I met Actress (and Bronx native) Lisa Anderson at the Schomburg Library.
Category Archives: Library
My time at the NYPL
Christopher Paul Curtis
I was super excited to meet Christopher Paul Curtis at the National Book Awards Ceremony this month! I attended without finding out who were on the finalist list. I love surprises…especially if I can control them in some way.
The first thing I would always do when I arrive at the New School (which is where the ceremony is held) is visit the book seller’s table. I do this even before looking at the program. Looking at the books for sell tells me who I will be listening to that night.
When I came across The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis, I asked the vendor if he Mr. Curtis was going to be there that night. Sometimes authors don’t show up to the event.
Yeah, I believe so, he responded.
And, sure enough. He was there!
I was really happy to meet him in person because his writing kept me up at night as a little girl. His books were among the many books my favorite librarian, Mr. Hardy, placed in my hand when I was in middle school.
When I introduced myself to him during the intermission, he looked at me and smiled.
It’s a pleasure meeting you, Lystria. Do you teach?
Yes! I do! How did you know?
I actually didn’t. I didn’t know weather to ask if you taught or how old you were! You look so young.
Thank you, Thank you. I get that I a lot. I teach third grade.
Oh, third grade! I still remember my third grade teacher.
He signed my book and we spoke a little bit about his writing habits. I had remembered some of his habits by reading all of his books closely over and over again as a little girl.
Do you still wake up at 6 to write?
He started smiling. Well, Lystria, it’s getting earlier and earlier.
After we spoke, I met other authors. But meeting him and hearing him speak was by far the most nostalgic and settling for me.
Before I left, he introduced me to his wife Mrs. Curtis and author, Andrea Pinkney. They all looked at me in my eyes and told me how thankful they were that I was teaching.
Thank you for teaching our children. They told me constantly.
I would be lying if I told you I did not leave that event feeling better then when I walked in. The same feeling I felt after reading Bud, not Buddy or The Watsons go to Birmingham had returned to me when I met Christopher Paul Curtis in person.
Katura Hudson
Marketing Director of Just us Books, INC. at the Kweli Conference yesterday rocking ZORA!
Volunteering at the Library
August 2009
Nyson
Volunteering at the Library
August 2009
Story Telling at the Library
During summer 2013 the New York Public Library hosted an acting class where the children got an opportunity to create scrip and make masks.
I enjoyed it especially because I learned from the two teachers who had brilliant ways to keep the children on task and ‘all minds on deck’. It is 2017 and I still remember clearly how well the teachers worked together. For about 45 minutes, they taught and entertained the children. Each class setting was, everyone sitting down in a huge circle on the floor.
Each lesson would begin with an ice breaker. Hand clapping and singing. This helped the children acknowledge everyone in the room. It was here I learned how important it is to work with your colleagues and better more, acknowledge them. After an ice breaker, a mini lesson would begin by the other teacher. And they will keep passing the torch back and forth until it was time to leave.
There were about 20 children who came weekly, some Mary Mitchell Students and others neighborhood children and all were engaged.
Even though there was one focus which was, collectively writing scrip and acting, they used many ice breakers and never focused on one subject too long.
Mike
I met Mike at the library as a high school student. But back then, I was more cautious than anything, especially in the library. I was always in my ‘New York Mode’. So, if he or anyone (didn’t matter the age) spoke to me, I really didn’t speak back.
Forward years later, we are in the same writing class at the library. Come to find out, he is an incredible writer. I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E.
He is also full of creativity and ideas. He encourages everyone who attend the class to write, write, write and while he is not the one who teaches the class, everyone respects him as one of the teachers.
He is genuine and I am glad for the opportunity to learn from him as an adult.
Magic Show at West Farms
This pass Tuesday the children went to West Farms Library to see a magic show. They had high expectations…a little too high for the magicians. After seeing the first few tricks, Brianna yelled out: “How about doing some real magic? Pull a rabbit out of your hat!!”
This comment was ignored and since I was a bit far from her, I could not get her attention to tell her to stop yelling out.
Time passed and after a water trick (the magician ‘turned’ water red, however, the kids saw the Kool-Aid powder at the bottom of the cup) Brianna yelled out: how about turning your entire body green?!
This thought provoked everyone and before long, the entire body of teens and young children were chanting: TURN GREEN!! TURN GREEN!!
This made the magician stop the show to tell his audience that unfortunately, that was one trick he could not do. At these words the kids calmed down and the show continued.
Pretty Soon the kids next to me, turned to me and asked: Is this all of their tricks? I thought it was going to be a circus! They are not real…I had begun to feel like they wanted to leave. However, every time the magicians pulled a new trick out the hat, they had the children’s attention.
Seeing a magic show requires one to pay close attention to the act and quick thinking. While the children did not get all the acts, the ones that they did get made them feel powerful.
my umbrella
I’m not going to rush
for there is no point in rushing
I’m not going to walk in the line
I’m better than lines
And, I’m not holding hands either
I’ll hold my umbrella