West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Got a little space on your bookshelf? Or maybe in your nearest Little Free Library? A legendary book sale is coming up Saturday – and inviting donations before then if you have some books that need new homes (read this all the way to the end!):
It’s spring, and that means it’s time for the annual Sanislo Elementary Book Sale!
Come join us Saturday, April 4th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school (1812 SW Myrtle Street) to browse a great selection of used books and buy a sweet treat. All proceeds benefit the annual fourth grade adventure to Camp Sealth on Vashon Island where for three days and two nights, our kids will immerse themselves in environmental education and camp fun. For many of the kids, this is will be their first trip away from home, first ferry ride, first campfire, first s’more, and it is always a highlight of their years at Sanislo. Please come support our kids and your reading habit! We look forward to seeing you Saturday.
We are also accepting donations of used books in good condition for the sale. (Please, no textbooks, manuals or magazines.) Donations can be dropped by the Sanislo front office during the school day. You can contact Lisa at lkeith@pacsci.org with questions. THANK YOU!
(Tuesday night WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
We went downtown last night for the 20th annual Global Reading Challenge finals, in which West Seattle Elementary‘s Reading Warriors (above) and Lafayette Elementary‘s Rad Radical Hyperactive Jellyfish (below) were among the seven teams that made the cut from around the city.
Even this event was affected by the southbound Highway 99 closure – our area’s teams made it in time, heading northbound, but the start time was postponed so everyone could arrive from the north end. Ahead – scenes from the competition:
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As previewed in today’s calendar highlights – West Seattle’s newest Little Free Library is officially open for book stocking and borrowing. Thanks to Gunner for the photo of this LFL’s builder/host Robbie at this afternoon’s reception in the 7700 block of 12th SW, also featured on this neighborhood FB group page. The official LFL site says more than 20,000 LFLs are open for book-sharing, in 70+ countries.
From Madison Middle School librarian Stacia Bell, word of a big event next week:
Next Tuesday, March 24th, popular young-adult author Marissa Meyer will be visiting Madison Middle School to talk with students about her Lunar Chronicles dystopian series and her experience being an author. There will be two author talk assemblies in the Madison cafeteria—one at 9:40 and the other at 1:30 — and parents and families are welcome to attend. Marissa will also be selling and signing her books after each assembly for interested students. Paperback copies of the books will be on sale for $10.95 and hardback copies for $19.70. Students and families can pay with cash or check (make checks out to University Book Store). Students are also welcome to bring previously purchased copies of her books to get them personally signed by Marissa. And as always, all of the books in this series will be available for checkout in our Madison Library. Contact Madison Librarian Stacia Bell at smbell@seattleschools.org if you have questions. Hope to see you out!
Last year came word of the nomination … now, finally, it’s time to vote on a local book nominated for a national award.
The announcement:
“Leopard & Silkie: One Boy’s Quest to Save the Seal Pups” has been nominated for the prestigious Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award for best book.
Written by Brenda Peterson with photos by Robin Lindsey (co-founders of Seal Sitters), the book weaves a tale based on the true story of the friendship of two West Seattle seal pups in 2007 – and the young volunteers who protected them.
There are 5 nominees for the award, and children must read or listen to at least two of the books in order to vote for a winner. Voting must be completed online between March 15 and April 10, 2015. All elementary-school-age children are eligible to vote.
The highly respected Beverly Cleary Award will help bring even more national attention to the book. This award will help protect seal pups and inspire children to reap the rewards of volunteerism and environmental stewardship.
While Leopard & Silkie has garnered much praise from critics (including 2013 Outstanding Science Trade Books K-12 by National Science Teachers Assoc), the best award of all would be from the children we so hope to influence!
Wondering how to vote? Details are in this post on the Seal Sitters’ Blubberblog.
P.S. – WANT TO BE A SEAL SITTER? TRAINING NEXT SUNDAY! We’re told space remains at this Sunday’s training session for potential Seal Sitters volunteers of (almost) all ages – if you’re interested, it’s a rare chance to get the training and get involved. Go here to get details, including the mandatory RSVP link.
This Wednesday (January 21st), you’re invited to the next edition of the WordsWest Literary Series at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), and with two days to go, there’s been a last-minute change in readers – Jennie Shortridge (above right) will now join Frances McCue (above left). Here’s the updated announcement from the WordsWest curators:
From fad diets to online dating to world peace — this is the exhaustingly inexhaustible material of New Year’s Resolutions. Join us for the perspectives of two amazing local authors as they take a new look at the old tradition of making and breaking our resolve. For the January 21, 2015, edition of WordsWest Literary Series, best-selling novelist Jennie Shortridge and award-winning poet Frances McCue will read their work which invites all of us to explore our ideas, hopes and intentions for the coming year.
This month WordsWest is thankful for support from Poets & Writers.
Frances McCue is a poet, essayist, reviewer and arts instigator. From 1996-2006, she was the founding director of Richard Hugo House in Seattle. Her poetry collection The Bled won the 2011 Washington State Book Award. McCue’s other work includes the essay collection The Car That Brought You Here Still Runs (runner-up for the Washington State Book Award), poetry collection The Stenographer’s Breakfast, and prose in Mary Randlett Portraits.
Jennie Shortridge is the author of five bestselling novels, including Love Water Memory and When She Flew. Her books have been selected as American Booksellers Association’s Indie Next picks, Target Bookmarked picks, and Library Journal’s Editors’ Picks. Three have been optioned for film. An avid volunteer, Jennie is the co-founder of Seattle7Writers, a nonprofit collective of Northwest authors who raise money and awareness for literature and literacy.
Every third Wednesday, 7 pm, at C & P Coffee Company, WordsWest hosts literary events that range from readings by published local and national authors, to craft discussions and guided writing explorations for every experience level. Folks from local, independent businesses share a favorite poem as part of the Favorite Poem Project. On January 21st, Twilight Gallery and Boutique will join us.
WordsWest is curated by West Seattle writers Katy E. Ellis, Susan Rich, and Harold Taw. Join us on Facebook at facebook.com/WordsWestLiterary. For more information, please contact wordswestliterary@gmail.com or visit WordsWestLiterary.com.
C & P is at 5612 California SW.
Words, Writers & West Seattle presents … from Avenue Collection on Vimeo.
West Seattle’s literary scene continued to deepen in 2014 – and on this second day of 2015, it’s already time for the year’s first installment of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented monthly celebration of local writing, Words, Writers, West Seattle. Tonight, 5-7 pm, come to Westwood Village’s Barnes & Noble bookstore to meet and hear from writer Christine Brant, who’s featured in the SWSHS-provided, Avenue Productions-produced video invitation above. It’s free; if you’re interested, you’ll be able to buy her book “Red and Grey” during the event. P.S. The next four editions of the first-Fridays WWW series are previewed here.
Ten years of work … and now, Sarah Alisabeth Fox – who lives and works in the West Seattle/White Center area – has published her first book, “Downwind: A People’s History of the Nuclear West.” Getting it published is just the start – now, the task is to get the word out about it. To help support Fox as she does that, while also working a day job and raising a child, friends organized a benefit that’s happening right now at Skylark in North Delridge.
The event includes a silent auction, reading, and dessert grab (featuring a special flavor from White Center-founded Full Tilt Ice Cream).
Fox has tales to tell including what she experienced traveling to Vienna, Austria, recently for the International Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons. She attended with anti-nuclear-testing activist Michelle Thomas of St. George, Utah, who, Fox writes, “grew up immediately downwind of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site, where nearly one thousand Cold War nuclear weapons were tested between 1951 and 1992. … Conference organizers hope the event will help strengthen international support for the total abolition of nuclear weapons technology.” Fox’s book tells the stories of those who have struggled to be heard despite the effects of “the Cold War arms race as it played out in their backyards.” Fox hopes to continue to travel to speak about “her book and the environmental and health consequences of nuclear weapons,” but that takes money, and so this benefit was organized; more details are in our calendar listing – it’s on until 9 pm at 3803 Delridge Way SW.
(“Trailer” for Sarah A. Fox’s book “Downwind“)
Next Monday at 7 pm at Skylark in North Delridge, it’s your chance to support a local writer whose decade of work has finally culminated in a book. Here’s the announcement:
Local historian and author Sarah Alisabeth Fox is asking for your help. Her recently published book, “Downwind: A People’s History of the Nuclear West,” is the culmination of a ten-year research project, yet some of the most important work spreading the word about the book still remains.
As a first-time author published through a university press, she received no advance and no institutional support for a book tour. Royalties are 1% (15% for ebooks), paid out once a year. All book events and travel expenses come out of Sarah’s personal funds, and she must often take time off work to commit to these events.
“Downwind” explores the human and environmental cost of nuclear testing and uranium extraction in the American West through the stories of “downwinders,” the residents of the Great Basin region affected by radiological pollution.
Ahead, the announcement continues with more about the book and how you can help at Monday’s event:
(Photo republished with permission)
Sanislo Elementary librarian Craig Seasholes is excited about a big gift for the young readers with whom he works – those boxes are part of a donation of nonfiction books worth $6,000! They’re courtesy of the Seattle Public Library/Paul G. Allen Family Foundation collaboration and Sanislo parents are invited to stop in the library during conference week next week for a closer look. Find out more on this Sanislo webpage.
(WSB photo: Cookbook editors Joan & Joey arranging stacks at LHM on Friday)
Get ’em while they’re hot! Copies of “Apron Strings,” a brand-new local cookbook, are officially on sale. This weekend, you can buy it during regular hours at the Log House Museum (noon-4 pm Saturdays, Sundays, and Thursdays and Fridays) – or maybe you’ll be at the LHM for the volunteer orientation today (11 am-1 pm) and get yours then – or, look for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market tomorrow. And get busy making recipes like this one:
Here’s the SWSHS announcement about “Apron Strings”:
Just in time for Thanksgiving meal planning and the search for a unique holiday gift, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society is releasing a new, home-grown cookbook.
“Apron Strings: Recipes and Recollections from the Duwamish Peninsula” is a 180-page paperback with 114 recipes from 49 local residents. Stories accompany many of the recipes, and the book is laced with 16 photos from the historical society’s archive.
Editors of the cookbook are three longtime members of the historical society: Dayle Banks, Joey Richesson (former board secretary) and Joan Stover (former board treasurer). The cover features a colorful, quilted vintage apron from Merrilee Hagen, past president of the historical society.
“Apron Strings,” priced at $25, is on sale at the historical society’s “Birthplace of Seattle” Log House Museum. It also will have its public debut from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, at a table at the West Seattle Farmers Market in The Junction.
Net proceeds will go to the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.
Three years in the making, “Apron Strings” is “no ordinary cookbook,” the editors write in the book’s preface. “It is a collection of recipes that reflect the history and culture of Duwamish Peninsula families and friends. … Entwined with the details for sifting, stirring, baking and frying are the stories of the people and circumstances surrounding the dishes, the family traditions of meals and snacks, and the community history of food that is uniquely West Seattle, White Center and beyond.”
Tomorrow opens the book on the first chapter of West Seattle’s newest literary series – WordsWest.
7 pm Wednesday (September 17th) at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), you’re invited to “An Evening with Karen Finneyfrock and Elissa Washuta.” The WordsWest curators – West Seattle writers Katy E. Ellis, Susan Rich, and Harold Taw – describe the series as “a monthly invitation to hear world-class writers from near and far, and to join and nurture the West Seattle literary community.” They plan to present events every third Wednesday “that range from readings by published local and national authors, to craft discussions and guided writing explorations for every experience level.” The events will include a local-business rep reading a favorite poem – starting with Pegasus Book Exchange. Read about Wednesday’s featured writers on the WordsWest website.
Tomorrow night is the next edition of “Words, Writers & West Seattle,” 5-7 p.m. Friday (September 5th) at Barnes & Noble Westwood Village, sponsored by the Southwest Seattle
Historical Society. Featured author this time is Molly Ringle, whose work includes the young-adult fantasy novel “Persephone’s Orchard.”
The event is free; 10 percent of any purchase you make during it will benefit SWSHS. More info is on the official flyer.
P.S. Your next chance to find out about volunteering with SWSHS is coming up on Saturday at SWSHS’s Log House Museum, 61st/Stevens. Says SWSHS executive director Clay Eals, “Attendees will learn about how to turn desires and skills into meaningful tasks that will help preserve and promote the heritage of West Seattle and the greater Duwamish peninsula.” He’ll be leading a local-history primer, too.
West Seattle author Brenda Peterson not only lives near the water, she writes about it, and advocates for those who live in and near it. It’s at the heart of her new book, “The Drowning World,” which will be featured next Friday when she’s in the “Words, Writers, & West Seattle” series spotlight:
(Video by Mark Jaroslaw)
The monthly reading/autographing/author talk series presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society moves to a new time for the occasion – you’ll find Brenda Peterson at Barnes and Noble/Westwood Village next Friday (June 6th), 5-7 pm.
P.S. The book she and fellow Seal Sitters founder Robin Lindsey wrote for kids, “Leopard and Silkie,” is up for the prestigious Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award, as announced earlier this month.
Congratulations to West Seattle author Emily Krieger, whose “Kids’ Myths Busted” has won Book of the Year for fifth/sixth graders in the Children’s Choice Book Awards, announced last night. We mentioned here a week and a half ago that her book was a finalist; WSB reader Ketty e-mailed us today to share this link with news of Emily’s win. (The second book in the series, by the way, has just been published.)
It’s increasingly clear that talented authors abound in West Seattle. We’ve found out about another one up for a national award: “Myths Busted!” is the first book by Admiral resident Emily Krieger, published by National Geographic Kids and already voted one of the top five favorite 5th/6th-grade books in America. Emily explains: “The winner is still being determined by votes, and anyone — kids and adults — can vote in as little as 30 seconds (here). No registration required! … If any of your readers would like to vote local, they have through May 12th. And while I appreciate any and all support for Myths Busted!, if anybody has a special fondness for the other nominees, I wouldn’t begrudge them. Being involved in kids’ reading and encouraging them to talk about books is the most important part.”
P.S. She says the second book in the “Myths Busted!” series will be out May 13th, along with a short-story collection called “Funny Fill-In: My Dinosaur Adventure,” and in addition to all that, she’s just finished writing the third and final “Myths Busted!” book.
There’s still time to go get literary with two local novelists and South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) instructors in this month’s edition of “Words, Writers, & West Seattle” – Mike Hickey and Arleen Williams are reading and signing their work at Barnes & Noble in Westwood Village, until 6 pm. The monthly series spotlighting local authors is co-presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.
Last year, we reported on Gatewood author Lyanda Lynn Haupt‘s tale of in-city wildlife – something experienced in West Seattle more than many other places! – “The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild.” This week, big news – “Urban Bestiary” is one of four finalists in the nonfiction category of the Orion Book Awards, which span North American work published in the preceding year and just this year separated nonfiction and fiction contenders. The winners will be announced next month.
Add another Little Free Library to the list of West Seattle’s LFLs! Joan shared the photo of this one that’s new this week at 4502 Glenn Way SW (map), explaining, “It has great finds of books: fiction, biographies, science, art, history and medical books and 2 children’s books!” The official LFL map has a dozen others in this area, some of which we’ve been honored to feature here.
Not only does West Seattle have excellent readers – see our previous story – but there’s a growing community of successful authors, too. The Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented series “Words, Writers, & West Seattle” has had a stellar monthly lineup going since last year, and tomorrow is the next chapter: Conrad Wesselhoeft at Barnes and Noble/Westwood Village, 4-6 pm (Friday, March 7th). Along with his acclaimed “Adios, Nirvana,” Wesselhoeft has a new book due out next month, “Dirt Bikes, Drones, and Other Ways to Fly.”
Existential philosophy and Christian faith might not sound likely to intersect – but when it comes to Denmark’s renowned 19th-century thinker Søren Kierkegaard, they do. Few know this better than First Lutheran Church of West Seattle pastor Rev. Ron Marshall, who has just published “Kierkegaard for The Church,” and gave us a show-and-tell the other day:
The book would be helpful both “for the educated layperson and pastors,” Rev. Marshall says. This Monday, 9 am-1 pm, he’s hosting an “open conference” about it at his church north of The Junction, open to the public, focused on the book and some of what you can hear him discuss in our video – which concludes with a shorter clip below, elaborating on who the book is for and on the Monday forum (at which you can buy a signed copy of “Kierkegaard for the Church”:
Behind the pastor and author in our clips is the Kierkegaard statue you can see at First Lutheran, by Northwest artist Dr. Rita Marie Kepner, dedicated when the church celebrated the bicentennial of the philosopher/theologian last year (WSB coverage here). As Rev. Marshall mentioned, First Lutheran commemorates him in November every year. Drop in Monday for minutes or hours and check out the statue, the discussion, the book.
Though school is out this week, we suspect many young readers are in training as the Global Reading Challenge continues. We showed you Arbor Heights Elementary‘s winning team last week; today, we have a report from Concord International Elementary 4th-grade teacher Marina Pita:
My 4th Grade Dual Language Students (The Black Mythical Mustangs) won our school’s Global Reading Challenge and will advance to the Semi-Final at the Seattle Public Library on Wednesday, March 5th. Attached is a picture of the team with our principal Dr. Zavala, our Librarian Mindy Terr, and our local librarian Ms. B. Our whole 4th Grade Dual Language team (students included) will be at the library to cheer the team on for the Semi-Final!
Concord is in South Park but is part of the district’s West Seattle region. To be ready to compete in the GRC, students have to read 10 books – see this year’s list here. They get to choose their own often-whimsical team names. Other participating schools in West Seattle and the rest of the city are listed here; the city final is March 18th.
(Pre-competition: The Super Ultimate Nerdy Ninjas! Clockwise from lower left: Mackenzie; Brynn; Hydia; Sandy; Mila; Zack; Abdi)
It’s Global Reading Challenge time again! The Seattle Public Library/Seattle Public Schools citywide competition is in its on-campus rounds, and our parent correspondent at Arbor Heights Elementary – one of nine local elementaries listed as competing this year – shared the report and photo of how Wednesday afternoon’s on-campus competition went for AH’s teams:
It was a nail-biter!
Ten books.
Ten teams of 4th and 5th graders.
An afternoon of questions, teamwork, and answers.Several rounds of questions, finally ending with a very rare 3-way tie: on to a lightning round!
Astoundingly, these three teams went a whopping SIX lightning rounds before one team finally emerged victorious: The Super Ultimate Nerdy Ninjas! They will go on to the semi-finals at the Central Library; from there, one team will advance to the City Final on March 18th.
Here’s the list of books that are being used this year. Along with Arbor Heights, Alki, Concord, Gatewood, Highland Park, Lafayette, Roxhill, Sanislo, and West Seattle are on the competition list. Your school on that list? Let us know how the GRC is going! – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you.
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