tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post9157674382519451587..comments2024-03-10T16:42:34.106-04:00Comments on Collecting Children's Books: Sunday Brunching with Dorothy Canfield FisherPeter D. Sierutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09301507180150710089noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-74904442702874636232011-08-18T11:22:08.537-04:002011-08-18T11:22:08.537-04:00My third grade teacher read us Aggie, Maggie, and ...My third grade teacher read us Aggie, Maggie, and Tish and the sequel, Where's Aggie by Betty K. Erwin. That was back in the 70s. I still remember these books fondly. I am grateful that my teacher shared these lovely stories<br />with us.Michele Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05150324584555058612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-84216666709766331832009-08-31T14:43:06.699-04:002009-08-31T14:43:06.699-04:00Hi Helen,
I'm very familiar with your name an...Hi Helen,<br /><br />I'm very familiar with your name and your work in children's books but NEVER knew you had a famous mother!<br /><br />As mentioned in my blog, I am unfamiliar with your mother's work, but that may be because the library system of my youth (Detroit Public Library) did not have her books. When I go back to work tomorrow (one-day vacation here) I will see if the university library where I currently work have any Betty K. Erwin books. Now I very much want to read them. They sound like they were loved and long-remembered by many former kids. I'd also love to hear more about your mother and her writing.<br /><br />Thanks for writing,<br /><br />PeterPeter D. Sierutahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09301507180150710089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-84028149505674895212009-08-31T14:38:57.772-04:002009-08-31T14:38:57.772-04:00Hi CLM,
That's a lot of Betsys!
When I saw t...Hi CLM,<br /><br />That's a lot of Betsys!<br /><br />When I saw the name "Margaret Leighton," I vaguely remembered an actress by that name. I know nothing about the author, but will put her on my reading list now. <br /><br />Thanks so much,<br /><br />PeterPeter D. Sierutahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09301507180150710089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-61994877042457092922009-08-31T14:36:56.050-04:002009-08-31T14:36:56.050-04:00Dear Sharon Creech,
Honored you stopped by my blo...Dear Sharon Creech,<br /><br />Honored you stopped by my blog!<br /><br />Thank you,<br /><br />PeterPeter D. Sierutahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09301507180150710089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-86941998377362074852009-08-31T14:34:02.920-04:002009-08-31T14:34:02.920-04:00Hi Bybee,
I didn't read UNDERSTOOD BETSTY til...Hi Bybee,<br /><br />I didn't read UNDERSTOOD BETSTY till I was an adult, but liked it a lot. We have both the DCF Pulitzer nominees in the library where I work and I plan to read them; I believe one is a pioneer-story (standard Pulitzer fare) but the other takes place in a boys' school.<br /><br />I don't think DCF wrote the soap/fish story, but I'll look out for it.<br /><br />Thanks for reading,<br /><br />PeterPeter D. Sierutahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09301507180150710089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-21722273642599349012009-08-31T14:30:59.821-04:002009-08-31T14:30:59.821-04:00Hi Spirited Librarian,
I love that story about th...Hi Spirited Librarian,<br /><br />I love that story about the scent of candles in the book.<br /><br />One of my theories about children's books is that they each contain at least three stories:<br /><br />1) the story told within the book<br />2) the story of how the author came to write it<br />3) the individual story the reader brings to the book -- in this case, your story of smelling candles within the volume<br /><br />Thanks for sharing it here!<br /><br />PeterPeter D. Sierutahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09301507180150710089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-45643562206031105452009-08-31T14:12:04.822-04:002009-08-31T14:12:04.822-04:00Hi, Peter -- I'm Helen Erwin Schinske, daughte...Hi, Peter -- I'm Helen Erwin Schinske, daughter of Betty K. Erwin, and would be delighted to tell you more about my mother's work. I am just back from the longest vacation I've had in some years (only two weeks, nothing to some people, but it loomed large to me), and am catching up with many tasks, but two friends wrote to tell me of your post and I thought I should say something immediately even if I couldn't write much just at the moment.<br /><br />My mother was extremely pleased about the DCF award, which at the time was the only one she had heard of that was chosen by the children themselves. (Of course there are others, and probably were then, too, but I *think* the DCF was one of the first such.)hschinskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316478950862562594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-48802847582472266342009-08-31T13:08:00.091-04:002009-08-31T13:08:00.091-04:00Thank you for an interesting post! I read Underst...Thank you for an interesting post! I read Understood Betsy at the same time I was reading Carolyn Haywood's Betsy books and the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace. While I enjoyed the first two, it was Betsy-Tacy that became the favorite for all time. <br /><br />Margaret Leighton, author of Comanche of the Seventh,is not well known any more but is another huge favorite of mine. I read her mysteries first but it is Judith of France and Journey for a Princess, two historical novels which are two of my absolute favorites. Judith is the granddaughter or perhaps great-granddaughter of Charlemagne who marries the father of Alfred the Great. It is a wonderful book and I am lucky to have my mother's childhood copy as it is impossible to find. A much more contemporary title was Canyon Castaways, which had some memorable scenes where the stranded children had to eat food from cans that had lost their labels. I seem to recall she was an early graduate of Radcliffe College.<br /><br />I used to be in touch with Mrs. Erwin's daughter. If I can find her email, I will forward a link to her as she has many interesting things to say about Go to the Room of the Eyes (based on a real house in Seattle, as I recall).CLMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03595294217111602231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-3519867184677208392009-08-31T07:26:33.490-04:002009-08-31T07:26:33.490-04:00Thanks for the brunch, Peter.Thanks for the brunch, Peter.Sharon Creechhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01297551991159941966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-63086993054526023682009-08-31T01:15:51.740-04:002009-08-31T01:15:51.740-04:00I read Understood Betsy both as a child and as an ...I read Understood Betsy both as a child and as an adult and liked it a lot both times. Even more the 2nd time. I've often been confused about the title, myself. I'd love to read Fisher's adult novels that were Pulitzer contenders.<br /><br />Does that book of stories co-written by her have a story where two brothers pull a prank on their neighbors by putting a cake of soap in a bucket full of living fish and their father sends them out in the family boat and tells them not to come back till they've replaced all the fish and it takes them 2 days? I remember this story being in one of my textbooks when I was in elementary school. Can't remember (familiar refrain) story title or author, but it sounds like the theme would fit in with Nothing Ever Happens...Bybeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10061186489010154661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-28311325137781694242009-08-30T22:33:44.548-04:002009-08-30T22:33:44.548-04:00Anon at 10:21:
Yes, it would help if I got the ti...Anon at 10:21:<br /><br />Yes, it would help if I got the title right before I threw stones!<br /><br />Thanks for the correction. I fixed the typo.<br /><br />PeterPeter D. Sierutahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09301507180150710089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-84046368778216607112009-08-30T22:21:51.996-04:002009-08-30T22:21:51.996-04:00speaking of 'misunderstood' titles:
> ...speaking of 'misunderstood' titles:<br /><br />> NOTHING EVER HAPPENS AND HOW IT DID<br /><br />DOESAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-10417255485812009512009-08-30T22:13:36.269-04:002009-08-30T22:13:36.269-04:00I've only read one Lampman book, Tree Wagon, b...I've only read one Lampman book, Tree Wagon, but it was really, really good.<br /><br />Was the first award by children the William Allen White Children's Book Award?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-28162704329365540802009-08-30T20:46:23.962-04:002009-08-30T20:46:23.962-04:00Thanks for another delicious brunch. When I was i...Thanks for another delicious brunch. When I was in 5th grade we went on a field trip to Old Sturbridge Village and I spent my "souvenir money" on a book: The Mystery at Old Sturbridge Village. When I opened it at home, it smelled just like the scented candles in the gift store. Everytime I read it after that, I sniffed it to be brought back to that fun day. Even now I occasionally take it off my shelf and imagine I can still smell that scent.the spirited librariannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-44817027347099289012009-08-30T19:55:55.378-04:002009-08-30T19:55:55.378-04:00Byatt's The Children's Hour may not be bas...Byatt's The Children's Hour may not be based on the life of E. Nesbit, but the minute I read a review (with no mention of Nesbit), I thought, "That sounds like E. Nesbit." Fabian Society, ne'er-do-well socialist husband, house full of children---Nesbit's life was certainly her jumping off point.Nancy Leekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05011355504937848225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-37555126308199704182009-08-30T18:38:16.460-04:002009-08-30T18:38:16.460-04:00Well, that isn't nearly as interesting of an a...Well, that isn't nearly as interesting of an answer to the mystery, though! I loved City Under the Back Steps (and most of Lampman's books), which is about two children who shrink and go to live with a black ant colony, when I was a kid; but when I reread it a few months ago--same battered copy from Multnomah County Library--it was one that hadn't held up well for me. But the childhood memories are there.Wendyhttp://sixboxesofbooks.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-45105271898156561192009-08-30T17:15:19.925-04:002009-08-30T17:15:19.925-04:00Thanks for another great brunch!
I enjoyed Summer...Thanks for another great brunch!<br /><br />I enjoyed Summer Sleigh Ride, when I read it way back when-I'll have to find it again, and see how it holds up!Charlottehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11835101886202235868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-47957300911889494222009-08-30T17:08:25.252-04:002009-08-30T17:08:25.252-04:00Hi Wendy,
The Honore Lampman error was a good c...Hi Wendy, <br /><br />The Honore Lampman error was a good catch (speaking of the Seattle Fish Market!) In the back of my mind, I knew that author's name didn't sound right, but both the official Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award site and the Wikipedia had the name listed as "Honore," so that's how I typed it, even as a small voice in the back of my head said, "Something is not right." Actually, I think I've now figured out what caused the confusion. Evelyn Sibley Lampman wrote the book, but it was illustrated by "Honore" Valintcourt. I guess the names got transposed at some point. Thank you for pointing that the mistake!<br /><br />I don't recall even seeing GO TO THE ROOM OF THE EYES in the library when I was growing up. When I return to work on Tuesday, I am going to see if our library has a copy. It's neat to know that someone out there has read it and loved it.<br /><br />Thanks for reading,<br /><br />PeterPeter D. Sierutahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09301507180150710089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046320545497573335.post-76306270729454097222009-08-30T16:50:19.697-04:002009-08-30T16:50:19.697-04:00I am a HUGE FAN of Go To the Room of the Eyes, whi...I am a HUGE FAN of Go To the Room of the Eyes, which for some reason I remember bypassing repeatedly as a kid (I used to comb the juvenile shelves at the library and bypassed many famous books many times; something about their titles didn't intrigue me) but have read several times as an adult and recommend frequently. Mentioning that it has a great scene in Seattle's Pike Place Market is generally a good hook.<br /><br />I'm curious about your listing of City Under the Back Steps by "Honore Lampman". This book was written by Evelyn Sibley Lampman, who also wrote a few books as Lynn Bronson. Is it possible that she also published as "Honore", or is this just a typo somewhere? The curious thing is that Lampman is very much an Oregon author, and the book On to Oregon! was written by Honore Morrow, and that makes me wonder if the two authors were somehow conflated way back east in Vermont, or what. Very strange.Wendyhttp://sixboxesofbooks.comnoreply@blogger.com