It's almost the end of banned book week, one of my favorite weeks of the year because it celebrates all the most amazing books that have been put out into the world and challenged for the truth and reality that they share. Because that does seem to be the recurring similarities in most banned books, right? That they show the truth of our world, even if those books aren't based in our world? It's very hard to face the truth when it's staring us in the face, and the people who challenge books seem to have trouble allowing young readers access to truth.
I have just finished reading Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult by Bruce Hardy, which was a great introductory book for my MA course. While the book gave a great analysis of some of the most beloved children's books, going all the way back to Little Women, it also shared why they are still beloved today. And the books that are still the most popular, still displayed, in their umpteenth reprinting, are the ones that display truth of what life is really like, deal with topics that children all deal with.
Adults often belittle what a child can handle and understand, but most kids can handle a lot more than we believe. They have their own way of dealing with the hard facts of life. We are doing them no favors by sugarcoating life, avoiding hard topics, and throwing out books that address those hard topics.
The Books that are on the banned book list are the most memorable, the most truthful, and often, the most beloved by their designated readers who appreciate the respect that they are shown.
Here are some of my favorite banned books:
Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone
To Kill a Mockingbird
Forever by Judy Blume
Black Beauty
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Prep for England
The day is here! Tomorrow, I leave for Bath (!!!!!!!!!). Unsuprisingly, I've never done anything like this before. I've never packed up my whole life to take it to a whole new life. It's really kind of surreal--that's really the only word I can use to describe that encompasses all the feelings.
But the preparation for this move has been crazy. Extracting myself from my life in Maryville is not an easy thing--mainly because I have a lot of mementos and knick knacks and pictures and BOOKS and clothes and just stuff that I love. It was easy when I went to UTC because I was just two hours down the road and could drive to get whatever I had forgotten. Not exactly feasible with this move. So here's how I'm making this move work:
1. Space Bags: And not the space bags that you roll up, but the space bags that vacuum seal because those things are just plain magic. They decrease to half their size...maybe even more than that. It makes packing so much easier and saves so much space, literally. I wouldn't have been able to make all my luggage work without it.
2. A Good Carry On: I got a lovely carry on bag for Christmas in preparation for my upcoming travels, and let me tell you, I love this bag. It has a nice spacious upper section that will fit several days worth of clothes, and then below it is a section that fits shoes, chargers, all the extra things that wouldn't fit in the top part. For this move, I have clothes that'll last me, some medications, and my cameras.
3. A Backpack: The backpack has your essentials--the things you couldn't live without in the case that something happens to your luggage. A change of clothes, comfy sweater for the airplane, socks for the airplane, travel toiletries, laptop, chargers, book, wallet, whatever else you think you'll need to survive.
4. Charging converters: These are essential to the life of your technology, so I suggest taking them. On any other trip, not a move, I wouldn't recommend bringing laptops. Instead, I would get this awesome Nulaxy keyboard that bluetooth connects to your phone, so you can type on your phone easily. Evernote is a great app if you need to type larger documents.
5. Portable charger: I've never used one before, but on my last trip to DC, I really wished I'd had one of these things. When you take too many pictures or are instagramming a lot or forgot to charger your phone the night before, this little device is a lifesaver.
6. Lists: When that packing anxiety hits and you can't figure out if you have everything that you need, make lists. My friend recommended this when packing three suitcases got overwhelming, and I can't even tell you how much it helped me calm down and keep everything organize. Now, when I go to unpack, I have exactly where everything is.
7. Comfy but cute: For long flights like this, I try to be cute, but comfort comes first. Leggings, fuzzy socks for "sleeping" hours, a cozy sweater are all essentials to me.
What are your travel essentials?
See you across the pond,
HER
But the preparation for this move has been crazy. Extracting myself from my life in Maryville is not an easy thing--mainly because I have a lot of mementos and knick knacks and pictures and BOOKS and clothes and just stuff that I love. It was easy when I went to UTC because I was just two hours down the road and could drive to get whatever I had forgotten. Not exactly feasible with this move. So here's how I'm making this move work:
1. Space Bags: And not the space bags that you roll up, but the space bags that vacuum seal because those things are just plain magic. They decrease to half their size...maybe even more than that. It makes packing so much easier and saves so much space, literally. I wouldn't have been able to make all my luggage work without it.
2. A Good Carry On: I got a lovely carry on bag for Christmas in preparation for my upcoming travels, and let me tell you, I love this bag. It has a nice spacious upper section that will fit several days worth of clothes, and then below it is a section that fits shoes, chargers, all the extra things that wouldn't fit in the top part. For this move, I have clothes that'll last me, some medications, and my cameras.
3. A Backpack: The backpack has your essentials--the things you couldn't live without in the case that something happens to your luggage. A change of clothes, comfy sweater for the airplane, socks for the airplane, travel toiletries, laptop, chargers, book, wallet, whatever else you think you'll need to survive.
4. Charging converters: These are essential to the life of your technology, so I suggest taking them. On any other trip, not a move, I wouldn't recommend bringing laptops. Instead, I would get this awesome Nulaxy keyboard that bluetooth connects to your phone, so you can type on your phone easily. Evernote is a great app if you need to type larger documents.
5. Portable charger: I've never used one before, but on my last trip to DC, I really wished I'd had one of these things. When you take too many pictures or are instagramming a lot or forgot to charger your phone the night before, this little device is a lifesaver.
6. Lists: When that packing anxiety hits and you can't figure out if you have everything that you need, make lists. My friend recommended this when packing three suitcases got overwhelming, and I can't even tell you how much it helped me calm down and keep everything organize. Now, when I go to unpack, I have exactly where everything is.
7. Comfy but cute: For long flights like this, I try to be cute, but comfort comes first. Leggings, fuzzy socks for "sleeping" hours, a cozy sweater are all essentials to me.
What are your travel essentials?
See you across the pond,
HER
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