Books Bought for Flying Horse Farms Library

Here's what I bought with the money from the I Love Libraries comment challenge:

• Horses and Ponies (Kingfisher Riding Club) - Sandy Ransford $18.95 - Quantity: 1

• First Riding Lessons (RIDING CLUB) - Sandy Ransford $11.06 - Quantity: 1

• Archery (Backyard Games) - Steve Boga $9.31 - Quantity: 1

• Horse Handling & Grooming: A Step-By-Step Photographic Guide to Mastering over 100 Horsekeeping Skills (Horsekeeping Skills Library) - Cherry Hill $13.57 - Quantity: 1

• Cherry Hill's Horse Care for Kids: Grooming, Feeding, Behavior, Stable & Pasture, Health Care, Handling & Safety, Enjoying - Cherry Hill $11.53 - Quantity: 1

• Nature's Art Box: From t-shirts to twig baskets, 65 cool projects for crafty kids to make with natural materials you can find anywhere - Laura C. Martin $11.53 - Quantity: 1

Thank you all so much for supporting me and Flying Horse Farms!

Here's a picture of Emily and her dad looking at plans for the groundbreaking ceremony on June 13. You can follow along at the new FHF Camp Journal blog.

Flying Horse Farms

I love this Public Service Announcement, and not just because my niece stars in it. Look for her snatching the hat, jumping into the pool, and dancing. She's a natural actress. You ROCK, Emily!!!


:60 PSA for Flying Horse Farms from Donna Raque on Vimeo.

For more information on how to help go to: Flying Horse Farms.

Flying Horse Farms is a provisional member of the Paul Newman "Hole in the Wall Gang" network of camps for kids with serious illnesses. They hope to open in 2009.

From their website:

Camp is not only a place for children who are terminally ill, but also a place where children who will survive their illnesses can grow and develop the skills necessary to thrive for the rest of their lives.

At Flying Horse Farms, these same children learn what they can do, not what they cannot do. Camp is a place where we focus on the possible, a place where kids can just be kids. Campers serve as role models for one another and begin to see themselves, often for the first time, not as victims, but as strong and capable leaders.

Amen to that.

Operation Teen Book Drop

I did it! For Operation Teen Book Drop, I left a signed copy of Letters From Rapunzel on the book sale shelves of my public library. As you can see, I put a note on it: "FREE book, courtesy of Operation Teen Book Drop (see inside.)" I wrapped a rubber band around the cover, so that I could attach a writing journal (if they're so inspired after reading about Rapunzel's writing adventures) and a readergirlz pin. I also included the press release about Operation TBD for any young reporters who would be interested in how the project began.

There was only one witness, browsing the adult shelves, and she didn't notice me when I left the book or when I took the picture. Or at least, she didn't stare. I felt so...covert.

For the record, I thought about dropping the book somewhere daring, like Cloudscome did (the Wendy's parking lot!) but I was chicken. My book's still too much my baby to leave it unattended, near traffic and asphalt. I guess you already knew that by the note and toys I left with it. ;)

Don't forget that there's an online two-hour book party hosted at the readergirlz MySpace group forum (http://groups.myspace.com/readergirlz) tonight, from 6-8pm Pacific/9-11pm Eastern.

Ready or not

Hello there. It's Poem in Your Pocket Day.

I'm trying to figure out how to stash a poem in the tiny key pocket of my gym pants. I think I want Elizabeth Bishop's Filling Station. It begins

"Oh, but it is dirty!
--this little filling station
oil soaked, oil permeated
to a disturbing over-all
black translucency.
Be careful with that match!"

Why do I want this poem? I have no idea, and I don't have time to analyze my need for it. I discovered it in Molly Peacock's How to Read a Poem...and Start a Poetry Circle, and I've loved it ever since.

It's also Operation Teen Book Drop Day. I'm trying to figure out where to drop a copy of my book. Would the dentist's office, where I'm headed after the gym, be okay? Not exactly a teen hangout.

But look! Little Willow has put together some drop site suggestions. Dairy Queen is the big teen spot around here. Anybody want a book with that Blizzard?

Honestly, what I'd love to do is stick a copy of Letters From Rapunzel right next to the Green Fairy Book in a public library. Because I often cite that book (and all the rest in the series) as my introduction to fairy tales. But I doubt many libraries still carry those ancient tomes.

You'd think I would have figured out how to celebrate both of these events long before this morning. I do have clean socks to wear to the gym. That's something.

Oh, no! It's also National Cheeseball Day! And do I have anything prepared for that?

What are you doing (ready or not) today?

Guys Lit Wire Set to Launch June 1

Colleen at Chasing Ray said it was cool to cut and paste this from her blog, so I'm doing it. This is such an awesome idea, and I can't wait to see how it catches fire. (Note: the Sarah mentioned is NOT me. I'm Sara. Sarah would be the talented blogger from Finding Wonderland.)

And one more thing. I know there are guys who read my blog. You know you want to do this. Think about emailing Colleen and getting in on the ground floor of this sweet start-up. (I think that's guy-speak for pretty please?)

________________________________________________

Just to update you on the idea that several of us have been bouncing around for a web site recommending books to teenage boys. We are working on the design and putting together a big list of daily posters. But first the name:

Guys Lit Wire!!

All credit for that one goes to Sarah (who will likely also want to mention some help from Tanita). I was banging my head hard against the wall on this and Sarah came through big time. So kudos to her limitless creativity which will be big time on display on the site. Wait until you see the header she is working on for the main page - it is some kind of awesome.

We are planning to go live by June 1st and update every Monday - Friday with a different daily poster. We hope to have 21 folks on board dedicated to posting at least once a month. This way we get tons of new content from lots of different points of view, which is what I really wanted. We will likely run multiple daily posts as the site evolves but readers will be able to count for sure on at least one new post every weekday and that is what we will build a lot of the site's readership on.

There will be book recommendations, author interviews, literary commentary, a rant or two (I'm sure) and lots of other good stuff. The goal is to cover a ton of different types of books from across the literary spectrum so we can become a good resource to actual teenagers as well as anyone seeking to find books for teen boys. (And if the girls want to visit we are happy to have them, but boys are our target audience.)

Right now everything is moving forward quite nicely but we do still need some folks to commit to posting. If any of you would like to participate in Guys Lit Wire (or recommend someone) then please let me know. We are especially looking for guys so we can keep our group balanced (and because guys know a thing or two about what guys like to read... :) Please send me an email if you can help. (colleenatchasingraydotcom)

You and Me and E.B.: Changing the World

Yesterday was about Having a Good Time. Today is about Changing the World. (See quote from E.B. White above, or if you're reading this in a feed and can't glance up, here.)

What are the book/literacy/youth-related causes you support? I'd like to know.

Here are a few of mine:

Military Child Education Coalition

Plan International

Beyond 4 Walls Book Drive

I'm also interested in the following projects, but haven't acted upon them yet:

The Campaign for Drawing (sponsors The Big Draw and other projects)

Open Books (a literacy bookstore not yet operational)

KinderHarvest (rescues and recycles children's magazines to donate to families)

I'd like to compile a list of all the projects KidLit Bloggers (and readers) support. (Or is there one already? Someone tell me!) I would call it:

The Very Big, No-Kidding, We're Changing the World, You Bet! Good Deed List.