Free eBook: Sexy Orchids Make Lousy Lovers and Other Unusual Relationships

Looking for some interesting conversation starters at your next holiday party? The November free e-book from University of Chicago Press, Sexy Orchids Make Lousy Lovers and Other Unusual Relationships by Marty Crump, might be just what you're looking for.

Jennifer Chiaverini book signing at the Racine Public Library

Bestselling author, Jennifer Chiaverini, a Wisconsin native and resident, will be signing her latest book, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker in my hometown on Thursday.

Hometown Pride for the Google Doodler

Have you seen today's Google doodle (above)? The artwork, titled "Pirate Times", was done by second-grader Dylan Hoffman from Racine, WI. This was the winning entry (out of 114,000 submissions) in this year's Doodle 4 Google contest. The theme this year was "If I could travel in time I'd visit..."

Dylan, age 7, won some pretty great prizes for his masterpiece. He was awarded a $30,000 college scholarship, $50,000 in technology for his school, the Prairie School (here in Racine), a free Chromebook, and the crowning honor of being selected for the front of a special edition of the Crayola 64-crayon box.

All of the winning doodles will be on display at the New York Public Library from May 18th through July 19th. State finalists' art will be on display in their home states.

Congratulations Dylan!
 
 
 
 

Wisconsinites: Founders of the Little Free Library

The first Little Library

Todd Bol of Hudson, WI started a movement when he constructed the first Little Free Library that resembled a one-room schoolhouse in honor of his mother, a teacher. The idea was simple, he filled the little schoolhouse with books and post the simple instructions, "Take a book. Leave a book." Much like the little penny cups at gas stations.

Todd knew his idea had the potential to spread so he contacted his friend, Rick Brooks, who lives in Madison. Needless to say, he was all in. As an Outreach Program Manager in Continuing Studies for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he's a great man to have on board.

Their mission is an obtainable one: to foster sense of community, promote literacy, and a love for books. They also have a goal to "build" 2,010 libraries, beating philanthropist Andrew Carnegie who built and endowed 2,009 American public libraries. Right now, they estimate that there are 300-400 in 30+ states and 20+ countries.

Want to build your own? They can be of any shape or size, and can be constructed of new or recycled materials. Their website has building plans to use for free or you can purchase a kit, which start at about $100. Anyone can build, buy, or host a Little Library. But if you register, they'll send you a plaque, a charter number, and put you on their map.


  


Here's the story NBC Nightly News did:

I'm going to ask Hubby to build me a Little Library when he gets home (Tuesday night!). After being gone for three months, he might not have BUILDING me anything on his mind, if you know what I mean :)

Here's the link to the Little Free Library site.

Talk to you soon. Thanks a bunch for stopping by.

Angela
 
 
 
 

Wisconsinite: A. Manette Ansay

A. Manette Ansay was born in Michigan in 1964, but grew up in Port Washington, WI. She was all set to attend the Peabody Conservatory of Music as a piano perfomance major after graduating from Port Washington High School in 1982, but had to leave in 1984 due to health problems.

She was misdiagnosed with MS and was bedridden until 1987 when she was able to get around in a wheelchair. Apparently the doctors still don't know what happened to her, but she had to choose a different career path. In 1988, she made the decision to write. Ms. Ansay attended a summer writing conference and then applied to, and was accepted, into Cornell University's MFA program. While studying at Cornell ('89-'91), she married Jake Smith and began writing short stories. Their daughter was born in 2003. They were divorced in 2006, but remain friends and loving co-parents to their daughter.

Of Ansay's writing, it has been said that her honest, moving fiction is infused with the reality of Midwestern farm life, the constraints of Roman Catholicism, and the toll the combination can take on a person.

Novels

Vinegar Hill (1994)

Selected as a 1999 Oprah Book Club pick, which Ansay credits as a major impacting life event. 

It is 1972 when circumstance carries Ellen Grier and her family back to Holly's Field, Wisconsin. Dutifully accompanying her newly unemployed husband, Ellen has brought her two children into the home of her in-laws on Vinegar Hill--a loveless house suffused with the settling dust of bitterness and routine--where calculated cruelty is a way of life preserved and perpetuated in the service of a rigid, exacting and angry God. Behind a facade of false piety, there are sins and secrets in this place that could crush a vibrant young woman's passionate spirit. And here Ellen must find the straight to endure, change, and grow in the all-pervading darkness that threatens to destroy everything she is and everyone she loves.

Sister (1996)

"When my brother disappeared in 1984, I began to see myself in the third person, as if my life were a story being told to someone else."

Abigail Schiller lives a seemingly normal childhood in a rural Catholic community in Wisconsin. But that life is shattered when her younger brother, Sam, vanishes at the age of seventeen, fleeing their father's rigid rules of masculinity and the violence their mother denies. Finally, thirty years old and expecting a child of her own, Abigail is determined to retrace her lost sibling's dark descent--embarking upon an emotional journey that will test the strength of her spirit, and contradict everything she once believed about her family and herself.

A stunning work of rare poignance and unsettling power, A. Manette Ansay's Sister marks the literary maturation of a truly exceptional voice in contemporary American fiction. Deftly spinning triumph out of tragedy, the award-winning author of Vinegar Hill offers us a fresh understanding of family, memory, and faith. 

River Angel (1998)

In April 1991, in a little Wisconsin town about a hundred miles southwest of the town where I grew up, a misfit boy was kidnapped by a group of high school kids who, later, would testify they'd merely meant to frighten him, to drive him around for a while. Somehow they ended up at the rive, whooping and hollering on a two-lane bridge. Somehow the boy was shoved, he jumped, he slipped—acounts vary—into the icy water. The kids told police they never heard a splash; one reported seeing a brilliant flash of light. (Several people in the area witnessed a similar light, while others recalled hearing something "kind of like thunder.") All night, volunteers walked the river's edge, but it was dawn before the body was found in a barn a good mile from the bridge . . .

The owner of the barn had been the one to discover the body, and she said the boy's cheeks were rosy, his skin warm to the touch. A sweet smell hung in the air. "It was," she said "as if he were just sleeping." And then she told police she believed an angel had carried him there.

For years, it had been said that an angel lived in the river. Residents flipped coins into the water for luck, and a few claimed they had seen the angel, or known someone who'd seen it. The historical society downtown had a farmwife's journal, dated 1898, in which a woman described how an angel had rescued her family from a flood. Now, as the story of the boy's death spread, more people came forward with accounts of strange things that had happened on that night. Dogs had barked without ceasing till dawn; livestock broke free of padlocked barns. Someone's child crayoned a bridge and, above it, a wide-winged tapioca angel.

A miracle? A hoax? Or something in between? With acute insight and great compassion, A. Manette Ansay captures the inner life of a town and its residents struggling to forge a new identity in the face of a rapidly changing world.

Midnight Champagne (1999)

April Liesgang and Caleb Shannon have known each other for just three short months, so their Valentine's Day wedding at a chapel near the shores of Lake Michigan has both families in an uproar. As the festivities unfold (and the cash bar opens), everyone has an opinion and a lively prediction about April and Caleb's union, each the reflection of a different marital experience.

Meanwhile, at the nearby Hideaway Lodge, a domestic quarrel ends in tragedy. As April and Caleb's life together begins, death parts another man and woman in angry violence—and as the two stories gradually intersect, their juxtaposition explores the tangled roots of vulnerability and desire.

By the time the last polka has been danced and the bouquet tossed, Midnight Champagne has cast an extraordinary spell. From the novel's opening epigraph from Chekhov—"If you fear loneliness, then marriage is not for you"—to its final moments in the honeymoon suite, A. Manette Ansay weaves tenderness and fury, passion and wonder into a startling tapestry of love in all its paradox and power.

Blue Water (2006)

On an ordinary morning in Fox Harbor, Wisconsin, Meg and Rex Van Dorn's lives are irrevocably altered when a drunk driver -- Meg's onetime best friend, Cindy Ann Kreisler -- slams into the Van Dorns' car, killing their six-year-old son, Evan. As Meg recovers from her own injuries, she and Rex are shocked when Cindy Ann receives a mere slap on the wrist. In their rage and grief, they buy a boat to sail around the world, hoping to put as much distance as possible between themselves and Cindy Ann. But when Meg returns to Fox Harbor for a family wedding, she's forced to face the complex ties that bind her to the woman who has destroyed her peace.

Good Things I Wish You (2009)

Winner of a 2009 Florida Book Award.

Battling feelings of loss and apathy in the wake of a painful divorce, novelist Jeanette struggles to complete a book about the long-term relationship between Clara Schumann, a celebrated pianist and the wife of the composer Robert Schumann, and her husband's protege, the handsome young composer Johannes Brahms. Although this legendary love triangle has been studied exhaustively, Jeanette—herself a gifted pianist—wonders about the enduring nature of Clara and Johannes's lifelong attachment. Were they just "best friends," as both steadfastly claimed? Or was the relationship complicated by desires that may or may not have been consummated?

Through a chance encounter, Jeanette meets Hart, a mysterious, worldly entrepreneur who is a native of Clara's birthplace, Leipzig, Germany. Hart's casual help with translations quickly blossoms into something more. There are things about men and women, he insists, that do not change. The two embark on a whirlwind emotional journey that leads Jeanette across Germany and Switzerland to a crossroads similar to that faced by Clara Schumann—also a mother, also an artist—more than a century earlier.

Accompanied by photographs, sketches, and notes from past and present, A. Manette Ansay's original blend of fiction and history captures the timeless nature of love and friendship between women and men.

Nonficiton


Limbo: a memoir (2001)

From childhood, acclaimed novelist A. Manette Ansay trained to become a concert pianist. But when she was nineteen, a mysterious muscle disorder forced her to give up the piano, and by twenty-one, she couldn't grip a pen or walk across a room. She entered a world of limbo, one in which no one could explain what was happening to her or predict what the future would hold.

At twenty-three, beginning a whole new life in a motorized wheelchair, Ansay made a New Year's resolution to start writing fiction, rediscovering the sense of passion and purpose she thought she had lost for good.

Thirteen years later, still without a firm diagnosis or prognosis, Ansay reflects on the ways in which the unraveling of one life can plant the seeds of another, and considers how her own physical limbo has challenged—in ways not necessarily bad—her most fundamental assumptions about life and faith.

Luminously written, Limbo is a brilliant and moving testimony to the resilience of the human spirit.

Collection


Read This and Tell Me What It Says (1995)

The title story in this collection won the 1992 Nelson Algren Prize and was awarded the Associated Writing Programs Short Fiction Series Prize.

In her first full-length story collection, author A. Manette Ansay explores the rural Midwest landscape and the people who inhabit it: ordinary folk with extraordinary inner lives, struggling to make sense of the isolated, sometimes painful, and often intensely religious worlds in which they live. Her are 15 haunting and exquisitely written tales that offer a rare and unforgettable glimpse into the complexities of being human and being alive.

 





Happy reading,
Angela

Wisconsinite: Lois Ehlert

(via Amazon)

Lois Ehlert is an author and illustrator of children's picture books, most having to do with nature. 

Ms. Ehlert was born (November 9, 1934) and raised in Beaver Dam, WI. Her mother was a seamstress who shared fabric scraps with her, most likely fostering her love for creating collages. Her father was also creative with a basement workshop and always had scrap lumber and nails available for Lois to use.

Ms. Ehlert graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a degree in English and Psychology. Then she went to the Layton School of Art. After graduating, she worked as an apprentice in an art studio delivering illustrations. She worked on her own art in the evenings.

She now lives in Milwaukee, WI.

 


Books written/ illustrated by Lois Ehlert:

Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr.; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (2011)
Illustrations and rhyming text follow ten caterpillars as one wriggles up a flower stem, another sails across a garden pool, and one reaches an apple leaf, where something amazing happens.

Rrralph by Lois Ehlert (2011)
The narrator describes discovering how Ralph the dog can talk, appropriately saying words such as "roof," "rough," "bark," and "wolf."

Lots of Spots by Lois Ehlert (2010)

A collection of poems about animal camouflage and adornment.

Boo to You! by Lois Ehlert (2009)

When the neighborhood cat tries to crash the mice’s harvest party, the mice have a plan to scare the intruder away.

Chicka Chicka  Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr and John Archambault; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1989; 2009)
An alphabet rhyme/chant that relates what happens when the whole alphabet tries to climb a coconut tree. Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Book; Boston Globe - Horn Book Award.

Oodles of Animals by Lois Ehlert (2008)
Short, easy to read rhymes reveal what is unique about various animals, from ape to wolf.

Wag a Tail by Lois Ehlert (2007)
Assorted graduates of the Bow Wow School meet at a farmers market and a dog park, where most of them remember their obedience training.

Eating the Alphabet: fruits and vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert (1989; 1996; 2006)
An alphabetical tour of the world of fruits and vegetables, from apricot and artichoke to yam and zucchini.

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert (2005)

A man made of leaves blows away, traveling wherever the wind may take him. On die-cut pages.

Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert (1987; 2004)

A father and child grow vegetables and then make them into a soup.

Nuts to You! by Lois Ehlert (1993; 2004)

A rascally squirrel has an indoor adventure in a city apartment.

Pie in the Sky by Lois Ehlert (2004)
A father and child watch the cherry tree in their back yard, waiting until there are ripe cherries to bake in a pie. Includes a recipe for cherry pie.

Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 by Bill Martin, Jr. and Michael Sampson; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (2004)
Numbers from one to one hundred climb to the top of an apple tree in this rhyming chant.

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert (1988; 2003)
A mother and child plant a rainbow of flowers in the family garden.

Crocodile smile: 10 Songs of the Earth as the Animals See It by (written and sung) Sarah Weeks; songbook illustrated by Lois Ehlert (2003)
Contents: Piece of jungle -- Pretty tree -- I’ve never eaten a princess -- I am not a hat -- Take it slow -- Crocodile smile -- Being extinct -- Pad, pad, pad -- I’m an animal -- Let it spin.

In My World by Lois Ehlert (2002)
Describes some of the many things in the natural world--such as worms, seashells, flowers, and stars--that a child can appreciate.

Fish Eyes: a book you can count on by Lois Ehlert (1990; 2001)
A counting book depicting the colorful fish a child might see if he turned into a fish himself.

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert (1995; 2001)
Some children create a family out of snow. Includes labeled pictures of all the items they use, as well as information about how snow is formed. Award: Publishers Weekly Book of the Year

Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert (2001)

With a simple, rhyming text and glorious color-drenched collage, Lois Ehlert follows the life cycle of four common butterflies, from their beginnings as tiny hidden eggs and hungry caterpillars to their transformation into full-grown butterflies. Complete with butterfly and flower facts and identification tips, as well as a guide to planting a butterfly garden.

Market Day: a story told with folk art written and designed by Lois Ehlert (2001)

On market day, a farm family experiences all the fun and excitement of going to and from the farmers’ market.

Top Cat by Lois Ehlert (1998)

The top cat in a household is reluctant to accept the arrival of a new kitten but decides to share various survival secrets with it.

Angel Hide and Seek by Ann Turner; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1998)

Exploration of the natural world reveals barn angels, a butterfly angel, a sea angel, and other marvelous creatures.

Cuckoo: a Mexican Folktale/ CuCu: un cuento folklorico mexicano by Lois Ehlert; translated into Spanish by Gloria de Aragon Andujar (1997)

A traditional Mayan tale which reveals how the cuckoo lost her beautiful feathers. Award: Booklist Editors' Choice

Hands by Lois Ehlert (1997)
When a child works alongside her parents doing carpentry, sewing, and gardening, she thinks of being an artist as well when she grows up.

Under My Nose by Lois Ehlert; photographs by Carlo Ontal (1996)
Author and illustrator of books for young people, Lois Ehlert, shares how she interweaves her creative process with her daily routine.

Pair of Socks by Stuart J. Murphy; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1996)

Introduces pattern recognition as a sock searches the house for its lost mate.

Mole's Hill: a woodland tale by Lois Ehlert (1994)

When Fox tells Mole she must move out of her tunnel to make way for a new path, Mole finds an ingenious way to save her home.

Words by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1993)

Circus by Lois Ehlert (1992)

Leaping lizards, marching snakes, a bear on the high wire, and others perform in a somewhat unusual circus.

Moon Rope: a Peruvian folktale/ Un lazo a la luna: una leyenda peruana by Lois Ehlert; translated into Spanish by Amy Prince (1992)

An adaptation of the Peruvian folktale in which Fox and Mole try to climb to the moon on a rope woven of grass.

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert (1991)

A child describes the growth of a maple tree from seed to sapling.

Color Farm by Lois Ehlert (1990)

The rooster, dog, sheep, cow, pig, and other animals on a farm are made up of colorful shapes such as square, circle, rectangle, and triangle. Features die-cut pages.

Feathers for Lunch for Lois Ehlert (1990)

An escaped housecat encounters twelve birds in the back yard but fails to catch any of them and has to eat feathers for lunch. Awards: IRA Teachers' Choice; NCTE Notable Children's Trade Book in the Language Arts

Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat by Gene Baer; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1989)

A distant marching band grows larger and louder as it nears, and then softer and smaller as it goes away again. 

Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert (1989)

Introduces colors and shapes with illustrations of shapes on die-cut pages that form animal faces when placed on top of one another. Award: Caldecott Honor Book.

Beginning to Learn About Shapes by Richard L. Allington; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1979)

Introduces 19 geometric figures with activities involving shapes and size relationships.

Number Families by Jane Jonas Srivastava; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1979)
Explains how every number is part of a family and functions differently.

The Visit by Diane Wolkstein; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1977)
Follows a little ant's journey, step-by-step, as she goes to visit her friend.

What Do You Think I Saw?: a nonsense number book by Nina Sazer; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1976) 
Introduces the numbers one to ten while describing in rhyme the unusual things a young rhinoceros sees on the way to town.

The Great Flower Pie by Andrea DiNoto; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1973)
Five hungry friends decide to bake a flower pie for lunch.

Mathematical Games for One or Two by Mannis Charosh; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1972)

What is that Sound? by Mary L. O'Neill; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1966)
What is the sound of a giggle? The sound of love? What is a baa, a croak, a growl, a chirp? How does the city sound, and the country? What is music, and jazz? What is the sound of air, the sound of day, the sound of night? — To think about such sounds is to think about all the things that happen to us and all of the things we feel inside; it is t...  more »o ask what life and living are all about.

Limericks by Edward Lear; illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1965)