This is not my first attempt at today's post. Ok, so part of it was my lack of technical knowledge about blogging. But, the truth is, I'm glad the first draft is lost in a black hole. I've known what I wanted to say, but I don't really know how to say it. I know I am not the first person to have this problem.
Thursdays are going to be Bookstore Progress days. I will share with you my actual journey of building a bookstore, letting you in on my timelines and deadlines, but I wanted to start by acknowledging the foundation of a bookstore--the thing I am learning more each week.
It's all about the people.
I thought I would have this great idea, get some money behind it, and it would be open in a couple of months. But what I am learning is that a business not only takes time (oh so much slow time) and money (that I don't have), but it takes that proverbial village of people involved and enthusiastic about it. I would like to think that I have enough enthusiasm for the whole thing, but I know that is not true. I can't run a successful business by myself. And even if I did, what would it matter?
Because it is FOR people that I am developing this business. Getting good literature into the hands and minds of children, helping moms and grandmas choose quality picture books as the perfect gifts, guiding teachers to the very best real books and helping them develop literature-based lesson plans. If I'm doing it all for myself, it's really not worth all the time, money, and energy. But if I'm doing it for the people, well, then, everything will be worth it!
I've been thinking about this because of all of the people who have already helped me along the way. In my previous draft, I started to list them and tell you about each of their contributions, but that seemed a little contrived, if not boring. So let me just say I can't accomplish this wonderful dream I have without the cheering section of Norm, Laura, Janet, Lori, Lynda, Karen, Ina, Betty, and perhaps a hundred others who have been so encouraging to me. I have already utilized the counsel of Priscilla, Tootie, Cerise, Neil, Randy, Cheri, Tamara, the CSUF marketing club, and many online friends, including booksellers and other book consulting experts.
When Once Upon a Storybook opens, it will be because people have cared about me, and that's an awfully humbling thing. It will also be because I have decided that people matter, and I want to invest in my passion to help them.
Thank you, again, for joining me on my journey.
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Thursday, April 19, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
I Want I Want My Hat Back!
I Want I Want My Hat Back!
Wednesdays: What's New in the World of Children's Literature
The biggest thing to hit the children's market this year is an instant classic, I Want My Hat Back, by Jon Klassen. This simple story is winning awards and accolades from all of the literary experts--to date it has won at least 13 literary awards! Klassen proves that minimal language and sparcity in color can make the humor of a story really stand out.
Poor Bear loses his hat, so he checks with all of the woodland creatures. Bear isn't the smartest animal in the forest, so it takes him awhile, wandering around the forest, to realize that he has, indeed, seen his hat! And the one who took it most definitely regrets it!
I love this story for its simplicity. Dr. Seuss was the first to show us that one can write a great story with just a few simple words. (The Cat in the Hat used only 236 distinct words.) But the best part of the story is the humor! The facial expressions on the animals are enough to make any preschooler giggle--oh, and a high schooler or two might, as well, as my daughter did the whole way through the book! Even with the minimalist approach, you can see that Bear is a real character. The surprising conclusion (which is somewhat controversial), provides some irreverant humor for adults but keeps the youngsters in the dark. (I would like to say that children who do understand the end, will giggle and love it, while adults, who tend to be a little too literal for most children's literature, will perhaps be shocked.)
Enjoy a short video, introducing this story and the clever illustrations of Jon Klassen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-zrHYwcrecU
Pin It
Wednesdays: What's New in the World of Children's Literature
The biggest thing to hit the children's market this year is an instant classic, I Want My Hat Back, by Jon Klassen. This simple story is winning awards and accolades from all of the literary experts--to date it has won at least 13 literary awards! Klassen proves that minimal language and sparcity in color can make the humor of a story really stand out.
Poor Bear loses his hat, so he checks with all of the woodland creatures. Bear isn't the smartest animal in the forest, so it takes him awhile, wandering around the forest, to realize that he has, indeed, seen his hat! And the one who took it most definitely regrets it!
I love this story for its simplicity. Dr. Seuss was the first to show us that one can write a great story with just a few simple words. (The Cat in the Hat used only 236 distinct words.) But the best part of the story is the humor! The facial expressions on the animals are enough to make any preschooler giggle--oh, and a high schooler or two might, as well, as my daughter did the whole way through the book! Even with the minimalist approach, you can see that Bear is a real character. The surprising conclusion (which is somewhat controversial), provides some irreverant humor for adults but keeps the youngsters in the dark. (I would like to say that children who do understand the end, will giggle and love it, while adults, who tend to be a little too literal for most children's literature, will perhaps be shocked.)
Enjoy a short video, introducing this story and the clever illustrations of Jon Klassen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-zrHYwcrecU
Pin It
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Once Upon a Time . . .
Once upon a time there was a girl who loved books. She loved storybooks, mysteries, nonfiction, classics . . . . Was there anything she didn't like? And, really, it made sense--everyone in her family loved books.
Well, the little girl grew up and became an English major in college, and she soon realized she would never be able to read all of the good books there were to read! Oh, this made her sad! Something else she realized during this transformative time was that, although she loved almost everything she read--19th century plays, Shakespearean sonnets, and especially post-modern literature--what she loved the most were those stories from her childhood. She was very fortunate to take a class in children's literature--"Kiddie Lit" others called it. How exciting to read these stories as an adult and to study academic analyses of these stories. These were works that people took seriously! She would like to do that too.
Soon the girl grew up and got married to her Price Charming, truly the most charming man in all the land. It took awhile, but she finally had four wonderful, talented children of her own. Her favorite part of the day was storytime, when she would read all of the old stories (and some new ones too) to her enchanting children. They loved the stories just as much as she did. And she realized her purpose--sharing literature with children. She was so fortunate to be able to do that for many years, developing literature-based lesson plans for them and others, working in educational publishing, and writing curriculum so that others would learn to love the stories as much as
Her greatest dream was sharing her favorite stories in the setting of a boutique children's bookstore.
And, you, dear reader, will see the girl develop and realize this dream before your very eyes. You will get to see her live happily ever after in her darling pink, white, and brown book boutique. Join her, won't you? Pin It
Well, the little girl grew up and became an English major in college, and she soon realized she would never be able to read all of the good books there were to read! Oh, this made her sad! Something else she realized during this transformative time was that, although she loved almost everything she read--19th century plays, Shakespearean sonnets, and especially post-modern literature--what she loved the most were those stories from her childhood. She was very fortunate to take a class in children's literature--"Kiddie Lit" others called it. How exciting to read these stories as an adult and to study academic analyses of these stories. These were works that people took seriously! She would like to do that too.
Soon the girl grew up and got married to her Price Charming, truly the most charming man in all the land. It took awhile, but she finally had four wonderful, talented children of her own. Her favorite part of the day was storytime, when she would read all of the old stories (and some new ones too) to her enchanting children. They loved the stories just as much as she did. And she realized her purpose--sharing literature with children. She was so fortunate to be able to do that for many years, developing literature-based lesson plans for them and others, working in educational publishing, and writing curriculum so that others would learn to love the stories as much as
Her greatest dream was sharing her favorite stories in the setting of a boutique children's bookstore.
And, you, dear reader, will see the girl develop and realize this dream before your very eyes. You will get to see her live happily ever after in her darling pink, white, and brown book boutique. Join her, won't you? Pin It
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