HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

Meg, Jo, Beth & Amy March are dear old friends. 
With me nearly all my life. 
They have remained in my heart and mind since our first encounter, a century after Louisa May Alcott published LITTLE WOMEN and now that more than 50 years more have passed. 

My dear English friend Rosalind once confided that she always identified with Meg. Perfect casting! 
On the other hand, I've always found solace in Jo's trials and comfort in her all to familiar tribulations.

Revisit them frequently in the well worn pages of my ancient copy of this favorite book.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Louisa May Alcott!! November 29, 1832, Germantown, PA (outside Philadelphia)

NINA IGNATOWICZ

Nina Ignatowicz at her desk.On the shelf behind her my Babas thanking her
for all she did for them and me as Editor, Mentor and Friend. 
Photo with permission/Joan Sandin. 

Just out of art school in 1967.
Off to NYC portfolio in hand.
First stop Harper & Row Publishers.
The top of the heap. 
Publisher of Sendak and Arnold Lobel.
49 East 33rd St, NY, NY 10016.
First meeting, with Nina Ignatowicz,
Children's Book Editor.
Russian accent.
Attractive, sturdy, blond hair, bemused smile, direct manner.
Positive, encouraging.
Asked for samples of several portfolio pieces.
Would like to see more.
A statement I took seriously and she may have
begun to regret as I continued to return for 12 years
with new work, eventually some published by other publishers.

Then I sent her my BABA EDIS'S SOUP and she
offered me my first contract as an Author as well as Illustrator.
Retitled by Charlotte Zolotow - TOO MANY BABAS.
The first of a memorable 1/2 dozen or so books with Harper.
Wonderful writers, Eleanor Coerr, Nancy Smiler Levinson,
Lee Bennett Hopkins. So many stories behind the stories.
Fondest memories.

Profoundly sad to learn Nina Ignatowicz passed away January 19, 2013.
Shall always remember her with deep appreciation and great affection.

Murder / English Style

Pet Peeve Rant Dept.

Listening to media people these 
days can be not so very  fun.
When the Queen was coronated 
sixty years ago, speaking
English properly was a basic 
requirement for employment
as a communicator on radio and 
television.
As a child, grammatical slip ups 
were met with immediate and 
consistent correction.
Answering, "Good" to the question 
"How are you?" elicited
"No, you are well", usually from
Mom.
Any wonder so fun, very fun and 
coronated rattle?

Fun is a noun. 
Nouns (and pronouns) are modified 
by adjectives.
So and very are adverbs, not adjectives. 
(Adverbs modify adjectives).
Such is an adjective, 
Therefore, saying such fun is correct.

Coronate is not an English word. 
There is no such verb, to coronate
A Coronation is the ceremony
where monarchs are crowned.
(the verb is to crown).