March 3rd - :( news...E.L. Konigsburg died

Last April, I was sad to learn that author, E.L.Konigsburg, died.
I posted my thoughts that day to my blog which you can read by clicking here.

Then today, while checking my twitter feed, I saw that on February 21, 2014 a Memorial Service was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for my favorite author.    Click here to read news article.

To me it is fitting that a Memorial Service was held at the museum! I plan to stop by the Metropolitan this summer when I'm visiting NYC to have my own quiet moment in her honor in the space that she made magical for me as a child reader.

Why did I like Claudia so much?
I recall poet, Nikki Grimes saying that while growing up, she never saw herself in books So she decided to create characters like herself once she became a writer so other African Americans would see themselves in her books. I think I loved Claudia (main character in From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler) so much because she was a white, suburban girl (just like me) who always did what was expected of her (just like me), yet longed for an adventure (just like me and every kid my age!). While reading Claudia's adventure, I saw myself  and loved that experience.

I ended my April blog posting by writing "And as a teacher, will ALWAYS introduce students to her books. We are lucky...though she is gone from this earth, her books, her stories, remain!"

YIKES...I haven't shared her books yet with my 4th graders...but it is only March, so there is still time!