South Beach, Chicken Soup, and Friendships!

Hello Friends! Thank you for the book donations! I've swapped a few of the existing books to make room for our new additions. We have The South Beach Diet, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Great Glasgow Characters and ...

My heart melted when I saw the cover of Holland's Unlikely Friendships. Holland is a journalist specializing in science and natural history as well as a contributing writer for National Geographic. This explains her extraordinary images capturing the relationships between species. As I was flipping through the pages, I felt compelled to share one more of her incredible photographs:

It's an incredibly moving book that I know you will enjoy. Thank you for your generosity and have a great weekend!

Cheers,

Jacqueline

Skookum's Got National Geographic!

Skookum has the best patrons! Lorraine and her family donated books and a stack of 2013 National Geographic magazines to Skookum's Little Free Library. National Geographic has been a favourite of mine since I was a child. The articles are well researched and the photography is absolutely amazing! These are great resources if you are writing a paper for school! The six magazines above are included in Skookum today and I'll be rotating the rest over the next few weeks.

Thank you Lorraine and to the brave soul* that drove out to Skookum during this torrential downpour we are experiencing in the Lower Mainland.

Cheers,

Jacqueline

*Update: The "brave soul" has been identified as Lorraine's husband Ambrose! Thank you Ambrose!

Judy Moody & Stink!

I was perusing Costco's book selection a few weeks ago when I came across the Judy Moody and Stink Moody series by Megan McDonald. Unfamiliar with McDonald's work, the illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds are what caught my eye; his drawings are quite engaging and humorous. So, I picked up a few books to try out with our Skookum Little Library patrons. 

Let me know what you think! Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Leave a comment on our blog or in Skookum's guestbook to let me know if these books are keepers or sleepers!

After you're done reading Judy or Stink, remember to place a perky penguin sticker on your bookmark to log your reading journey! 

Cheers,

Jacqueline

Perky Penguins!

Adults and kids! Log your reading this month with perky penguins. In Skookum's Little Free Library, you'll find blank bookmarks and an array of stickers to mark the completion of the books that you've read or had someone read to you. Visit Skookum after each book finished and place a sticker on your bookmark to acknowledge your achievement.

I anticipate by the end of summer you'll have a beautifully decorated bookmark to showcase your reading journey!

Cheers,

Jacqueline

Echelman, TED, and Harris

Artist Janet Echelman display in Vancouver

Hello Friends! Many of you know that Skookum’s Little Free Library was funded through Kickstarter in 2013. Since our campaign, I have been following this crowdfunding site and the many projects that the platform supports. Recently I came across an article and video on artist Janet Echelman’s goal to display one of her pieces at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) conference in Vancouver:

I was thrilled to hear that her work was successfully installed and headed into the city to view it in person:

As I stood underneath this handwoven net, I thought of one of my favourite childhood books Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.  While watching the fabric move with the wind, I imagined this massive strainer dangling in the sky ready to snatch spaghetti, syrup drenched pancakes, hotdogs garnished with mustard, and tomato and basil pizza. I caught this flying flatbread at Tableau Bar & Bistro:

While observing Echelman's piece in its natural element, I headed over to the Vancouver Convention Centre where TED is currently being hosted. I’ve been following the development of TED since its inception in 1990. Originally held in Monterey, California, the conference has gained in popularity attracting intellectuals, movie stars, and politicians. As a result, the ticket prices have soared to $7500 and up! The dark-suited men behind me are TED security so this is as close as I could get to speakers Chris Hadfield, Bill & Melinda Gates, and Sting:

Good news though! TED is being streamed live throughout Vancouver and the Lower Mainland for free! For more information on TED and to view it live, visit here. I also visited the Vancouver Art Gallery’s exhibit of Lawren Stewart Harris. I was introduced to his work at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Harris is a member of Canada’s Group of Seven and his breathtaking landscapes are a reminder of the natural beauty that surrounds us:

On Sundays, children 12 and under are free to attend the Vancouver Art Gallery. The gallery also hosts  a variety of family activities and events during the weekends. Check it out if you are in town! After a full day, I arrived home and noticed this wonderful comment left in Skookum’s Guest Book:

You're very welcome! I’m so glad to hear that you are enjoying Skookum’s book selection!

Cheers,

Jacqueline

Tan, Birdsell & Munsch

Spring break has arrived! I've added a few more books to the kid's section to keep them busy over the next couple of weeks. Jungle Jeep, Mortimer, and Medicine Wheel are board books great for the wee ones. Memorial, written by Gary Crew and illustrated by Shaun Tan, is an incredibly moving story "about a tree planted beside a war memorial monument, in a small country town by returned servicemen. Years on, the tree has grown to be huge and unruly, dislodging the statue next to it and creating a traffic hazard in what is now a much larger, busier town. A decision is made by a local council to cut the tree down." The book has garnered several awards for its story and design.

I was introduced to Tan's art at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 2005. I was deeply moved by the sensitivity his illustrations convey. His work is timeless and appropriate for all ages. Memorial opens with this beautifully detailed illustration of a war veteran:

Memorial. Illustration by Shaun Tan.

If you enjoy Memorial, you might want to check out Tan's The Arrival and The Red Tree. These two books are absolutely amazing and I highly recommend them for children and adults. As I was perusing the web for resources on Tan, I found this animated interpretation of The Red Tree you might enjoy:



Thank you again for your donations to Skookum and have a wonderful week!

Cheers,

Jacqueline

Spreading Little Library Love!

I'm thrilled to see new little libraries sprouting around Abbotsford! Kudos to the Rotary Club of Abbotsford-Sumas for spreading this initiative and supplementing their beautifully designed playgrounds with an array of children's literature. In addition, The Bookman's owner Amber Short has been incredibly generous in supporting these little library projects. In November 2013, she donated over 500 books to Skookum and now 1,000 books to the Mill Lake little library locations. Wow. The Bookman also supplies Chilliwack's Ladybug Book Bins, offers student scholarships, and supports city-wide literacy events. It's fantastic to have local businesses behind our educational endeavours!

Albom, Dahl, L'Engle & Kibuishi

Hello Friends!

Thank you for donating Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I've been interested in reading this book for sometime and now it's right outside my door! In the children's section, I have added a few of your favourite reads including:

I also noticed the new guestbook comments! You make my day too!

This experience of sharing books with my surrounding community has been extremely rewarding. I love visiting Skookum and finding a new book that you have donated to read. It's a real treat!

Have a wonderful day!

Jacqueline

New Books In!

Today we had a 1/2 dozen books arrive in Skookum! Thank you for your donation! When I noticed the The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, I remembered a book that I recently purchased by her:

I have also included The Night Bookmobile in Skookum for Niffenegger fans. Read the reviews on it here.

Enjoy!

Jacqueline

March Book Swap!

Hello Friends! Thank you for your donation of books this month. Here is what we have in store for March!

More children's books:

I have also included a new selection of Archie comics donated by the Chilliwack Learning Community Society!

And grab a few festive pencils for good luck while you are visiting:

Have a wonderful day and stay warm,

Jacqueline