When my American Girl editor and I started talking about Lanie and who she was, we set a goal that this character would show girls that we all can make a difference around the world AND in our own back yards. With all the author speaking I’ve been doing, added to my volunteer work for Ethiopia Reads, I don’t actually spend too much time in MY own back yard. But this weekend, it’s all Lawrence, KS all the time.
On Saturday, I sign, starting at 10:30, at a Lanie event at the Jayhawk store, as I last wrote on my blog. On Sunday, families can 1) hear (and see) the story of how and why I created Lanie, 2) hear how they can love the earth from Kansas back yards, and 3) make a difference in Ethiopia.
It’s not every day we can save a library. This weekend, I know we can save this one…and plant more.
Maybe you’re nowhere near my back yard. That’s the joy of connections on the Internet. But if you happen to be close, come see me!
(785) 843-4171 or www.firstpreslawrence.org
The year of Lanie is drawing to a close, but her story has been one little starfish tossed into an enormous sea. How do we forget that stories, fragile wisps in a big world’s winds, have such power?
This young reader can’t check out the book he was reading, so he’s copying the story onto a piece of paper so that he can read it over again at home.
I’m thinking of this library this morning and mulling a Lance Armstrong quote as I head off to bedazzle second graders: “Believe in belief for its own shining sake.”
Whew.
