Seattle School Librarian Honored

There was a group of children in one of the Seattledark had something bad not happened. A month ago,
schools who came up with an idea. They wanted toMary Cooper and her daughter Susanna Stodden
turn sad things into happy things, find the positive inwent for a hike in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie
the negative. The idea came about because whenNational Forest. They were found shot to death in a
you are in the third or fourth grade, life can bedouble slaying that convulsed the region.
sweet one moment, stale candy the next. One ofThe unsolved murders particularly hit home for the
the girls in the group, Amy, who just turned 11, had achildren at Decatur AEII Elementary School in North
beloved pet bunny named Roger who died. The lossSeattle because Cooper was their librarian, the
still smarts.Through their informal club, Amy and herkeeper of their stories, a smiling inspirer of their
school pals—Jasmine, Chloe, Hailey, Annie, Madidreams. "Mary in the Library"—as children
and Naomi—would try to turn frowns upsidesweetly christened her—transformed an
down. The only question was how.ordinary place into an extraordinary space.
The children thought about it. They decided thatOn a recent afternoon the school's library was
books would become their tool for making asummertime silent. Atop a wood table sat a
difference. School had deepened their love of books.cardboard box that held three dozen books, including
They respected the power of words on the printedone about brainy bunnies and another about that
page—no small feat in a television age. Booksmischievous cooking pot. These were
could offer stories with powerful messages, theybooks—along with "Peter and the
knew, and such messages could inspire. The girlsStarcatchers" and others—that Cooper had on
asked people in their neighborhoods as well as theher wish list.
parents of classmates to donate toasters, baby toysHer wish came true thanks to Amy, Jasmine, Chloe,
and whatever they could for a big garage sale theHailey, Annie, Madi and Naomi—along with
first week of June. They raised $400.everyone who pitched in to help these Decatur
The girls bought 36 books. They already had a homestudents. After the unthinkable happened, the girls
for them inside their elementary school library, wheregot together. They crafted designs for a bookplate
one wall features a poster from the 1963 March onthat will go inside each of the new books before
Washington and another bears a photo of the lateschool starts. The plate has a sun in one corner, a
Coretta Scott King. Inspired by a school librarian, theymoon in another. It shows an open book with its
worked as a team toward a goal.front and back covers in view. One cover says
It is easy to miss such learning that occurs regularly"Mary" and the other says "Cooper." Down the spine
in the public schools. Budget woes, school closuresare three words: "In Memory Of. Such a worthy
and scandals involving high school hoops teams tendtribute is one way a group of dedicated children is
to make for juicier headlines. The book club is one offorging lasting good out of a lingering horror.
those quiet stories that would have remained in the