Librarian of Congress Story Time

Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

Later this week, Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden will join us and several classes from the Mississippi School for the Deaf for a special story time at the Mississippi Library Commission. Dr. Hayden, who is in town for the Mississippi Book Festival, will unveil the Mississippi's new literary map Saturday, August 19. Friday, she will read a childhood classic, The Rainbow Fish, while Bevin Glass, Certified Interpreter for the Deaf, assists with a translation from the words on the page to American Sign Language (ASL). We're pretty excited, both about this opportunity and the book itself.

To understand the process a book undergoes when translated into ASL, it's easiest to think of English and ASL as completely separate languages. Deaf and hard of hearing children who are read books with ASL translation but still have access to a print copy have a much easier time learning to read in English. Many times, these translations are much more elaborate than the actual printed story, which gives the child a more comprehensive understanding of the story itself. During further readings, the translation naturally moves to a closer rendering of the printed text, again helping with English literacy. You can read more about reading to deaf and hard of hearing children in this article by Reading Rockets, a national literacy initiative.

The Rainbow Fish

The Rainbow Fish, which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, is a vibrant picture book that conveys messages about the downside to pride and the virtue of sharing. The illustrations are unique, as author/illustrator Marcus Pfister used a holographic stamped foil for the rainbow fish's special scales. This was so costly that Pfister remarked, "We decided that I’d get only 50% of my usual royalties for the book, and only that way was it possible to make it work."

When once asked what he hoped children would learn from his book, Pfister said, "Just to learn to get along with any other people during their daily lives, at home, at school, anywhere. Our world becomes more and more complex every day, more and more completely different people from different countries and cultures live together. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth the effort."

We can't wait to introduce this universally loved picture book to the kids who go to school right down the street from us. Until next time, happy reading to them, and happy reading to you!

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/15-principles-reading-deaf-children
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/interviews/article/56255-q-a-with-marcus-pfister.html
http://www.slj.com/2017/07/industry-news/fish-or-foil-what-came-first-q-a-with-marcus-pfister/#_