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To my Graduating 5th Graders:

I am so proud to have been your librarian, albeit for a short time. You have shown me how much you loved reading and spending time in the library, and that made my heart sing! The world may seem different now, and perhaps a little scary. But always, always remember: you are stronger, wiser and more tenacious than you think.
 
My Evergreen Eagles: I can't wait to see you spread your wings and fly! 
See It Through by Edgar Albert Guest
 
When you're up against a trouble,
Meet it squarely, face to face;
Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
Plant your feet and take a brace.
When it's vain to try to dodge it,
Do the best that you can do;
You may fail, but you may conquer,
See it through!

Black may be the clouds about you
And your future may seem grim,
But don't let your nerve desert you;
Keep yourself in fighting trim.
If the worst is bound to happen,
Spite of all that you can do,
Running from it will not save you,
See it through!
 
Even hope may seem but futile,
When with troubles you're beset,
But remember you are facing
Just what other men have met.
You may fail, but fall still fighting;
Don't give up, whate'er you do;
Eyes front, head high to the finish.
See it through!
 
Find out more about the Author: Jennifer Fosberry and the Illustrator: Mike Litwin
 
For more information about the amazing women from the story:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Below are the list of books mentioned in the story. Click on the Book Title for a Royalty-free online version (courtesy of Project Gutenberg) and the Author's Name for a brief biography.  Enjoy!
 
Fun Fact:  In professional plays, the character of Peter Pan has always been played by a woman, as originally suggested by Barrie's agent for the first performance.
 
Fun Fact:  The Original story, "The Story of the Three Bears," was written by English poet, Robert Southey  In the beginning, three bears of different sizes were visited by a bad, old lady.  After numerous retelling, the visitor became a fair-haired little girl, and not until 1878 were the bears identified as Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear.
 
Fun Fact:  An unpublished work of Jules Verne (his first novel written in 1863, "Paris au XXième siècle (Paris in the Twentieth Century)," was discovered in a safe that had been passed down to his great-grandson.  It was published (in 1994) and became a bestseller in Paris 90 years after Verne's death.  The novel predicted cars, gas stations, computers, ATM Machines and giant bookstores.
 
Fun Fact: It was the first novel of its kind to be told through the eyes of an animal. Black Beauty, with its strong moral message, was said to have been instrumental in abolishing the cruel practice of using the checkrein (a short rein looped over a hook on the saddle of a harness to prevent a horse from lowering its head).
 
Fun Fact: Lewis Carroll is the Nom de Plume (or Pen Name) of Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, which is incidentally also the Latinized version of his own name.
 
Fun Fact: Baum had used a number of Noms de Plume (Pen Names) including Edith van Dyne.
 
Here are some fun facts about all the places Isabella mentioned in the book:
Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
The Eiffel Tower, France
The Great Wall of China
Chichén Itzá, Mexico, and Here too.
Big Ben, United Kingdom, and here's a Fun Fact.
The Statue of Liberty, United States, and Here too.
The Taj Mahal, India, and Here too.
The CN Tower, Canada
 
And here are some fun facts about the different occupations (or jobs) Isabella mentioned in the story:
WHAT IS ARCHAEOLOGY?
WHAT IS ART?
TERRACOTTA ARMY: ANCIENT CHINESE WARRIORS
WHAT IS ASTRONOMY?
WHAT IS A MONARCHY?
 
Here is a brief timeline of women in U.S. Politics:
 
1869 - First "state" to allow women to vote, Wyoming Territory, preserved in women's suffrage statehood.
1887 - First woman mayor, Susanna Madora Salter, of Argonia, Kansas
1916 - First woman elected to the House of Representatives, Jeannette Rankin of Montana
1920 - 19th Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote.
1932 - First woman elected to U.S. Senate, Hattie Wyatt Caraway of Arkansas
1933 - First woman Cabinet member, Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins
1964 - First Asian-American woman elected to Congress, Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink of Hawaii
1966 - First African-American Female Federal Judge, Constance Baker Motley
1968 - First African-American woman elected to the House of Representatives, Shirley Chisolm of New York
1981 - First woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, Sandra Day O'Connor
1993 - First woman Attorney General, Janet Reno
1993 - First African-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate, Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois
 
Amy Krouse Rosenthal described herself as "a person who likes to make things." She was the author of numerous children's, as well as, "grown-up" books. She "loved experimenting with different media, and blending the virtual and physical worlds.  One of her favorite projects began with a YouTube video, “17 Things I Made,” featuring everything from books she had written to her three children to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. At the end of the video, she welcomed fans to join her at Chicago’s Millennium Park, on Aug. 8, 2008, at 8:08 p.m. The goal was to make a “cool” 18th thing.
Hundreds turned out to “make” things — a grand entrance, a new friend, a splash, something pretty."

-- Excerpt from article by Gregory Pratt, Los Angeles Times, March 13, 2017
 
"Dear Girl" was published posthumously and co-written with daughter Paris Rosenthal.
 
For more beautiful drawings, you can visit "Dear Girl" illustrator, Holly Hatam's Website.
 
Paris Rosenthal is the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Girl, a collaboration with her late mother, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, and the #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Boy, which she wrote with her father, Jason Rosenthal. She also wrote Project 1,2,3, a 365-day guided journal. Paris currently lives in New York City. And yes, she is named after Paris, the city.
 
Jason B. Rosenthal is the number one New York Times bestselling author of Dear Boy, cowritten with his daughter, Paris. He is the board chair of the Amy Krouse Rosenthal Foundation, which supports both childhood literacy and research in early detection of ovarian cancer. A lawyer, public speaker, and devoted father of three, he is passionate about helping others find ways to fill their blank spaces as he continues to fill his own. Jason resides in Chicago, a city he is proud to call home.
 
- HarperCollins Publishers
 
Lest we forget the fabulous illustrator: Holly Hatam .
 
And presenting the wonderful Jason & Paris Rosenthal:
 
 
Excerpt from "Simple Gestures to Spark Greater Compassion: Holly McGhee on Her Timely Story for Children" by the Brightly Editors ~ readbrightly.com
 
"Figuring out how to encourage children to be a force for good in the world can sometimes be a tough balancing act for parents. How do we talk about the need for empathy, kindness, compassion, and bravery in challenging times — and encourage our children toward these ideals — without overwhelming them with the difficult news of the day?  One way is by introducing them to stories of children who are doing their small part to leave a positive mark on their community.  In Come with Me, author Holly McGhee and illustrator Pascal Lemaître aim to do just that, telling the story of a young girl who, troubled by the news she sees on TV, asks her parents what she can do to make things better.  Thus unfolds a subtle and inspiring tale of finding the courage to connect with one another and share the best of ourselves, in the hopes that it might spark others to do the same.
 
[Holle McGhee]:
[McGhee & Illustrator, Pascal Lemaître] were reflecting on what mattered, amidst the anger and fear that seems so pervasive in the world, and what mattered was the idea of going on despite being afraid, finding ways to connect with and contribute something positive to humanity, however small that something might be.
 
...I am a literary agent in addition to being a writer, and Pascal was one of my first clients. I have always loved his drawings.
 
...He brought me the myth of the hummingbird, in which the smallest of all birds keeps bringing water to the forest fire.  When the other animals ridicule it, the humming bird says, I DO MY PART.  I realized that we could take that idea and set it against the current state of the world, and in so doing both remind ourselves and our readers and children that no matter how insignificant we sometimes feel, our part matters.  Tiny gestures can start a revolution.
 
...I think our quote at the beginning of the book from Yvette Pierpaoli says it best. She was Pascal’s mother-in-law, who dedicated her life to helping refugees and died while doing just that in Kosovo. 'Though at the level of the individual our actions are light as a cloud, united they can change the color of the sky.'
 
...I believe each of us can act for good at our own level."
 
You can also read along with this Read Aloud version of "Come with Me."
 
Kobi Yamada with Idea EggA Brief Biography about Seattle-based Kobi Yamada:
 
Kobi Yamada is a New York Times best-selling author, the creator of many inspiring gift books, and the president of Compendium, a company of amazing people doing amazing things.  He happily lives with the love of his life and their two super fun kids in the land of flying salmon where he gets to believe in his ideas all day long.  He thinks he just might be the luckiest person on the planet.
 
(Picture taken of Kobi Yamada with His Idea Egg.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mae Besom Mae Besom is a talented Author and Illustrator from China.  Mae began her career as a character designer in Sichuan, China, after graduating from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute.  She then decided to embrace her love of illustration and now works as a full-time children's illustrator.  She uses traditional media - both pencil and watercolor - to create texture and light within her enchanting illustrations. 
 
You can read about Mae Besom's experiences and view her exquisite portfolio here.
 

 
 
 
"Kobi Yamada is a New York Times best-selling author and the CEO of Compendium, a company of amazing people doing amazing things.  Kobi lives happily with his wife and their two super fun kids in the land of flying salmon, where he gets to see unbelievable possibilities unfold every day.  He wonders if maybe life is even more beautiful than he imagined."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
You can view more of Mae Besom's stunning illustrations here.