Tag Archives: author

Happy Ada Lovelace Day!

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BY KATIE ZONDLO

Every year on the second Tuesday of October, the world celebrates Ada Lovelace Day, which honors the accomplishments of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Started in 2009 as a way to inspire future generations of girls to enter STEM fields as well as support the women already working in STEM careers, groups now host gatherings, conferences, workshops and social mixers that appeal to audiences of all ages.

The day is named after Augusta Ada King, the Countess of Lovelace (1815-1852), who is considered the first computer programmer. Using an early general-purposed computer called an Analytical Engine, an instrument envisioned by her friend and mentor Charles Babbage, Ada recognized the 19th century machine could be used for more than just general calculation. She poured over numbers and figures to create an algorithm for the not-yet built computer. Unfortunately, the Analytical Engine was never completed, so Ada wasn’t able to witness the success of her program.

Nearly a century after Ada wrote her algorithm, modern day computers tested the software and discovered there was only one minor mistake that could be easily corrected. The program was almost perfect. In the late 20th century, the United States Department of Defense developed a common computer programming language that was named Ada, in honor of Lovelace and her contributions to the field.

We’re celebrating today by highlighting award-winning author and Princeton alumna Laurie Wallmark’s picture book biography, Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine (Creston Books, 2015). Recipient of the National Science Teachers Association’s Outstanding Science Trade Book and the California Reading Association’s Eureka Book Award, you can find it read here by Story Time With Michele. The book’s truly gorgeous illustrations are by April Chu. Laurie has authored several more books about women in STEM, such as Kalpana Chawla, Judit Polgár, Grace Hopper, and Maria Mitchell!

Ada Lovelace is also featured, along with four other famous scientists, in the virtual escape room I designed, The Discovery Museum.

Images from blog post are from: Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine, written by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by April Chu. Creston Books, 2015.

 

In The Company of Good Books

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Keep company with literary luminaries this fall! The Department of Special Collections at Princeton University Library invites you to “In the Company of Good Books: Shakespeare to Morrison,” currently on display in the Milberg Gallery of Firestone Library through December 10th.

In honor of the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s First Folio of 1623, the exhibit showcases Princeton’s collection of English literature, and the readers and writers who celebrated English literature around the world. Curators Jennifer Garcon, Librarian for Modern and Contemporary Special Collections, Gabriel Swift, Librarian for American Collections, and Eric White, Scheide Librarian & Assistant University Librarian for Special Collections, Rare Books & Manuscripts, have selected some true treasures.

In addition to William Shakespeare and Toni Morrison, you will find Maya Angelou, Sylvia Beach, George Lamming, James Baldwin, Gwendolyn Brooks, Carlos Bolusan, Lorraine Hansberry, Chinua Achebe, Virginia Woolf, and others! Visitors can peruse working manuscripts, archives, original cover art, portraits, and charming inscriptions, including James Baldwin’s personal copy of Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, signed by the author.

Maya Angelou (1928–2014). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Random House, 1969.

We at the Cotsen Children’s Library are always on the lookout for children’s literary connections, and we found a couple amazing ones in this exhibit! First is one of three tiny manuscripts by Charlotte Bronte. Written when she was a youth, these juvenalia concern the fictional African kingdom of Angria, and are penned on pages bound with blue Epsom salt wrappers. To give you an idea of size, and how minuscule Bronte’s handwriting is, the bound volume on the left is only about 3.5″ tall!

Also in the exhibit are the manuscript notes, sketchbooks, and original storage case of Maria Edgeworth, a prolific novelist for both adults and young readers.

An early edition of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility is displayed, which reminded me of this very interesting fact. When she was only twelve or thirteen, Austen penned The Beautifull Cassandra: A Novel in Twelve Chapters, a tiny work of 465 words total. The Princeton University Press offers a delightful version, with an afterword by Princeton faculty Claudia L. Johnson and artwork by Leon Steinmetz.

Readers might not be aware that Morrison made significant contributions to children’s literature as well. Collaborating with Slade Morrison, mother and son authored nine books for children. These delightful tales were displayed in Cotsen’s previous exhibit, “They’ve Got Game: The Children’s Books of Toni & Slade Morrison.”

montage round 2 If you are interested in learning more about the exhibit, you will find a digital companion  here, and a fantastic Zoom panel with the book’s illustrators here. We also hosted a connected community gallery event this spring, which you can find here.

From now to December 10th, please plan to visit “In the Company of Good Books” in Princeton! It is truly monumental. Not able to visit in person? No problem! Virtual guests can find the exhibit here.

Jingle All the Way

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Blue Yellow Minimalist Meet The Team Instagram Post - 1Bring on the color, fun, decorations, and wheels…the jingle trucks are here! Author Hinna Shahid visited our library’s story time, and brought her two fantastic books to share: My First Jingle Truck, and Riding on a Tuk Tuk (Vah Masti Books, 2022). Both of these wonderful books take the reader on a journey through the landscapes and culture of South Asia. Hinna brought six signed copies to give away, which was amazing!

Jingle trucks are famous in South Asia for their elaborate patterns, details, calligraphy, and paintings. Each truck is unique to the driver, and represents pride in their work as well as their dedication to beauty. The truck’s dangling chains earn them their famous name. A tuk tuk is a smaller three-wheel truck, used for zipping around the roads quickly.

We decided to bring Hinna’s book to life by decorating step-inside jingle trucks! Our trucks were white office file boxes. We cut the bottoms out, then used that extra cardboard to fashion the cab of the truck. A pair of ribbons tied to the handles of the box acted as suspenders to hold the truck in place. Then we brought TONS of decorating supplies out of our art cabinets.

The biggest hit were bookmark tassels left over from this event. I also learned that many jingle trucks have “Horn Please” signs on the back. So I created those as well!

The office filing boxes we used were a bit of a splurge (a package of 20 costs $50 on Amazon. However, copy paper boxes work as well if you have room to store them. The  boxes fit drivers of every size:

Large…

Medium…

And small!

When the trucks were complete, Hinna handed out jingle bell bracelets to each driver (again, purchased on Amazon, a box of 48 were $33). To keep your budget low, you can buy packs of individual jingle bells (typically a pack of 50 runs about $6) and hand out just a few per driver.

After rush hour ended, I caught up with Hinna to chat about her awesome books!

Please tell us a little about yourself!

I am a Physician Scientist working in the healthcare industry and a mother to a 3-year-old toddler residing in New Jersey.

Both of your books My First Jingle Truck and Riding on a Tuk Tuk were released in 2022. How did these books come about?

My upbringing involved extensive travel around the world, with one of my favorite destinations being my grandparents’ home in Pakistan during the summer. During those trips, I was fascinated by the multitude of three-wheel vehicles known as Auto Rickshaws and the vibrant, hand-painted Trucks that adorned the roads. Among my cherished childhood memories is the joy of riding with my grandmother on a Tuk Tuk to explore the local bazaar. The experience of zipping through the narrow streets, feeling the wind in my hair, and being enchanted by the delightful aroma of spices is something I still hold dear.

As I witnessed my own son growing up in the United States, I wanted to share my childhood reminiscences with him by reading books together. However, during the COVID pandemic, while searching online, I was unable to find a book that captured those memories. This inspired me to embark on a journey as a children’s book author, which began about two years ago. As a determined mother on a mission, I set out to share my treasured recollections of South Asia with the world.

Your books are on wheels! That’s fantastic! How did you decide to add those?

In my quest to introduce my son to the rich tapestry of South Asian culture in an enjoyable manner, serendipity struck during a family trip to London. There, I came across books equipped with wheels, and a creative idea took shape in my mind. Inspired by this discovery, I resolved to incorporate wheels into the books, transforming them into captivating and interactive pieces for young readers.

Are there any illustrations or locations in the books that are significant to you?

Within the pages of the two books, numerous stops and locations hold significance as they are drawn from a blend of my cherished childhood memories and recent journeys to India and Pakistan. Among these, Agra, India, holds a special place in my heart, for it is there that the awe-inspiring beauty of the Taj Mahal was brought to life.

What are you working on now?

I am currently immersed in several exciting projects for my next books. At the moment, I am exploring captivating new themes and storylines that will engage young readers and spark their imaginations. I’m also delving into more diverse cultures and settings, aiming to introduce children to different parts of the world through the magic of storytelling. Stay tuned for more updates and exciting developments from me as a children’s book author. There are wonderful adventures and heartwarming tales waiting to be unveiled. Your continued support and interest mean a lot, and I can’t wait to share these new stories with you soon!

Many thanks to Hinna Shahid for coming to our library and donating books to our library visitors! See you on the road!