The Kindergarten Life

Margie: What is the world coming to, sister? Look a here at this story about kindergartners getting these iPad thingys. In my day we learned how to read from a book and we looked up subjects in an encyclopedia. Kindergarten used to be for kids to learn how to read and write and color pictures. This old world is getting too fancy for me.

Edna:  Maybe you're just behind the times, sister.  Today's children have to prepare for the world they're going to live in, not the world they already live in.  I just hope they won't be doing all their work on an iPad, that would be a sad state of affairs.

Margie: You're being a nitwit but that's what you are. I guess you can't help it. It's a sad day when children aren't being taught the basics. I suppose the teachers will all be without jobs soon because they won't be needed. I fear for those poor children who don't have the joy of reading a real book.

Edna:  Margie, if you read that article you'll see that they are being taught the basics but the school is just using technology to do it.  I want them to know the joy of reading a real book too, and I bet they will.  This is just helping them learn.  At least there will still be a real live teacher, it's not like they're being taught by a robot.  Well, not yet anyway.

Margie: Mark my word, Edna, if the government can find a way to save money by swapping robots for teachers then they'll do it soon. Maybe the robots would even like that lunchroom food.

Kids Need to Read!

Margie: Edna and I have decided to make this Nathan Fillion Week. Lordy, I'd love to have him visit my basement. What a hunk! 

Don't mind me because I want to tell you how sweet my Nathan is. He is the co-founder of Kids Need To Read. What's it all about?


"Kids Need to Read is a national nonprofit foundation that promotes childhood literacy and addresses the crisis in library funding that currently exists in the United States. Donating inspiring, new books to schools, public libraries, juvenile offender facilities, dropout recovery programs, urban afterschool organizations, and special education classes, the foundation works to develop a lifelong love of reading and an awareness of social responsibility in all children."


Edna:  Margie and I both support anything that furthers childhood literacy, and it was a pleasant surprise to find out that Mr. Fillion does as well.  Please take a minute to visit the site and find out all about this wonderful charity.  Thank you.  

1940 Bestsellers

Margie: Edna and I have always loved to read and we especially liked the books of 1940. We urge you to read all of these if you haven't already.

1. How Green Was My Valley, Richard Llewellyn

2. Kitty Foyle, Christopher Morley

3. Mrs. Miniver, Jan Struther

4. For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway

5. The Nazarene, Sholem Asch

National Library Week

Margie: Edna, I'm giving you fair warning that I won't be home much this week. It's National Library Week and I've been asked to help out down to the library.

I know you'll sit here all week whining and pouting so I bought you a pacifier. You're welcome to come to all the activities and there'll be free food. I've never known you to turn down a free bite.

Edna: My goodness Margie, I know you think you were insulting me but all you've really done is show our readers how mean you are. Although, I'm pretty sure they already knew that.

I'll come along with you to the library, but I bet they won't want you there with that bad attitude. You'll scare the children.

Margie: Edna, you don't make a lick of sense! You act like a baby when I make plans then you sulk and pout until I get home. If I stay home then you complain and whine about how mean I am.

You come to the library, sister, and you best act like a grown woman. You got that? Let's think up games for the children to play.

Edna: How about "Spot the Shriveled Shrew"? Or maybe "Are You Smarter than a 100-year-old"?

Margie: I prefer "Who Super Glued Edna's Tushie To Her Chair?"

Edna: My lands, listening to you yammer on has given me a megrim. Why don't you super glue your mouth and let folks get on with enjoying National Library Week?

Reading Is Fun Week

Margie: Edna, get your lazy rear out of that bed. You don't want to disappoint the children. Remember this is Reading Is Fun Week and we volunteered to help at the library.

I'm going to say something, Edna, but I'll deny it if you tell anybody. The children loved you last year and thought you were funny. You got quite a few of them interested in reading and I was happy to see that. Please try to act human today too.

Edna: As usual, Margie, I'm going to be gracious and accept the compliment while ignoring the insult. And I will say this: when you put your mind to it, you have a lovely reading voice. I know the children will enjoy having both of us read to them. I just love seeing all those little faces looking up at me, spellbound.

Margie: Edna, I know what you mean about those little faces. They do love a good story. I'm a firm believer in starting children as readers as early as possible.

Remember how Mama always read us a bedtime story, Edna? I do believe that's why we both love to read.

Edna: I think you're right, and we were truly blessed. Reading to these young children makes me think of Mama and how an adult can transfer a love of reading to a child. It sure would be nice if every child has someone in their life who would read to them.

All right, let's get going to the library, we've got young book-lovers to read to!

National Librarian Day

Margie: Edna, I just love this day that's been set aside for librarians. You know I spent all my working life as the Jericho librarian. My word, I helped many a student there and I must say that I helped everyone by being strictly professional yet friendly.

Many students say that I'm the reason they went on to college, Edna. I do love it when folks come back to Jericho and want to see how Miss Margie is doing. I am certainly held in high regard by the citizens of Jericho. Edna, why didn't you ever visit the library more often back then?

Edna: Margie, I'm sure if you think long and hard on that question, you'll figure it out. Now, just because I didn't go to the Jericho library does not mean that I dislike reading. Quite the opposite. I just preferred to go to other libraries where I knew my book choices wouldn't be scrutinized then spread all over town by some busybody with loose lips.

Anyway, now that the library has a much more discreet head librarian, I just adore going there every week and bringing home a bag full of new books. Sometimes I think there's no better feeling in the world than having a fresh stack of brand-new books to read. All those new worlds to explore...my lands, it's enough to send me into raptures.

Margie: My stars, Edna, I'm glad I wasn't that kind of librarian and I'm especially proud that the Jericho library didn't stoop to the level of offering the kinds of books you always wanted to read!

Remember when Miss Maizie told the town about you reading that "Peyton Place" book? What a scandal that was.

The only thing that sends you into a rapture, Edna, are those books that arrive here in the mailbox with no return address.

Edna: Margie, every time you open your mouth, out fly a flurry of untruths and fibs! You're just spoiling for a fight, but I won't be stooping to your level so you can just forget it.

And since you were such a helpful librarian, maybe you can tell our readers how they can celebrate National Librarians Day.

Margie: Librarians do a wonderful job and it's not as easy as it sometimes looks. Give your librarian a special Thank You today for all their hard work. They don't get near the appreciation they deserve.