A Pair of Book Birthdays

I have never been a fan of Tuesdays.  Put that in my bio.
Monday has the excuse of still being groggy from the weekend.
By Wednesdsay we are over the hump.
You blink and Thursday's over.
Friday is, well, Friday.

But there's nothing great about Tuesdays.  Except, well, most books come out into the world on Tuesdays. And I love that.

Last week we celebrated one fabulous, SEVEN starred reviewed book by one of my favorites, Rebecca Stead.

This week, I threw two parties. And the silent third one (see yesterday's post).

Outside In

This four starred review book is NOW. TODAY. RELEVANT.  You know how it can take years in the womb before a book enters the world, and yet this book is perfect for all of us, inside, wanting to go outside freely today. The book begins:

"Once we were part of Outside and Outside was part of us. There was nothing between us.  Now sometimes even when we're outside...we're inside."

Deborah Underwood's poetic text paired with the absolutely beautiful watercolored paintings of Cindy Derby make for a book to be read and shared over and over again. You will want to listen to the text and soak in the illustrations.  There are hidden shadows and pictures within each page. I had about 35 kids about my google meet party.  "Wait, Ms. Rattner. Can you go back a page? I saw a bird in the tree."  "Do you see the cat?"  The vibrant colors pop out and give me hope about watching the sun set, rivers flowing, hikes in the woods, alongside all of my family and friends again soon.

Cindy Derby recorded herself painting. Super cool.  Here's just one example:



We had a great party yesterday with about 35 kids on Google Meet!  We read the book, sang happy birthday and I gave away not one, but two, copies of the book.  I thought one boy didn't want it because as soon as we picked his name he left the meet.  Turns out he hit the hangup button instead of "unmute." Ahhh...the joys of the virtual classroom/library. He was glad to win and so was my other friend! The books should be on their way!

Happy Book Birthday, Outside In!

When Stars Are Scattered

I have been a fan of Victoria Jamieson for a while.  Months before she won the Newbery Honor for Roller Girl, Mrs. Kelliher and I dressed up as Astrid on Halloween.  I even used black sharpie on my 1980s roller skates to make them look authentic.  I wore them to school! Now that was fun!

Since then Jamieson has published a few other books, including All's Faire in Middle School. It will surely make you want to attend your local Renaissance Fair when this is all over.

Her latest, with Omar Mohamed, was born yesterday. I read the galley in early January.  This book is about hope, family, perseverance.  Omar and his brother, Hassan, live in a refugee camp in Kenya and hope to get home some day. I can't tell in my notes if this is a direct quote or not but it is so true for today, "The challenge of life is to make the most of what you've been given."  This book is so important on so many levels. I wish I was able to give away a copy to every kid who came to the book birthday party.  Nevertheless, I was only planning on giving away one, but ended pulling out two names from the hate.  Bonus--one boy has three siblings and the other one is a twin so that equals six readers!

"Every human is a gift. Love is a gift." 

"I've learned that the biggest surprises in life can come when you least expect them."

Over and over, Omar and Hassan never give up.  If they don't, how can we?

"How long can you wait before you lose all hope?"

Just think of the dozens of lessons we can learn from this book...

Happy Book Birthday, When Stars Are Scattered!

And...check out this family of cakes just for the occasion. YUM.

Since both of these books are just newborns, lesson guides or activities aren't created yet.  Maybe the books will inspire you to write a poem, story or letter, paint, dance, explore outside or something else.

Keep being safe.  This will be over soon and we'll be able to roller skate outside together again. xo

Bonus Bout

Check out our Halloween costumes from 2015.  Fond memories!

Graphic Novel Thursday!

There are three great graphic novels (two already published and one due out in September) that you want to make sure are on your TBR pile, if you haven't read them or put them there already.  All by folks we already know and love and all about navigating your way through friendship, family, middle school and the bruises of growing up.  I laughed. I cried. I held my breath. I held my heart.  Emotions I strive for feeling when I pick up a book.

Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

Deemed as a memoir with the names changed (Junior Library Guild cataloged it as 921 for me), this is the story of young Shannon's life in both early and upper elementary school.  This one grabbed at my heart strings multiple times.  We all can remember trying to be in "the group."  Shannon's was actually called, "The Group." Best friend, Adrienne, Jen, Jenny, sister "the bear" Wendy, Zara and Veronica, Kayla, Mom...all of the characters play a role in making Shannon strong and standing up for what she really wants but not without pain. "Relatable" as my teenager daughter would say.  Sadly, I bet it's relatable to many of us.  What a great conversation starter with students and families, though.  I have a book group planned for next week with the book.  One rising third grader already read it.  This is what her mom texted me:

I agree.  It is sad, but it's also important.  I'm glad this student told her mom to read it, too.  I think that's what makes this such a great book.  It's accessible to anyone and would be really great to get kids talking with parents, older siblings, teachers, counselors and all other adults. Side note fun for the adults: You'll enjoy the 70s music in the background (Chicago, the Clash, etc).  Also, make sure to have tissues nearby.

Babymouse: Tales from the Locker: Lights, Camera, Middle School! by Jenni Holm and Matt Holm

Babymouse has grown up and yesterday was her book birthday into the world as a middle schooler! Woohoo! A hybrid between a chapter book and graphic novel, Jenni and Matt Holm have crafted another epic non-disaster book that is "le awesome" and if Babymouse has anything to do with it, "le success." Babymouse is just a little older than Shannon in Real Friends and she tells it like it is right at the beginning. "The hardest subject in middle school was friendship." No kidding!

This is the story of Babymouse's attempt to navigate her way through middle school while figuring out what extra curricular club to join.  She decides to direct a film.  Budding film and theatre fans will love this even more!  What better way for Babymouse to become "le famous"?  Of course, lots of lessons are learned on the way about friendship, filmmaking and what it's like to direct your time in middle school to success. ✭💜✭

All's Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson (September 2017)

Huzzah! Squires and Knights in Training take note--This one was gut-wrenching good!  Madam Jamieson has done it again (and honestly, I think this one is better than Roller Girl, if that is even possible!).  Imogene's family works at the Florida Renaissance Faire and since kindergarten she has been homeschooled.  Now she is in sixth grade and is going to school for the first time.  Middle school is tough for anyone--imagine it being your first experience in a school setting.

You know when you were in middle school and you did things just to fit in and afterward you regretted it and just didn't know why you did it? Well, Victoria Jamieson must have spent hours again in a middle school or has some incredible photographic memory because every feeling and action in the book is just perfection. And like Babymouse's return to middle school, this book will appeal to all of the now-in-middle-school original Roller Girl fans (or at least mine since they will all be in 7th grade in September).

Epilogue

The books I related to when I was a tween and teen were written by Judy Blume and Norma Klein. Those women nailed it for me in the 80s when it came to friendship, living with divorce and just growing up.  Now we have a new set up of authors and illustrators that are hitting the nail on the head when it comes to these coming of age issues for a whole new generation of readers. Madam Hale, Madam Pham, Madam Holm, Sir Holm and Madam Jamieson--You are LE group and you ROCK the CASBAH! I love you all and cannot wait for more!

I Left My ❤️ in Kinston, NC--A long, slightly unrelated post...

...but there is a small book review embedded within the post...

We could also call it the "How I spent my vacation" essay

Sandwiched in between two extended family events on a road trip south, my husband and two kids spent two nights in "eastern Carolina." If you want to meet people who instantly friend you, hear sweet accents harmonize, enjoy delicious meals at every turn, and learn a little bit of history all topped with a splash of southern charm and hospitality, you must put a visit to Kinston on your bucket list. And for your sake, I hope it moves to the top.

Why Kinston? Ever hear of the show on PBS, "A Chef's Life"? Most people haven't. Kevin is proud to claim that it is his favorite show and surprisingly has never denied it once when I have claimed him to be Vivian Howard's (the show's creator) biggest fan. In fact, and he would hate that I am saying this, but his face lit up whenever he saw or heard references to the show throughout the town. 

The first site we saw when we pulled into Kinston--the farmers market featuring Brothers Farm

I emailed Beth a few weeks ago to make our reservation and I should have known from the start that it was going to be an unforgettable experience all around.  After a long drive from Charlotte, we pulled into the Neuseway Park to set up camp.  Although it isn't a fancy place, it has character.  It's on the river.  It's quiet and if we had more time we'd be able to go to the planetarium or even kayaking. Next time!  Plus, you really can't beat the price--$6 per night!

Our reservation at Chef and the Farmer was at 7:30.  Yum.  We ordered almost everything on the menu!  From bacon wrapped peaches for Kevin to fried ocra with ranch ice cream to brisket and cornish hen--it was all heavenly.  Our server, Jessica, became our friend instantly and gave me the recipe to my unforgettable cocktail as well as "found" an extra slice of the chocolate deliciousness that we really desired for dessert.  Kevin recognized one of the servers from the show and we saw the back of Vivian!  She was up on the next level having a business dinner.  Coming this far, it was just exciting to be only yards away.

We had a full day in Kinston on Thursday.  Since we were planning on having all our meals out, we didn't even pack our camp stove or coffee pot therefore our first stop was Middle Grounds Coffee House.  It was there we met Amber, our Barista and Sara Smith, the new Director of Marketing for Chef and the Farmer.  Poor Sara--she pulled up a chair and sat with us for so long that I'm sure her coffee was cold by the time she left.  I probably owe her a drink.

Mother Earth Brewery was our first stop.  Started by a couple of Kinston/Lenoir County guys (son-n-law/father-n-law pair), this brewery has a future.  It is the first environmentally sound brewery in the country from the architecture to the packaging and they give back to their own community.  You can tell that Kinston is proud of them.  RJ, our knowledgeable tour guide, also happens to be the percussion player for the local band, The Vanilla Gorillas.  We noticed the band from a poster at Middle Ground promoting an upcoming gig so felt like we were meeting a celebrity!

Who wouldn't want to work in a place that has a slide?!
Do they need a librarian and/or research scientist?

Even though the reviews were mixed for Olvera Street Taqueria, we went anyway and had a satisfying lunch.  My mahi salad was filling and loaded with guacamole.  The family enjoyed their tacos as well.

And our day isn't even half over!  Sara recommended a couple of arts places to visit and so we did. One place offers space for artists to work and Bruce gave us an extensive tour of the place.  Turns out Jane, the wife of Warren (of Brother's Farm) rents space there, too.  Lots of good Kinston art happening right there from pottery to painting. We also went to the Arts Council and had a fun docent as a tourguide.  She had the perfect Eastern North Carolina accent and she knew it.  I'm just sorry we didn't get her name.  Upstairs is a husband and wife art exhibit.  The husband paints local residents in action.  Guess whose painting we saw?! RJ's!

Notice the sculptures?  Kinston has a whole outdoor art trail!

Here's the LIBRARY part:

It was time to take a little break so where does a family like ours do that?  The library, of course! We were there long enough for me to find on display and read The Great Pet Escape by Victoria Jamieson.  Hamster, George Washington (GW) from second grade and Barry the Bunny from first grade team up to set free Biter from kindergarten.  But now that Biter is with the kinders, he has become a bit more zen, talking about his feelings, referencing the 70s soundtrack from "Free to Be...You And Me" and changing his name to"Sunflower."  GW, Barry and Sunflower meet up with Harriet and her mice minions from the upper grades.  A fight ensues in the cafeteria with jello flying everywhere.  Not exactly something I would want to find in the morning if I was the 6:00 am custodian.  What happens to the three classroom pets?  Do they survive the wrath of Harriet and the minions?  You'll have to go to Kinston or just your nearest library to find out in this laugh-out-loud-I-almost-cried graphic novel!  And happy news! A sequel should be out this winter!

What's a visit to a town if you don't pop into their library?

We were the only ones in the CSS Neuse Museum that afternoon, giving us full reign and even Zack the opportunity to dress up as a Confederate sailor. It was a great opportunity to get some Civil War education and see the remnants of a real Confederate gunboat.

The original gunboat

Sailor Zack

Before dinner we went back to the brewery to regroup, charge devices and rest a bit more.  It was there that we met Linda and Brian, two folks from Chicago who had also come to Kinston for the restaurant.  Instant bond! Friends for life!  Tari has dreams of going to college in Chicago (or at least to see "Hamilton" there) and we will definitely call them up!  They even spent the night at Warren's Bed and Breakfast!

Vivian and Ben's "Boiler Room" was our next destination.  Although none of us got the signature burgers or oysters, it was still delicious.  It was fried chicken special night and OMG!  Zack and Kevin both ordered it and Tari and I wished we did, too.  Oh and who do you think we saw there? Just our new friend, RJ.

As the sun got lower in the sky and tempers could start getting shorter, we didn't seem to find that with the Kinston folks.  Hour after hour, they were all still friendly and welcoming to this family of Yankees.  Maybe it was because there was a big announcement that day that "Baseball is back in Kinston" or maybe this is just how they always are.

We ended the evening with music in the park.  It was there that we ran into Linda and Brian from Chicago, Bruce the artist and saw our Arts Council docent rockin out.  I couldn't stand to have the day end so we went back to Chef and the Farmer to say goodbye to Beth.  We hugged.  I bought some swag (doesn't everyone need a C And F euro sticker?) and promised we'd return soon.

Our new friends, Linda and Brian, from Chicago!

And oh yeah, we ran into Amber the barista waiting for pizza.  "What did you end up doing today?" she asked.  I tried to sum it up in 140 characters or less, probably unsuccessfully.

The Next Morning

Although we filled up on coffee and food at Lovick's, recommended by Sara, we still had to stop in to Middle Ground to say our farewell to Amber and our new favorite coffee shop.  While there, Sara walks in!  We chat some more and thankfully her coffee isn't made yet.  Someone snaps a photo of all of us so we can keep this wondrous little town in our hearts for a very long time.

Pancakes bigger than his head!

Thank you Vivian, PBS, CreateTV, WHMT for sending us to Kinston.  To Kinston, we thank you for the memories and to all the people who were so sweet to us--we almost put a "For Sale" sign on our front lawn.

with Sara and Amber

Kinston could use a bookstore, especially with Vivian's new cookbook coming out in October--which happens to be published by Little Brown!
Could the store on the left work?

Vivian's cookbook hits stands on October 4 but you can preorder now!
That way, you can make one of her dishes that night!
Do you think my students would be into a book release party???

I will proudly wear this shirt around Castleton, Schodack, New York and beyond!

Happy Halloween from a Leaping Roller Girl

In between ringing doorbells, I thought I could post about my super fun day yesterday!  And, believe it or not, I did get some teaching done and other library administrative duties, too!

But before any of that happened, I laced up my circa 1980s roller skates and became Astrid, the main character in Victoria Jamieson's beloved (at least in these parts, but I know elsewhere, too!) graphic novel of 2015, Roller Girl.  It was SO fun!  The best part was that Mrs. Kelliher, as well as one of our fifth graders, also dressed up!  Could we be happier triplets?

I wasn't sure about the roller skates.  Literally, I put them on for the first time when I got to school. But I quickly learned that roller skating is like riding a bike and I think I pulled it off that I knew what I was doing!  Roller skating down the halls was a blast!  Mrs. Kelliher was eying that all day and so after all the students left, she laced them up herself (good thing we have close enough shoe sizes!) and she did some mighty moves in the hallway!  A natural for roller derby, for sure!

If you haven't read the book yet, pick up a copy today!  I know kids who finished it in one day.  I know others who "stayed up all night" reading it.  When Astrid and her best friend, Nicole, go in different directions one summer, Astrid to roller derby camp and Nicole to dance camp, lots of growing up occurs.  Astrid learns how to face challenges, make new friends (and keep the old ones), and to push through even when you don't get exactly what you hoped for.  Such a great book!  We love it so much at Castleton Elementary School that it is even a book group in our Mock Newbery project! #RollerGirlLove

Views from the parade route:

Looks like I'm holding on pretty tight--we just went down a hill (you can kind of see it in the back!)

All my principal kept saying was, "Don't fall Rattner.  Please don't fall."

 A little leap goes a long way:

YES!  It's a LEAP!

 Posing on the grass (and this picture made it into the ALSC blog!):

A beautiful Halloween parade day!

Visiting Mrs. Pryde's class:

Took off the roller skates so I could get some height in this one!

YES! Another leap!

This is one of my future Mock Geisel students!

Another Geisel member!

A great ending to a down and then VERY UP week!

ps-Is "Leaping Librarian" cool enough to be a Roller Derby name?

Filling in a couple of other book club pictures...Book Scavenger, Unusual Chickens and Roller Girl

I realized that I just posted about tonight's book group without sharing anything about the other three. The summer has gotten away from me.  Remember my blog from this morning?  I wanted to cross BLOG off my list.  That sharpie is out to put that big, black line through the word, "BLOG." But right now I am just procrastinating doing anything else.  At least this is a productive way to procrastinate.

Some of my students had this to say about, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones:

4 1/2 * I like that she writes letters as the text.  

I also like that she finds more chickens as the book goes on.

4* It's funny, sad and an interesting writing form.

4* Funny book and sometimes sad and mysterious

4* Funny, sad and weird.

5* This book was great! 

It was mysterious, interesting, funny and sad.

We had a great time at Starbucks in East Greenbush (except for the fact that I spilled some hot chocolate!)

Can you believe this is a summer book club?  These kids are awesome!

Look how serious they are!

And the obligatory LEAP!

A week later we met at 16 Handles for our Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson book club meeting.

We talked about what our roller derby names might be.  Here are a few the students came up with:

COOKIE SMASH

HOT SAUCE

PURPLE SPIKER

COLORFUL POKADOTS

SPANISH BEAST

CRAZY ONE

I love these!  The kids loved the book. They thought it was funny and sad. One said she "liked the book and would read it a lot." Most of the ratings were 5*!

Frozen yogurt with a side of Roller Girl. Yum!

The rain stopped so we could jump!

I can't seem to find the reviews for Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman but know that the kids loved that book, too!  They loved the mystery!

What a summer filled with great reading!  I am looking forward to a fall filled with just as many good books!