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BOOK: Penelope Crumb Never Forgets

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Why Museums Are Important to Me

By Penelope Crumb

Museums are important to me because they help you remember about people, places, and things that happened. And they are full of wonder. The Portwaller History Museum made me wonder about the people who used to live in our town and what they were like, what toys they played with, and that the first mayor had a tiny nose but a really big body. And also he wore glasses. Which were right there in the museum for everybody to see. (Which is okay if the family says it’s allowed.)

Some museums are full of things that belonged to dead people. But other museums are full of things from people who aren’t dead yet (but will be one day) but who should be remembered because they are great.

I know lots of people who should be remembered even though their stuff isn’t in any museum. But I don’t think a museum has to be a building or even a closet. It can be anything, like a photo album even. Because drawings and pictures can help you remember. And that way you’ll never forget.

The End

acknowledgments

I
have a good memory.

I can remember all kinds of things from when I was a kid. Like how I used to gnaw on a stick of butter at the dinner table. And how I caught my finger in a door during a camping trip when I was seven and my whole fingernail fell off. And chopping down the tree in our front yard during a blizzard. And changing my shoes and cardigan sweater when I got home from school so that Mister Rogers would one day let me live in his neighborhood. And making a basket for my mom for Mother’s Day, where I glued on a picture of myself, as well as some of my hair and a bloody tooth from my collection. (She still has this basket.) And how my sister took me to the mall to jump in one of those inflatable moon bounce things, and then left me there.

My sister says I make things up.

I think probably we’re both right. But what I will never forget are the people who have loved and supported me, and provided inspiration (and much-needed childcare) during the writing of this book. In particular, my mom, Heidi Potterfield, Jerry and Shirley Stout, MaryAnn Mundey, Carol Dowling, Lori Thibault, Amy Cabrera, and Charlotte Hartley. Thanks also to my writerly friends and second family at Vermont College of Fine Arts, especially Jess Leader, Annemarie O’Brien, Micol Ostow, Gene Brenek, Mary Quattlebaum, Tami Lewis Brown, Sarah Aronson, Leda Schubert, Tim Wynne-Jones, Rita Williams-Garcia, Uma Krishnaswami, and Kathi Appelt. Special thanks to Erin Loomis, who makes me laugh until I cry and is the only other person I know who shares my deep-rooted affection for fried bologna sandwiches, John Denver, and spygear.

I owe a great deal of thanks to Andy, for his love, partnership, encouragement, and his ability to answer questions like, “What’s a museum called that only has things in it that are important to one person? Is that a real thing?”

Much thanks to my wonderful editor, Jill Santopolo, and to everyone at Philomel, who have made this such an amazing experience. And to my lovely agent, Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary Agency, thank you for believing in me.

SHAWN K. STOUT has held many jobs, including ice cream scooper, dog treat baker, magazine editor, and waitress. She also holds the job of mother to her baby daughter, Opal. Shawn is the author of
Fiona Finkelstein, Big-Time Ballerina!!
and
Fiona Finkelstein Meets Her Match!!
She received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives with her family and two dogs named Munch and Laverne in Frederick, Maryland.

You can visit Shawn K. Stout at
www.shawnkstout.com

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Don’t forget to look for Penelope in her next adventure!