 |
| You cannot see it, Brigade, but Our Birdie was wearing a shirt with stars all over it. |
There is a children's bookstore in St. Paul where Julie took Clara two consecutive weekends in early December--we have been meaning to report--for author reading and book signing events. The first Saturday, Clara was the only child present, so she got an intimate reading from Alison McGhee of McGhee's latest for children, Star Bright: A Christmas Story, which retells the story of Christ's birth in modern, accessible language. Then, McGhee signed Clara's copy.
Julie had forgotten that the main character in one of McGhee's books for older readers, Shadow Baby, is named Clara. So, McGhee too still more special notice of Our Clara, and then was charmed by Birdie, who held her own with this adult (and relative stranger) with aplomb. Julie was charmed because McGhee, of whose work she has long been a fan,* was charmed. Julie even tweeted her first (instead of just following) and Alison--surely Julie can call her Alison?!?!--tweeted back! Alison wrote, "It was my pleasure to meet you and the lovely Clara yesterday! What a treat to have a one-on-one reading. :)" A treat indeed.
Afterward, the Birds walked down the block and had more treats: brownies and water (Clara) and ice tea (Julie, and Clara--a few sips). Stars, bright, in eyes, all the way round.
The following weekend we saw Kate DiCamillo, author of the Mercy Watson series, the first chapter books Our Hero read on his own. Dicamillo is perhaps better known for other works or even her current role as the national children's literature ambassador or some such. She is, also, incidentally, friends with Alison McGhee! DiCamillo and Alison (!) both live in the Twin Cities. Julie believes that Alison is the friend who likes toast "with a great deal of butter," as Mercy Watson does (and really, probably, everyone?). Joe was too sick to go (this would be the weekend of the onslaught of the cold the became the ear infection the following weekend), but the Birds went. If you want to know the truth, Fans, it was a wee bit miserable. Not because of DiCamillo! She seems like good fun. But she is well known and it was the day of an annual holiday street fair so it was quite crowded in the independent children's bookseller. But the Birds heard DiCamillo read and had a book signed for Clara, and for Joe. Then, they walked down the block and had sweet treats, water, and iced tea again.
In spite of the crowds, it was lovely.
*McGhee is a local author who gained national attention when Shadow Baby was selected by the Today show for its book club, back when every show on TV was making like Oprah and launching a book club. It also won the Pulitzer Prize. Julie loved that book and everything else McGhee has written that she's read, which is almost everything, especially her novels for older readers. Here ends the unabashed plug for (the talented--and lovely!) Alison McGhee.
