Snow Day Book Birthdays

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S (as told by his brother)

Last weekend everything came to a stop. All I did was read David Levithan's first middle grade novel, The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told by his brother). Nothing else got done.  Don't tell me I didn't warn you. I also could not stop talking about it. I'm glad my 18 year old daughter was still home from college and humored me as I filled her in on Lucas and Aidan's story.  "Did you find out any more details?" "What do you think happened?" She was as much into it as I was. I even told my 5th and 6th grade "Newbery Navigators" about it and they were hooked. I'm happy it is out in the world today.

As you can imagine, the search parties are out in full force when 7th grader Aidan disappears. Day after day, they keep looking.  He reappears on Day 6 with an unbelievable story. Page after page, I wondered. Is it true? Could this happen? I seriously questioned reality. I tried to genrify the book. Is it fantasy? Realistic fiction? I needed to know and therefore could not stop reading.  And to this day, I am still wondering.

It's a story about brothers, believing the impossible (or the possible), family, accepting who you are and what you have. I wish it the happiest of book birthdays and promise me if you read it that you will get in touch with asap so we can talk.

HILO: Gina the Girl Who Broke the World

It is so sad to have a HILO book birthday without a party.  But dear, Judd Winick, know that I was thinking of you and Chase today and cannot wait for your "Author Fan Face-off" next month! YES! The 7th HILO comes out into the world today and as always, we welcome it with big open arms. Hooray! Stay tuned for mid-March when Chase's challenge will be up on our AFF YouTube channel.  I already know it will be a good one. Go Chase! 😉

Ground Zero: A Novel of 9/11

I know little about this book except that because it is by Alan Gratz, it will be gripping and one that kids will devour.  It's hard to find a middle grade reader (and librarian) who doesn't love anything that Alan writes.  While you are waiting for it to arrive in your mailbox or SORA shelf, check out our Author Fan Face-off with Alan vs. 8th grader Evan, a former student of mine.  Evan was a huge fan of Alan's since, I believe 4th grade.  I knew when we got Alan confirmed that Evan had to be his challenger.  You won't see it in the video, but I actually cried during our filming because it was so cool to connect Evan to his favorite author. (See above: I will have Kleenex nearby for Chase's challenge, too).

ICYMI here the Grenade challenge:

And a few more that I am either completely intrigued about from social media (Red, White and Whole by Rajani LaRocca), love the duo (Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Pena and Christian Robinson), always want to support the author (EngiNerds Strike Back by Jarrett Lerner) and ANOTHER Yasmin book to add to the already fabulous collection (Give it a Try, Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi and Hatem Aly). Yay! Happy Book Birthday all!

HILO! HILO! HILO!

You know when you find that one book that totally hooks a kid?


You know when said kid gets so obsessed with that book that he becomes the "president" of the author's fan club and comes into the library ALL. THE. TIME to record little videos to the author to send him via your Twitter?

If that's all true then when you actually get to meet said illustrator, all you have to do is whisper the student's name and he knows exactly who you are 'cause who wouldn't know the president?

So, said kid is President Chase, said graphic novelist is Judd Winick and we celebrated his book birthday of HILO 5 yesterday in the library. You would have thought Judd was IN Castleton based on the volume of screams coming from the president throughout the party!

PS-If you haven't figured it out, it was pajama day!

The paper and pencil was part of the party game--

How many words can you find in "Be Outstanding"? 

President Chase!

It's a party where you read and can't put the book down!

Judd sent me this short video so it was like he was there!
We watched it twice!

OMG! HILO 6 will be out a year from NOW! See you for the party!

Until then...BE OUTSTANDING!

 

You Make House Calls?

I told my mom that I was going to be seeing some of my students today.  "I didn't know you made house calls," she said jokingly.  Not exactly.

More like farm and ice cream calls.

The Farm Call

Zach will be the fourth generation farmer at Dutch Hollow Farms.  He was one of my fifth grade Reading Ambassador stars last year and his favorite thing was to surprise his siblings as the guest reader. During Picture Book Month in November, Zach fell hard for the then unknown, Crown. It was always his first choice book to share with the younger classes.  I distinctly remember him exclaiming in the library,  to no one in particular, "I LOVE this book!"

In not so many words, I was able to share Zach's story and pictures to Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James last week. They loved it.  Proof that the book speaks to anyone and everyone.

7th from the left in the striped shirt is Zach.  Holding the book is another great Reading Ambassador, Olivia

Today I met Zach and his family on his farm.  I got a special tour of the beautiful Jersey cows, and even one that was only hours old. It was so fascinating! I learned so much.  My husband had to hear all about it at dinner.  Being there really gave me a further appreciation of farming, the farm industry and where our food comes from. There's gotta be a picture book in this somewhere.

Then I handed out my goodies. Pure joy.  Yes, I was happy to make a farm call, even in this weather!

PS-They each got #Caldetatts, too!  Jonathan was in the second grade class that did Mock Caldecott with me and remembered all the books!

Ice Cream Call

This morning I read this tweet:

HAZZAH!
May I proudly announce HILO BOOK 5: Then Everything Went Wrong

Available January 29, 2019@randomhousekids
Preorder here:https://t.co/Uej7dOJy7o pic.twitter.com/fskIqNGxpr

— (((Judd Winick))) (@JuddWinick) July 2, 2018

My immediate thought was, "I gotta tell Chase!" So, I text his Mom and we begin our plan to get out the reinforcements.  Next thing you know, it's 7pm and we are outside of our local soft ice cream place, literally melting, lacrosse, Magic Tree House, Japan, aquariums, 4H (how ironic I was at a farm today), wrestling, John Deere, football, and HILO.  If you haven't followed the Judd Winick/Hilo mission real quick--Rising fourth grader Chase, is a big fan.  He skips into the library frequently to send Judd mini videos begging him to come to Castleton.  Now the launch date for Book 5 is official.  Time to find out Judd's snow boot size and book his flight to the north east.

Here you go, Judd.  Just because it's summer, doesn't mean the #presidentoftheJuddWinickFanClub is on vacation.

Now BE OUTSTANDING!
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And just some farm photos I could leave out:

The brand new baby calf