Season 35 (2022)
Rain lilies popped up this week in celebration of the rain we received after months of waiting in 100-plus temperatures this summer. Swaths of rain lilies covered wild areas, medians on the highway, and even a few spots in our own backyard.
“The scenery of different seasons unfolds every day on the path Hami walks.”
-from this week’s Hamimommy video (*video has sound)
This quotation makes me feel nostalgic as my son begins his first few weeks of high school. I’m reminded of our walks to elementary school watching the seasons change along the path across a small creek. Now we watch the seasons change on our drive to school because we live in a different area of the city. I’m looking forward to hikes in the natural areas of our neighborhood when the temperatures start to cool down in the next few months.
BOOKSHELF + COMMUNITY
During my son’s earlier school years, I volunteered to assist with class parties, helped teachers with projects like creating butterfly gardens or teaching kids’ yoga classed. I spent hours shelving books in the school library or decorating for book fairs. While I still plan to volunteer at my son’s high school, I’m also working to support teachers and librarians as well as protect children’s natural curiosity in learning about the world around them through books and reading in our community.
I highly recommend listening to this podcast to hear an ex-teacher’s perspective on why we need to support teachers. On the podcast you’ll learn what’s eroding trust in schools and the pressures that are causing teachers to quit their jobs in school systems around the country.
Teaching is a skilled profession that should be treated as such. Not just anyone can be a teacher. Teaching is challenging both emotionally and physically. I was an elementary school teacher myself for several years and a volunteer within an elementary and middle school working hands-on with teachers and librarians for several more years after that time. I thought I would share some of my own perspectives and insight after being an educator, parent, and school volunteer.
You may have heard in the news that teachers and librarians are having additional stress added to their already full workload with the increase in banning and challenging of books in classrooms and school libraries. Public librarians are facing the same challenges in their workplace.
I can’t believe we’re at a point where we are having to spend time and energy defending the right to read books of our choosing and those of our children, but here we are.
I find it confusing that so many of the books I’ve already read myself or with my son are on the lists of banned, censored, and challenged books on various library websites, Goodreads, etc. When I was teaching (and for the years my son has been in school) parents have always had the right to ask for a child to avoid reading a certain book, receive an alternate assignment, or choose to opt out of joining a celebration or holiday for personal or religious reasons. When I was a teacher, I did my best to make each student feel welcome by listening to the requests and helping that child to feel comfortable in their own choices.
Many librarians in elementary schools require parental permission if a child wants to read a YA (Young Adult) novel in later elementary grades. Some librarians keep books in a section behind the desk for older students so that they can help guide the children as needed. How do I know? I was a library volunteer and took the time to observe what was actually happening in schools.
In my opinion, if we have a concern that pertains to just our child, we need to talk with our educators and librarians on an individual basis rather than taking away book choices and learning opportunities for all children. Placing our trust in our skilled teachers and librarians helps them focus on their most important job which is facilitating learning for our kids.
Do some books deal with difficult content? Yes, they do. Life is full of awkward and challenging moments that require us to question our views, our beliefs, our feelings of belonging, and the perspectives of others, ESPECIALLY in childhood and adolescence.
Most children have experienced awkward and challenging moments in their young lives (or will in the future) and are looking for ways to understand the world through play and books. Children learn from seeing the world through stories. Storytelling has always been a part of our communities and ancestry. Just watch a group of children at a story time at the library or at school and you’ll see children hungry to learn, feel seen and understood, and gain knowledge!
As humans we often fear the unknown and might feel uncomfortable when we don’t fully understand someone who looks or speaks differently than us, misunderstand the traditions of another culture or the choices people make based on their own experiences because we don’t know their origins or full story. Books are such beautiful and effective resources for children as they navigate these feelings and thoughts. Books allow us to see life through someone else’s experience.
We underestimate a child’s ability to make sense of the world when we take away their opportunity to be curious and figure out for themselves what they believe about the world.
Inside the pages of books children, teenagers, and adults might find themselves mirrored back and feel a sense of understanding, belonging, or even empathy for someone else going through a similar experience. We can put our children in a bubble, but what happens when they leave that bubble and make their way in the world? Well, they will quite simply have the wonderful and sometimes awkward opportunity to meet people who are different than them. How will they meet that experience and grow through the process? By offering children opportunities to explore a variety of perspectives through reading, we give our kids the chance to be curious rather than meet those situations with fear.
"A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone."
-Jo Godwin
How do we give growing children the tools and education to be a civil and compassionate person in this world?
Schools (and yes homes, too) are wonderful places to be curious and ask questions. For kids who do not have support at home, public libraries and schools can be a haven to feel belonging and acceptance.
“It’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers.”
–Judy Blume
When we remove a book from a library, we say to our children that the experience of that author or that character doesn’t have a place or a voice in our community.
The commentary above is a culmination of my own personal opinions based on my education and experience. Below are resources and information about organizations that share the love of reading and book choice for kids and adults. I encourage you to do your own research and find the organizations that best fit your beliefs.
Last week I joined a steering committee meeting for Texans for the Right to Read. The information below comes directly from the Texans for the Right to Read organization.
About Texans for the Right to Read
Texans for the Right to Read is a grassroots coalition of concerned Texas residents and voters organized by the Texas Library Association. The coalition opposes the current push to ban books in Texas libraries based on content that is subjectively deemed inappropriate. The purpose of the coalition is to educate the public and oppose any current or future legislation or executive orders that infringe upon First Amendment rights and intellectual freedom.
What’s happening in Texas libraries
Across the state of Texas, libraries are being subjectively targeted by elected officials and misinformed organizations. The idea that librarians are curating collections that are inappropriate for students is false. There are existing processes in place that ensure books in school libraries meet the approved criteria put in place by the school board.
We need you now
This issue will be a top priority headed into the November gubernatorial election and the next Texas legislative session in January. It’s vital that we organize and bolster support across Texas to stop the censorship of marginalized voices in literature. Which is why we are asking you to join us today!
How to get involved
Texans for the Right to Read has launched its first phase of steering committees in Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Houston and El Paso. We are committed to educating Texans about the rise of book banning in Texas and are looking for volunteers in each of these regions to join their local steering committee to help us lead this effort.
The more voices that join us, the more effective our work will be. Visit righttoreadtexas.com to join the Texans for the Right to Read coalition to stay informed and join a local steering committee; please encourage your networks to do the same!
Spread the word
Spread the word about Texans for the Right to Read to your networks! Encourage them to learn more about book banning in Texas and share our website as a resource. You can also follow along and spread the word via social media–find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @RightToReadTX
If you’d like to find out more, visit their website for news, resources, and how to spread the word in your community.
I’ve also compiled a list of actions that you can take today to protect the right to read in Texas and the United States.
Join Texans for the Right to Read and TAKE ACTION
If you are registered to VOTE in the United States, make sure you take the time to do your research for representatives who support the right to read, including school board candidates in your area.
Use the Texans for the Right to Read template and send a message to your local representatives.
Need help finding out who represents you? Go here for Texas representation or find representatives for any state here.
Support authors whose books have been banned.
Buy a book from one of the amazing authors in the booklist below whose writing is now on the banned or challenged books list.
Share in the comments one of your favorite banned or challenged books.
Support your local public librarian or school librarian to boost their morale. Being a teacher, a librarian, or a school librarian an ordinary is difficult enough without being constantly under the microscope. Teachers and librarians need their energy and time focused on supporting kids and their communities through the important work they do every day in classrooms and school and public libraries. When we take teachers and librarians away from that work, our kids pay the price.
Stay informed with the Texans for the Right to Read website “NEWS” section and the articles below.
Articles that have “gift article” mentioned are links that allow the reader to read a New York Times or Washington Post article at no cost that would usually require a subscription.
Censorship battles’ new frontier: Your public library (gift article)
‘State-sponsored purging of ideas’: Students lose access to books (gift article)
Book bans are threatening American democracy. Here’s how to fight back. (gift article)
A sample of books banned in 2022 and reasons why they were banned
How About Banning These Books As Well? - some tongue-in-cheek commentary on the ridiculousness of why you could find just about any reason to ban a book
Here are 50 book Texas parents want banned from school libraries - from NBC News
Creating Change in the Classroom (*podcast - link may have sound)
The Moms For Liberty are Right: Books are Dangerous and why a mom who as a kid was a poster child for book-banning movement says, “But to many adults in my cookie cutter world, I suppose I became dangerous. I was asking questions they really didn’t want to answer.”
Keller ISD removes books from shelves from The Texas Tribune
Why Book Banning is Back - an article from Vox
If you know of someone who has experienced soft censorship, the organization We Need Diverse Books has a form you can fill out that will help them gather information to help support authors.
Now for some good news. You can join a book club with LaVar Burton! If you’re of a certain age, you might remember him from a show called Reading Rainbow. Last week I revisited my childhood memories when I shared this Reading Rainbow shirt on Instagram.
If you’d like to help fund classroom projects in your area on a monthly basis visit DonorsChoose and make a difference in the schools in your community.
HOME + COMMUNITY + TRAVEL
The first week of school had me back in the kitchen more often, and I was lucky to find a pint of blueberries and Full Quiver Farms cream cheese that needed a recipe. I rummaged in the freezer and found we had one remaining box of gluten-free Schar puff pastry.
A blueberry Danish was born from making creative use of what ingredients we had left over.
(What I ended up making was probably more of a tart, but I used a Danish recipe for the filling. Please excuse my creative use of baking terms!)
Gluten-Free Blueberry Danish Recipe adapted from Fearless Dining
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Make sure your puff pastry has thawed (3 hours at room temp). I used a Silpat baking mat dusted with flour and a rolling pin to roll the pastry out on the counter. I then cut the puff pastry using a circular cookie cutter with a decorative edge (but you do your version!)
For the cream cheese center, combine 8 ounces of cream cheese (room temp), 1 egg yolk (room temp), 1 TBSP of sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon if you’d like.
Butter the muffin tins and then tuck the puff pastry rounds into the muffin tins one at a time. We were able to get 6 Danishes for each piece of puff pastry. You should be able to fill a 12-cup tin with the 2 sheets that come in the box.
Scoop the cream cheese mixture into each Danish and top with blueberries.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10-14 minutes but adjust for your oven and keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn. You want to make sure the cream cheese filling has set, but the puff pastry doesn’t get too brown.
While the Danishes are baking, mix 1/2 TBSP lemon juice and 1 cup powdered sugar for the icing. When the Danishes have cooled after baking, use a spoon to drizzle icing over the top.
I adapted this recipe and when I make it again, I would probably put slightly less of the cream cheese component and more blueberries.
If you try the recipe yourself, would you share in the comments below? Let me know what additions or subtractions you made. I am an amateur baker at best, so I can use all the help I can get!
GARDEN + NATURE
We’re transforming our garden into a polyculture garden over the next several months. I’ll be sure to post the progress along the way, but right now I’m in research mode gathering all the ideas and putting a plan into place. Recently I purchased Bokashi granules to use in a Bokashi bin for compost. I’m curious to hear your feedback if you’ve used one before or tried a polyculture approach in your garden. Please share in the comments below this post.
Looking for ways to use rose hips and rose petals from your garden in the kitchen? Check out this gorgeous video from the YouTube channel Her86m2 and spend a rainy day making something beautiful. (Make sure that you use organic roses when making a recipe with roses.)
Curious about the birds in your backyard? I’m enjoying the Merlin Bird ID app. Here’s how to use it.
I see this drought as nature’s reminder both of a past we don’t want to repeat and what is ancient and larger than just the scope of this generation. (gift article)
Puffer Fish Constructs A Masterpiece of Love (thanks to my mom for this link)
WELLNESS + CREATIVITY
A beautiful piece from Serena Williams (from Modern Mrs. Darcy newsletter)
I’d love to hear about your simple joys in life right now and what you’d like to see if future blog posts. Please share in the comments below this post.
Enjoy your weekend!
I read once that if there is something that you want to do, but you're not sure how to get there, just begin.
Writing blog posts for 52 Seasons is a creative journey into the expressions that come from my heart: writing, photography, tending a garden, immersing myself in nature, reading stories from voices that need to be heard and sharing them with others, keeping a home, being an advocate for education and basic human rights, and sharing resources with others.
Get involved in your community. VOTE. Speak out. Volunteer. One small action can create momentum for change.
“Do your little bit of good where you are. It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” -Desmond Tutu