What We're Reading: Tracy

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children's Book: Life Lessons from Notable People from All Walks of Life, edited by Anita Silvey.

Those of us who work with children and books recognize the powerful effects they can have upon their readers. Children's book publisher, editor, and commentator Anita Silvey writes in her introduction to this collection of essays:

"these stories testify to the amazing power of the right book for the right child -- at the right time. A single illustration from Treasure Island created by N.C. Wyeth made his son Andrew want to become a painter and inspired Robert Montgomery to become an actor...Steve Wozniak of Apple Inc. read the Tom Swift books, knew he wanted to be an inventor, and eventually created Apple I and Apple II...Jo March of Little Women inspired actress Julianne Moore...at times single lines from a book have resonated for a lifetime: William DeVries, the cardiothoracic surgeon who implanted the first artificial heart, has thought about a statement from the Wizard of Oz all of his career -- 'I will bear all the unhappiness without a murmur, if you will give me a heart.' "

Perhaps you will find new insight into an old favorite book through this collection of thoughtful reminiscences.