Reading resolutions
Early in each new year, the American
Library Association (ALA) gathers for its annual midwinter conference. Usually
the hottest ticket is a seat to hear the announcements for the Newbery and
Caldecott Awards, two of the most prestigious literary prizes for works written
and illustrated for children during the previous year. Rochester’s Linda Sue
Park won the 2002 Newbery for A Single
Shard.
A national committee determines the
winners and honor books for ALA, but here in Monroe County, Children’s
Librarians from public libraries meet in December to discuss potential winners
and make a few predictions of their own. This year, the group selected the
following titles as serious contenders for the Caldecott (illustration): Mr. Maxwell’s Mouse (Frank Asch), Hot Day on Abbott Avenue (Karen
English), Sidewalk Circus (Paul
Fleischman), Kitten’s First Full Moon (Kevin Henkes), Coming on Home Soon (Jacqueline Woodson), Actual Size (Steve Jenkins), and my own personal favorite, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale (Mo Willems).
Predictions for this year’s potential
Newbery (for outstanding writing) included: Al
Capone Does My Shirts (Gennifer Choldenko), The Teacher’s Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts (Richard Peck), The Sea of Trolls (Nancy Farmer), and
the one that gets my vote, Ida B:…and Her
Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World (Katherine Hannigan).
Why not make it your New Year’s
resolution to visit your local library and borrow some of these fine titles to
share with your family?
— Carolyn Schuler
This week for families:
Henrietta
Public Library Storytimes for toddlers: Tues, Jan 4, 10:15-10:45 a.m. | for
preschoolers: Tues, Jan 4, 11 a.m. and Wed, Jan 5, 10:15-10:45 a.m. | 455
Calkins Rd. 359-7092, www.hpl.org
RMSC Strasenburgh
Planetarium 657 East Ave. Giant-screen film: Bears, Wed-Fri 4 p.m.; Sat 2, 4, 8 p.m.; Sun 1, 2, 4 p.m. | Star
shows: Hubble’s Universe: Sat 1 p.m.;
I See the Sky: Sat 9:30 a.m. | Laser
shows: Moody Blues Laser, Sat 9 p.m.;
Holiday Songs and Skies with Mr. Jack
Frost, Sat 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., Sun 3 p.m.| $4-$7. 271-1880, www.rmsc.org
Rochester Museum and
Science Center 657 East Ave. through Thurs, Dec 30, holiday science and technology
days, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | through Thurs, Dec 30, Take-It-Apart, 2-4:30 p.m. | Surprise! It’s Science, through May 2005
| Rochester’s Frederick Douglass,
through January 2006 | Live Science! demos and theater, Sat 2, 3, 4 p.m.; Sun 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 p.m. Sat 3 p.m. show
sign-interpreted | Ongoing exhibits include: AdventureZone, Carlson
Inquiry Room, At the Western Door | Hours: Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun 12-5 p.m., closed Sat, Dec 25. Tix: $5-$7.
271-1880, www.rmsc.org.
Strong Museum 1
Manhattan Square. Through Sun, Jan 2, school break with Arthur. | Arthur’s World, through Jan 23. |
Long-term exhibits include National Toy
Hall of Fame, Can You Tell Me How To
Get To Sesame Street? and Super Kids
Market. Hours: Mon-Thurs 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.-5
p.m., Sun 12-5 p.m. Tix: $7; $6 seniors, students; $5 children. 263-2700
Potty like it’s 1999
Just because you have kids doesn’t
mean you can’t have fun on New Year’s Eve. Just not that much of it. Did I say
that? I meant having kids enriches your New Year’s Eve experience in ways you
never dreamed possible.
Sometimes being a parent actually
gives you more time to party. I attained a new level of maturity — the good
kind, not the kind that requires wearing Depends — when I realized there was
no need to shave my legs and apply makeup just because I was going somewhere
other than Wegmans. Right there, I picked up an extra ten minutes at the buffet
table.
Plus, you have more partying options
with kids. Get a sitter and head someplace classy like you used to, or take the
kids to an event like the Family New Year’s Eve Party at the Dome Center in
Henrietta. In case you didn’t get enough fireworks when the relatives discussed
politics over your holiday dinner, there’ll be another display at 9:30 p.m.
(call 359-2540 for details).
You’ll spend less money celebrating
now that you’re a parent. I think of my kids as my built-in two-drink maximum.
Whether we enjoy a quiet evening with friends or live it up downtown, they’ll
still wake up at 7 a.m. on January 1st.
I’ve always thought becoming a parent
is a sign that God thinks you’re having way too much fun. So get out there on
Friday night and wear your parenthood like a badge of honor.
— Linda Kostin
(www.junkstorecowgirl.com)
This article appears in Dec 29, 2004 – Jan 4, 2005.
