The Books We Can't Let Go - the Sequel by Marsha Diane Arnold

As I continue packing for our cross-country move, the belongings and decisions seem to expand rather than decrease. Next month the decisions will have been made and I will be writing from Florida. Today though, in this final blog of my blog duet, I continue to ponder the question of which books to keep and which to leave behind, along with the inquiry into the values certain books bring us.

This past month, I asked some folks whose opinions I hold dear about their thoughts on values in picture books.

Dashka Slater, dear friend and fellow Cliffhanger (the name of our writers group), says this: “To me the most important value is kindness and the ability to look at things from someone else's perspective. I also think it's important to show kids that there are lots of different kinds of people and lots of different kinds of families and to make sure our books reflect that. I value humor, whimsy, and imagination and want my books to convey that. Since nature is important to me, environmental values are in my books, in large ways and small. But I also know values can be misunderstood. My book Dangerously Ever After has been discussed from many different perspectives and some people see things in it that are not what I believe the book is saying. But that's OK. We all see things through different lenses."

Another Cliffhanger, Liz Scarpelli, notes that Eve Bunting is a master at presenting lessons about very tough topics that don’t sound like lessons. “Telling a tale in a way that makes a child think, but doesn’t bang them over the head.”

Deborah Davis mentioned Jacqueline Woodson’s books, which model values so beautifully, along with A Chair for my Mother by Vera B. Williams.

Values shape our behaviors, our choices, and our relationships. When we model positive values for our children, in person or in books, we help them build healthy relationships, be empathetic, have integrity, and encourage them to become independent thinkers.

As a writer who wants to write books filled with humor and joy, as well as high values, I think it’s important to have an agent who views the world in a similar way. So it’s great to have Karen in my corner.

My wonderful agent Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary shares, “I actually rep picture books simply because they make me happy and I love them, not because I want to influence anyone.” Karen has it absolutely right. We should all do our work out of love and happiness. When we do that, we bring the love and happiness to everyone we touch. But Karen adds: “What I most want children to take away from the picture books I represent is an ability to relate to others in a more sensitive and empathetic way, as well as an increased sense of self-worth and wellbeing.  Those traits alone would make the world a kinder and more peaceful place.” We can talk values all day long, but I think that a kinder more peaceful place is what most of us long for

And the final word from my cohorts goes to my amazing friend and mentor, Jane Yolen. Heed well, writers. “I think there are two kinds of books--head books (How Do Dinos books) and heart books (Owl Moon).  It's best to work at full heartbeat when doing a head book while being aware of market problems when writing your heart books. In each case, though, set your ego aside and ask the story what IT needs.”

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This morning I made a few more decisions on which books to keep and which to leave. In the “Keep” pile are Barbara Robinson’s The Best Halloween Ever, inscribed, “This is for my good writer friend, Marsha.” I miss Barbara’s gentle, fun-loving spirit. There’s also Kathryn Otoshi’s What Emily Saw, inscribed “Thanks for filling me with inspiration.”  Yes, I inspired Kathryn at the beginning of her career as she inspires me now. There’s Humphrey The Lost Whale, the story of a whale who traveled up the Sacramento River in 1985 ending up in the middle of a farmfield. The whole Bay Area watched his rescue effort for nearly a month. The book is part of my history and I want to share it with my granddaughter Gráinne, a way to show her where and who I was. There’s Padraic Colum The Children’s Homer. Honestly, I can’t recall if I ever read it to my children, but I will not be negligent with Gráinne.

In the end, I’ve discovered the values reflected in the books we can’t let go not only have to do with books reflecting kindness, friendship, and honor, but also have to do with whom we’ve shared the books with and the connectedness and relationships the books reflect. 

Let's all go share a book, right now.

Marsha Diane Arnold is an award-winning picture book author with eleven traditional books, two digital apps, and an e-book to her credit. Represented by Red Fox Literary, in 2013 she sold four picture book manuscripts to Neal Porter Books, Kate O'Sullivan of Houghton Mifflin, and Tamarind, Random House UK. Her agent is currently in negotiations for two more books. Marsha grew up on a Kansas farm, but today creates imaginative worlds and wacky characters in northern California. Soon she'll be creating those worlds in Florida. Marsha's course Writing Wonderful Character-Driven Picture Books has helped many published and aspiring writers to write stronger characters. You may read about her books, school visits, and life at www.marshadianearnold.com.  -