Firefighters Are Heroes too!

This years's Summer Reading Program theme  provides librarians lots of ideas to explore the world of Superheroes.  Of course, the first instinct is to search out books about superheroes that leap tall building,  get the bad guys and lives to fight another day.  All very well and good.  However,  here's a different spin on the theme.  Why not celebrate the heroes in our neighborhood who fight the good fight every day?  Yup,  talking about the firefighters who step up to help get a cat out of a tree or go into a burning building to put out a fire and save lives.

There are three wonderful titles for children that stick with theme of heroes and saving the day that can liven up a story time.  (As a personal note,  never begin a story time about firefighter without the proper firefighters hat. It just adds more flare and fun to the event! )   

The first title to take a look at  is  Firefighters to the Rescue by Kersten Hamilton.  This title is such fun to read because of it's invitation to audience to get into the story.  Children will quickly learn when to chime in "Firefighters to the rescue" during the story.   The illustration are vivid and bright to   catch and keep children's attention.   If this book is not a hit with the crowd, it just may be that the crowd is filled with boring three and four years olds.   

If the first title is not available or you have children begging for more exciting firefighter stories,  Patricia Hubbell's Firefighters: Speeding! Spraying! Saving!  is an excellent choice.  As the title suggests, this book is filled with action words that paint a clear picture of what firefighters do everyday.   Add to this Viviana Garofoli’s digital art that add to the simple, rhyming text that preschoolers take great delight in.

It goes without saying that Mark Teague's Firehouse! had to make the list.  Teague's humorous tale begins with Edward and his cousin's Judy trip to the firehouse.  Everything is fine from the slid down the fireman's pole to riding on the firetruck.   After a little excitement, Edward learns how it feels to  save the day.  It's every child's dream to be a fireman and through the eyes of Edward, they get a small taste of what's it's like.  It is great fun for everyone. Even for the librarians sharing the story.


Of course this is not a complete and final list of books for Firefighter heroes.  It is a great beginning.
Enjoy the stories with the little ones.and don't forget your hat!

Firefighters' helmets hung at the station!

Celebrating the Heroes -- Books For Veteran's Day

It's hard to know how to celebrate Veteran's Day.  After all, how does one celebrate the fact that someone gave their life so that others could live in peace.  It's odd to say that one can not have peace unless battles are fought.  Any general will tell you that wars lead to peace or at least that is the hopeful outcome.  In our nation's history there have been plenty of war stories to share and plenty of Veterans to show appreciation to for the sacrifices they have made.  In honor of this day and for those who served our country valiantly, here are the top three books on our list that should make every reader humbled by the courage and sacrifices of heroes who sometimes are forgotten.

Laura Hillenbrand 's Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption is an inspiring story that is written so well that the reader forgets they are reading nonfiction.  It reads like a novel and is a beautiful tribute to a World War II hero,  Louis Zamperini.  He defied all odds of surviving a plane crash on the Pacific Ocean, which leaves the reader in awe of the human spirit and the will to survive anything.  Wonderfully told.  Never to be forgotten.  

Another story of World War II is told by historian Barbara W. Tuchman  The Guns of August   This is the book on World War II that is definitive and the best.  In rich narrative Ms. Tuchman details how the war began, who were the key characters and how the war could have been stopped but wasn't.  The tome is over 600 pages but well worth the time to read if someone is serious about learning the details of World War II. 

Veterans' of today's military are often overlooked as heroes.  In part because America has become a bit war weary.  In Black Hawk Down, written by Mark Bowden, readers are discover the true courage and brutality that are synonymous with battles.  In October of 1993,  one hundred US military men went into Somalia in hopes to capture two top Somali warlords.  A simple task which should have taken one hour but last through the night.  This narration is riveting, and readers will not be able to put the book way until the very last word is read.   This book is a valuable resource to modern war, which to some, gives an excellent starting point to understanding the  U.S Military of today. 

There are so many wonderful books written about the military, some uplifting others a scathing rebuke of military actions.  The debate will continue to go on about the good and evil of war, one thing is for certain.  In every battle there are heroes who deserve the recogniton and honor that comes along with being a hero.   To all the men and women who served our country, a heartfelt thank you for your dedication.  To the authors who wrote about their lives and battles, thanks to you as well.  Without your talent, readers would never get to know these men and women.   

  

Remembering 9/11 -- From the Bookshelf

Everyone can remember where they were on September 11, 2001.  If each person in America had documented that day in a journal, it is sure to fill too many volumes to fit in one library.  Not to take away from what anyone felt, but everything that needs to be said has been said by many.  Each person in their own way will remember September 11th.    There have been many biographies, fiction and nonfiction books dealing with the historic date in America's history.  Each are fascinating in their own way.  However there  will is one book that has been lost in the shuffle and perhaps it's time to refresh the memories for some readers.  Michael Ford's book  Father Mychal Judge: An Authentic American Hero (2002)  is a book worth reading from the stand point that the good Father was a victim at Ground Zero.

Father Judge's story is one that is truly inspirational.  He loved his vocation of priesthood in the Franciscan order.  How people remember him is exceptional because each story is one of a man who demonstrated compassion, forgiveness and taking care of the poor.  His last earthly act was in giving Last rites to those who were dying in the World Trade Center.  This is where he died.   The picture of the fireman carrying his body out of the building was sobering and spiritual as well.   If one is in need of a good spiritual story on this day of national remembrance.  This is it.

There is one "startling" fact that was added to the book that  caused debate.   Ford decided that it was pertinent to add in the book that Father Mychal Judge was gay.   This fact has been disputed by both sides, Conservative Catholics and Progressive Catholics.   Friends who knew Father Judge have said he told them privately that he was gay.  Others believe that the idea that he was gay stems from his involvement in the LGBT community.   At first the reader may think that this fact was added in hopes to sell more books and maybe even make a statement against the Catholic Church.  If one really looks at the heart of the story they will find that this is a story of fellow citizen who gave up his life to serve others in the only way he knew how.   It could have easily have been a favorite pastor in any parish in any town in America.  On that day, it happened to be a Franciscan Priest from New York City  Father Mychal Judge's sexual preference is not what was important  What was important was that a very good man died and his memory should be honored along with the many heroes and heroines who died that day.

RIP Father Mycahl Judge. As they say in the Catholic Tradition, Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let Perpetual Light shine upon him.

Librarians To The Rescue

The Librarians as heroes who gallantly come in the nick of time to save the day is hardly an overused theme in movies, literature or other art forms. Maybe its time to change that. After all, there is a librarian action figure doll that has caused some librarians to groan. Why? Perhaps, it's becasue she looked too much like the "sterotypical" librarian. Bun in her hair. Practical low-heeled shoes with plain blue business suit. Of course, there is the reading glasses to make the look complete. (The model for this doll is Nancy Pearl, who is a librarian in "real" life.) Her weapon of choice: The Dewey Decimal System combined with a push button Shusher action that is out of this world. What's not to love? For the librarians who embraced this doll, which has been out now for years, it is a fun reminder that what we do everyday can change lives. Maybe one day we will all be able to don on a red cape and go out to save the world.

Librarians can have some comfort in knowing that there are books, and films which place librarians in a hero's light. (No, the Music Man is not one of the films in mind, but having said that, the movie is wonderful.) For example, Kellogg's The Mysterious Tadpole is a wonderful tale of a young boy who needs to find a good place for his ever growing tadpole. To whome does he turn to for help? The librarian at his public library. After dutifully researching the tadpole's origin and background, she found that the tadpole was related to the Loch Ness Monster. Nothing can be done but have a fundraiser to help build a pool for the tadpole.

For a real "super" strength hero-librarian, look no further than Library Lil by Suzanne Williams. This wonderful book published in 1997 tells of a little girl who has always wanted to be a librarian. She smart, strong and knows how to balance a stack of encyclopedias in one hand while reading a volume in her hand, using her teeth to turn the pages. How tough is she really? Tougher than the moter cycle crowd who think reading is for "lily-livered cowards." She's a true librarian at heart when she teaches the leader of the biker group to be a library assistant. Now that's quite an accomplishment that not many librarians may be able to achieve. (However, there is at least one librarian who pens a blog who is trying on a new cape as this posting is being typed.)

Noah Wyle (of ER fame) starred in the film The Librarian. His character Flynn Carsen applies for the position because he likes to learn and belives that a librarian's job is well suited to fill that need. However, what he comes to find out, once employed by the Metropolitan Public Library, is that the job entails protecting famous historical and magical items. It's kind of like an Indian Jones of the library world. This could be used as a tool to entice new blood into the field, but it may be a tad misleading. On any given day, in public libraries around the world, librarians do protect the most important historical and magical items of all time: the written word. How noble!

However, as we get our sites back down to earth, two titles to consider that show how librarians really have an impact on the lives of children is Mora's Tomas and the Library Lady and Winter's Biblioburro: A true Story From Columbia. In Mora's book, Tomas' family are migrant workers who never stay in one place for very long. Fortunately for Tomas, he discovers the local public library and the helpful librarian that enables him to discover a whole new world. Luis Soriano's true story is in Winter's book. What Soriano did for a Columibian communityis equivalent to Bookmobies going to urban areas that do not have access to libraries. Both tales inspire to reach out to help those who do not know the magic of books.