An Update and Maine
My friend’s daughter’s surgery was delayed a couple of weeks. Long story short (really this time! 
) she had a runny nose and they didn’t want to take any chances. The good news, is my blood will still be used. Apparently, at some hospitals, they throw it away if you’ve donated it for someone in particular and they don’t use it (shock and horror!!) but apparently I signed a waiver (because I read all the paperwork, really), so it will go to another child. Yeah! And, she is in no danger from the delay (hopefully that is obvious or they wouldn’t have delayed it).
On to Maine. We will be having the first annual family get together (my side) in Maine this summer. Before I start complaining about the horrors of acquiring plane tickets, allow me to admit that the location was my idea. And now let me say that getting from California to Maine is a pain in the ass! It took me two weeks and several forms of higher math (I did take 3 semesters of calculus in college. Well, 4, but one was a repeat. Blush) to find the best combination of driving, flying, hours sitting, cost, cost savings, cost benefit analysis, cost of kenneling, screw it let’s just drive the whole way, wait that’s an enormously stupid idea, and finally push the buy button on some tickets. I haven’t even begun the process of car rental. Maybe we’ll just buy a car there 
.
If I’m spending longer then the actual trip buying airfare, you know I’m dragging James kicking and screaming learning about the place.  This seems like the perfect opportunity for a unit study.
I have the following books:
L is for Lobster by Cynthia Furlong (two notes: I have gotten James one of these for each state he has visited. Ok., this is his 4th, because I refused to buy the Nevada one just because we went to Las Vegas. If we ever see more of that state, I’ll give. There is a unit to go with this book here. )
Robert McCloskey – A children’s author who wrote many books set in Maine, perhaps the most famous (of those set in Maine) is Blueberries for Sal. I elected not to use this one, as I thought it a little young for James. But, I did choose One Morning in Maine (about Sal, a little older, and loosing a tooth while clamming) and Time of Wonder (tells of many of the different things you can see at the coast in Maine). A unit for Time of Wonder is here.
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie by Peter and Connie Roop “The true story of Abbie Burgess who kept the lighthouse lamps lit during a tremendous storm off the coast of Maine in 1856″ (taken from the back of the book) Lots can be done with this, on lighthouse, light, etc.Â
The Sea Chest by Toni Buzzeo Another lighthouse story, also set in Maine, this time a baby is washed ashore.
Fairy Houses by Tracy Kane The story of a girl who vacations in Maine and learns to make fairy houses. I have visions of us making fairy houses in Maine. We’ll see .
Take along Guide: Seashells, Crabs, and Sea Stars  by Christine Kump Tibbitts There’s some advice in this book I don’t like. What I do like is that there’s few enough examples that a child can hope to actually identify the shells. I find myself that with most guide books I get overwhelmed, so I like this simple book. We will probably take this to Maine as opposed to use it here.
Chapter books:
These I will read ahead of time and decide what I will actually use and what will be saved. James has reached the age where his read aloud books need to be read for content and interest before I read them to him.
Newberry: Life and Times of a Maine Clam  by Vincent Dethier
The Sign of the Beaver Elizabeth Scott George
The Secret of Pooduck Island Alfred Noyes
From Netflix:
“Pete’s Dragon” Does this take place in Maine? I don’t know. It should. It has a lighthouse, right? Ah, movies from my childhood, so spottily remembered.
“America’s Most Scenic Drive’s: Disc 1″Â Only the part about Maine and only if it can be watched instantly.
 ”Kristen’s Fairy Houses” A documentary about making the fairy houses’ book.
Well, there you have it. That post was completely fascinating to anyone planning to study Maine any time soon. Anyone? Hello? Oh well. I loved it. .Â
Wow. James will really earn the vacation, won’t he? The books look great. You’ll both be able to teach the rest of us a lot! Miss you.
I am so glad that your blood will not be wasted. I imagine your friend is quite frustrated with the delay in surgery.
Oooo L is for Lobster sounds awesome!
We read Pete’s Dragon to Becca and she was so confused.
I plan on making Becca suffer through all of the Anne of Green Gables books (and movies) once she is a little older. Oh how I loved Anne when I was growing up
That is more north than Maine though.
Stephen King!!! Hmmm wait maybe not … heehe
Those are all good Maine books for children. For adults, I’d recommend We Took to the Woods by Louise Rich. I believe it’s out of print but you should be able to find a copy online at alibris or from a used book dealer. Wonderful descriptions of roughing it in the North woods around Moosehead Lake in the 1940s. Rich is a marvelously gifted writer who loved Maine.
We have a cottage in Boothbay where we go every summer. It’s been in my family for 75 years. We’ll be there eating lobster and listening to the foghorn in about three weeks!
Glad somebody else could use your blood. My kids loved, Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie!
Good luck on the trip!
We read “Keep the Lights Burning Abbie” when my kids were little and went through the study guide. You have a bunch of wonderful resources there and he will surely learn a bunch from the books and then seeing things when there. I love home schooling for that very reason.
As per your post below, the going out and driving distances days in a row can be very exhausting.