A few weeks ago, my son's preschool sent out a notice about a humanitarian mission that one of the parents was participating in as part of his role with the US Navy.
My son chose over a dozen stuffed animals from his collection to donate and Kane/Miller provided Spanish language books from our Libros del Mundo series.
Photograph from
by Matt Dray
Just this week, emails have been circulating with stories about the mission and the ways in which these books (and hundreds of stuffed animals) are reaching children in South America. This note was sent from Navy Dad, Jeremy, to his wife, who then shared it with the staff and family members from school:
You remember those donated books? Well 1 set was dropped off in Dental this afternoon and that is the PERRRFECT place to drop them off. Here's why:
They don't bring very young children on board for surgeries but a couple pre-teens do come on. I went there for a cleaning and noticed an 8 or 9-year-old girl sitting with one of our translators. I turned to the Dental Officer who is a buddy of mine and said, "Isn't she a little young to be here for surgery or dental work?" He said, "Yes, but when any adult comes in for surgery they have to bring an escort to help them home after the surgery. A few of them bring their older children as escorts. So while they are waiting in the Dental area for their friends/family’s surgeries to be done I always see if any of them need any teeth pulled or anything."
The girl was looking sort of bored so I remembered the donated Spanish kids books from Kane/Miller...I ran up to my stateroom and grabbed 1 of the 2 sets. I gave them to the enlisted translator and said, "Ask her if she likes to read and if she does tell her she can look through these books and take one or two." The translator asked her and she said, “Yes, she likes to read.”
While I was waiting I noticed the young girl going through them and she started reading one. When I came out afterwards I noticed she was gone and so was the book.
Kane/Miller loves being able to give back to the community when we can and we so enjoy hearing stories about how our books are used, and knowing that children around the world are now reading our editions - and translations - of some pretty wonderful books.
How has your school or family given back?
The Cricket in Times Square is a great book! I read it when I was a teenager.
I loved Anna Quindlen's 'One True Thing,' and although I don't normally do dog books (apart from Old Yeller and Savage Sam), if she wrote it I'll have to read it.
As for getting sued for what you write in a blog -- eek! Good thing I'm too much of a weenie to slander anyone myself.
I disagree about the nose thing.
My husband has a huge schnoze, and smells things three houses over.
I'm gonna hold you to that promsie for the cake and file. You just never know when you might find yourself in trouble.
VWSmith,
I can't wait to read it. I even love the cover!
Mary,
I'm not sure I've read AQ before, but I definitely read dog books: Marley: A Dog Like No Other, The Summer of Riley, The Green Dog, Because of Winn-Dixie, Shiloh, Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows. Even Each Little Bird that Sings is kind of a dog book.
Church,
Aack! My house would be terrible for him--everyone here loves garlic!
Travis,
I'll keep that recipe handy!
Miss Mama read Marley and it made her cry. But she loved it! Me? I refuse to read books about pets. It's a diehard rule too.
Heh. If no one's come after me yet, I doubt they will. Although, after the story I'm working on for the Flash Fiction Carnival III (shameless plug!!!) I may run into a paranoid fool who'll try it.
Heh.
I only say nice things about people in my blog, or else I don't identify them by names. This protects my finances, which are none too padded to begin with.
But I have a small nose and I smell things that most normal people cannot sense. In fact I can smell the fish Travis is holding from all the way here on the east coast! I did a blogging post with some legal advice on how not to get sued by what you say a while back - too bad that woman didn't read it, huh? ;o)