10 Comments

Yes, gotta love Beverly Cleary. A far cry from what goes as children's lit today!

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Right?? I loved Beverly Clearly and those days! Good memories ☺️ ox

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Deb

Sorry that I haven't commented recently but Nancy and I have been busy with all the things going on in our lives.

I loved the conference that you had with your daughter's teacher. She showed a lot of maturity asking you to come in and review the books that she was recommending for your daughter instead of just assuming that they were acceptable to you.

Don't get me wrong, but I am totally against the ham handed ways that the ban the book crowd and their politician friends are decimating school and public libraries in the name of "our children" Bull puckey.

A parent has every right to check and make sure that their child is not exposed to books, movies, or other media that is obscene, promotes illegal or dangerous behavior, or is age inappropriate. Having said that , people no matter how "civic mnded" cannot prevent children other than their own from reading, watching, or hearing materials otherwise not illegal simply on a subjective objection to the books content or subject matter.

If parents and schools worked together as that teacher did with you, those parents who had objections to certain book would have their wishes as to their children observed, but those parents who have no objedtion to their child reading certain material would be allowed to do so and not denied the right to read literature that interests them. and is appropriate for thei age.

onl be

Look most people know what books might be sketchy for kids of a certain age. The school will place those books in a secure area and these will only be checked out to children whose parents have approved them

At the beginning of school each year the parents will be notified as to the books that have been deemed objectionable, by whom, and the reasons why, ad the parents are invited to examine the books themselves and decide iff THIER child should be allowed to read the book. Before the book can be checked out by student the librarian will check to see if that book has been forbidden to be read by him of her.. That seems to me to be more practical than disrupting school board meetings with protests and getting politicians involved, and trampling on the rights of others

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Hi Bill!

I apologize too, but we don't need to apologize for having busy things. Sometimes I look up and realize a whole week went by and I was too tired during the extra time to do all of the things I promised. My mom loves to chat most evenings, as she lives out of state and is 87 and we too have so much going on. Mom is losing her eyesight from Macular Degeneration so our chats are really good for her. Mom was also a huge reader and gardener, so it's been such a challenge for her to give up holding books, writing to people on the computer, reading my stories, etc. Thankfully, she's embraced audio books - but always says it's not the same.

I agree that a parent has the right to help their child pick and read age appropriate books and each child is typically on a different reading and comprehending level. No child should have the public schools be their parent and if there is no parent participation, the schools should be able to define "appropriate," without pushing any kind of agenda. It's sad that politics have been infused into children's lives. They are innocent bystanders. A list should go out every school year for parents and you are absolutely correct that each parent, caregiver, should go down the list and have a chance to google, review, etc., and check it off or not. If the parent or caregiver hasn't got the time or can't be bothered, then they should be called in for an appointment.

I was so thrilled to think that a librarian cared so much about my girl. She saw her reading level but also didn't want to expose her to anything that we, as parents, might not be ready to teach her yet. Beautiful, thoughtful and non-complicated.

Honestly, the world we live in has been long in end times it feels. Now so much of what is absolutely wrong and corrupt is right in our face, as some kind of false truth. I pray that the ship can turn around and get back to real honest governing. Too many agendas, too many elitists running this country, both sides, for far too long.

God Bless you and Nancy! oxoxox

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I loved this Deb! It’s awesome how you are discovering just how much you and Brynn were and are alike❤️

Did we go to the park in Beverly Cleary’s childhood neighborhood when you were in Portland? There’s statues of characters from her books😊And did you know she graduated from Chaffey College in 1936? https://www.dailybulletin.com/2021/04/01/beverly-cleary-got-first-taste-of-california-in-ontario-at-chaffey/amp/

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B.F.F.!!! thank you so much!! and YES, I remember going there quickly? and the statue. I didn't take a picture? so maybe it was raining? and NO! I can't believe she graduated from Chaffey? How crazy is that!!! I still can't get over how long she lived! love you. oxox

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I love this. Our family is so much alike with each generation. From the time I was little I loved books and writing. In England, the most popular children's author was Enid Blyton and she wrote stories for children ranging in age from preschool to mid teens. All I ever wanted for a birthday or Christmas present was an Enid Blyton book and that's what I got. Beverly Cleary was England's Enid Blyton. Although all my books got passed on, I managed to save the very last one and I found it stuffed away in the upstairs back room closet today. 'THE MYSTERY OF THE SECRET ROOM' BY ENID BLYTON. It made the journey to America with me in 1963. We have so much to thank these talented authors for. I can't wait to re-capture the memories.

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Thank you mom!!! It's so good to remember isn't it? Remember us the way we were and how these books, stories gave us friends. I believe I have some of the Enid Blyton books that you and/or Nana gave me! You'll have to look when you're here. Glad you still have one of her treasures :) I guess these days, especially in the last three years, I binge stories/shows on Netfilx where I should be reading! ha ha! Easy to zone out as we go through the ups and downs of life. love you. ox

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Reading My favorite activity. My sweet Friend I apologize for being so Quiet I have been reading all you have posted. I'll tell you in our Chat how things have spun around in my Life. But I was a reader also and my fav story is I was in Fifth grade and I could do work almost faster than my teachers could get it to me. One day she was teaching the class and I decided I knew it so I tuned out but to look like I was engaged I came up with what I "thought" was a brilliant solution. I propped my Text book up on my desk and hid my Book I was reading "I think it was Little Women or something By Agatha Christie,(my old brain has forgotten lol) behind my text book. Mrs. Ousley apparently caught on to me because she stopped speaking and walked to my desk. My best Friend told me later, she was shaking her head and walking quickly. and I remember her taking both books and saying "so you would rather read than listen to me; what are you reading, Miss Walker?" I was shocked that my plan had failed, She took my book and after class called me to her and gave it back and said. Are you really reading this? I said yes and proceeded to tell her what it was about. She told me that reading was great and would help me all my life but there was a time and place for it. I apologized and she said I am glad you love to read no need to apologize. The next day she called me after class t give me another book and said, Try this. It was something by Charles Dickens I believe but It was huge and I enjoyed reading it because I learned a lot of new words. I have never stopped while my taste changes I have a wide variety on my Kindle of History, Fiction, Non Fiction, etc. I still read as much as I possibly can. and reading about you and Brynn Reminded me that I LOVE reading anything. All Genres, all Writers, all Types; I have never met a book I didn't like lol. Thank you for reminding me. It has been a little dark here but I have things to keep me happy. Love you My sweet Friend. Talk soon. oxoxoxoxo

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Linda!!!

I absolutely LOVED reading this! What I find amazing is sometimes I have far more memory for elementary school than I do for Jr. High! Perhaps it was the influence of our teachers back then. I love how Mrs. Ousley reprimanded you, but then brought you Charles Dickens!! yesss! That's amazing.

I'm so sorry things have been dark :( It creeps up. Praying that you are in some light now and doing you. Hope to catch-up with you soon. love, deb ox

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