Books in Brief: The Humming Room

The Secret Garden is one of my favorite books of all time. So, when I heard about The Humming Room, by Ellen Potter, a retelling of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic story about growth and renewal, I had to check it out.

Similarities:

1. A young orphan girl is sent to live with her reclusive uncle at his large and creepy estate

2. The girl brings a secret and nearly dead garden back to life

3. Everyone grows a little by the end

Differences:

1. The changes that Potter makes bring the story squarely into a present day setting, and I think some of those changes cause The Humming Room to seem darker than The Secret Garden.

2. Pace. The Humming Room moves a lot faster than The Secret Garden.

3. Salt potatoes! Since the story is set in upstate New York, some details made reading the story especially fun for me, since I'm from there.

Overall, I liked The Humming Room. It's close enough to The Secret Garden for fans of that story to enjoy it, but it's far enough away to be able to stand on its own. I'd recommend this to readers 9 and older who aren't afraid of a little eeriness.

Changes to FRAMED! A Journey In Art

Hello, artists!

FRAMED is a new program for us this school year, so I've been tweaking things as demand requires. With that in mind, the spring session will feature two changes:

1. The age range is now Kindergarten through Third Grade (K-3).

2. The program has been adapted so that it will accommodate both new and returning students:

NEW STUDENTS (and younger students who may be struggling or missed numerous classes last session) will work on drawing basics with me for the first few weeks.
RETURNING STUDENTS (and new students in grades 2-3 who have more experience and sharper small motor skills) will work on independent painting projects for the first few weeks while I teach the basics to the new students.

Registration for the spring session started today, and there are still spaces available. If you're interested, please call 610.688.7092 x210. Classes are on Tuesdays from 4:30-5:15 starting March 27, and they are cumulative, so it is important to attend every week.

Whether or not you're joining us for the spring session, don't forget to mark your calendars for the Art Show Opening Reception on Tuesday, May 22 from 4:30-5:00pm. Refreshments will be served and you will see what we have been working on throughout all three sessions of FRAMED. The artwork will be on display in the large meeting room upstairs from the opening reception until the Summer Reading Club starts on June 18.

Happy spring!