Regaining Enchantment

Linus Baker is a middle-aged caseworker with the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Extreme Upper Management sends him to investigate an orphanage of special children on the coast.

Linus would be one of Eliot’s Hollow Men, a Walter Mitty without the daydreams. Prizing order and routine, he carries with him the 900+-page RULES AND REGULATIONS wherever he goes. His world is a rather joyless, gray sameness.

1. Remember Joy Harjo, Michaela Goade (Illus.), Random House Studio, $18.99

2. Goodnight Moon Margaret Wise Brown, Clement Hurd (Illus.), Harper, $8.99

3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle, World of Eric Carle, $10.99

4. Woo Hoo! You’re Doing Great ! Sandra Boynton, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $17.99

5. Good Night, Gorilla Peggy Rathmann, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, $8.99

6. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Bill Martin Jr., Eric Carle (Illus.), Henry Holt and Co. BYR, $8.99

7. Bluey: Camping Penguin Young Readers, $5.99

8. Hot Dog Doug Salati, Knopf Books for Young Readers, $18.99

9. Party Hearty Kitty-Corn Shannon Hale, LeUyen Pham (Illus.), Harry N. Abrams,$18.99

10. Baby Orca: Finger Puppet Book Yu-Hsuan Huang (Illus.), Chronicle Books, $7.99

By Alan Rose

“Why are (the townspeople) like this?”

1. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Judy Blume, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, $9.99

2. The Moth Keeper: A Graphic Novel

K. O’Neill, Random House Graphic, $13.99

3. School Trip: A Graphic Novel Jerry Craft, Quill Tree Books, $14.99

4. When You Trap a Tiger Tae Keller, Yearling, $8.99

5. Hatchet

Gary Paulsen, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $9.99

6. Bea Wolf

Zach Weinersmith, Boulet (Illus.), First Second, $19.99

7. Allergic

Megan Wagner Lloyd, Michelle Mee Nutter (Illus.), Graphix, $12.99

8. Swim Team

Johnnie Christmas, HarperAlley, $12.99

9. Super Extra Deluxe Essential Handbook (Pokémon) Scholastic, $14.99

10. A Wolf Called Wander Rosanne Parry, Greenwillow Books, $7.99

Prepare for the End of Days! Your time has come, and the rivers will run with the blood of the innocents!” Talia sighs. “He’s such a drama queen.”

Alan’s haunting novel of the AIDS epidemic, As If Death Summoned, won the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award

(LGBT category.)

He can be reached at www.alan-rose.com.

The orphanage contains only six children: Talia is a gnome, and thereby a master gardener; Phee is a forest sprite; Sal, a black teenager who’s been badly abused in the foster system, shapeshifts into a fluffy Pomeranian whenever scared, which is much of the time; Theodore is a wyvern, a mythical two-legged winged creature (I had to look it up, too); and Chauncey is a… well, no one’s really sure what Chauncey is, a kind of big-hearted, jelly-fish-like creature who dreams of becoming a bellhop when he grows up.

“I don’t pretend to know the minds of men,” she said, hands tightening on the steering wheel as a woman on the sidewalk appeared to shield her chubby, squawking children away from the car. “They fear what they don’t understand. And that fear turns to hate for reasons I’m sure even they can’t begin to comprehend. And since they don’t understand the children, since they fear them, they hate them. This can’t be the first time you’ve heard of this.”

– from The House in the Cerulean Sea

Fantasy can get us back in touch with the make-believe world we knew as children. Not current with the state of young adult (YA) literature, I sought out an authority, a 13-yearold avid reader. She enthusiastically recommended this book, a funny, charming fantasy with a punch. and 6 days old. He, too, has been abandoned—but why would we ever expect Satan to be a model parent?

Think Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children , only with the Antichrist. Linus is at first unnerved by these extraordinary children. “I am evil incarnate,” Lucy roars. (Imagine a 6-year-old having an especially bad day.)

Overseeing and protecting the orphans is the kindly Arthur Parnassus, who believes each child is special and has special gifts if nurtured and given the freedom to develop them. Even Lucy. Especially Lucy. Arthur recognizes them as unique beings, each to be valued for the special experiences and talents he or she possesses. Not surprisingly, to the townsfolk, they are monsters.

Like Linus, the reader may initially find the children unsettling, but soon comes to see them as, yes, okay, maybe strange, but also strangely wonderful beings. The book could be read simply as a plea to respect and value differences, but that is only half the story. This whimsical, sweet and humorous tale suggests that we not just tolerate differences but celebrate them, for they can enrich, enhance, and add color to our own lives, changing one’s monochrome world into something absolutely cerulean.

The sixth child is Lucifer, son of Satan, called Lucy, who is 6 years, 6 months,

“I am the blight upon the skin of this world. And I will bring it to its knees.

•••

HOW TO PUBLICIZE YOUR NON-PROFIT EVENT IN CRR

Send your non-commercial community event info (name of event, beneficiary, sponsor, date & time, location, brief description and contact info) to publisher@crreader.com

Or mail or hand-deliver (in person or via mail slot) to:

Columbia River Reader

1333-14th Ave

Longview, WA 98632

Submission Deadlines

Events occurring:

June 15–July 20 by May 25 for June 15 issue. July 15 - Aug 10 by June 25 forJuly 15 issue

Calendar submissions are considered for inclusion, subject to lead time, relevance to readers, and space limitations.

See Submission Guidelines below.

Submission Guidelines

Letters to the Editor (up to 200 words) relevant to the publication’s purpose — helping readers discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region, at home and on the road — are welcome. Longer pieces, or excerpts thereof, in response to previously-published articles, may be printed at the discretion of the publisher and subject to editing and space limitations.

Items sent to CRR will be considered for publication unless the writer specifies otherwise. Writer’s name and phone number must be included; anonymous submissions will not be considered.

Political Endorsements CRR is a monthly publication serving readers in several towns, three counties, two states and beyond and does not publish Letters to the Editor that are endorsements or criticisms of political candidates or controversial issues. (Paid ad space is available.)

Unsolicited submissions may be considered, provided they are consistent with the publication’s purpose. Advance contact with the editor is recommended. Information of general interest submitted by readers may be used as background or incorporated in future articles.

Outings & Events calendar (free listing): Events must be open to the public. Non-profit organizations and the arts, entertainment, educational and recreational opportunities and community cultural events will receive listing priority. Fundraisers must be sanctioned/sponsored by the benefiting non-profit organization. Businesses and organizations wishing to promote their particular products or services are invited to purchase advertising.

Call to Artists Annual Show St Helens, Ore Sat, May 20, 5–8pm. St. Helens Community Center, 2625 Gable Road, St Helens. Look for signs. Sponsor: Columbia Arts Guild, St. Helens. Open to artists showing original art, limit 10 original pieces. Entry fee per piece by CAG members $3, non-members $5. Entries accepted on May 20, 9-11am at the Center. Info; Joan Youngberg, text/phone 503-369-1081. columbiaartsguild.com

2023 Student Art & Design Show Thurs, June 1, 4:30–6:30pm. Forsberg Art Gallery, Lower Columbia College Rose Center. Student Art Show Reception; The Salal Review Launch Party; Student Pottery Sale. Info: lowercolumbia.edu/gallery.

From Page to Stage CRRPress Gala Centennial Book Launch & Variety Show. June 30. Details, page 2.

Fundraising Breakfast Hosted by Cowlitz Valley VFW Auxiliary #1045. 9–10:30am. June 10, and the second Saturday every month at the VFW Hall, 4311 Ocean Beach Hwy, Longview. Eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, French toast, toast, coffee, orange juice and water. $7 per person. Proceeds support Veterans programs. Public welcome.

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society Public Zoom meetings 2nd Thurs, 6pm. Visitors welcome, instructions, announcements. Program with guest speaker 7pm. For a Zoom link: lcgsgen@yahoo.com.

Longview-Kelso Bridge Club Plays weekly, Monday

10:30am, Thurs 6:30pm. Kelso Senior Center, 106 NW 8th Ave., Kelso, near Rotary Spray Park. Free, open to everyone, adults of all ages welcome. Come play, or come watch and see if it looks like fun. Info: Jan, 360-425-0713.

Stella Historical Society Museum reopens the weekend after July 4, 2023, 11–4. Watch for news about annual “Kid’s Day” celebration. Located at 8530 Ocean Beach Highway (10 miles west of Longview), Free admission; donations always welcome. For museum tours in the off season, call 360-423-3860 or 360-423-8663. Also available for Scouting tours, Eagle Scout projects and high school “community service” hours. For more info check Facebook