles, he’s unreal great.

    Sorry, I should have clarified on the ice book. Or the so-called “book”, as I’m just going try try self-publishing a few copies on Blurb for fun. So it’s not like I went out and got an agent and a book deal (although I sure could use a nice fat advance). But thanks for the ongoing encouragement anyway.
    🙂


  36. rm preston, wow. I’m trying to decide if the cool factor of dating a biker would outweigh the frayed nerves of watching him wreck all the time. Maybe so. And THANK YOU for the Peeps link. The Clue one is my favorite so far.

    Little Willow, you asked but I forgot to answer: yeah, you’d probably like Fables. I thought it was fun, the art’s good, and I generally enjoy things that allude to fairy tales. But I’m told that they get better as they go on (there’s like 14 volumes or something), with a complicated story arc and stuff.


  37. […] Photographer Jason Stemple and author Jane Yolen in April. […]


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