...and getting ready for the Fourth.

How are all your family?

Sign on door of local business: "We will be closed July 4 for the Fourth of July" LOL

Tomorrow is our Fourth of July Story Time, parts 1 & 2. Our selections will include, for the younger group:

Happy Birthday, America! by Marsha Wilson Chall;
America Is... by Louise Borden;
and, yes, The Pledge of Allegiance, as much as I hate to do it under the present circumstances. It's a beautiful book, and I have no qualms about using it in my setting, which emphasizes cultural enrichment and the celebration of common custom without mandatory participation. The thing is, I think the court ruling was technically correct, if emotionally dim, and I don't want to put myself in the position of seeming to agree with those who oppose the ruling. Ultimately, though, the objective of Story Time, to introduce the children to literate expressions of features of our culture, has to override any discussions the parents may want to have with me over the choice of materials. [sigh] It will be difficult to explain (to the parents, should they start -- I'd never bring this up to the kids) that I'm reading the book to honor the spirit that allows me to disagree with part of its text.

The older kids get the Paul Revere Suite: Longfellow, Benchley, more Benchley, and Lowrey ("A Boston brother and sister travel to their grandmother's house on the eve of the battle at Concord. Tim and Debby buy six spoons from Paul Revere as a birthday present for their mother." --Title Source 2 On the Web). Tougher material but less controversial, except that Story Time infrequently features characters getting shot.

We will finish both sessions with a rousing rendition of Yankee Doodle, illustrated with great panache by Steven Kellogg. There will be hand-clapping and foot-stamping before the hour is through. The people downstairs will shake their heads and mutter. Heh heh...

What do you think: the felt Uncle Sam hat, or the mob cap? ;)

Best regards--
Mary Anne