Thursday, 1_23_25. Very cold out. The freezing kind. Occasional sunshine; so what! Better to stay in when you can. Although, I had to go out and the town was busy and the traffic was sit and wait. And wait. Not a lot of pedestrians in the neighborhood. These are the days when you feel like complaining. But, to whom? And why? And how come?
In the past two days they’ve put up a very professional scaffolding surrounding the second floor my building which occupies both avenue and street. It almost looks stormproof; metal, wood, iron poles. I could only think, “this is top quality/wow!” Yes, iron poles.
I was once in a cab on to my way to somewhere, and during the ride the cabdriver casually asked me if I believed in reincarnation? Surprised by his question, and I answered: “I don’t know; maybe; who knows …?”
And he at the wheel watching the road in front of him, said: “Well, if it’s true, I hope I come back as a scaffolding owner.”
That trip was two or three years ago, but I’ve thought of it often because these days in New York They’re Everywhere! And that is for sure: they are Everywhere!
Meanwhile, we’re going to take you to a book launch party for Paige Peterson and Jesse Kornbluth‘s newest book for young children, The Secret Garden. It looks like a winner for your child, your grandchild, your aunt or uncle, your mother or father. Even you, if you’ve never read the original copy published more than a century ago, will be touched by it.
The hostesses for the party were friends – and longtime California neighbors, Gretchen Kimball and Connie Wiley – which was held at a private residence in Paige’s hometown of Belvedere in Marin County, California. Fans of Paige’s recent work, interpreting and illustrating children’s classics, gathered to celebrate her latest project.
The newly abridged and illustrated The Secret Garden has been a labor of love for Paige and her creative collaborator Jesse Kornbluth, who led the book’s abridgement. This is their third project, previously releasing editions of A Christmas Carol and Black Beauty.
The original Secret Garden was originally 80,000 words. Paige and Jesse abridged it to 35,000 words while Paige created vivid, heartening drawings which are as unforgettable as the classic story that they illustrate.
If you are unfamiliar with the book, which is a British classic, The Secret Garden is about a young girl named Mary Lennox who is sent to live with her uncle after both her parents die of cholera. Mary hates it there at first, but soon warms to it, even making friends with a little robin. Mary learns the story of the locked-up garden and is determined to find it.
The Secret Garden, first published in 1911 by Frances Hodgson Burnett, has endured in popularity for over 100 years! But why? Because the themes within this beautiful book are timeless. The power of love, nature and hope are ones that come to mind — all very pertinent themes today for our children as well as for us adults.
It’s a compelling story about finding joy in the simple things, and connecting with the natural world; and how that journey can lead to personal growth and healing.
One of the things about the story of this book is that it is also about the enduring connection between families. The close bond between Paige’s mother and Gretchen, who were both neighbors and friends for many years, has become an integral part of their family’s history.
Gretchen is also an active philanthropist, and was impressed by the idea of reinventing these classics for young people and children. So the venture of Paige and Jesse was blessed by a very close neighbor who shared in their objectives: for children and young people.
“As the mother of two young adults who loved The Secret Garden as children, I felt that a new generation of readers was ready for the sheer wonder of the book and the life lessons it imparts,” Paige shared. “Very few children grow up in a ‘perfect family.’
“Likewise, the three youngsters in The Secret Garden are beset by adults who are depressed or otherwise in crisis, and this hardship teaches those children to be resilient. That is a lesson for us all.”
And the winner is … Paige and Jesse’s version of the children’s classic has been singled out for acclaim by the noted publisher and podcaster Zibby Owens (Totally Booked with Zibby) who nominated The Secret Garden for a Zibby Award in two categories: “Best Book for the Parent” and “Best Book for the Dreamer.”
Back at the party and its beautiful setting on Belvedere Lagoon, magician Patrick Martin entertained the gathering while Cheryl Bronstein from Book Passage promoted the three books while introducing Paige — all of which are exclusively sold online at Book Passage as well as at their stores in Corte Madera and San Francisco.
