Three Bookish Things
ONE | The Rabbit Hole
Kansas City has a new children’s museum dedicated to children’s literature called The Rabbit Hole where children can enter the pages of children’s books through the museum’s interactive exhibits. NPR wrote a great article about the museum and described it this way:
“In the museum, patrons enter through a burrow and rabbit hole, and can play in the kitchen from Robert McCloskey’s Blueberries for Sal, or take a nap against the tree from Esphyr Slobodkina’s Caps for Sale. They can then pick up the book the exhibit inspired and enjoy the pages they’ve seen brought to life. Cowdin says kids are really the leaders in the space.“
I’ve known about the museum since it opened in March (it’s getting lots of press), but at my book club last week, my friend Julie brought out a basket where she is collecting the 50 books featured in the museum’s exhibits to read with her grandkids before they visit. How great is that? The museum provides a printable list so I’m starting on my own collection so when Madeline is old enough we’ll be all set.
TWO | A Reading Progress Hack
Speaking of my friend Julie, she calculated that she would have to read at least 40 pages a day of our most recent book to have it finished in time for book club so she put post-it notes in her book at 40-page increments. I love this idea. Even though I was alternating between reading on Kindle and listening to the audiobook, I set a 50-page per day goal and it helped me finish two days early.
Three | A Reader Comment and a D.C. Bookstore
A Creating This Life reader named Judy recently left this comment on the About page after I posted about Beacon Hill Books in Boston.
“The Boston bookstore looks wonderful. When I lived in DC (35yrs ago) I frequented a great little bookstore called Kramers Books in Dupont Circle. I don’t know if it’s still there. It had a cafe in back called Afterwords where I often went for breakfast. I’d sit in the mezzanine and eaves drop on the Washington Post editors who were always there for brunch.”
I could not love this comment more. I would absolutely eavesdrop on those editors too. Judy, I checked and not only is Kramers and the restaurant still there, but they recently added a bar. I’m definitely adding this to my list of bookstores to visit.
P.S. Eating, reading, wearing and three cool things.
Love the Goodnight Moon room of that museum!!
Same!
My husband and I visited the Rabbit Hole a few weeks ago. We loved it. Many of the books we were familiar with from when our son was growing up. One new to us book we especially liked was “Fortunately”. Fortunately I was invited to a birthday party. Unfortunately the party was in Florida and I live in New York. Fortunately my friend had an airplane. etc. My granddaughter loved reading the book and we soon came up with our own fortunately/unfortunately scenarios.
Fortunately would be new to me too, Robin. Now I’m really looking forward to it. Love how you and your granddaughter kept going with the concept! Thanks for your review of the museum