By Neva Cole, CMNH Communications Director

When I first started working at the Children's Museum of New Hampshire, I knew my mother had only months to live. She had been diagnosed with cancer and we were in the process of saying goodbye. My daughter was four at the time. My mother, ever the educator, was the first to suggest that we look into some picture books that might help her grandkids understand what was about to happen. So, on top of starting a new job, parenting a four year old, being there for my family, and processing my own grief, I now had to find picture books to somehow help me try to explain death to my daughter. 

But Mom was right. She always is. I'm glad I took the time to find some of those books, because talking about death with anyone is not easy, but with kids...it seems even more complicated. Depending on their age, they don't necessarily have the vocabulary to understand what dying really means. And unless you've spent a lot of time pondering the process yourself, you might not be well equipped to explain it to them. My Mom would speak to her in her own religious terms, introducing the idea of Heaven, but with every new word comes a whole different set of questions. 

But in the end, those questions are what it's all about. Starting a dialogue with your kids about what death means to you, and encouraging them to ask those hard questions, helps prepare them for something that no one in this world escapes from. We will all be dealing with it, sooner or later, wether we have time to prepare for it or not. We were fortunate to have time.

Four years later, we still talk about Nana with the same language we learned from those picture books. We even have one of those audio picture books that Nana recorded so we could always hear her voice telling us a story. Recently I met Linda Dinndorf who is a Training and Education Coordinator for a NH non-profit called Friends of Aine. Aine was established to provide bereavement support services to grieving children and families. This organization was borne out of the tragic loss of Aine Marie Phillips (pronounced Ahnya) at age 8, and the recognition that bereavement services for Aine's surviving 5-year-old sister Bella, were sadly scarce. I told Linda about my Mom's passing and how it was a struggle to find resources as simple as picture books that would help my daughter process her grief, and she instantly said, "Oh, we have a great library of picture books for all ages! We'd be happy to share some info with you!" 

So thank you Linda for this wonderful list, which can also be found here on their website: https://www.friendsofaine.com/...

On this list of resources, I see some of the books that I used, like The Invisible String, by Patrice Karst, and Badger's Parting Gifts by Susan Varley, both gentle, loving stories about how the people we love may leave this world, but their memories and influence remain constant. I hope this list helps you when you need it most.

Sometimes I Feel Like a Storm Cloud – by Leslie Evans

I Will Always Love You – by Melissa Lyons

The Memory Box: A Book About Grief – by Joanna Rowland

A Child’s View of Grief – by Alan Wolefeit

Badger’s Parting Gifts – by Susan Varley

Help Me Say Goodbye – by Janis Silverman

How It Feels When a Parent Dies – by Jill Krementz

In Mommy’s Garden – by Neyal J. Ammary

Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children – by Bryan Mellonie

Saying Goodbye When You Don’t Want To – by Martha Bolton

Sesame Street – When Families Grieve Kit – by Sesame Workshop

Someone I Loved Died – by Christine Harder Tanguald

Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss – by Pat Schwiebert

The Fall of Freddie the Leaf – by Leo Buscaglia

The Invisible String – by Patrice Karst

The Mountains of Tibet – by Mordicai Gerstein

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney – by Judith Voirst

Turned Upside Down – by Karen Keesler

Waterbugs and Dragonflies – by Doris Stickney

What On Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? – by Trevor Romain

When Dinosaurs Die – by Laurie Krasny Brown

Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You – by Nancy Tillman

Learn more about Friends of Aine here https://www.friendsofaine.com/

Five Artists’ Perspectives
Gallery 6 Exhibition Title: Unbound
Exhibition Dates: September 20, 2019 - January 10, 2020
Reception: Friday November 1, 5-7pm, During the Dover Art Walk
List of Artists: Lindsey Boss, Corwin Levi, Conny Goelz Schmitt, Carolyn Sirois, Wen-hao Tien

About the Exhibition:

Between the covers of a book lies thrilling adventure, emotion and drama, entertainment, education, and a way of stepping into others’ lives and experiences... even if only in the mind. But what physically makes up a book, content aside? Technically: wood or fiber pulp, glue, sometimes thread, fabric or leather, and ink. Reading, for many, is not just comprehension. It’s the experience of holding an object, feeling its weight, smelling the paper, turning the pages, using a bookmark, snapping it shut. Yet, when reckoning with all the resources that it takes to create a physical book, even those who relish stepping into a library and standing in awe of the thousands of spines, can understand the logic behind digital reading tablet devices. Trading a hands-on experience for something virtual is a defining trait of the twenty-first century.

Traditional books have a lifespan, as all objects do. They age. They become yellowed, wrinkled, torn, dog-eared, stained. Some people might say “loved”. What happens to those books whose prose no longer appeals to today’s reader? Whose information is outdated? Whose manifestos are no longer inspiring? Whose points of view are intolerant; evidence of a different era? Regardless of why they were put down, the evidence of the reader’s personal relationship to the book-object is clear by its condition. As texts become digitized and archived for eternity, so that tangible history is lost, meanwhile forgotten books continue to crumble on lonely shelves.

The artists featured in Unbound find new expression from within texts. Almost mischievously, they snip, rip, mark, fill, cover up, and create artwork from the shells and guts of books. In this deconstructing and reconstructing manner, they remark on the limits of written language and convey new phrases from color, negative and positive space, and transitions between materials. Thus, in this romance with tactility, stories are born through artwork from texts that no longer speak.

Living across New England but often drawing on international backgrounds and extensive domestic travels, the patchwork of each artists’ professional and personal experience translates well to an exhibit that uses primarily collage as a tool of communication. Continuing education and visual culture research are important facets of these artists’ lives; as both teacher and student, through residencies, and academic programs.

About the Artists:

Lindsey Boss is a visual artist currently living and working in Boston, where she graduated with a BFA at Massachusetts College of Art in 2008. For the past 10 years, she has been primarily a collage artist and an avid collector of vintage books and magazines. Relying heavily on imagery from the 50s-70s, she hopes to evoke feelings of nostalgia, often mixing components of the natural world with figures, patterns, and vintage homes. Her use of negative space and often times missing body parts, is an attempt to depict dreamlike landscapes, and to leave bits and pieces of the story up to the viewer. Collage-making has been a way to process her own life and larger ideas through experimentation with the imagery and the materials themselves, in hopes to convey some form of wisdom.

lindseyboss@hotmail.com / https://www.lindseyboss.com/

Corwin Levi

Bio: Corwin Levi is a mixed-media artist, curator, illustrator, arts writer, and attorney who investigates the limits of vision, experience, and memory by constructing maps of the unknown. He has had solo shows, participated in group shows, and curated exhibits across the country, and has been reviewed in publications such as the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, and on Bloomberg TV. Levi has attended over twenty different artist residencies, including the Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program, Ucross Foundation for the Arts, the Millay Colony, and the Wurlitzer Foundation. He has also created public art, including a 175-foot-long mural in North Adams, Massachusetts, across from MASS MoCA. Levi has a BA from Rice University, an MFA from the Tyler School of Art, and a JD from the University of Virginia. Based in Harrisville, New Hampshire, he is a partner at the design firm Gwarlingo Studio, and draws inspiration from his travels—having lived in eighteen cities across twelve states.

corwin@radiosebastian.com / http://www.corwinlevi.com

Conny Goelz Schmitt

Statement: I create geometric collages, assemblages and sculptures with vintage book parts. My work is a never-ending story where I play with deconstruction and reconstruction, and changing dimensionality - often within one piece. On the hunt for textured surfaces and faded colors I deconstruct discarded vintage books. By means of décollage the element of chance becomes an integral part of my process. While extending the margins of my compositions I build new space, always conscious of maintaining balance and harmony within the work. Although my work seems planned and calculated it evolves organically within a rule-based system. The interplay of sizes, shapes and color leads me on a search for the perfect placement of my salvaged and manipulated material. This pursuit becomes both meditation and ritual.

Bio: Conny Goelz Schmitt is a collage artist and sculptor who spent her youth in Germany, moved to Taiwan in her twenties, and relocated to the US in 1996. Having been immersed in three very different cultures, she is drawn to hard edge painting influenced by the German “attention to detail”, the retro color palette reminiscent of Taiwan in the 80s, and the very often experimental and creative pioneering spirit of Americans. Her medium of choice is almost without exception the vintage book.

In Germany she studied Sinology and German Literature at Eberhard Karls University in Tuebingen. She was named Sculptor of the Year by Chief Curator of Boston University, Kate McNamara in CAA’s 69th Members’ Prize Show. In 2016, Paul C. Ha, Director of the List Visual Art Center at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, selected her work for the Best Multi Media Prize in CAA’s National Prize Show. Besides exhibiting at Kingston Gallery, Boston, MA, Coastal Contemporary Gallery, Newport, RI and Kathryn Markel Fine Arts, New York, NY her work has been featured at Galerie Biesenbach, Cologne (Germany), the Cultural Association of Rosa Venerini, Viterbo (Italy), The Painting Center, New York, Site: Brooklyn, New York, The Danforth Art Museum, Framingham, MA, and Touchstone Gallery in Washington, DC, among others. Conny has a studio in Beverly, Massachusetts.

connyschmitt@hotmail.com / https://connygoelzschmitt.com/

Carolyn Sirois

Statement: After we entered the Charlestown Navy Yard the gates were closed and flags were lowered. I was with my Sightings: Cognitive Mapping class from the Museum School. It was Sept 11, 2001.

Late into the night on Nov 2, 2016, I was alone watching PBS news and texting friends. Trump had just been elected President of the United States. Disbelief and shock.

A usual workday, a Tuesday in October 2018, I was on my screen with multiple windows open and on my phone keeping up with my teaching life, my private life, and the world. I was sort of managing the density and volume—but not really.

Times of ruins.

My work is a response to ruins we experience both collectively and individually. I investigate how identities are formed and morphed through the cultural and historical moments of our lives. I work with an aesthetics of ruins—eroded structures, traces and imprints of time, text under erasure—to consider what we hold onto amidst the fragments and complexities of contemporary chaos. I bundle, collage, collect, research, write, erase, excavate, construct, deconstruct and reconstruct in my art practice. I manipulate materials to present sediments of time and sediments of thinking on loss, longing, transformation and renewal.

I ask how we move forward.

Bio: Traversing worlds is what I know. I cross disciplines and shift roles between artist of mixed media works (2D and 3D), writing instructor, mum of two cool kids (college student/ college grad), and partner of supportive spouse who offers balance. Visual arts, poetry, literature, contemporary theory, writing studies, and cultural/political studies all figure into my trajectory as an artist. While working on my studio art degree from the School of Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA), where I studied painting, drawing, printmaking, collage and assemblage, art history and theory, I continued to teach writing and literature courses at Northeastern University. In both environments discussions of identity, history, culture, art practices, writing practices and the web of connections between individual and collective realms were ongoing. In each environment, the importance of one’s process, and reflecting on that process was emphasized—whether exploring a range of materials/media and ideas in the studio or revising ideas and overall form/design of a written piece.

I returned to the SMFA in 2001-02 for the Fifth Year program, which culminated in Fifth Year Exhibit and Traveling Scholars awards. I am still a Lecturer of English at Northeastern University. I have also taught at the Museum School (now SMFA at Tufts), Berklee College of Music as well as the Boston Architectural Center. Over the years I have exhibited my art in Cambridge, Boston, the North Shore, the Vineyard, New Hampshire and Maine. I’m pleased to have artwork in private collections in New England, Florida, Washington D. C., Ottawa, Bangkok and Rome.

I recently received my MFA from Lesley University College of Art and Design.

cmsirois31@gmail.com / https://www.carolynsirois.com/

Wen-hao Tien

Bio: Wen-hao Tien is a visual artist, educator, and Assistant Director of Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies, Regional Studies.

Wen-hao grew-up in Taiwan and later moved to the United States to pursue graduate studies. She began her academic pursues with biomedical sciences, and then to social studies and visual art. Her studio artwork focuses on language and translation, and explores culture and identity through a unique cross-cultural lens. She is also known for her contemporary Chinese calligraphy and painting.

A long time Cambridge resident, her professional background includes 15 years working at Harvard University’s Asia studies centers and a Master of Public Health degree from Columbia University. She is currently an Master of Fine Arts degree candidate at the Lesley University’s College of Art and Design.

Statement: My studio practice interprets our physical and psychological connections to the natural world through foraging, interacting, and researching. The work is created between field and studio.

Images in the exhibition are from the “Sticks Throw” series. In this work, found tree branches are collaged with pages of a visual journal. Sticks were thrown to create free-falls and from each fall landed a mysterious image, like oracle sticks. These images created by “chance”, convey personal messages as the titles would suggest. It is not something that can be achieved by arranging the sticks intentionally! As an immigrant, my inspiration is often triggered by a desire to communicate through a cross-cultural lens.

wtien@lesley.edu / https://www.wenhaotien.com/

Admission:

As always, no admission fee is required to view the art in Gallery 6. Regular admission applies for families who wish to also explore the rest of the Museum. To learn more about this art exhibition or about the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire please visit www.childrens-museum.org.

About the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire:

The not-for-profit Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is located at 6 Washington Street in Dover and offers two levels of hands-on, interactive exhibits for children from newborn to middle school. Children can explore a wide range of subjects, from dinosaurs, music and aeronautics to world cultures, art and natural history. Open year-round, the Silver LEED-certified museum specializes in creating memorable family learning experiences and works closely with schools, social service agencies and educators. The museum also hosts a variety of live performances, workshops, classes and special events for families. For more information, please call the museum at (603) 742-2002 or visit www.childrens-museum.org

This summer we had a wonderful art exhibit on view in Gallery 6 here at CMNH featuring the art of Richard Haynes, a Portsmouth, NH African American artist and the Associate Director of Admissions for Diversity at UNH. Haynes' vibrant drawings ask us to use the universal language of "Love" to see how we can all rewrite a history that has not been fair to everyone. 

To close the exhibit, we're doing a day of art making on Saturday, August 24 from 10am-2pm here at the museum. The day will offer lots of opportunities to make art with fine art materials, go on a scavenger hunt, a chance to contribute to a community art project, AND...listen to stories! 

And because we can only do so many storytimes in one day, we thought we'd share our favorite picture books that highlight the very important themes of unity, compassion and diversity, here on our blog. We hope you check them out and share with your kids.

Peace

by Wendy Anderson Halperin

For ages 4-8

This poetic and soothing book ponders the eternal question asked in the Tao Te Ching: How can we bring peace to the world? Using lavishly detailed drawings, each with a storyline of its own, the illustrator shares her artistic rendition of the path to true inner peace. 

Strictly No Elephants

Written by Lisa Mantchev and Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

For ages 4-8

Today is "Pet Club Day." There will be cats and dogs and fish but strictly no elephants are allowed. The Pet Club doesn't understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends. Now it is time for a boy and his tiny pet elephant to show them what it means to be a true friend. 

Talk Peace

Written by Sam Williams and Illustrated by Mique Moriuchi

For ages 4-8

"On the street,

when you meet,

when you eat, when you play.

Talk peace."

Kids and animals from around the world invite readers to dance and play and make the sounds of peace in this tribute to harmony.

We March

by Shane W. Evans

For ages 4-8

On August 28, 1963, a remarkable event took place - more than 250,000 people gather in our nation's capital to participate in the March on Washington for Jobs and freedom. The march began at the Washington Monument and eded with a rally at the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech, advocating racial harmony. This book combines Evans simple yet compelling illustrations and words to show the thrill of the day.

Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad

Written by Pamela Duncan Edwards and Illustrated by Henry Cole

For ages 4-8

A heron, a squirrel, a mouse, a deer, and a frog all witness a pair of bare feet running frantically through the woods. The feet belong to a runaway slave trying to escape his pursuers, whom the animals recognize as the Heavy Boots. Following the animals' lead, the Barefoot is able to escape and survive. He listens for the croaking of a frog to find fresh water and observes the nibbling of a mouse to find berries to eat. Eventually he comes upon a house in the woods - but is it really a stop on the Underground Railroad? Firefly light reveals a quilt hanging in front of the house - a signal of welcome. 

When Harriet Met Sojourner

Written by Catherine Clinton and Illustrated by Shane W. Evans

For ages 4-8

Two women with similar backgrounds. Both slaves; both fiercely independent. Both great in different ways. Harriet Tubman: brave pioneer who led her fellow slaves to freedom, larger than life...yearning to be free. Sojourner Truth: strong woman who spoke up for African American rights, tall as a tree...yearning to be free.

One day in 1864, the lives of these two women came together. When Harriet met Sojourner is a portrait of these two remarkable women, from their inauspicious beginnings to their pivotal roles in the battle for America's future.

Child of the Civil Rights Movement

by Paula Young Shelton and Raul Colon

for ages 4-8

What was it like growing up in the Deep South when Jim Crow laws were everywhere? How did it feel to sit down to dinner with grown-ups who planned protests between bites of Mama's creamy macaroni and cheese? And imagine walking right beside Uncle Martin and Aunt Coretta in that historic march from Selma to Montgomery - until your legs were so tired that you had to ride on your father's back. Paula Young Shelton, a daughter of civil rights leader Andrew Young, and Raul Colon take readers on a vivid trip back to Paula's childhood in an extraordinary family - the family of the American civil rights movement!

Art Making Day at Children’s Museum Highlights Themes of Unity, Diversity

In the vibrant and colorful drawings created by Portsmouth, NH artist Richard Haynes, an actual rainbow of skin tones is represented and celebrated. The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Gallery 6 art exhibition “Lean In,” not only features Haynes’ art, but also his message that “love” can unite us all, no matter our background. The museum’s exhibition, which has been on view all summer, will come down at the end of August, but before it does, families can join in on a day of art making on Saturday, August 24^th from 10am-2pm.

Richard Haynes will be on hand on August 24 for this special day of art making to engage with visitors, make some art and answer questions. Haynes is the Associate Director of Admissions for Diversity at UNH, and has also collaborated with many other NH cultural institutions like the Currier Museum of Art, the Black Heritage Trail of NH, and the NH State Council on the Arts to name a few.

“Haynes asks us to use the universal language of ‘Love’ to see how we can all rewrite a history that has not been fair to everyone,” shared Julia Kirchmer, CMNH’s Gallery 6 Curator. “His art invites us to learn from one another’s cultures, religions, regions, backgrounds, traditions, and customs, which inevitably makes all our lives richer and filled with more empathy and tolerance.”

Visitors to the museum on August 24^th will get to color with fine art materials, go on a scavenger hunt for a special prize, join storytimes highlighting the special themes of the day, meet the artist, and even contribute to a community art paper quilt project. All the fun is included with regular museum admission.

The “Lean In” art exhibition’s last day on view is Sunday, September 1. The museum closes September 2 through September 13^th for its annual cleaning and maintenance. If you’d like to see the art in Gallery 6, but not play in the museum or pay museum admission, that is possible if you just ask the front desk. Gallery 6 is open during regular museum hours and is supported by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, Georgia-Pacific and the Fuller Foundation.

The NH Maker & Food Fest has a new date - Saturday, June 29th, 2019, and we are still accepting Maker & Food Vendor applications through June 7th. A couple of cool new things about this year's Fest:

NO FEE to enjoy the FOOD TRUCKS!
You heard right, you don't have to pay the Maker Fest ticket fee to enjoy the food trucks (of which we have about 11 so far). BUT, of course we hope you'll come in and check out all the Makers anyway.

Dover Ducky Derby
We're bringing back the Dover Ducky Derby as a collaboration with SEED (Seacoast Educational Endowment) during the Fest at 1pm. Adopt a duck and you can watch it drop off the Washington Street Bridge into the Cocheco River. The first few ducks to cross the finish line will win some great prizes! You don't have to pay a Maker Fest ticket fee to see the Derby either. Just gather by the food trucks along the river!

Recycled River Regatta
Right after the Dover Ducky Derby is the Recycled River Regatta! Basically, we're inviting anyone and everyone to craft a small boat out of recycled materials and we'll launch them off the Washington Street Bridge at 1:15pm to see if they can not only float, but survive that 20-foot drop into the water! Anyone can participate (it's FREE), and we're just asking that if you want to be considered for an award, just fill out a quick form when you drop off your boat in the lower park. You also do not have to pay a Maker Fest ticket fee to watch or participate in the Recycled River Regatta. Psst... EDUCATORS! This would make an awesome end of year project for your kids!

Museum and Park
This year we're not exhibiting any Makers across the river at One Washington. Everyone will either be located inside the Children's Museum, on the Rotary Pavilion stage, or outside in the upper park, with the food vendors down in the parking lot next to the Dover Adventure Playground. 

As usual, it pays to get your Maker Fest tickets early! They're only $10 per person (ages 6 - adult) when you buy them online through Friday, June 28th. BUT, you might want to check out all the awesome discounts we have for EBT Cardholders, Active Military, Seniors, etc before you buy them online. We want EVERYONE to enjoy this day of discovery!

And now for a SNEAK PEEK at just a handful of participating Makers and Food Vendors:

Boogalows Island BBQ
In the mood for some Jamaican food? How does Jerk Dinner, Jerk-a-Rito, Mango BBQ Chicken Skewers, Pork on a Bun, or a Jamaican Beef Patty sound? Stop by Boogalows Island BBQ Food Truck for tons of mouth watering BBQ from the island of Jamaica! Accepts cash or credit.

Dover Public Library
Did you know your local library is a great resource for makers learning to expand their skills? Stop by the Dover Public Library booth to learn more about their maker space and all the support they offer to makers. Try out making a fun rainbow bubble snake while you’re there!

Sub-Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream
Not only will you be able to taste this incredible ice cream in the Food area of Maker Fest, but they’ll also be showing off the science behind their “cool” treats on the stage using liquid nitrogen! 

Doggie Investigation Gang
The Doggie Investigation Gang, DIG, is a children’s beginner chapter book series that promotes acceptance and teamwork while engaging the child in mysteries that a canine team solves. All proceeds from sales are donated to PAWS New England, All Breed Dog Rescue. One or more of the dogs from the books might be available for a meet-and-greet!

Snap Circuits with UNH InterOperability Lab 
Join members of the UNH InterOperability Lab, a testing lab right here in NH, to learn about electricity and STEM fields. Play with Snap Circuits and see if you can make lights turn on or spinners spin! 

AMITY Publications
Have a great book idea and always wanted to publish it? Meet Author/Publisher Layne Case, AMITY Publications, to learn the steps needed to make it happen! Layne will be giving two workshops, one entitled “So you Want to Be an Author” which will talk about how to become a published author, and the other entitled “See My (Dis)Abilities” which will feature a book that addresses four disabilities as they are defined, however, through the use of photography, “redefines” them by focusing on their abilities.

Local Artist Nicole Ellis
Nicole is a local artist who “dabbles” in crafts and will be showing off and selling her paintings of quiet New England moments, as well as her upcycled, hand-sewn crafts and ornaments, wood block printed notecards, and more.

LetGo Your Mind STEM Programs
This is a team of teachers and engineers who have a passion for helping kids discover creativity through science. They use LEGO builds to help teach the basics of design and engineering! Stop by their booth to create your own magnetic levitation LEGO car that will travel down a ten-foot ramp! 

Henna & Body Art By Squirrel Cat Designs
Denice Kelly from Squirrel Cat Designs is back and offering all natural henna and jaguar designs! Come learn about how henna is used in different cultures, shop henna-inspired items, or let the kids pick out a temporary glitter tattoo.

FIRST LEGO League
This is a group of 3^rd -8^th graders who are part of the FIRST Lego League Robotics Team, who use cooperation and gracious professionalism while coding and building autonomous robots. Learn more about how they work together to find innovative solutions to contemporary issues and then try your hand at coding a LEGO robot! 

NASA Ambassadors
NASA Ambassadors can tell you all about NASA’s latest space missions! Stop by their booth, space out with them, and pick up some NASA swag and freebies!

Persistence of Vision with NHPBS
Come learn about animation with one of the festival’s media sponsors, NHPBS! Discover what “persistence of vision” means – hint – it’s why we see TV and movies as moving images and not a series of still shots. 

Slime Buffet with Main Street Art
SLIME IS BACK! This Newfields community art center will be talking about all their fall art classes suitable for children and families, while also inviting everyone to play in their popular slime buffet!

Clay: Awakening an Earth Resource
Let Vicky Anderson teach you how to recognize, simple-test, and awaken natural clay to craft into a small item to take home. 

Thread Painting
Local artist Melanie Lovering will show us how she creates her unique nature photography/fabric paintings that are enhanced with thread!

Crea8ive Curves
Let Thulasi Makireddy create a traditional henna design on you with freshly mixed natural henna that can last up to a week! 

oneTesla Musical Tesla Coil Kits
These awesome DIY Tesla coil kits shoot lightning, play music, and teach electronics! Started at an MIT hakerspace and funded by Kickstarter, oneTesla has been sparking interest in physics worldwide since 2012. 

Homeslice Puppetry
Eric Weiss is a professional puppet builder who teaches people how to build their own puppets. Stop by, meet his puppet friends, and build your own foam carved puppet using pool noodles and common craft supplies!

Puzzle Making with New England Tutors
These local group of tutors work to inspire, challenge, and advocate for students of all ages and all abilities. Stop by their booth to learn more about them, and to design and color a puzzle to take home!

McDonough-Grimes Irish Dance School
Dover’s own traditional irish dance school, led by former “Riverdance” cast member John Grimes, will not only be performing on stage today, but will have a booth where you can stop by and learn more about the different dance steps or maybe even join in a group dance! 

One Story Houses
Erin Mawn brings her favorite books, movies and stories to life in miniature through her unique dollhouses which she crafts using mostly upcycled and thrifted materials!

Triaxial Weave Baskets
Peggy Thrasher will be back promoting the art of basket weaving and selling her baskets made from colorful ribbons that are woven in three directions with each ribbon at a 60 degree angle. This produces a basket with vibrant colors that often have the 3D “Tumbling Blocks” pattern on the side of the basket. Stop by her tables and try weaving a pine needle basket and learn about available classes at the Northeast Basketmakers Guild.

A Moose with a Uke
Join local author and illustrator Aaron Risi as he demonstrates how he draws Monty the Moose from his inspirational children’s book “A Moose with a Uke.” And if you ask nicely he might just play the Monty the Moose theme song on his ukulele!

Kno-Bu
Check out what Yvonne Martin, a Rye NH inventor has created to help jazz up your cupboards or your closet! The Kno-Bu is a fabric accessory that stretches and holds tightly to existing knobs or buttons. Play at being a fashion stylist and try it out yourself on one of their mannequin’s coats!

Sages Entertainment – Balloon Art
Kali and Wayne Moulton are an enthusiastic husband-and-wife duo providing balloon twisting and décor along with magic and balloon workshops! Watch as they create some amazing balloon sculptures to display. You may even be able to take one home if you are visiting at the right time!

Granite State Ghostbusters & N.E.G.A.T.E.
These volunteer Ghostbuster groups love showing off their cosplay gear and will be roaming the Fest again this year! Be sure to stop and say “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!”

WITH MORE TO COME!

Car or Cash Raffle Winner Chosen Soon

In less than two weeks, one lucky person will be randomly chosen as the winner of the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Car or Cash Raffle. The winner will get to choose between a 2019 metallic gray Nissan 370Z Coupe (MSRP $32,995) or $20,000 cash.

The winner will be chosen at a free event at Port City Nissan in Portsmouth on Tuesday, May 21 from 5:30-6:30pm. Everyone who has purchased a raffle ticket is invited to the event, and there is good reason to come. “If you come to the winner reveal event on Tuesday, we’ll automatically enter you into a last minute drawing to win an extra Car or Cash raffle ticket,” shared CMNH President Jane Bard. “Who knows, that last minute ticket might be the one that wins!”

Odds of winning in the raffle are very good. According to the museum, as of this release they have only sold less than 400 tickets out of the total 725 they have available. “Those odds are fantastic, and definitely better than the Powerball,” said Bard.

The Car or Cash Raffle is one of the non-profit’s museum’s fundraisers. “We rely on the proceeds of this raffle as it allows us to continue offering subsidized museum visits for schools and families in challenging circumstances,” said Bard.

Tickets can be purchased online via the Museum’s website: www.childrens-museum.org now until 2pm on Tuesday, May 21^st. After that, tickets can still be purchased in person at the Port City Nissan event until 6pm.

Purchasers of car or cash raffle tickets must be 18 years or older, possess a valid driver’s license and provide proof of insurance. The winner is responsible for registration, title and all applicable federal, state and local taxes resulting from the award of this prize. A maximum of 725 will be sold (50 less than last year). Raffle tickets are not tax deductible. The museum would like to thank its media partners Z107, Rock 101 and 96.7 News Radio as well as Port City Nissan for being a wonderful supporter of this fundraiser. 

The Children’s Museum of NH’s 5K Road Race had a good 34 year run, but is now coming to the finish line. Saturday, May 4^th, 2019 will be the last road race organized and hosted by the museum, which is the first race in the Seacoast Road Race series.

“When we first started this race in 1985, it was one of our very first fundraisers, and it happened to be at the beginning of the road race movement,” shared CMNH President Jane Bard. “At that time, and in the many years that followed, it served as a wonderful community resource, and we are so grateful to all our participants, sponsors, and Seacoast Road Race Series partners for making it such a fun and festive event over the years.”

However, with the increased number of road races available to runners in the area “it no longer seems like it is the best use of our time and efforts,” shared Bard. “With our mission being focused on actively engaging families in hands-on discovery, we feel our other numerous events and programs better serve that function.”

“It was not an easy decision,” said Bard. “This year, our 35^th anniversary year, we spent a lot of time looking back over our history, but also reflecting on the paths we want to blaze in the next 35 years. Change is tough, but it’s necessary!”

Those new future paths may include an event that reflects the popular Kid-venture Course that was developed as a silly obstacle course for kids ages 1-10 and happens the same morning as the 5k. “Our participation in the Kid-venture Course continues to increase each year, so that tells us a lot,” said Bard. “We’re also planning to repeat some popular new fundraising events that we debuted this year like Cider Flights & Tasty Bites and Mini Golf in the Museum.” 

For those runners or walkers of all ages hoping to enjoy our race one final time as we say goodbye to this signature event, discounted $22 online registrations are being accepted through Friday, May 3^rd, or you can register at the race itself on Saturday, May 4^th for $25. The certified 5k course through downtown Dover starts at 9am at the intersection of Central Avenue, Washington Street and Henry Law Avenue. The Kid-venture Course, which has a superheroes theme this year, will take place in lower Henry Law Park at 9:50am, and discounted online registration costs $8 in advance or $10 on race day. The morning features a festive atmosphere full of awards and prizes, activities with some of our sponsors, and great food including La Festa Brick oven pizza, Panera baked goods, Terra Cotta Pasta pasta salad, RiverBend sandwiches, a top-your-own yogurt bar, water and granola bars sponsored by Hannaford, fresh fruit and more!

To learn more or to register, visit www.childrens-museum.org/things-to-do/events/5k-road-race-fun-run. The museum thanks it’s 2019 5K Road Race premiere sponsor Sprague, as well as Event Sponsors Relyco, Weathervane, Willem Verweij Physical Therapy, La Festa Brick & Brew Pizzeria, Seacoast Spine & Sports Injuries Clinic and Berwick Academy, and Supporting Sponsors Bob’s Discount Furniture, Burns, Bryant, Cox, Rockefeller & Durkin, P.A., Calling All Cargo Moving & Storage, Dover Honda, FORMAX, Hannaford, RiverBend Pizza and Subs, Runner’s Alley, Terra Cotta Pasta, and Wing-Itz.

Six Children’s Books To Celebrate International Women’s Day 2019

Friday March 8th marks International Women’s Day 2019. In celebration we’ve compiled together a list of six children’s books that honor and empower strong women.

Grace for President

Written by Kelly DiPucchio, Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Grade Level: 1, 2, 3

Genre: Fiction, Hybrid

New York Times Bestseller

2008

An introduction to the American electoral system, Grace for President tells the story of fourth grader Grace Campbell. Upon learning that America has never had a female president she decides to become the first, launching her political career by running in her school’s mock election.  

She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World

Written by Chelsea Clinton, Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger

Grade Level: PreK, K, 1, 2, 3

Genre: Nonfiction, Biography

New York Times Bestseller

2017

In She Persisted, Chelsea Clinton outlines 13 American women who have helped shape the country through hard work and persistence. Featured figures include Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, and Oprah Winfrey. The success of She Persisted as a New York Times Bestseller spurred the creation of a second book: She Persisted Around the World. This companion book details the stories of 13 additional history-changing women from around the globe.

Malala’s Magic Pencil

Written by Malala Yousafzai, Illustrated by Kerascoet

Grade Level: PreK, K, 1, 2, 3

Genre: Nonfiction, Biography/Autobiography

2017

As a child in Pakistan, Malala would often wish for a magic pencil, one that would help her create happiness, clean her city, and sleep an extra hour in the morning. But as Malala grew up, she saw the ways a magic pencil could truly be used to make the world a better place.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai details her story for a younger audience in her first picture book, Malala’s Magic Pencil. She hopes to inspire children to think globally, and through hard work and determination, change their world.

Girls Who Code, Learn to Code and Change the World

Written by Reshma Saujani

Grade Level: 5, 6

Genre: Nonfiction, Science/Technology

New York Times Bestseller

2017

Written by the founder of the Girls Who Code organization, Reshma Saujani aims to inspire a new generation of female coders. This novel incorporates eye-catching artwork, understandable explanations of basic coding principles, and the inspiring real life stories of women working for corporations like NASA and Pixar. Girls Who Code aims to show women how coding can help them reach their dreams, whatever they may be.

I Dissent, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark

Written by Debbie Levy, Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley

Grade Level: PreK, K, 1, 2, 3

Genre: Nonfiction, Biography

2016 

In I Dissent author Debbie Levy demonstrates the power of saying no and standing up for what you believe in. This biographical picture book details the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Ginsburg constantly says no, disagreeing when it matters the most. I Dissent outlines the stories of Ginsburg’s most famous dissents, and demonstrates to young readers “disagreeing doesn’t make you disagreeable”!

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

Written by Elena Favilli, Francesca Cavallo

Illustrated by 60 female artists from around the world

Grade Level: K, 1, 2, 3

Genre: Nonfiction, Biography

 2016

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls tells the stories of 100 historical female figures, both past and present, in an accessible fairytale style. Each figure is given a one-page biography accompanied with an original work of art. The book aims to inspire children across a range of fields including science, politics, history, sports, technology, and the arts. Featured women include Elizabeth I, Serena Williams and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls broke records by becoming the most crowd funded children’s book in history, raising over half a million dollars from over 13 thousand backers on Kickstarter. The book’s success has inspired two volumes, a journal and a 12 episode podcast, all of which can be found on the official book website: https://www.rebelgirls.co/