I purposely wanted to sip read this, so I could pause and ponder over the thoughts Katherine had originally crafted as acceptance speeches and were then gathered together as a collection to form this book. I don’t think I would have enjoyed the speeches in a few solid reading sessions, one speech crammed in on top of the last four speeches would be a little bit like eating too many chocolate eclairs in one go. I’ve unscored portions and jotted my own thoughts down throughout the book; I’ll definitely be rereading "The Invisible Child". I’ve gained a greater understanding to the background of what birthed the thoughts behind Katherine's books which gives me a grudging respect for some of the titles that I have definitely had mixed feelings about …. maybe time for me to take a re-read of a few of those from a different vantage point.

It was a challenge to select just one Katherine Paterson book to read. A challenge I am happy to say I failed! One of the books listed had the intriguing title of The Invisible Child. This book is a compilation of speeches given by Paterson between 1974 and 2000.

I don’t know where to begin writing about this book. I found it to be a book full of treasures. Maybe my great enjoyment was because I agreed with so much of what Paterson said/wrote. Her words made me think. Paterson is widely read and has a wonderful way of making connections between what she has read and people.

I don’t feel like my post about this book is doing it justice. It is a book geared more toward adults. I think it would be a great book for a group of teachers to read and discuss, if not the entire book, then at least some of the speeches from the book. Once I return the copy I have to the library, I plan to purchase one of my own. I can’t wait to read it again, highlight and make notes in the places where the book speaks to me.

One other highlight of the book is that you get a glimpse of what Paterson was thinking when she wrote many of her books. I truly enjoyed this “behind the scenes glimpse” into a wonderful author’s world.

3.5. "Words" was my favorite essay here. Fascinating, as always, to hear a writer's journey from an idea to a scene to a full characterization. She is especially wise a out the role hard things play in a child's psyche and, therefore, children's art.

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Wise, funny, and moving. Katherine Paterson's work has meant so much to me for so many years - her book Bridge to Terabithia is one of my favorite books from my childhood (I tear up even thinking about it), but I've never read any of her speeches or essays and only recently heard her give an interview for the first time. While this collection has some repeated stories (understandable, since the speeches were given over 30+ years), they were all so wonderful and it's easy to pick up and put down, as most speeches are no more than a few pages. I had no idea how much I had in common with her (she spent many of her formative years living and working in Asia) and I resonated with much she had to say about parenting, teaching, and just living as a decent human.

This is an amazing book that I wished I owned and did not just borrow from the library(alas it is out of print!). I must have wrote down two pages worth of quotes. Katherine Paterson (author of The Great Gilly Hopkins and Bridge to Terbitha) is also an amazing essay writer and speech giver on the craft that is writing for children. She talks with such depth and beauty and the gift she has and makes you think over and over again. If you want to be a writer or you teach children, you really should read this book. It is beautiful. Here is just one of the many quotes I wrote down: "Reading a great novel is a conversion experience, we are never quite the same afterwards."