RAE’S READS

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This year (2025) finds me with 53 years of teaching “under my belt.” I have taught all levels from pre-K “(library lady” or “book lady”–volunteer) to juniors, seniors, and graduate students enrolled in my Advanced Writing class at the university where I have just completed 34 years. My first paying teaching job was junior high, and I spent 13 years with ages 12-13, the “difficult years.” I had some of the “funnest” experiences with this age group. When I was no longer the “young, fun teacher,” I taught in an elementary school setting before sixth graders went on to junior high, teaching language arts blocs, an assignment that was a “dream-fit” for me. After completing graduate school in my 40s, I went on to community college, then university teaching. This past fall I accepted a part-time teaching job at Apogee Gulf Coast Schools in its first year at the Alvin campus. After my Better Half died n 2022, I achieved a lifelong dream: opening a bookstore of my own, Rae’s Reads. A year later, I sold the house we had lived in for 47 years and moved into the bookstore. My goal is to circulate and repurpose books. Just as teaching is “in my blood,” so is a passion for reading, writing, libraries, and everything bookish. This blog will be open to anyone who loves books, promotes literacy and wants to “come out and play.”

UPDATE: My Madeline L’Engle “Project”

One of my writing goals for 2021 was to read everything by Madeline L’Engle and as much as I could about her. I started in January 2021 with Becoming Madeline, a biography, written by her granddaughters. (See review on PWR.) The biography ended with the publication of A Wrinkle in Time, because, as her granddaughters pointed out, L’Engle had written an autobiography, A Circle of Quiet. I recall that I read it years ago, but don’t remember much of what was in it, so I plan to re-read it SOON!

After Becoming Madeline, I re-read A Wrinkle in Time, the graphic novel version of it,

To determine how many times I’ve read A Wrinkle in Time, take two language arts blocks per year times 7 years, the number of years I taught 6th grade and…
These two covers are my favorites, and I have owned (and worn out) both versions.
This is the graphic novel, excellently done by Hope Larson, which I read this year.

I also enjoyed the second book in the series, A Wind in the Door, and came to love Charles Wallace as much as I loved Meg in the first book.



I re-read the second book as well.

As of today 3/7/21, I am finishing the third book, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, a first-time read.

This has been a very timely read for such an old book.

I thought this was the “time travel” or “Wallace family” series of books, but with a bit of research, I happily discovered the series is a quintet!

Here are two excellent quotes by Madeline L’Engle:

This is what I hope to re-read next.

An amazing woman, and one of my “heroes.”
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6 responses to “UPDATE: My Madeline L’Engle “Project””

  1. tambra nicole Avatar
    tambra nicole

    I love Madeleine L’Engle too. I need to get all of her books. I’m looking forward to buying and reading the biographies of her. There are a number of wonderful quotes attributed to her.
    Here are two of my favourite quotes from her:
    “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”
    ― Madeleine L’Engle

    “Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.”
    ― Madeleine L’Engle

    It’s so nice to know we have another author in common.

    Hugs,
    Tambra

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      Enjoyed the quotes. Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. bluebird of bitterness Avatar
    bluebird of bitterness

    Madeleine came to my college campus to speak at a writer’s conference in the early 1970s, and returned several years later to teach a two-week summer course in creative writing. I learned a lot from her, and as a bonus, I have many personally autographed copies of her books. 🙂

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      Oh WOW–impressive!

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  3. Deb Nance at Readerbuzz Avatar
    Deb Nance at Readerbuzz

    I read Wrinkle in Time to my class every year that I taught fifth grade (four years) from 1977 to 1981. My classes were captivated by that story.

    “To be alive is to be vulnerable.”

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      Two of my fellow teachers and I dressed as the three “witches” for Halloween. I was Mrs. Who.

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