Egg-static Librarians Get Behind Tillie
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By Lauren Barack -- School Library Journal, 03/23/2009
Librarians and teachers are in egg-stasy over Terry Golson’s new children’s book, Tillie Lays an Egg (Scholastic, 2009), and her hencam, which dovetails with the fanciful tale.
Educators are writing letters, logging on to see the “girls,” as Golson refers to her chickens, and even launching events, all meant to celebrate one chicken’s adventures as it literally flees the coop.
“There’s been a lot of spontaneity and fun around the book,” says Golson from her home in Carlisle, MA. “I think what they’re responding to is my sheer joy and love of my chickens.”
At the Chicago Ridge Public Library in Illinois, librarians are holding a month-long chicken fest they’ve tagged "Chick-It-Out," which ties into the book. There are crafts, contests, and the library is even planning to raise chicks (with its own webcam), which, if all goes well, should crack their way into the world around April 28th.
“I think this is the right book at the right time,” says Constance VanSwol, head of youth servi
ces at the library, who agrees that people are responding enthusiastically to the story. “I raised chickens when I was in high school in Minnesota. I think we all get nostalgic for what we did when we were young.”
Golson’s decision to write a book around her hens seemed only natural to her. As the author of The Farmstead Egg Cookbook (St. Martin's, 2006), she had an affinity for her feathered friends. Golson’s owned a brood of chickens, now numbered at 13, for the last 14 years. “I started with one lone, leftover 4-H project, a little white chicken,” says Golson. “But if you have only one chicken it gets lonely, so you have to get more.”
The hencam, which Golson says clocks between 10,000 to 15,000 unique visitors a month, actually outdates Tillie. Golson says her “nerd” husband started it four years ago when they moved to a bigger lot with electricity that ran to the barn.
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Librarians are egg-static over Terry Golson’s new children’s book, Tillie Lays an Egg (Scholastic, 2009). |
The Chicago Ridge Public Library’s event may be an elaborate celebration for one book—but VanSwol says it hasn’t proved expensive. By getting the eggs and incubator donated, VanSwol thinks they’re spending no more than about $100 for the remainder of the crafts and giveaways planned for the month. They’re also splurging for T-shirts that read, “Chick-It-Out,” which was a piece of fan love even Golson couldn’t pass up. For a T-shirt, she traded a signed copy of the book, which will go to a lucky patron.
Fans may have more to look forward to from Golson—although they might have to settle for a different farmland friend. New book ideas are already hatching, plus Golson plans to buy two goats, and her husband has promised a goatcam to follow.
But those wishing for another chicken fest may have to put that hope on simmer.
“Of the three children’s books that my agent is currently shopping around,” adds Golson, “two do not have chickens in them!”
