Lisa Yee ([info]lisayee) wrote,
@ 2007-10-07 23:59:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend  Next Entry
Honestly, Mary Calhoun!
The most amazing thing happened the other day.

I got an e-mail. Now, most of what lands in my in-box are pleas for money from Nigeria, companies concerned that my body parts are either too big or too small, or jokes about elephants. But this particular e-mail was a gem and I will treasure it always.

A few months ago, the indomitable Roger Sutton invited me to write an essay for The Horn Book Magazine's September/October special issue "Boys and Girls."
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

So I wrote about "Brave Orphans, Smelly Boys and Girls Named Katie." My essay began, "I was never a girly girl, but I loved reading about girls. I was especially fond of the 'little' ones--A LITTLE PRINCESS, LITTLE WOMEN, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE . . ."

I went on to write about one character in particular who/whom I adored. Her name was Katie John and she was the main character of Mary Calhoun's marvelous series that included . . .
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

A non-girly-girl's girl, Katie John was high-spirited, headstrong and misunderstood--and I instantly bonded with her. My love for the books was so deep that, even though I was only ten-years old, I decided that when I had a daughter her name would be Katie.

Flash forward to last week. There, among my e-mails was one from . . . Mary Calhoun!

MARY CALHOUN!!!

Mary Calhoun, the AUTHOR of the Katie John books!!!

I could not believe it.

I still can't.

Mrs. Calhoun was reading the Horn Book Magazine and recognized an illustration from her book, HONESTLY, KATIE JOHN! It was accompanied by my essay, and she read it. However, before she wrote to me, she also read MILLICENT MIN, GIRL GENIUS and checked out my other books from the library. (Squeeeeeee!!!)

Mrs. Calhoun told me about how diverse her readers are and that even Oprah had said she wanted to be like Katie John. (See, I always knew that Oprah and I were, like, the same person--only she's taller.)

We've written back and forth a couple of times (Mary Calhoun and Moi, not Oprah) and she was kind enough to send me the flyer above and this . . .
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Here's what Mary Calhoun looks like today . . .
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

BTW, when I received the first e-mail, I started blubbering and showed it to Teen. She gave me a big hug.

"That's great, Mom," Katie said.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket



Site Meter

(36 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]azang
2007-10-08 07:34 am UTC (link)
That is so very cool, congrats!
For both the Mary Calhoun experience and the hug from teen, Katie!

(Reply to this)


[info]writerross
2007-10-08 09:09 am UTC (link)
THOSE glorious covers are giving me library flashbacks of a very natural kind. I LOVED THOSE BOOKS. I, too, loved my girls with spunk. I remember always searching the "C"s to see if a new book was there. (We didn't know from Amazon, alas, circa 1972.) ;>

Congratulations on this most gratifying full-circle connection to a dream of your childhood.

And thank you for the glorious skip down Memory Lane, festooned with crystal clear images of overstuffed Dewey Decimal card index drawers (Ca -Ce) and the unforgetttable musty, plastic-coated cover smell of those old library books that meant more to me than all the Crackerjacks in the world!

-Pamela, who would literally faint if the ghost of Catherine Woolley should ever e-mail me :{

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]lisayee
2007-10-08 09:11 am UTC (link)
Ginnie and the Mystery Doll!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]writerross
2007-10-08 09:25 am UTC (link)
GINNIE JOINS IN!
(staring at the book right now, looking just the way it would have when I first read it, bought from one of those antiquarian dealers a few years ago)

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Anonymous)
2007-10-09 01:26 am UTC (link)
I love Catherine Woolley too! I read the Ginny books over and over....and over.... I buy them whenever I see them in used book stores. Did you know that Catherine Woolley is the daughter of the children's author Mary Q. Steele (Journey Outside and so forth)?

Cheri

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]coebooth
2007-10-08 09:14 am UTC (link)
Hey, that's awesome, Lisa!

I remember reading those books, too. Man, I haven't thought about that for years! Katie John. Wow.

You're so lucky. I wrote about Judy Blume in that Horn Book issue and I didn't get one stinking e-mail from her...
:-(

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]lisayee
2007-10-08 05:37 pm UTC (link)
Maybe she can't find you in Switzerland.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]kellyrfineman
2007-10-08 12:12 pm UTC (link)
Awww. And waaa, too!

(Reply to this)


[info]dlgarfinkle
2007-10-08 12:32 pm UTC (link)
That's so sweet!

Did your son John give you a hug too? And your cats Mary and Calhoun?

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]dlgarfinkle
2007-10-08 12:33 pm UTC (link)
My son's middle name is Holden.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]lisayee
2007-10-08 05:38 pm UTC (link)
I hope no one names their child Voldemort.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]rosefiend
2007-10-08 05:53 pm UTC (link)
Whoops, I guess I shouldn't have done that ....

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]d_michiko_f
2007-10-08 01:18 pm UTC (link)
That is SO awesome!!!! YAY! (And i loved your Horn Book essay!)

(Reply to this)


[info]beckylevine
2007-10-08 01:38 pm UTC (link)
Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!

Phyllis Whitney is 104. I want SO much to send her a copy of my kids' mystery & say thank you...since it's JUST on its way to agents, I don't think I'll be lucky enough to get an email from her.

Congratulations. That must have made your day/year!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]lisayee
2007-10-09 04:52 am UTC (link)
Please do write to her!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Anonymous)
2007-10-08 03:05 pm UTC (link)
Oh gosh, Lisa, that was so sweet. Now I'm blubbering.

My favorite childhood book was Mr. Popper's Penguins, but if I named either of our sons Popper, they'd probably pop me.

You are a testament to the fact that books can lead to the most magical of connections.

All best,
Donna
www.donnagephart.blogspot.com

(Reply to this)


[info]susanwrites
2007-10-08 03:06 pm UTC (link)
How exciting! Congratulations on making contact with someone who obviously had a big impact on your life.

(Reply to this)


[info]robinellen
2007-10-08 03:19 pm UTC (link)
Oh, I adore Katie John! I have all the books, though some are in regrettable shape (though still readable) -- it's very difficult to find her books (sad to say)!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]lisayee
2007-10-08 05:39 pm UTC (link)
Hopefully many libraries have the books so kids (and adults) can read them!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]onegrapeshy
2007-10-08 04:46 pm UTC (link)
I loved loved LOVED the Katie John books! OMG. OMG. I feel like a kid again just seeing those covers! Thank you.

(Reply to this)

How COOL
[info]salgal99
2007-10-08 05:02 pm UTC (link)
How COOL. When I was that age I read Lois Lenski books, (like Cotton in My Sack, Judy's Journey, most of which are also out of print) but now I want to read the Katie John books! I guess I'll just have to track 'em down.

(Reply to this)


[info]elisabethx
2007-10-08 06:22 pm UTC (link)
I loved KJ, too! OMG--I just saw that someone wrote about the Ginnie books. I think of her every time I bake bread (okay... that might be more pathetic than cute. But true nevertheless!)

(Reply to this) (Thread)

(Anonymous)
2007-10-09 01:29 am UTC (link)
It's not pathetic! I think about them every time I wonder if the ice is thick enough to skate or my daughter talks about wanting to babysit or when I learned to sail.... :-)

Cheri

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]elisabethx
2007-10-13 03:46 pm UTC (link)
Wait--Ginnie learned how to SAIL?? I think I missed a book!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]annamlewis
2007-10-09 01:50 am UTC (link)
What an amazing moment!!!
I spent at least once a week at the Mt. Washington Public Library while my mom grocery shopped. What memories!!!
I am a huge fan of Betsy-Tacy. Maude Hart Lovelace was the only author I ever wrote... I got some sort of promotional brochure. She was born in 1892 so when I wrote to her she was in a retirement home.
I have made some cool professional connections with other fans!

(Reply to this)


[info]christine444
2007-10-09 04:36 am UTC (link)
Great story!

I had those books too. I looked like the short-haired Katie on the left (except I had glasses).

(Reply to this)

Mary Calhoun
(Anonymous)
2007-10-09 04:33 pm UTC (link)
Lisa,

Mary was thrilled to read your article in the Horn Book and to hear from you, so this lovely experience has worked both ways. (I've been her editor on her recent books.)

Best wishes,
Rosemary Brosnan
HarperCollins

(Reply to this)

Mary Calhoun and other cool authors
(Anonymous)
2007-10-09 05:22 pm UTC (link)
Lisa, that is just so cool! I love Mary Calhoun's books (Chinatown branch has just about all of her cat books but sadly, only two of of the Katie John books are left, at the Main Library. I hope they're really still there.) I missed my chance to write to my beloved Maud Hart Lovelace, but I wrote to Lloyd Alexander and to Sally Watson (talk about spunky girl characters)when young. Sally is in her 80s and living in Santa Rosa, still writing (and doing cat rescue); we have become good friends.

If there are any Lovelace fans from the SF Bay Area reading this, or any who can get here fairly easily, the 11th annual Betsy-Tacy Halloween Party will be Sunday, Oct. 28 from 2-6 at my house. Along with the usual fun and games, I'm encouraging people to bring and read entries from their teenaged journals or diaries, to be Mortified (because I can't think of anything scarier.)

Carla ckozak@sfpl.org

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Mary Calhoun and other cool authors
[info]lisayee
2007-10-10 04:53 am UTC (link)
Oh, that's right. Your Betsy-Tacy party is coming up soon!

(Reply to this) (Parent)
Re: Mary Calhoun and other cool authors
[info]annamlewis
2007-10-10 02:40 pm UTC (link)
Oh, my, a Betsy-Tacy party ~~~ how cool!!!!
(Trying to figure out a way to finagle a trip to SF.. Hmmm....)

(Reply to this) (Parent)
Mary Calhoun
(Anonymous)
2007-10-11 12:54 am UTC (link)
Hi Lisa,
My name is Tina and I am Mary Calhoun's summer neighbor in Colorado. She is not only a wonderful author but also a good friend and caring neighbor. The current photo of Mary (I took it this past summer) is at the birthday celebration that the children's library has for her each summer. The children love her books and listen attentively followed by hand decorated cupcakes and juice. It's always a great day.

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Mary Calhoun
[info]lisayee
2007-10-11 02:37 am UTC (link)
Hi Tina,

What a great photo you took! And how lucky you are to have such a fine and talented neightbor!!!

(Reply to this) (Parent)
She's not forgotten!
[info]coloradojenny
2007-10-25 11:45 am UTC (link)
I was taking a class that another librarian was giving and we went around and said what our favorite childhood book was. When I said "Katie John" I was told about your article and blog. I read about Katie John over and over and even today things about the series pop into my head. Have you also read about Hot Air Henry? I must've been introduced to Mary Calhoun when I saw her speak at a local public library when I was a child. Thanks for sharing your experience!

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: She's not forgotten!
[info]lisayee
2007-10-26 04:48 am UTC (link)
It is so great to hear from so many people who loved the Katie John books. I haven't read Hot Air Henry, but will be sure to check it out.

If you'd like to send her an email, I'd be happy to forward it to her. (You can email me via http://lisayee.com)

(Reply to this) (Parent)
my hero, Katie John
[info]lovemyscot
2007-12-05 05:14 pm UTC (link)
I have just discovered there are those out there who loved Katie just as I did and still do! When I started going on a treasure hunt for the books that affected me the most as a child, the Katie John books were about the first I looked for. Thankfully, I found them again. Reading them once more I was transported back in time and found the books were just a touching and memorable as I first remembered. They are "living" books and now that my own daughter is ten I will be introducing her to Katie as well.
Thanks for telling us about Mary and you. Tell Mary one more fan says thanks for the memories!

Robyne

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: my hero, Katie John
[info]lisayee
2007-12-05 06:47 pm UTC (link)
Hi Robyne,

How wonderful to hear from you. I sent your message along to Mary!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(36 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…