Kate’s 2¢: “Cowboy Small” by Lois Lenski

“Cowboy Small” by Lois Lenski

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   While  raising our “A Team”, I was sighted and read many of Lenski’s books to them.

   While raising our “B Team”, I was blind and had a friend read a Lenski book onto a tape cassette, ringing a little bell at the end of each page, so we knew when to turn the page.

   While I don’t have plans for a “C Team”, I’m glad to know we’d be able to down-load the Lenski books to share.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lois Lenski (October 14, 1893 – September 11, 1974), American children’s book author and illustrator, was best known for realistic depictions of childhood in regional settings around the United States. A Newbery Medal-winner, she secured a respected place in children’s literature for both her writing and art.

   Lois Lenski Covey (October 14, 1893 – September 11, 1974) was a Newbery Medal-winning author and illustrator of picture books and children’s literature.[1] Beginning with the release in 1927 of her first books, Skipping Village and Jack Horner’s Pie: A Book of Nursery Rhymes, Lenski published 98 books, including several posthumous works. Her writings include children’s picture books and illustrated chapter books, songbooks, poetry, short stories, an autobiography, Journey into Childhood (1972), and a number of essays about books and children’s literature.[2][3][4] Her best-known bodies of work include the “Mr. Small” series of picture books (1934–62); her “Historical” series of novels, including the Newbery Honor-winning Phebe Fairchild: Her Book (1936) and Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison (1941); and her “Regional” series, including Newbery Medal-winning Strawberry Girl (1945) and Children’s Book Award-winning Judy’s Journey (1947).[2]

In addition to illustrating her own books, Lenski also provided illustrations for texts by other authors, including the first edition of The Little Engine that Could, by Watty Piper (1930), and the first four volumes of Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series (1940-1943).[5]

In 1967 Lenski established the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, which provides grants for book purchases to libraries and organizations serving children who are socially and economically at risk.[6]

   When they were published, Lenski’s books were considered innovative because of their realistic, multi-faceted depictions of the communities she presented. Comparing them to other children’s literature of the day, critics described Lenski’s Regional books as “grim” because of their focus on the experiences of members of socially and economically marginalized groups in the United States. By emphasizing accuracy and refusing to sanitize her stories, Lenski aligned herself with progressive librarians and educators who believed that children’s literature should take a realistic approach to everyday life and promote increased social awareness in young readers. Their opponents believed that childhood should be treated as an innocent time, and books for children should shield them from life’s problems rather than introducing problems to them.[37][38]

From NLS.BARD.LOC:

Cowboy Small DBC04232

Lenski, Lois. Reading time: 5 minutes.

Read by Joshua Seeger. A production of Massachusetts Braille and Talking Book Library, Perkins School for the Blind.

Western Stories

The author follows Cowboy Small through a typical day on an old-time ranch. For preschool-grade 2.

Download Cowboy Small

Kate’s 2¢: “Maria Kallio. Books 8-11” by Leena Lehtolainen; translated by Owen Witesman

“Maria Kallio. Books 8-11” by Leena Lehtolainen; translated by Owen Witesman

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

“Below the Surface”: I followed all the red herrings the author presented and was about to declare the perp; then, the real reason for the murder was presented and the real murder was exposed, along with a whole lot more. I didn’t like the ending.

“The Nightingale Murder”: This theme dealt with prostitution in Finland and is a true “who dunnit” mystery until the end. Lt. detective Maria Kallio is sexually assaulted by the perp she’s seeking and realizes first-hand the true trauma of it all.  

“Derailed”:  Maria Kallio’s career change entails Researching patterns of domestic violence; until, she is ordered to head the police investigation into a prominent sports figure’s homicide. During her investigation, she manages to discuss such issues as child abuse, gays, divorce, and infertility.

“Where Have All the Young Girls Gone”: While Maria Kallio is in Afganistan to open a new training police facility, drug Lords opposed to it blow up the lead convoy’s vehicle. Back in Finland, multi-national ethnics’ cultures clash with the Finish laws of the land. Topics of forced labor, sex trafficking, racial hate, homosexuals, and elder care are touched on throughout the multi-faceted story.

   At the end of each book, there is a bio for both the author and the translator.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Maria Kallio. Books 8-11 DB99281

Lehtolainen, Leena; Witesman, Owen. Reading time: 43 hours, 47 minutes.

Read by Theresa Conkin.

Suspense Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

Four mysteries, translated from 2017-2019, featuring detective Maria Kallio. Includes Below the Surface, The Nightingale Murder, Derailed, and Where Have All the Young Girls Gone, in which–after three immigrant Muslim girls go missing–the body of a fourth girl is found in the snow, strangled with her headscarf. Originally published in Finnish from 2003-2010. Violence and strong language. 2019.

Downloaded: October 22, 2020

Cornucopia: Accessible Voting, 2020

Cornucopia: Accessible Voting, 2020

By Kate Chamberlin

   Thanks to the 2002 Help America Vote Act  (HAVA), every county in New York State was
required to purchase a new voting system by 2006 that allows people with various
disabilities to vote independently and privately. Upstate New York chose the ImageCast BMD by
Dominion Voting Systems. The Audio Tactical Interface (ATI) is a keypad that was designed for voters
who are blind or sighted voters who have good hand dexterity and want to
navigate the ballot in the most efficient way.

   In 2008, I didn’t know the machine was at my polling site. In 2009, the Poll Site Worker told me it would take too long to train me.  He did not know that I’d been in a focus group to hone the software the machine used and was already trained. In 2010, I brought in guidelines to share with them and we set to work. It was a disastrous and frustrating experience.

   I have used the handicap accessible voting machine every year for ten years, but, have yet to actualize a “secret ballot”. Some thing always goes wrong from not printing on the back, paper jamming in the printer, to the ballot not being accepted by the counting slot, so the Poll Site Worker has to look at my ballot to see what this that or the other thing is wrong. This year, the printer spit out a blank ballot, even though the County Election Office said the technician had tested the printer. She suggested I do it again. I thought it a waste of time, since it was the printer that wasn’t working.

   As in previous years, my husband took the oath to faithfully mark my ballot, and he filled out my ballot.  Some secret ballot!

   I have been voting privately and independently every fall since I’ve been of legal age  and sighted.  The past 36 years, I’ve been blind and not able to exercise my right as an American Citizen to vote via secret ballot.

   I have been trained on how to use the Audio Tactical Interface with the ImageCast Ballot Marking Device by Dominion Voting Systems. I recommend that Wayne County make a better effort to train the Poll Site Workers on how to set up, use, and trouble shoot the unit that is on site and the technicians maintain the handicapped accessible voting machine (especially the printer in better condition.

Cornucopia: Accessible Voting, 2020

By Kate Chamberlin

   Thanks to the 2002 Help America Vote Act  (HAVA), every county in New York State was
required to purchase a new voting system by 2006 that allows people with various
disabilities to vote independently and privately. Upstate New York chose the ImageCast BMD by
Dominion Voting Systems. The Audio Tactical Interface (ATI) is a keypad that was designed for voters
who are blind or sighted voters who have good hand dexterity and want to
navigate the ballot in the most efficient way.

   In 2008, I didn’t know the machine was at my polling site. In 2009, the Poll Site Worker told me it would take too long to train me.  He did not know that I’d been in a focus group to hone the software the machine used and was already trained. In 2010, I brought in guidelines to share with them and we set to work. It was a disastrous and frustrating experience.

   I have used the handicap accessible voting machine every year for ten years, but, have yet to actualize a “secret ballot”. Some thing always goes wrong from not printing on the back, paper jamming in the printer, to the ballot not being accepted by the counting slot, so the Poll Site Worker has to look at my ballot to see what this that or the other thing is wrong. This year, the printer spit out a blank ballot, even though the County Election Office said the technician had tested the printer. She suggested I do it again. I thought it a waste of time, since it was the printer that wasn’t working.

   As in previous years, my husband took the oath to faithfully mark my ballot, and he filled out my ballot.  Some secret ballot!

   I have been voting privately and independently every fall since I’ve been of legal age  and sighted.  The past 36 years, I’ve been blind and not able to exercise my right as an American Citizen to vote via secret ballot.

   I have been trained on how to use the Audio Tactical Interface with the ImageCast Ballot Marking Device by Dominion Voting Systems. I recommend that Wayne County make a better effort to train the Poll Site Workers on how to set up, use, and trouble shoot the unit that is on site and the technicians maintain the handicapped accessible voting machine (especially the printer in better condition.

   I appreciate the time and efforts my neighbors put in to doing Election Day duties and activities. Working together we can make a difference in the voting experiences for future Americans with disabilities. I, for one, am not ready to give up.