Battle of the Books: Year One

A few months ago, Adelaide was asked by a teacher to participate in Battle of the Books.  We had no idea what this was, but it was explained to us that it's a quiz bowl-type competition where you read a list of books chosen by the sponsoring library, then show up with your team to answer questions about them.  Now, it's true that it's supposed to only be for fifth and sixth graders, but we all agreed that although she was younger, this was right up Adelaide's alley, and in the end signed off on her competing with the fifth graders.

Adelaide got the list, read the books, and remained exasperatingly calm about the whole thing, even yesterday morning, mere hours before the competition started.  I'd repeatedly asked her if she wanted me to quiz her or help her review or anything, and every time she brushed me off with a nonchalant, "No, thanks."  People, she didn't even make flashcards.  I would have seriously questioned whether or not we were biologically related if it weren't for that whole childbirth thing.

So, yesterday afternoon, Derek and his parents and the boys and I trooped over to the Big Town library to watch upwards of 100 fifth grade readers answer bookish questions.  Adelaide arrived with her three equally adorable fifth-grade-girl teammates.  She seemed excited.

Those girls whipped through the first two rounds like little nerd-girl dervishes, and qualified for the third and final round with the only perfect score.  It was exciting, and nerve-wracking, and so fun for Adelaide.  Youth sports are big around here, but academic competitions?  Not so much.  At four years old you can be in Tiny Person Baseball and Tiny Person Soccer and Tiny Person Tae Kwon Do, but there are no spelling bees or math competitions, not much of anything that strives to combine academic pursuits with a sense of healthy competition or fun for children.  Our little town library works hard to put on a good summer reading program, but the other nine months of the year?  Best of luck to you.

Excuse me.  I am afflicted with very strong opinions on this subject.

Back to yesterday's Battle:  I'm sad to say the final round is where things went south for our little team.  They had the misfortune to draw two different year-related questions, my heart sinking each time they were read, before the girls even had a chance to answer.  Are there people out there who pay attention to years in the books they read?  I could tell you the minutest of details about the items a character packs in their suitcase for a short trip, but what year that took place?  No idea.  It would seem that our four girls are much the same, as while they did take wild stabs at answering, they were way off, and obviously had no idea as to the correct answer.  Bad luck, indeed, but overall, it was still a fun event, and although Adelaide was a little disappointed when it was all over (FOUR HOURS LATER), she was more philosophical about the experience than anything else.  

We treated her to a cheeseburger and chocolate shake afterward, and by the time we'd reached home she was already talking about next year and how she'll be closer to the age of her fellow participants (she said most of the kids she talked to were eleven, which, at this point, still feels so much older than her nine years of age), and musing about ways to talk her teacher into letting her pick the team next year.  For my part, I now know to bring plenty of snacks, and perhaps a little stress ball, something to worry in my pocket so I don't cut off circulation to Derek's hand each time our little girl (bravely, valiantly, brilliantly) stands up to answer a question for her team.  

See?  We all learned something yesterday.

Better Vans, Better Libraries

The rumors are true:  We got a new vehicle.

Here is the truth about driving a vehicle so far past its expiration date it's going all Kevorkian on you, begging for the sweet release of van-death:  Your children (and you!) will be almost indecently grateful for this new vehicle.  They care not one whit that this vehicle is not brand-new, or that it's not as fancy as some of its fellows out on the road; they're just happy to be able to hear again.  Every single time we've ridden in it, at least one of them has commented, "It's so quiet!"  I said nearly the same thing to Derek after driving it to the library last night.  "I cannot get over how quiet this van is.  I mean, it's seriously, like, silent."

Now, is it silent?  Of course not.  This is not a Tesla we're talking about here.  But it has zero, count 'em, ZERO holes in the muffler, nor does the flex pipe need to be replaced.  It has four, count 'em, FOUR working door handles, AND the back hatch opens.  And did I mention the heating in the back of the van?  Because it works!  It pumps out beautifully warm air at your command!  MAGIC!

Speaking of the library (I kind of did, buried somewhere in a paragraph up there), can I just say how marvelous it is to visit a 21st century library?  I remember the cruel limits imposed on me as a child, like three books is gonna last me more than a day, lady.  Do you know how many books we checked out last night?

That's a heavily cropped screenshot of our online account.  Between four of us, we got to check out 50 items.  And that's just at one library!

Now, the downside to this is that we go to more than one library on a regular basis, and we check out at least as many books at our small town library, and that's just a heck of a lot of books to keep track of.  We do have a system for all these library books, kind of, and we have yet to lose a book.  (*crosses fingers- knocks on wood- mutters a prayer*)  

Also:  Are 21st century librarians nicer, or is it just me?  I have some pretty cranky librarians populating my memory banks, but how much of that was actual crankiness and how much was those poor people reacting to me being a punk kid?  When it comes to librarians, our family is blessed with an embarrassment of riches.  Ah, but then again, I remember a librarian in Connecticut who was so determinedly hostile I found myself hoping she'd run afoul of an overloaded book cart one day.  I walked to her library many, many days, with an infant Adelaide strapped to my chest and my face stretched into a wide, wide smile, but apparently when a librarian chooses to use her not insignificant powers for evil it can even thwart attempts to kill someone with kindness.

She was rude and cold to this face, a face that has loved books since she was teeny tiny.  Librarian Most Vile and I did not become besties.

Thankfully, 95% of the librarians we've encountered in Iowa have been the very antithesis of LMV:  Kind and open and helpful and smart and funny, reinforcing my notion that book people really are the best people.

For all my book homies

A Love Story

If you know our family at all, you're aware that we spend vast quantities of time at our small town library, checking out giant stacks of books, begging for yet another interlibrary loan, and impressing the librarians with our crazy crime-fighting skills (Adelaide, me, and Caedmon, respectively).

In the nearby big town, however, they also have a library.  Our family is likewise recognized at this library, but not because of me or the children; we are known there because this Big Town Library houses the Derek Crisler Fan Club.

Let me first assure you that the feeling is mutual:  Derek loves the people of the Big Town Library just as much as they love him.  You see, because he runs the government access channel in this Big Town, Derek works with different departments and organizations all over the city, but as the library is inhabited by (wait for it...) librarians, who often exist on a plane just a step or five higher than the rest of humanity, when he does his hard-working video thing in their particular institution, they don't hold back with robust thanks and lavish appreciation.

Take last night:

They got him a delicious cake, a full meal, speeches in his honor, and applause all around with close to 100 of the library's closest friends at a special premiere they coordinated in honor of the documentary Derek wrote/directed/filmed/produced/edited/narrated/everything to commemorate the journey from the library's old facility to its new, current building.  

They also requested he tell a bit about his process, how he managed to take 3 years and 1 full terabyte and 84 hours; worth of footage and condense it into a 16-minute story about their beloved library.

Then we all watched it together on the big screen.  It turns out librarians and their loved ones make the best audience; they laughed at the right times, refrained from talking too loudly or obnoxiously throughout, and didn't hold back on their outward expressions of entertainment and joy.

Derek being Derek, he also made a point of acknowledging his four student interns, all the help and work they provided.  Look how short they all look!  Almost like regular-sized people.

Click to see the Big Town Library's gorgeous new building, how they moved themselves from one building to another and back again to the refurbished library, and see just what Derek does all day.