Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> From the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Hi students.
>> [unison] Hi.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Everybody is crisscross applesauce.
>> Carla Hayden: Everybody ready?
>> [unison] Yes.
>> Carla Hayden: Well I'm the new Librarian of Congress.
[applause] The world's largest library
so you know I'm excited, right?
I've just been on the job about a week and this is a special thing
to see a person that I, I've been watching her for a long time.
[inaudible] And when I saw you guys coming in with your bags I thought,
gee, she's here to tell you about and share with you her new book.
Now you mentioned the movie, what was it?
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: My Girl.
>> Carla Hayden: My Girl, guess what other movie she was in, it's scary?
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: No, no, they won't know.
[laughter] Beverly Hills Chihuahua was scary.
>> I saw that movie.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Did you see that movie?
>> Yes.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Did you ever see the movie Freaky Friday?
>> Yes.
>> Carla Hayden: See she was in that.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: I was in that movie too.
[inaudible audience comment]
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Annabelle?
No, no, I wasn't in Annabelle.
[ Inaudible audience question ]
I'm going to tell you in two minutes
after Dr. Hayden finishes what she's telling you.
>> Carla Hayden: What I'm tell you is we're
in for a really good surprise
because [inaudible] Jamie Lee Curtis.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Thank you, Dr. [applause] Hi guys.
Yes so let's clear this up, shall we?
So some of you may have seen me on TV or in a movie, right?
You've seen me on TV and maybe you've seen the movie Beverly
Hills Chihuahua.
>> I saw it.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Maybe you've seen the movie My Girl.
Maybe you've seen the movie Freaky Friday.
So here's my question, you guys are really smart.
Do you know the difference between being an actor and being a writer?
What does an actor do?
Yes? Yes? No, no the young person right behind you right there.
You raised your hand, do you know what an actor does?
Can you think?
Hold on, give her a chance.
>> No.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Ok, anybody else?
What does an actor do?
>> An actor acts in a movie.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Right but is it her real self or is she pretending?
>> Pretending.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Ok so an actor pretends to be somebody else
and that's what actors do and that's a great job and I get to pretend
to be people all the time that aren't really me.
But my real name is Jamie Lee Curtis and I'm a real person
but in the movies I'm pretending to be the girl in Freaky Friday
or the mommy of the doggy in Beverly Hills Chihuahua
or the makeup artist in My Girl.
So that's the difference
between being an actor and being a real person.
Now does anybody in the room know what a writer does, an author?
Yes, what does an author do?
All the way in the back.
>> An author writes the book.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: They write the stories.
Now do you guys write stories?
>> [unison] Yes.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Yes, everybody can be a writer.
There's not one thing anybody needs to do other than be a writer.
As long as you can know your letters or you have an imagination
in your head, you're a writer.
So a writer writes the stories.
And do you know what an illustrator does?
Yes?
>> It colors the book.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Right, they color the books with their pictures
and their colors that they choose and the characters that they make.
So if this is the book, I'm the lady that wrote the words and the story
and my illustrator is the woman who draws the pictures.
And her name is Laura Cornell and she's a great friend
of mine and a beautiful partner.
So I am a lady who writes books.
I also pretend to be other people.
I also am a mommy and I have a dog.
So I'm just like everybody else.
>> A girl dog?
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: A boy dog named JJ.
>> How old are you?
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: How old am I?
I am 57 years old.
>> Wow. [laughter]
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: I know, that's like way old.
Now before I begin I have a traditional way I like to do
which makes the kids get really quiet and they sort of really listen
to me because they can't believe what they've just seen and heard.
So the first thing I'd like to do is just since you guys have just been
in a car so in your seats where you are, everybody in the room,
let's just wiggle a little, just to get our ya ya's out.
Just to kind of get, you know we've all been trying to sit still.
Ok everybody stop for a second.
Now everybody close their eyes for a second.
Just breathe in your nose, exhale out your mouth, just relax.
Listen to my voice.
Keep your eyes closed.
Now everybody open their eyes and very quietly without making a sound,
let's do a silent scream.
So like if you're screaming with excitement
because it's your birthday, everybody silent scream like this.
So everybody go like this, like you're screaming but no noise.
Now everybody make a super tiny face, like a super small face,
like make your face really, really small
and now silent scream, tiny face.
Ok now we're in our bodies.
Now we need to be in our ears.
So does anybody here have a baby sister or brother?
Wow, ok, and does anybody have, so how old is your baby,
two months or four months?
>> Two.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Two months and is the baby wet, poopy, hungry,
tired, cranky or all of the above?
>> [unison] All of the above.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Never has failed me.
So this is a two month old, all of the above, baby.
Listening with our ears.
[ Baby crying ]
[ Laughter ]
Now you're listening.
Now I'm going to tell you about my book.
This is a book about a teacher.
This is a book about a teacher who brings something to her classroom
of kids just like you and asks them a question.
And it's written by me, Jamie,
and it's illustrated by my partner, Laura.
And I'm going to read it to you now and then I'm going
to ask you a couple questions, ok?
So everybody put their listening ears on, relax.
So the book is called, This is Me,
the Story of Who We are and Where We Came From.
My great grandmother came from a far distant place.
She came on a boat with just this small case.
Great grandmother left her family and friends
to cross the great sea to a land at the end.
Her parents just told her, she had no say,
tomorrow we leave for a place far away.
So fill up this case with things you love best, sadly you'll have
to leave all of the rest.
Did she wear all her clothes to leave her more space?
Could her family album fit in this case?
I know she took ribbons and some things to eat and shoes
when they said to take care of her feet.
The whole family tree, pen and pencil set, one writing journal,
a comb and barrette, great great grandma's necklace,
her own handmade doll that she clutched on her journey
when she felt very small.
How did she do it?
What would you take?
Would you be scared that you'd make a mistake?
How would you know in this case what to pack?
And that once you had left there'd be no coming back.
So you, my dear class, have big choices to make.
When you take this case home, what would you take?
Then we go into the room of a bunch of the kids in the class.
And the first kid we go into is named Trey.
And Trey is a figure skater, which I learned when I saw the illustration.
I couldn't take paintings or Diglet [phonetic] my rat, or trophies,
or school books, or dad's hand carved bat.
Now we're in Chenaye's [phonetic] room.
She says I'd take lots of photos and the doll my gram sewed and my first
in line ticket to Katie's first show.
She really likes Katie Perry.
I've heard she's a singer.
Then Kate says my punk rocker Barbie, my mom was one too,
my barely stuffed bear, old Winnie the Pooh.
And then Roberto says a [inaudible] beret, my ukulele,
my St. Christopher medal to look out for me.
And then Luke says my Groucho Marx glasses, weird Al's signed CD,
my Notre Dame jersey, my [inaudible].
And then Ollie says Legos, a camera to film when I leave,
if this really happened, it'd be hard to believe.
And then Alayna [phonetic] says but I'd be so excited with all
that was new, people and things to meet and to do.
Now the teacher is saying, great work, Alayna,
for the time that you took.
This suitcase is like your own history book.
For who we all are isn't just what you've got but part what you learn
and part what you're taught.
Who you become starts with your past.
Family histories and stories that last.
This great tide that brought you, seeds ancestors sowed
that took root inside you and helped you go grow.
Now you take this case and imagine it's true,
that you're leaving and needing to choose.
What says you?
What would you take and what would they be that says to the world,
and then at the back of the book there's a suitcase and you open it.
Hi there. This is me.
That's the book.
So [applause] So my question is if you were leaving and needing to fill
up a small suitcase with the stuff that you would want to take
from your family, from your room, something.
Can any of you think of something you would
like to share what you would take in your suitcase?
What would you take?
>> I would take a stuffed animal.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Which one?
>> It is a robot, Star Wars.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: It's a Star Wars robot toy?
Do you love Star Wars?
Yeah? Me too.
Who's your favorite character?
[inaudible audience comment] Oh the little round thing,
yeah, super funny.
What about you?
>> I would take a Ninja Turtle.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: A what?
>> A Ninja Turtle.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: A Ninja Turtle, which one?
>> The blue one.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: The blue one is Michelangelo?
>> [unison] No, Leonardo.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Sorry, I forgot my colors on my Ninja Turtles.
It's been awhile.
So you would take the blue one.
>> Leonardo.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Leonardo, sorry.
What would you take?
>> I would take Princess.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Who is Princess?
[inaudible audience comment] So it's a Disney princess, yes?
And it's a doll.
So you would take a doll also.
Yes, the little boy right there.
>> I would take a Ninja Turtle and a race car.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: So you would have a race car and a Ninja Turtle.
Yeah, I think they could both fit in it.
Yes?
>> I would take my Barbies.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Your Barbies.
There was a girl here who took her Barbie.
Which Barbie would you take?
>> Raquel.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: I'm sorry?
>> Raquel.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Raquel, yeah.
Why do you like her so much?
You just like her?
Yeah. Yes, little boy right there, girl, can't see,
bright lights, back light.
[inaudible audience comment] I didn't hear a word you said.
>> I'd take Justin Bieber.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Justin Bieber?
[laughter] Like in the real Justin Bieber?
I don't think he could fit in the suitcase.
Do you have a picture of him?
>> No.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Do you have a Justin Bieber doll?
>> No. I just have a video of him.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Oh so maybe you'd put a video in your suitcase.
No? You just want Justin Bieber in your suitcase.
[laughter] I'm going to make a call.
I happen to know his manager, Scooter Braun.
Yes, what would you take?
>> I would take a Ninja Turtle.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Boy the Ninja Turtles are having a big comeback,
sorry, Raphael.
So we have Leonardo and Raphael.
Everybody has some.
[inaudible audience comment]
>> SpongeBob.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: I love SpongeBob.
>> Me too.
[inaudible audience comment] Jamie Lee Curtis: Your Play-Doh?
Yeah see Play-Doh, perfect thing to take on a long trip.
You can play with it.
It's squishy.
You can make different things out of it.
Yes, in the back?
Yes? [inaudible audience comment] Your what?
[inaudible audience comment] Oh your Frozen doll.
[inaudible audience comment] And Frozen is the movie, right?
It's very popular about Letting it Go or something.
We adults see that message, right?
Let it go.
Wow, so many great ideas.
What would you take?
>> SpongeBob.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: SpongeBob and the Ninja Turtles,
old school spelled with a K. [laughter] Yes?
SpongeBob.
[inaudible audience comment] Ninja Turtle?
Which one?
[inaudible audience comment] Ok we're going
to have the entire crew of Ninja Turtles.
>> Yay! [laughter]
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: All the way in the back.
>> Yay!
>> I would take Ninja Turtles.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Ok well this is a unanimous class of turtle loving,
third grade or second graders?
>> [unison] Second graders.
>> And third.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: I understand.
I also understand that to have a birthday are crucial at your age.
I've met many children when you say how old are you?
And they say 7.
You go oh I know you're 7 and they go, no I'm 7 and a half.
I've not met many adults who go I'm 57 and a half, ok?
A few more, yes?
[inaudible audience comment] You would take?
What book would be the first book that you would want to take?
>> Keep the Cat.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Keep the Cat.
>> We love Keep the Cat.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: You love Keep the Cat.
>> Keep the Cat is so funny.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Who has not answered my question yet?
Anybody who has not answered me once put your hand up please.
You've answered.
Yes, right there and then you.
>> I would take a bear.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: A bear, what kind?
>> A stuffed animal.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: A stuffed animal bear?
Because one of the kids in the book said
that they were going to take Winnie the Pooh.
So what would you take?
[inaudible audience comment]
When you take the gum out there's a spider?
Very cool.
You already spoke, didn't you?
Ok then you go.
>> I would take my game.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Your game, which one?
>> My Xbox 360.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: I don't know
if your Xbox 360 would fit in the bottom.
>> It would.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Would it?
How big is it?
How big is it?
I don't know.
>> It's this big.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: What about like a handheld?
>> I got one [inaudible].
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Oh yeah?
Well I don't know if your Xbox would fit in there.
I would hope it would because my son would take his Xbox also.
Yes, what would you take?
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Carole King?
>> Hello Kitty.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Oh Hello Kitty.
[laughter] I apologize.
I heard Carole King in that moment, Hello Kitty.
Is it an actual stuffed Hello Kitty?
>> Yes.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: I love Hello Kitty.
Yes, what would you take?
[inaudible audience comment] SpongeBob?
Yeah I know.
You answered already.
>> I would take the Lion King.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: I'm sorry, the Lion King?
The movie?
That's a good movie to take, right?
Oh, so good.
[inaudible audience comment]
Your? [inaudible audience comment] Your PS Reader?
[inaudible audience comment] I don't know it.
>> It's a handheld game made by [inaudible].
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: How fun.
Are all the children answered up?
Yes?
[ Inaudible audience comment ]
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: You would take Darth Vader.
You know what?
And he'd be probably a good person to travel with, Darth Vader.
What about a couple of adults?
A couple teachers, is there something you can think
that you would put in your suitcase?
>> I would take a picture of my son and of my class and my students.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Oh beautiful.
[applause] And what would you take?
>> I would try to fit my son into the suitcase.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Yes well your son would be with you.
>> Other than that I'm going
to say absolutely I would take my AKA covers.
>> Wow.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Ok.
>> I would take a few good books to read.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Really?
And what would they be?
>> I would take maybe The Giver.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Lois Lowry.
>> Yes and another one I would take is [inaudible].
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: I don't know that book.
>> It's Marion Anderson.
>> Jamie Lee Curtis: Oh beautiful.
Well the only other thing I wanted to tell you before we finish is
that I would take a photograph at my wedding of my whole family.
Because I have a family of many families.
I'm the product of many different marriages and kids.
And at my wedding the gift I asked my dad for was to have everybody
in my, my immediate family in one room and it's the only time
in my life they were ever in one room.
And I have a photograph of it from my wedding.
By the way, no one is looking at the camera.
You know I am.
I'm right in the middle in my wedding dress like this
and everybody else is like looking up and looking down and talking
to the person next to them but they're there.
So I would too take a photograph of my entire family with me to remember
who I came from and where I came from.
So I want to tell you something, I have read books for a long time now,
to a lot of school children.
All different places in the world, all different ages.
I have never had a classroom of kids be as attentive, listening,
not fidgeting, really being in their feet, in their bodies.
And I want to commend you, teachers, the school and all of you students.
You have been the best listening class I have ever had.
[ Applause ]
>> This has been a presentation of the Library of Congress.
Visit us at loc.gov.