🤫 Off the Record: GOLDFINCHES
Caldecott thoughts I'd never say in a committee room
Thanks for being here for the first dedicated Off the Record email, where I share my Caldecott thoughts about GOLDFINCHES as if you were a good librarian friend. Some observations will be supportive, some might be critical, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is a great book (or else I wouldn’t be taking the time to dig in so deep).
For the last couple Caldecott Critiques, I’ve put the Off the Record section at the end for paid subscribers, but I didn’t like putting a paywall in an otherwise free post, so I’m trying this new separate format. Since it’s the first one, I sent this preview out to everyone. In the future, rest easy free subscribers - you won’t see these emails.
First off, I’m a Mary Oliver fan.
I’ve read (and loved) most of her published work. I’ve learned about her life. And when I spotted the following bumper sticker in Ann Arbor, Michigan a while back . . .
honk if you’re letting the soft animal of your body love what it loves
. . . I laughed, and then I honked (the line is from this oft-quoted Mary Oliver poem).
Like I said, I’m a fan. So take everything I’m about to say with that in mind.