This past Sunday, I was asked to present the children’s portion of our worship service. I decided to share one of Simbolei’s best of the year picture book selections, Saturday by Oge Mora.

Saturday is the story of Ava and her mother, who fill every Saturday with special activities. On one particular Saturday, however, every planned activity results in disappointment. The library storytime is canceled, the park is crowded and so on. As Ava and her mother bounce back from each disappointment, the text repeats a coping technique. Ava and her mother take a deep breath “whew” and the mother repeats, “Today will be special. Today will be splendid. Today is Saturday.” In the end, despite repeated disappointments, the day is splendid as Ava and her mother recognize that being together is what makes the day truly special.

This book meets all the criteria we use to choose our best picture book selections. The text is clear, understandable and enjoyable to read for both adults and children. The artwork is gorgeous, using multimedia collage to create a sense of movement and excitement. The characters are people of color, allowing children of all races to feel validated and recognized in the story. And finally, while the story is simple, it touches on deeper themes and ideas.

When I read the book to the children in worship, they were enthralled. I asked them if they could relate to the idea of having a plan for something fun and exciting that turned out to be disappointing. One little boy mentioned that sometimes we wait and wait for snow to come and when it does, it gets in our mouth! What a disappointment!

Picture books are more than entertainment and they are more than an exercise in reading. Through art and carefully crafted text, a high quality picture book functions as more complex fiction does for adults, as a mirror and an exploration of the world around them. When children identify with the feelings and experiences of fictional characters, they are learning to empathize and to see feelings and ideas in symbolic terms. They are entering the literary traditions of human culture. To me, it is a great honor to be part of this process as a teacher and as a literacy volunteer through Simbolei’s literacy outreach programs.

Saturday and our other yearly selections will be available for purchase at the Lansing Peace Education Center Alternative Holiday Sale November 15 and 16 at Edgewood United Church and also at the Presbyterian Church of Okemos Alternative Christmas Gift Sale on December 8 at Presbyterian Church of Okemos. Simbolei receives 30% of the purchase price of each book. If you would like to purchase any of these books but cannot attend the sales, please send us an email at simboleigirls@gmail.com and we can arrange to mail the books to you. Happy book shopping!

Posted on November 11, 2019

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So, lots of updates are in order. Due to family responsibilities, the Kaitanys were not able to relocate in July as planned. Currently, Richard is travelling back and forth between Michigan and Kenya every few months to keep things moving in both places. Our house is on the market and our shipping boxes are neatly packed and labeled. It won’t be long before ALL of us have a new home in Kenya.

But in the meantime, the holidays are approaching and that means time for some great new books for the Simbolei Library and for folks who visit us at holiday gift fairs.

Every year, I choose a few of the many amazing picture books that come out each year to suggest for holiday gift giving and for our Simbolei Library. My criteria include choosing new books by diverse authors and featuring children from a variety of ethnic, cultural, social and religious backgrounds that promote positive values. Also, I look for books with outstanding artwork. There are always too many amazing choices. But, I try to limit the list to five or six. So, without further ado, I introduce our first holiday book pick of 2019.

This recent bestseller tells the story of Katherine Johnson who loved numbers and counting. After overcoming many challenges, particularly gender and race discrimination, Katherine grew up to work with NASA as a “computer,” completing complex equations needed for space flight. When the Apollo 13 spacecraft was damaged while returning to earth, Katherine managed to recalculate a new flight path quickly and accurately, saving the lives of the three astronauts who were able to return safely to earth. The book has lively illustrations that create a continuity of Katherine’s character as she grows older through the story. Katherine’s story is first a story of personal courage and talent, but also includes reference to historical discrimination against black people and women in the United States and especially in the fields of math and science. Further, this book is unusual in providing brief, simple explanations of Katherine’s actual work with advanced mathematics and physics that could be an interesting conversation starter for a math or science classroom. The book is perfectly suited to a seven to nine year old reader on their own or, with some help and possibly slightly simplified read aloud, would fascinate most four to seven year olds.

I will have copies of the book ready for purchase at the Lansing Peace and Education Holiday sale on November 15 and 16 and at the Presbyterian Church of Okemos Alternative Holiday sale on December 8. Through the generosity of Schuler Books and Music, 30% of the purchase price at either of these sales will go directly to Simbolei Community Assistance to help fund our community library and other educational activities. If you would like to purchase a copy but are unable to attend the sales, please email me at simboleigirls@gmail.com and I can arrange to mail a copy to you.

Stay tuned for the rest of our holiday list over the next few days!

Posted on November 4, 2019

Every summer during our Literacy Outreach activities, we visit six local elementary schools near Simbolei, sharing stories and donating picture books. While most American children have access to picture books either at home or at school, our donations are often the first picture books that the Kenyan students have encountered. In this video, a local head teacher, Jen Kibii of Yokot Primary School, in Kamariny, Kenya, explains why picture books matter to the pupils at her school.

We hope you will consider joining us for Literacy Outreach 2019. Dates and details are coming soon. If you can’t visit with us in person, remember that we accept donations of gently used children’s books and crayons also.

— Andrea

Posted October 22, 2018