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Maurice Sendak, 1928-2012

Author and illustrator Maurice Sendak died on Tuesday, May 8.

His career spanned over half a century and produced such children’s literature classics as Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen. He was also a fascinating, charmingly cranky man whose life and work are well worth exploring.  Start with any of the links below, and stop by the Library and check out our display of his books, as well as books about him, located right by the front door.

  • New York Times obituary
  • New Yorker profile from 2006: lengthy, but worth your time!
  • NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross interview
  • And, last but not least: parts one and two of his hilarious, delightful interview with Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report.

NextBus! Axe Cop!

Two of my new favorite things this year are NextBus and Axe Cop. So even though one is a useful tool and one is a ridiculous comic, I thought I’d write about both.


With all the snow and wind and rain and snow and ice and snow lately, waiting for the bus is even less appealing than usual. Luckily, it’s now possible to minimize time spent at the bus stop. NextBus uses satellite tracking to give accurate estimates of bus arrival times, even when they’re not on schedule. You can get arrival times online or on your phone (even if you have a cheap, featureless phone like I do).

An example of the NextBus web interface



Axe Cop is a comic strip thought up by a 5-year-old and written and illustrated by his 29-year-old brother. It is amazing. There are currently 81 episodes available online, plus guest episodes and a Dr. McNinja cross-over. There is also an Ask Axe Cop column, in which Axe Cop answers questions submitted by viewers.


There are animated episodes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoF4ZXkCzlA



But even better is the live action Axe Cop movie:





Haiti – Do Your Homework

 

When asked how to help the children and families in Haiti, one recommendation from the panelists at yesterday’s Half Year Program was: do your homework.  Learn about the people and the place, the culture and concerns.

Here are a few resources to help you build your background knowledge, and learn more about relief and development efforts and service opportunities that could be of interest.

 

 

Online reference

Global Issues in Context

Earthquake in Haiti

Credo Reference

“Haiti” in The World of Child Labor: An Historical and Regional Survey

“Haiti” in New Americans: A Guide to Immigration Since 1965. 

Books

Cadet, J. (1998).  Restavec: from Haitian slave child to middle-class American. Austin : University of Texas Press, 1998.

Kidder, T. (2003). Mountains beyond mountains: The quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a man who would cure the world. New York, Random House.

Organizations

Haiti Fund at the Boston Foundation

Haiti Fund – Resources

International Rescue Committee –Haiti, One Year On

Research Guides

Helping Children Cope with Stress

Coping With Traumatic Events

Resources on the Web

Boston Haitian Reporter

Boston Haitian Reporter – Community Resources

Haitian Health Institute at the Boston Medical Center

CCHER (Center for Community Health, Education & Research)

CCHER – List of Boston Haitian Resources

60 Minutes videos

Haiti: Frustration and Anger

The Lost Children of Haiti


mlkphoto

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Open House at the Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts is hosting an Open House in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 17th.

This event is free for everyone and the museum will be organizing special programming on this day which features lectures, music, crafts, tours, and films. There are several family-friendly events planned so children are encouraged to attend as well! The museum is open from 10 am – 4:45 pm and you can view the schedule of events here.

This is a great opportunity to learn and appreciate the life and contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr., while experiencing the beauty of the MFA’s new Art of the Americas wing.


Boston Book Festival

BOSTON BOOK FESTIVAL

Looking for a fun, educational and FREE event?

The Boston Book Festival will take place on Saturday, October 16th in Copley Square.

Over 150 authors will be at this FREE event! Check out the full list of presenters and sign-up for workshops and contests. There will also be great activities for adults and children, booksellers, signings, live music and food! The event runs from 9 am to 7 pm, so take advantage of this event for book lovers and enjoy a wonderful New England fall day!