Anne At Home, For Fun, Slice of Life
Comments 16

15 mars – my mom is a nerd

My mom is a nerd.

Like, my friends think I’m a bit eccentric for having a personal library of mostly picture books and following my favorite authors and illustrators on social media (my friends are obviously not elementary school teachers), but seriously, I’ve got nothing on my mom. She frequently says that authors are her superheros. She once won a signed Lois Lowry book for being the speaking event attendee who travelled the furthest to be there. She regularly maxes out the library loan limit checking out books for her classroom.

This is the story I usually use to illustrate my mom’s particular fanaticism for all things children’s literature:

“When I was in middle school, my mom took us to this museum in Massachusetts called the Museum of Picture Book Art — no, seriously.”

*Cue laughter from my friends as they can already see this level of nerdiness goes way beyond what they were expecting*

“Anyway, the museum is pretty cool. It was started by Eric Carle, you know, the guy who wrote The Very Hungry Caterpillar? Okay, good, just had to check. So, there’s a part of the museum where kids can make their own art. So, my sister and I were drawing and making collages and there were a few other families there as well. And this older man comes in and starts milling around, looking at what everyone is doing. And when he passes by our table, my mom freezes, mouth agape, and goes, ‘You’re Eric Carle.'”

*Cue more laughter and incredulity that my mom recognized an illustrator that none of us can even picture within seconds of seeing him.*

“BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!

“A while later, my mom was walking down a street in DC. I think she was going to the National Book Fair, or a teaching conference or something… Anyway, she passed a small group of people on the sidewalk, and — I’m not making this up — one of them was Eric Carle! And she recognized him! Again! Later, we asked her how she even knew what he looked like and she just said, ‘He’s right there on the back cover!'”

Maybe it’s because she has done so many read alouds in her 25 year career as an elementary school teacher that she’s spent a lot of time staring at the back covers of books. Whatever the case, I’m glad that my mom is such a big book nerd and clearly way more observant than most.

P.S. Hi, Mom! Hope you’re not offended that I’ve called you a nerd like 4 times… but somehow, I think you’ll take it as the highest of compliments 🙂 ❂

SOL

 

Slice of Life is a daily writing challenge during the month of March hosted by Two Writing Teachers. Visit their blog for more information about the challenge and for advice and ideas about how to participate.

16 Comments

  1. schmidtkristas says

    Your mom sounds amazing! A book nerd for sure…but awesome because of it!!

    Like

  2. So Anne, it should NOT surprise you that the first time I remember meeting your mom (IRL) was in the Bank Street Bookstore – total Nerds all around!! For us, it’s a great place to meet. No one is ever late! Always something to do & talk about!

    AND, I know where the “Madeline” artwork is in NYC courtesy of your mother as well!

    ❤ ❤ ❤

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Hurrah, I’m a nerd!!!!
    I search and here is my version of seeing Eric Carle on the street in DC.
    https://readandwritebysally.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/march-1st-day-one-of-sol/
    I realize it is what I choice to write my very first Slice of Life about during my first March Challenge back in 2014.
    OK, that makes me sound even nerdier!! But thanks to the search button, I could easily recall this!!
    And of course, I wrote about it – it’s Eric Carle!!!
    Thanks for this sweet post!! LOVE IT!
    I bet together we are the only nerdie mother-daughter writers doing this challenge.
    What’s that make YOU??!!!

    Liked by 3 people

  4. Pingback: She called me a NERD! – Writing Stories by Sally

  5. This is a wonderful story and it’s fun to see someone’s passion shine 🙂 One time Marc Brown came to my school and while it was definitely meant for the elementary students, I (a senior at the time) was first in line to get a photo with him. 😀 #nerdsarethebest

    Liked by 1 person

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