2026 Charitable Contributions

 

of Steven Ted Graves

1952 - 2001

25 years now, how can that be?

1/1/26   Kamala Harris PAC pd through Act Blue      24.00

1/15/26 (delivered 1/24)  Cattail Farms   (24-pack Purina cat food)        18.82

1/27/26  Planned Parenthood Action Fund  (telcon first, but donated online)      25.81         

2025 Charitable Contributions

of Steven Ted Graves....24 years without him

1/16/25  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $17.64

2/6/25  Elizabeth Warren through Act Blue    $24.00

2/11/25   Donor's Choose "Help My Students Learn to Crochet" Ms. Hurley, Pawtucket, RI  $24.00

2/11/25   Empty Bowls, CALC, Carlisle, PA to benefit Project Share (to be held March 10)   $50.00

2/14/25   The Trevor Project (in honor of Mary Graybill's birthday on 2/21)     $24.00

2/22/25  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $17.64

2/25/25   Parkinsons Foundation (In memory of Mom)      $24.00

2/25/25  Donor's Choose "Crochet for Change" Ms. Gowie, Washington DC     $24

3/2/25  Habitat for Humanity in memory of Jimmy Carter AND Steve      $24

3/15/25  Audubon/Nat'l Audubon Society          $24

3/21/25  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

4/8/25  Donor's Choose "Crochet Club Fundamentals" Ms Cottrell, Pittsburgh PA   $24

4/9/25 Kid's Corner Early Childhood Education, Bar Harbor, ME (plus Small chge)     $25.03

4/11/25  Cystic Fibrosis (Trinity Kane)     $24.00

4/20/25  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

5/6/25  Meals on Wheels          $24.00

5/6/25  Donor's Choose "Hop to Learning" Mrs. Javaher, Whittier Elem., Tulsa, OK     $24.00

5/21/25   Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

6/7/25  Unicef U.S.A.           $24.00

6/7/25  National Multiple Sclerosis Soct'y       $24

6/21/25 SeriousFun Children's Network (founded by Paul Newman, over 30 camps (free!) for kids with disabilities all around the world,)         $24

6/21/25 - Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

7/13/25 - Bar Harbor YWCA Luminaria Evening (2 Luminarias; 1 for Steve, 1 for Bill)      $20

7/13/25 - Ocean Conservancy (100% on Charity Navigator)    $24

7/13/25 - Donor's Choose "Help us Sit, Learn, & Connect - We Need a New Carpet" Mrs. Sieber, Harrisburg, PA  (Didn't get funded, new teacher found:) "Building a Library of Possibilities," Mrs. Rouse, Suitland, MD   $24

7/21/25 Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

7/22/25  Popcorn/Disadvantaged Kids/Saunders         $24

8/6/25 fr. Goodwill (brand new gorgeous afghan for Homeless Blnkt. Project)    5.95

8/20/25  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

9/20/2025  Special Olympics  $24

9/21/25   Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

9/20/25  American Diabetes Assoc. (in honor of Ash)   $25.60n  (2X Match!)

10/11/25  Sierra Club      $15.00  (not tax deductible)

10/21/2025  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

11/3/2025  Charles Bruce Fdtn. Memorial Blanket Project     $24

11/15/25   Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

12/16/25  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $18.82

12/24/25  Donor's Choose:  "Crochet Club" Ms. Myers, E. Harlem, NYC    $25.02 Completes funding!

2024 Charitable Contributions

1/9/24  Comfort Cases - Amazon wishlist (boys pj's & 2 books)    25.04

1/10/24  Days for Girls - Amazon wishlist (12 prs. cotton briefs)   22.48

1/11/24  Cattail Farms - Amazon - 24 cans Purina turkey shreds    19.84

1/15/24  Empty Bowls (held March 11 at Project Share)  (w/Sandy)   25.00

1/27/24  Cystic Fibrosis Fdtn (Trinity Kane, Pittsburgh walk, for her niece)   23.00

1/29/24  Radiant Hope, SPS Catholic Schools Week fundraiser, 2-$10 donations to 1st grade   20.00

3/2/24  St. Jude Children's Res. Hosp. (online) 24.00

3/2/24 Appalachian Audubon Socty (online) 24.00

3/2/24  Caitlin's Smiles - Amazon wishlist (12 24-pack Crayola crayons)   24.37

3/12/24  Chad Bruce Fdtn, Carlisle (Match Madness)    24.00

3/12/24  Project Share, Carlisle (Match Madness)   24.00

3/13/24  Crohn's & Colitis "Take Steps" Pittsburgh (Sarah Mann)    24.00

4/14/24  Fur-ever Loved - Amazon wishlist (32 cans wet cat food)  26.06

4/14/24  Saving Acres Farm - Amazon wishlist (2 tubs Fresh Step kitty litter)  24.78

4/14/24  Donors Choose:  "Warming Hearts & Heads" Mrs. Valdez, Winslow, AZ   23.00

4/20/24  Donors Choose:  "Spreading Kindness with Crochet" Mrs. Georgitsis, Warwick, RI    23.00

5/21/24  Donors Choose:  "Book Jacket Drive Chapter 9" Ms. Feldser, Steelton, PA    23.00

5/21/24  Saving Acres Farm- Amazon wishlist for foster family "KAS" (24 cans wet kitten food) 22.39

5/21/24  Project Share Virtual Share Shop   $24.67

6/2/24  Central PA Down Syndrome Awareness Group  23.00 plus "tip"  25.88

6/5/24  Carlisle Volunteer Firefighters Association     23.00

6/10/24  National Breast Cancer Fdtn. in memory of Chris Hazlett    $23.00

6/12/24  Heifer.org   1 flock of chicks  $20.98 (.98 is transaction fee)

6/30/24 GIFFORDS (End Gun Violence)    $23.00

7/14/24  United Way Carlisle "Fill the Bus" (Carlisle 4 Kids/Project Share)  $23.00 + .83 =  $23.83

7/17/24  Cattail Farms - Amazon - 24 cans wet cat food  $11.24 - subscribed for every 4 weeks

7/21/24  Healthy Steps Diaper Bank -Harrisburg (Melissa Rye family) Amazon wishlist (sz. 4/4 packs of 37)  $34.74

7/28/24  The Crayon Initiative   $23.00

8/8/24  Calendar Raffle - Emmaus Homeless Shelter  $20.00

8/9/24  Act Blue - Harris/Wenz  $23.00

8/13/24 Speranza Animal Rescue Inc.   $23.00

8/15/24 Cattail Farms - Amazon monthly subscription - 24 cans wet cat food   $17.79

8/17/24 The Nobody's Cats Fdtn. through My Giving Circle     $23.00

8/27/2024  Donors Choose:  "Organization and Visuals" Mrs. Mason, SpecEd, Las Vegas   $23. (In honor of Ella beginning her first steps toward becoming a Special Education educator)

9/7/24  Donors Choose "No Way Crochet!" Mrs. Jenkins, Henderson, NV     $23

9/11/24  Women's March (signage)      $11

9/16/24  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $17.79

9/17/24  Parkinson's Fdtn.       $23

9/17/24  Donors Choose "Feed the Hunger for Books"  Ms. Morris, Levant, ME     $23

9/25/24   Kickstarter - Charles Bruce Fdtn. - Micah      $23

10/15/24  World Central Kitchen (Hurricane Relief)      $23

10/16/24  Booograms, St. Patrick School Student Lighthouse      $23

10/21/24   Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $17.79

11/7/24  Postal History Fdtn, Tucson       $23

11/9/24  Go Fund Me for Bonnie Tweedy Shaw     $23

11/16/24  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $17.64

12/3/24   Heifer Int'l (give where needed most)    $23   (plus 1.13 processing fee)   $24.13

12/5/24  Cattail Farms - Special Offer of $20 off $49 purchase     $35.57

12/7/24  Donors Choose "Passioknit for the People" Ms. Logan, Danbury, CT   $23

12/11 & 12/17 (gave twice) Hancock Cty. SPCA for Lisa McDaniel's birthday    $23 x 2

12/21/24  Cattail Farms - 24 cans wet cat food Amazon monthly subscription     $17.64

2023 Charitable Contributions

1/20/2023   Planned Parenthood                                   22.00

1/20/2023   Donors Choose "Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts" Mrs. Feldser/Library, Steelton-Highspire Elementary School, PA  22.00  

1/28/2023  Heifer International, a flock of chicks         20.00  

2/10/2023  Sightsavers                                                   22.00  

2/10/23     Butler Family Raffle thru Salt/SWH                10.00

2/20/2023  Davis Dog Farm (where Matt volunteers)     22.00

2/24/23      Island Connections in memory of Kathy Suminsby     25.75

2/24/23  Donors Choose "Using Our Hands to Enrich Our Minds" Mrs. Kirby/Mooreland Elem Kindergarten, Carlisle, PA    22.00

2/27/23  Suicide Prevention "Out of the Drkness" DC Night Walk - Ella         22.00

2/27/23  Suicide Prevention  "Out of the Drkness"DC Night Walk - Laura     22.00

3/13/23  Pemetic Elementary (Jackson Dunbar)                25.00

3/20/23 Empty Bowls (bought ticket earlier) I'm in 3 of the photos!     25.00

3/22/23 Speranza Animal Rescue, Mechanicsburg- Amazon wishlist (5 items) 22.31

3/22/23  Cattail Farms Animal Sanctuary, Carlisle                   22.00

3/23/23  Team Seas  pennies ($53.00 SPS)       11.00

4/1/23  Second Suicide Prevention "Out of the Drkness" donation  - Laura   22.00

4/5/23  Parkinson's Fdtn. - 60 Mile Challenge (Melissa Rye)     22.00

4/15/23 St. Jude Children's Research Hospital     23.00

4/23/23  National Audubon Society     22.00

4/28/23  Chevra Hatzalah of Crowne Hts. (Yoni Lewkowicz)   18.00

4/30/23  Wildlife Conservation Network - Global Penguin Society  22.00

5/12/23  St. Jude Children's Res Hosp (Max Silverman) 2023 Rock 'n' Roll Run, San Diego  22.00

5/18/23  Jack Bradshaw Run2Read 5K (Thomas Bonias) Seacoast Lrng Ctr -  22.00 (+3.30)

6/3/2023  Fourth Suicide Prevention "Out of the Drkness" (Laura) 22.00 (The walk is tonight)

6/9/2023  Saving Acres Farm, Carlisle - Cat Rescue - Amazon wishlist       22.39

6/16/2023  Caitlin's Smiles, Harrisburg - Amazon wishlist     23.46

6/18/2023  Donors Choose "Crochet Club" - Mrs. Osborne, Saratoga Springs, UT    22.00 (Fully Funded!)

6/21/23    Caitlin Smiles (thru Amazon)   8000 rubber bands    $7.41

7/6/2023   Abram Lockwood's Lemonade Stand/Children's Reading Room    22.00

7/16/2023  Emily Whitehead Foundation  (Matt Sabath)   22.00 + 1.71 handling fee    22.71

7/23/22   Pan-Mass Challenge (Dana Farber Cancer Res. Inst.) 8/5/23  (Jessye Liebow)   22.00

7/27/23   Citizens for Carlisle Schools   22.00

8/17/23   The Postal History Fdtn., Tucson   22.00

8/18  Donors Choose "Crocheting Creative Characters Creates Calm Children)  Mrs. Cutting (gr. 3-5) Las Cruses, NM    22.00  

8/24/23  Maui Humane Society (August wildfires)  22.00

8/26/23  GS of Southern Arizona "Over the Edge" Alyson Israel   22.00  =  2.36     24.36

8/29-23  American Friends Service Committee - Joan Baez appeal     22.00

9/2/23   Speranza Animal Rescue, dog toys from Amazon wishlist    23.15

10/1/23  American Cancer Society (Bri Calaman Rdg. Challenge)     22.00

10/7/23  Donor's Choose "Knitting Time" - Mrs. Migliori, Lowell HS, MA     22.00

10/7/23 - Cattail Farms - Purina Friskies Gravy Wet Cat Food Variety Pack, Savory Shreds - 32 (5.5 ox.) cans through Amazon     24.76 

10/7/23 - Emily Whitehead Foundation  (Venmo/LEG)    22.00

10/7/23 - Ashley Bryan Center      22.00

11/4/23  NYC Marathon/Emily Whitehead Foundation /Matt Sabath     22.00

11/23/23  The Guthrie Center        22.00

11/25/23  Charles Bruce Fdtn (honor of Pat LaMarche's Bday)      22.00

11/25/23  canned chicken breast for donation at SPS (Weis)     3.47

11/28/23  St. Patrick School     $22.00

11/29/23  Soles4Souls Giving Shoes Day   $22.00

12/1/23  Carlisle Police Department Christmas Gifts for Kids - Amazon wishlist, Hasbro Mouse Trap board game      $21.24

12/1/23 Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital-1000 Push-ups Challenge - John Scrimer     $22.00

12/11/23 Hancock Cty. SPCA (Lisa McDaniel birthday)         $22.00

12/12/23  The Trevor Project   (Rose City Originals Quilt)       $23.77

50 donations totaling $ 1128.08

2023 yarn purchases for Homeless Blanket Project

6/29/23  Dollar Tree   9.28

7/7/23 Monarch Knitting   13.53

7/9/23  Michaels    27.10

7/17/23  Michaels   25.53

7/28/23  Michaels     1.98

8/2/23  Mardens  22.09

8/4/23   Michaels   16.53

8/17/23   Michaels    23.95

9/4/23   Michaels    25.43

10/3/23   JoAnn  24.00

10/4/23  Michaels   15.75

10/9/23   Dollar Tree   9.28

11/1/23   Michaels  21.20

11/12/23  Michaels   6.34

11/22/23   Michaels   8.48

11/24/23   Herrschner's (online)   61.29

11/28/23  Michaels   6.07

12/12/23   Michaels     14.52

$ 332.41

2022 Charitable Contributions

3/12/22  Blanket for Military Vet Family  20.00

3/27/22  Donors Choose   21.00 (Tucson classroom)

5/22/22 St. Patrick School    25.00

10/26/22 Alzheimers   10.00

11/29/22 Brush Pen Art Markers for Christmas Tree/Giving at Carlisle Police Dept.  9.50

12/3/22  Ella's Fusion Hour-a-thon  25.00

12/10/22 SIX Afghans for the Homeless Blanket Project

     3-5 skeins for each, plus all sorts of assorted colors (have most receipts)  50 x 4.50 = 225.00 + tax

12/21  Charles Bruce Fdtn. (through Facebook) 25.00

Trying to Make a DIfference

6 cat blankets for Cat Tail Farms

delivered 1/15/2022

(There would have been 7, but I didn't get a chance to sew in the ends of the brightly striped one yet.)

This week I've also knit two Valentine dishcloths, 2 Valentine scrubbies, and three bright red Scrubbers.

Picture Book - Kamala and Maya's Big Idea by Meena Harris

Illustrated by Ana Ramirez Gonzalez

found at Ellsworth Public Library

read on 7/14/2021

2020, Balzer & Bray

32 pgs.

Endpapers:  solid royal blue

illustrations:  bold colors, edge to edge, not too much text

Goodreads rating:   4.03 - 1011 ratings

My rating:  4

Afterward/explanation with photos

1^st line/s:  " 'You know what should be out there?' Kamala asked her sister, Maya."

My comments:  Two sisters (Kamala Harris and her sister Maya) create, plan and organize a way to make a playground in the empty apartment courtyard where they live, even after gettin several "no"s .  Working together, almost anything can be accomplished. 

Goodreads:  One day, Kamala and Maya had an idea. A big idea: they would turn their empty apartment courtyard into a playground!

          This is the uplifting tale of how the author’s aunt and mother first learned to persevere in the face of disappointment and turned a dream into reality. This is a story of children’s ability to make a difference and of a community coming together to transform their neighborhood.

Picture Book - The Forest Man: The True Story of Jadav Payeng by Anne Matheson

Illustrated by Kay Widdowson 

found at Amelia Givin Library

2020 FlowerPot Press

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  3.80 - 60 ratings

My rating:  4
Endpapers:  Simple.  White with one-inch yellow grid lines.

1^st line/s:  "Jadev Payeng loves trees."

My comments:  Someone called this "a treat for the eyes" and I agree.  How one person took two hours traveling back and forth for forty years to replant and recreate a decimated forest island in India.  The last six pages told of animals, easy-to-follow further facts, and a great glossary.  Perfect for younger classes learning about biomes, or for any age that cares about making the world a better place, and growing trees.

Jadav Payeng

Goodreads:  After years of harsh monsoon seasons, a forest on the river island of Majuli is in danger of being slowly washed away. Jadav, a boy living on the island, is determined to save the forest he loves.

          This is the true story of how one young boy dedicated his life to creating and cultivating an expansive forest that continues to grow to this day. In a world impacted by climate change, Jadav Payeng's inspirational story shows how one person's contributions can make a difference in helping to save our environment.
          Featuring a beautiful arlin paper cover with foil text enhancements and educational back matter including a glossary, fun facts, and resources for further reading, this book introduces a new understanding of our planet and encourages mindfulness and action when it comes to caring for the environment.
          In partnership with Trees for the Future (TREES), each book sold plants a tree.

Picture Book - The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha

2020 Caldecott Honor Award

Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu

2020 G. P. Putman's Sons

HC $17.99

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:   4.25 - 627 ratings

My rating:  5
Endpapers:  Aleppo skyline, with lots of sky and white dove-like birds

1^st line/s:  "Alaa loves his city of Aleppo.  He loves its narrow alleys and covered bazaars selling pistachios, jasmine soap, and green za'atar.  He loves the boiled corn and dried figs offered on the street.  Most of all, he loves the people of Aleppo.  The are gentle, polite, and loving - like him."

My comments:  Fantastic story and rich illustrations come together beautifully to tell a true, meaningful, heartwarming story.  After civil war bombings and crumbling buildings encourage many of Aleppo's citizens to flee, leaving their cats behind to fend for themselves, Alaa begins feeding, rescuing, and ultimately creating a shelter for these helpless animals.  There is currently a way that people all over the world can donate to keep this shelter ongoing.

Goodreads:  The courageous and true story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who in the midst of the Syrian Civil War offered safe haven to Aleppo's abandoned cats.

          Aleppo's city center no longer echoes with the rich, exciting sounds of copper-pot pounding and traditional sword sharpening. His neighborhood is empty--except for the many cats left behind.
          Alaa loves Aleppo, but when war comes his neighbors flee to safety, leaving their many pets behind. Alaa decides to stay--he can make a difference by driving an ambulance, carrying the sick and wounded to safety. One day he hears hungry cats calling out to him on his way home. They are lonely and scared, just like him. He feeds and pets them to let them know they are loved. The next day more cats come, and then even more! There are too many for Alaa to take care of on his own. Alaa has a big heart, but he will need help from others if he wants to keep all of his new friends safe

2021 Charitable Donations

I'm going to try to continue to give monthly contributions to worthy causes in Steve's memory.  It'll be 20 years in March since he's been gone.  Want to keep his awesome memory floating out there in the universe.

1/15/21   Charles Bruce Fdtn., Carlisle, PA  20.00

                   A local charity that supports writers, artists, and musicians

                   This Go Fund Me Project is to get a good printer so that they can continue to print and distribute books.  They published five in the past year.

6/14/21  The Nature Conservancy   20.00

8/12/21  Hope for Eli (Go Fund Me)  20.00

9/12/21  Carlisle Volunteer Firefighters Association   20.00

9/12/21   Friends of Bosler Memorial Library    10.00

12/15/2021  BSHS Cancer Mini-Thon   25.00

Picture Poetry Book: Dictionary for a Better World by Irene Latham & Charles Waters

Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z

Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

2020, Carolrhoda Books

120 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.68 - 213 ratings

Goodreads blurb:  How can we make the world a better place? This resource for middle-grade readers is organized as a dictionary; each entry presents a word related to creating a better world, such as ally, empathy, or respect. For each word, there is a poem, a quote, a personal anecdote from the authors, and a "try it" prompt for an activity.

EMPATHY

Ears open

Mouth closed

Paying

Attention

To the other person

Helping them know

Yes, they matter.

                Charles Waters

                 an acrostic poem

COURAGE

Sometimes

courage can be

getting up to face life's

stormy world when you'd rather hide

in bed.

                  Charles Waters

                   a cinquain

KINDNESS

Kindness boards a bus.

Kindness stands

so you can sit.

Kindness unwraps

a sandwich

and gives you the bigger half.

                    Irene Latham

                    a cherita (a three-stanza poem that tells a story.  The first stanza has one line and sets the scene, the second stanza has two lines, and the third stanza has three lines.)

VOICE

a poem for two voices

I like to shout                I like to whisper

loud, proud,                   tender,

strong words                  remember-me words.

                 words have power

words can split a city     words can rain down,

with the speed                 bringing spring bouquets

of an earthquake              to a barren desert

Picture Book - Little Doctor and the Fearless Beast by Sophie Gilmore

Illustrated by the author

2019 Owlkid Books/Canada

Hardcover $17.95

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating: 3.93 - 180 ratings 

My rating:  4
Endpapers: Solid jungle green

1^st line/s: " There once lived a child the crocodiles called Little Doctor." 

My comments:  The title should be Fearless Little Doctor and the Beast!  A brave little gril doctor gently cares for all the crocodiles in the (lush) jungle, until a huge croc comes to her and she can't discover what's wrong with him.  With great ingenuity she finally figures out how to get him to open his huge jase - and discovers the crux of the problem.  No words are used to explain the problem, only that inside the open jaws are baby crocs, all wrapped up in plastic six-pack rings.  Subtle message, love it.  Must use to talk about correct recycling of plastics, as well as beautiful illustrations!

Goodreads: Crocodiles come from far and wide to seek Little Doctor's care. She treats each one with skill and kindness--even the toughest crocs with thick skins and large, powerful jaws. Little Doctor marvels at these fearless beasts, listening to their stories, while she diagnoses and cures what ails them. But when she meets Big Mean, the largest crocodile in the land with jaws clamped tightly shut, Little Doctor can't figure out what's wrong. And she might be just a little bit afraid.
          When one creative idea lands Little Doctor right inside Big Mean's tremendous jaws, she is sure she'll be munched or crunched--until she sees that Big Mean isn't so horrible, after all. As it turns out, the crocodile is only protecting her hatchlings, all tangled in plastic, inside her mouth.
          Watercolor illustrations create a richly imagined world in this awe-inspiring story about how even little kids can be fearless, and even big, mean creatures sometimes need help.

Picture Book: A Castle on Viola Street by DyAnne DiSalvo

Illustrated by the author

2001 Harper Collins

Looks like it may be out-of-print

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.07 - 56 ratings

My rating:  5

Endpapers:  White

1^st line/s:   "In the old days, before I ws ten, we rented an apartment on Emerald Street.  It was a small place to live in for one whole family, but somehow we made the room."

My comments:  To find such a lovely picture book about Habitat for Humanity-type building and receiving is a real treat and a wonderful treasure!  Great story AND illustrations that depict a wonderful family of five.

Goodreads: Andy is so used to his family's small, run-down apartment that he has never imagined living anywhere else--especially not in a new house with a garden and a porch. Such houses seem like castles to him.
          But when he hears about an organization that turns abandoned houses into homes, he discovers that his castle isn't in the clouds--it's on Viola Street. And with some hard work and community caring, it could be his very own.
          DyAnne DiSalvo combines new faces with familiar ones from earlier stories in this warm, vibrant tale about the good things that come when a whole family pitches in to make a better life for themselves.

Picture Book - Emmanuel's Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson

The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
Illustrated by  Sean Qualls

2015, Schwartz & Wade Books, Random House Children's Books

HC $17.99

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.38 - 2051 ratings

My rating:  5

Endpapers: A smudgy pinky, dusty solid

1^st line/s: 
"In Ghana, West Africa, a baby boy was born:
Two bright eyes blinked in the light,
two healthy lungs let oout a powerful cry,
two tiny fists opened and closed,
but only one strong leg kicked."

My comments: ONE PERSON CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.  This true story shows this  completely.  Born with a useless leg, Emmanuel was treated as and considered a beggar with no worth, but he wanted to EARN his way in the world.  This story shows how he really did make a difference, by proving to everyone that physical disabilities do not change a person's worth.  He biked - with one leg - for 400 miles across Ghana and had it recorded.  Because of his persistence and drive, Ghana's disability laws were changed!  This book is written really well and I totally enjoy the accompanying illustrations. A surefire winner for any "Making a Difference in the World" study!

Goodreads:  This picture book biography tells the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who bicycled across Ghana--nearly 400 miles--with only one leg. With that achievement he forever changed how his country treats people with disabilities, and he shows us all that one person is enough to change the world.

PICTURE BOOK - Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind by Cynthia Grady

Illustrated by Amiko Hirao

2018, Charlesbridge Publishing

HC $16.99

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.29 - 92 ratings

My rating:  4.5

1^st line/s:  "Katherine Tasaki returned a stack of books and turned in her library card.  "We've go to move soon," she said.  "All Japanese, you know."

My comments:  The internment and mistreatment of Japanese Americans during WWII has always bewildered and incensed me.  This true story connects kids not only to this sad part of American History, but also highlights a brave American woman who did something to help alter a horrendous situation.

Goodreads  A touching story about Japanese American children who corresponded with their beloved librarian while they were imprisoned in World War II internment camps.
          When Executive Order 9066 is enacted after the attack at Pearl Harbor, children's librarian Clara Breed's young Japanese American patrons are to be sent to prison camp. Before they are moved, Breed asks the children to write her letters and gives them books to take with them. Through the three years of their internment, the children correspond with Miss Breed, sharing their stories, providing feedback on books, and creating a record of their experiences. Using excerpts from children's letters held at the Japanese American National Museum, author Cynthia Grady presents a difficult subject with honesty and hope.
          " A beautiful picture book for sharing and discussing with older children as well as the primary audience" -- Booklist STARRED REVIEW 
          "A touching tribute to a woman who deserves recognition" -- Kirkus Reviews
          "[An] affecting introduction to a distressing chapter in U.S. history and a brave librarian who inspired hope" -- Publisher's Weekly

17 Years to Commemorate - 48 Years to Celebrate!

March 26, 2018

Celebrating Steve's life on the date of his death

For remembrance, with love, lots of it.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (4/3) 17.00
MDI Sharks/Bar Harbor YMCA (3/18) 30.00

PICTURE BOOK - Malala's Magic Pencil by Malal Yousafzai

Illustrated by Kerascoet (a husband wife team)

2017, Little Brown & Co.
HC $17.99
40 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.47 - 777 ratings

My rating:  5

Endpapers:  BOTH sides are a burst of journal and pencil in white on shiny gold background

Illustrations:  Edge-of-page to edge-of page, though lots of white is used in the background

1^st line/s:  "When I was younger, I used to watch a TV show about a boy who had a magic pencil."

My comments:  A biography/memoir for young kids, written by Malala herself.  It's a gentle story of hope and dreams, touching on the ugliness of what happened to her but not dwelling on it.  The illustrations are magical, with lots of shiny gold used throughout and on the endpapers.  Highly recommended.

Goodreads: Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Malala Yousafzai's first picture book, inspired by her own childhood.
          Malala's first picture book will inspire young readers everywhere to find the magic all around them.
          As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. She would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. But as she grew older, Malala saw that there were more important things to wish for. She saw a world that needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true. 
          This beautifully illustrated volume tells Malala's story for a younger audience and shows them the worldview that allowed Malala to hold on to hope even in the most difficult of times.

PICTURE BOOK - The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling by Allison Inches

2009, Little Simon (Little Green Books)
3.99 in paper

24 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.11 - 83 ratings

My rating: 4
There looks like there's another book called The Adventures of an Aluminum Can that is published by the same publisher.

My comments:       This story is told in diary form, from the point-of-view of crude oil flowing at the very bottom of the ocean.  He’s pumped onto a ship, then to a refinery, made into small plastic bits, then molded into a water bottle.  After the bottling plant he’s purchased by a boy who, after guzzling the water, refills it and gives it to his mom with a flower.  After it’s done its duty as a vase, they recycle it and it’s sent to another place where he’s boiled down, made into spaghettis of plastic, then into a synthetic fleece sweatshirt that astronauts wear.

      There’s no mention of how long plastic takes to break down, which would have been another interesting aspect of the story.  But for a discussion about recycling, this would be a great introductory story.

Goodreads:  Learn about recycling from a new perspective!  Peek into this diary of a plastic bottle as it goes on a journey from the refinery plant, to the manufacturing line, to the store shelf, to a garbage can, and finally to a recycling plant where it emerges into it's new life...as a fleece jacket! 
          Told from the point of view of a free-spirited plastic bottle, kids can share in the daily experiences and inner thoughts of the bottle through his personal journal. The diary entries will be fun and humorous yet point out the ecological significance behind each product and the resources used to make it. Readers will never look at a plastic bottle the same way again!

PICTURE BOOK - One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul

Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

2015, Millbrook Press, Minneapolis

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating: 4.29 - 769 ratings

My rating:  5

Endpapers:  collage of flattened plastic bags

Setting:  Contemporary Njau, Gambia

1^st line/s:  "Isatou walks with her chin frozen."

My comments:  Oooo-eeeee, this is my kind of book!  Ite tells how one woman in Gambia, after realizing that stinky, fly-attracting piles of plastic bags were making her village unsightly and unhealthy, came up with a plan to reuse/recycle them.  In the long run, the women of the town have started one heck of a business enterprise!  Illustrations are collaged and are lovely, as is the story.  My last class at THA recycled plastic bags into PLARN and we made a sleeping mat for the homeless shelter.  It took a lot of hard work and almost a full year, but boy were the kids proud!  This is a great introduction to teaching about recycling plastic gabs AND introducing some really cool DIY activities.

Goodreads:  Plastic bags are cheap and easy to use. But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then ten. Then a hundred.
          The bags accumulated in ugly heaps alongside roads. Water pooled in them, bringing mosquitoes and disease. Some bags were burned, leaving behind a terrible smell. Some were buried, but they strangled gardens. They killed livestock that tried to eat them. Something had to change.
          Isatou Ceesay was that change. She found a way to recycle the bags and transform her community. This inspirational true story shows how one person's actions really can make a difference in our world.

PICTURE BOOK - A Hat for Mrs. Goldman by Michelle Edwards

A Story About Knitting and Love
Illustrated by G. Brian Karas

2016, Schwartz & Wade Books

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating: 4.34 - 386 ratings

My rating:  5 stars

Endpapers:  Front:  vague knit stitches  Back:  the same vague knit stitches plus pompoms!

Hat AND PomPom instructins follow the story...and they're really easy!

1^st line/s:  "When Sophia was a tiny baby, Mrs. Goldman next door knit her a tiny baby hat to keep her warm."

My comments:  Okay, I love this book.  LOVE it!  Mrs. Goldman knits hats for everyone she knows, many, many hats.  Sophia tries to knit, but discovers she'd rather make pomp poms for Mrs. Goldman's hats.  She's really good at that, and Mrs. Goldman assures her that it's a mitzvah.  Okay, I'm sold.  Knitting.  Mitzvahs. Hooray!  You could end right there and I'd be happy. But then Sophia discovers that Mrs. Goldman has given her own hat away, and their long winter walks are cold and blow Mrs. Goldman's hair everywhere.  Sophia comes up with a plan....and problem-solves through issues she encounters until the story reaches a very satisfying conclusion.  Bravo!

Goodreads:  Here’s a heartwarming winter picture book that’s sure to appeal to families who love knitting. 
          Mrs. Goldman always knits hats for everyone in the neighborhood, and Sophia, who thinks knitting is too hard, helps by making the pom-poms. But now winter is here, and Mrs. Goldman herself doesn’t have a hat—she’s too busy making hats for everyone else! It’s up to Sophia to buckle down and knit a hat for Mrs. Goldman. But try as Sophia might, the hat turns out lumpy, the stitches aren’t even, and there are holes where there shouldn’t be holes. Sophia is devastated until she gets an idea that will make Mrs. Goldman’s hat the most wonderful of all. Readers both young and old will relate to Sophia’s frustrations, as well as her delight in making something special for someone she loves.