April, 2010

Eileen Spinelli

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending Missouri Association of School Librarians.

One of my all time writing heroes, Eileen Spinelli, the author of HERO CAT and SOMEONE LOVES YOU MR. HATCH, was in attendance. She just happened to win the 2009 Show Me Readers Award presented by MASL.

I had the good fortune of finding Taffy, the librarian. She offered to introduce me to Mrs. Spinelli so I signed a copy of LITTLE PIANO GIRL and gave it to Taffy to pass on. At the agreed upon meeting time, I was wiped out, washed out, done in, finished. So much socializing and chatting about books of all sorts with attendees and authors made my head spin so…I missed my meeting with the great SPINelli.

Anyway, upon my return home, a lovely message crossed by desk via the internet–
a thank you from someone I know is so busy with life that she had to sneak the time to write it. It proves one thing. Wonderful stories come from wonderful people, those who do the nice thing just because.

Patricia Polacco

Is there anything better than touching a real meteor, especially one that grants wishes? Several hundred children, librarians, teachers and I got to do that not long ago when Patricia Polacco spoke at Pembroke Hill Day School. I haven’t gotten my wish yet but it’s just a matter of time.

Patricia’s presentation was direct, warm, funny and practical.

She offered suggestions about how each of us might make a difference in another person’s life just by noticing if they are lonely or hurting. She said, “Start today. If you see someone who needs your attention, jump in.”

Having been one of those lonely people myself at times and having had someone “jump in,” I resolved then and there to do it for someone else, whenever or wherever.

You can do it too. Start today. Jump in.