Karen Cushman

If I were in charge of the Printz Awards, I would have found my winner this weekend. But I am in charge of nothing but this website (sort of) and so will post my winner here. Ta-da, Plain Kate by Erin Bow! Laini Taylor recommended it so highly in her blog that I searched it out, saying all along, “Don’t like fantasy, not my kind of book, cute kids and cats? Feggit it.” And then I read it. What a mysterious, horrifying, sweet, sad, romantic, haunting, funny book, filled with poetry and magic. Really, all of those things. And the cat is definitely not cute but is brave, silly, boastful and prideful, caring for nothing but food and Kate. Look for it. It’s wonderful. If like me you are not a fantasy fan, you might like it anyway. And if you are, you will be mad for it.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is publishing a new edition of the classic The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I was honored, thrilled, and intimidated to be asked to write an introduction, but I did it. I read the book first as an adult, but I asked a number of women who read the book as a young person to tell me about it. Without exception or hesitation they said, “I loved that book!” and “It meant a lot to me” and “It was the first time I saw myself in a book.” Save your pennies and buy the book—the one with my intro, of course. It will mean a lot to you, too.

The best part about being sick but not too sick is having lots of time to read. I just finished One Crazy Summer, which I had read before but didn’t much like. I hated the title, and I found two of the main characters unbelievable. Delphine was way too responsible, competent, and nearly perfect for an eleven-year-old. And there was her cold, selfish mother. I didn’t buy them. Hearing and reading so many positive reviews, I thought I’d try it again. And indeed I liked it better this time. As I lay in bed blowing my nose, I found myself thinking about the book long after I closed it. And I decided that I didn’t believe in those characters not because of the way they were written or described but because I was lucky. I never had to be so responsible and perfect nor did I know anyone else who was. My mother and the mothers I knew were not selfish and cold. But that’s because I was lucky, we were lucky, not because the characters were unbelievable. I had to step outside, far outside, my own experience to accept the situation and the characters. And isn’t that opportunity the mark of a good book? Read it and tell me what you think. But I still hate the title.

I love autumn in the northwest. Lots of color, lots of rain, and the landing of tiny little space ships. No, in truth the space-ship looking things in the photo are mushrooms. Really. Mushrooms. The biggest I’ve ever seen. Near the size of dinner plates. I can imagine a whole family of fairies finding shelter from the rain under one of these.

Happy anniversary to Neil and Kirby Larson, married thirty-five years ago today. I urge you to go and read her fabulous books. A new one for the Dear America series, The Fences Between Us, is splendid and available now.

And here is a repeat from last year. It is still true: On this day in 1969 Philip and I were married in the backyard of my parents’ home in Orange, California. A rabbi in an African dashiki recited the words to the Beatles’ “In My Life.” Philip wore a brightly colored velvet vest that I made him. I carried the dog, Dog, who wanted to be part of the celebration and I wore daisies in my hair.

There have been joys and struggles, the usual ups and downs, but forty-one years later he is still the love of my life. I am a lucky woman.

Barleycorn the wonder dog has just qualified as a registered therapy dog. He’ll take over from his co-dog, Siena, who—if there is such a place as dog heaven—has surely gone there. I’m glad my brother keeps me up to date on doings because all that is happening here is work, work, work—and an occasional episode of Inspector Morse or Foyle’s War. The autumn will be easier. I am already looking forward to a fire, cups of hot milky tea, and lots of rain. Ahhh….

All of you out there, go and hug your favorite furry creature and say how much it means to you. Dog or cat, hamster or rat or wombat, throw your arms around it and say, “I love you and thank you for making my life so much richer.” Do this right away, before you forget or are distracted. Do it in memory of Siena, the therapy dog, who just died at age ten.

I got an email today from the talented Rhonetta Robertson, a student at the Art Institute of Ohio in Cincinnati, who aspires to be a graphic novelist and enjoys drawing the characters from her favorite books. She’s interested in doing a graphic novel version of The Midwife’s Apprentice but I have way too much going on to take on another project. She kindly sent me her drawings anyway for Alyce, Jane the midwife, and Will. Aren’t they splendid? Don’t you just love that snippy midwife with her sharp nose? Oh, how I wish I could draw!