#txla17 post

We love that theme!

A week ago at this exact time I was sitting in a windowless room in awe of some of my new favorite YA authors. I know. YA.  I have my friend, Alicia Abdul, to blame for that.  I was fangirling Jeff Zentner after reading Goodbye Days and just finishing The Serpent King (oh, the tears...) The night before I followed (stalked?) Nicola Yoon into the elevator just to talk to her.

I had plans to write a blog post every evening of TLA.  Instead, on this glorious Saturday morning while I have brisket (Texas style?) in the oven for company tonight, I will write a belated one and share my reflections about the biggest secret in the library world, the Texas Library Association's annual conference.

My colleague and friend, Jen (we're from New York!) milked the conference for all it was worth only at the expense of lack of sleep (I think I am finally caught up?).   From early morning breakfasts and workshops to sticky buns with new friends and authors from our own neck of the woods to running a 5K in 88 degree weather and hanging out in the hotel lounges with librarians, authors and other rock stars (ie Donalyn Miller!) until even way past my bedtime, it was all worth it! On top of that, I HAD to finish The Serpent King before 8:30 Saturday morning, so reading in my spare (?) time was a priority as well.

I got this text

 from Mrs. Warland before I left and so just had to meet as many new BFFs as possible as per her charge.  I even ran into one of her bestest BFFs:

Why Texas?  Why TLA? Blame Kirsten Murphy from Fort Worth and many others on social media. The Texas school librarians are loud and strong. They are happy and positive. They advocate and are willing to take risks.  Heck, how can you not love a group of people who spend a whole year working on a routine for the annual "Book Cart Competition." Jen and I made lifelong friends and colleagues who we know we can now depend on for support, ideas and cheerleading.  Just before we left, we were given the honorary label of being from NORTH North Texas.  💞

With Rockstars Nancy Jo Lambert and Jennifer LaBoon

Beginning on Wednesday, I started working on Mrs. Warland's new BFF list.  From the Texas author speed dating to author panels to the Little, Brown reception, the late night/early morning chats, with an unlimited budget, I'd have visitors to CES at least once a month.

Walter, #flatwalter, Pat, Mr. Pat, Round Rock ISD, Cynthia Alaniz (p. 48), Carmen Agra Deedy, "Push that Cart!", TASL Executive Board meeting (thank you!), Camp Bluebonnet (I want to do that!), buying Bluebonnet spine labels for my library books in NORTH North Texas, sharing a three pound sticky bun at Lulus with two NY authors, one TX author and a mix of NY and TX librarians, pulling up pictures of student work based on the book by the Texas author next to me, fangirling Liz Garton Scanlon, leaping with Nikki Loftin (!), eating cake with our dear friend, Emma Virjan and the Texas Sweethearts and Scoundrels, meeting my Twitter friend, Barbara Moon, hugging Twitter friend and TASL chair, Becky Calzada, the Spazmatics, making a date for Mike Curato to have "Dinner at Doughs", finally meeting Victoria Jamieson, insightful author panel after panel, the YA Tea, Bluebonnet luncheon (what amazing students and roller derby friends), breakfast with Kevin Henkes...and the list goes and on...I'm sure I'm missing out key moments...

Rockstar Cynthia Alaniz and TASL Chair (what SSL calls President) Becky Calzada

With TLA President Walter Betts

And ALA President, Texan Julie Todaro

Kate DiPronio (next year's TASL Chair) and Linda with #FlatWalter

From left to right: Liz Garton Scanlon, Donna Janell Bowman, Cynthia Levinson

Sharing the 3 lb. sticky bun!

From left to right: Nikki Loftin, Twitter friend Barbara Moon and Victoria Jamieson

2017 Caldecott winner Javaka Steptoe, incomparable Donalyn Miller and the super fun Mike Curato

My new friend, Jayce in a selfie and with fellow New Yorker, Sara Kelly Johns

With TLA Executive Director, Pat Smith and her husband, "Mr. Pat"

 

As a New Yorker, I thought folks might scoff that we were "invading" their conference and yet it was the exact opposite.  President Walter invited us to his suite so we could meet the executive council. Executive Director, Pat Smith, was very welcoming and willing to talk to us any time.  Everyone was thrilled to share what they realize, is the best conference ever.

Some of my favorite quotes that I heard throughout the week:

Hope is why when your ship sinks in the sea, you tread water.-Cory Doctorow, keynote

Libraries are the secret clubhouses of the resistance.-Cory Doctorow 

Heard from panel of graphic novelists:

Cartoons reach out and pull you in.-Nathan Hale

If I ever have an army, I want it made up of 12 year old girls-Shannon Hale

Teens who read graphic novels, read more prose novels, more genres...read more...Literally, my child wouldn't be literate if it weren't for graphic novels.-Shannon Hale

Every time you send a text, it's a word balloon.-James Sturm

At a panel of Lonestar authors:

Some part of you is still 12, 10...or whatever age you are writing for.-Steve Sheinkin

Eavesdropping is my favorite thing ever.-Lisa Graff  

Telekinesis would make my day much more pleasant.-Tara Altebrando

Lisa Graff likes to ask students, "If I had a treehouse I would..." One student would like a meat juice dispenser. Huh?!  It was great meeting her.  I've been a fan for ages.  And I was lucky enough to get her to personalize a couple of sheets of paper for her biggest fans in Castleton.  I bought them each a copy of Lost in the Sun and glued her notes inside.

Steve Sheinkin has a new series out that he likes to think of as "Magic Treehouse meets Captain Underpants."  Kids are going to love that.

Libraries are filled with other people's ideas.-Peter Reynolds at an Early Reader workshop

I got to meet Ruta Sepetys!  And remember Alicia from the beginning of this post?  I name dropped and Ruta says, "Alicia's one of my favorite people.  Tell her I said, "Hi!"  How cool is that?

Finally on Saturday I went to a YA panel and completely fangirled Jeff Zentner.

When I was writing Travis's story, I had to get off the bus and sit in a Kroger parking lot and compose myself because he had been living with me for six months.-Jeff Zentner on The Serpent King

(I read that part on the plane on my way to TLA sitting in the middle seat between two middle aged men with NO tissues.)

Even the airport was amazing.  We ran into, and chatted with, Kevin Henkes, George O'Connor and Emily Henry. Oh, and some Overdrive folks, too.

 

Thanks again to everyone for the amazing PD, your warm Texas welcome and your inspiration.  I look forward to meeting up again very soon.  Dallas is on my calendar.  But, until then, 5% TLA but just as 100% awesome is the NYLA SSL conference in Buffalo next weekend!  See you there in person or virtually!

Epilogue: The Leaping Pictures

Jenny Choy from Little Brown, with a giant Clayton Byrd and where we ate yummy breakfast tacos

After our sticky bun with Karen Hebert, Emma Virjan, James Preller and Kirsten Murphy

Middle: Emma Virjan and Nikki Loftin

Right:  Hmmmm....who could that be?

At the Little, Brown party with Javaka Steptoe, Diana Lopez and Drew Brockington

Leaps with Mr. Schu

Nicola Yoon, Mike Curato and Jeff Zentner

And to the woman who started it all over a book stand, Kirsten Murphy from Fort Worth.  I owe this fabulous experience and many more, to you.  Mwah! Thank you with a whole pile of queso! 

#SLM17 Reading Ambassadors Respond

I took the idea and ran with it.

Last summer NYC school librarian, Olga Nesi, presented on her "Reading Ambassador" program at our NYS School Librarian leadership retreat at Cornell. Since I was struggling with my own fourth and fifth grade Dewey Duty program, I decided to offer my fifth graders the opportunity to be "Reading Ambassadors" instead of Dewey Duty and so far in this infant stage, I'd say it's a success.

Reading Ambassadors join me for a lunch meeting every Monday.  Hardly anyone ever forgets.  They come in, sign in the attendance sheet and we get right to work on our "business meeting."  For the past two weeks I had them grab computers (I know! I know! Food and computers with 10 year olds! Probably not the best idea and please don't tell my IT people!) and had them work on SLM17 slides. I shared the AASL slides with them, they copied them into their own Google Drive and then shared them back with me. But first, check them out, working so hard!

It's a Lunch Meeting

Why do School Libraries Matter? Why are they Important?  How do they Empower Students?

From the mouths of fifth graders, here's what they had to say...

These kids have never known life without a full time librarian.  I've just been part of their school world since kindergarten that they expect and anticipate to see me every day.  I think that's why some of their answers are so basic and simple. Having me around fulfills a basic need of their school day whether it's picking out books, collaborating on projects, researching, becoming media savvy, preparing for our multitude of author/illustrator visits, etc. As we all celebrate and acknowledge the power of school libraries, my wish is for all schools big or small, in districts small and big, support a full time librarian who can make only big, huge impacts on students far and wide.  Happy School Library Month from all of us at Castleton Elementary School!

Upcoming New and Newish Books A-Z

Yes, I was nervous. I don't like getting up in front of adults. Give me a gymnasium filled with 400+ 5-10 year olds and I'm fine but a room full of colleagues and peers, I'll pass.  Then make it the day after I have 32 people squeezed in my home for a seder and I feel like toast.  Haha.  That's pretty funny.  Get it? Toast. Seder. Ok...moving on...

In any case, I was honored and pleased today to present new books for the K-5 set today at Capital Region BOCES, followed by the most amazing Alicia Abdul, who spoke about YA books. You need to check out Alicia's blog and website.  She is sugar sweet candy to me.  She recommends books that sound SOOOO good that I go out and read them when I should be completely engaged in the Middle Grade that I love so much (which I really do).

I prefaced my whole workshop with the fact that my collection, although it certainly is a reflection of my students, is definitely influenced by my likes and dislikes and the authors that I have come to love and befriend.  As long as I admit that, isn't that ok?  And as much as I can promote these authors and books, I will. No collection is perfect and mine is no exception.  I just strive to make my students (and faculty) as happy as can be.

At the bottom, I've attached the list I handed out to participants.  Some of the books I talked about aren't on there and others that are I didn't get to.  But it's a starting point for anyone.  My brain isn't thinking Newbery, Sibert, Geisel or any other award but certainly  many of these books are contenders. I also did a triple threat shout out for local author/illustrators, James Preller, Nancy Castaldo and Elizabeth Zunon.  I like to think I might have drummed up some business for them. Happy Reading and please let me know your favorites.

Sample Slides

  

 

The Making of America: Alexander Hamilton

Don’t throw away your shot at reading this new biography

on one of our favorite, and now very popular, founding fathers.

I read Teri Kanefield's new biography, The Making of America: Alexander Hamilton,  in a book group with four fifth grade girls and we all loved it!  We learned so much! A couple of us were already Hamilton fans but now the whole group is.  I'm off to TLA in a couple of weeks and can't wait to meet Teri in person.

Here's what they had to say about the book:

“I like how it was written.  I like how it started with the duel and then ended with the death and then rewound and said Hamilton’s life story from beginning to end.”-Eva, 10

“This book is amazing.  I had a hard time not reading ahead.  My favorite character was Burr because he was a challenge to Hamilton.  I like challenges.”-Kerrigan, 10

“The part where Alexander Hamilton and his wife, Elizabeth, survived yellow fever surprised me so much because if you get yellow fever you usually die.  This book is so amazing.”-Maia, 10

“I could not believe that Hamilton and Burr were such good friends and then they ended up to be arch enemies.”-Abby, 11

We all had to keep reminding ourselves that this book was nonfiction.  It read like a novel.  “This is SUCH a good book,” Abby exclaimed.  "Add it to your library today. "

“Your kids will be happy that it’s there!” added Eva.

Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race

If I wasn't 100 percent positive that Chris Grabenstein's manuscript for his third Mr. Lemoncello book was submitted way before the term "fake news" surfaced in the media, I would have bet money that he based the book on it.  But, since I know he did, I can only think that maybe he's just a tad clairvoyant?

One of the biggest champions of libraries and librarians, Chris Grabenstein has done it again.  Truth be told (although it not always is in this book) kids and adults alike are going to fall for this INCREDIBLETASTIC, AMAZERRIFIC, WONDERMOUS third installment in the Mr. Lemoncello series.

First scavenger hunts, then Olympics and now the "Fact-Finding Frenzy...to see who can solve clues, unravel puzzles, pass through roadblocks, and overcome any and all obstacles to find the fascinating fact [Mr. Lemoncello is] looking for!...The facts...will be linked to the five new interactive Nonfictionator displays...revealed...to the public at a grand gala..." Did he just say gala?!  I wonder who he got the idea from?  Check out this link!

But, as you know, nothing is ever simple or easy with Mr. Lemoncello. Amidst finding fascinating autobiographical facts directly from holographic versions of Abraham Lincoln, Michael Jordan, Emily Dickinson, the Wright brothers and Thomas Edison, Kyle and his friends feel that something isn't quite right. "Nothing stops a lie faster than cold hard facts." The kids work hard and fast to uncover the truth, even if it means leaving Alexandriaville.  Fortunately, they have the banana jet to aid them in transporting them across state lines.

As with the other two books, there is also a puzzle at the end for your solving pleasure.  I also love all the book references, subtle and forthright.  I started to jot them all down and then noticed there is a list at the back of the book.  Even our friend, Kwame, is mentioned!

So many lessons learned in one fun book--Persevere.  Don't be afraid to search for the truth. Failure is ok. "I failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed," said the Michael Jordan character.  However, this book is the complete opposite of failure for Chris Grabenstein. It's his love letter to librarians, "search engines with a heart" and kids who are not afraid to dig for the truth. A success!

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; 

the point is to discover them."

-Chris Grabenstein

ps-Don't go rushing to the store just yet! The book will be released on October 10, 2017.

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia

If you don't know what a blues harp is make sure to read this book to find out!
When you're feeling the blues, tappin' the blues or just playin' the blues,
pick up this book in between the measures.

So...clear your calendar for May 9, 2017 to jump into blues with Clayton Byrd, Cool Papa and the Beat Boys. 

A couple of months ago, I was lucky enough to get a galley copy of Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia, just in time for our winter book groups to start.  I asked another book store if they had one and "Voila!" I said to myself, "I'm going to do a book group with it!  I know I can make it work!" And we did!  Six boys and I shared the books between us and managed with very little stress to read it within a few weeks.  We all loved it and you will, too!  I can't wait to get my hands on the hardcover, get it processed and in the hands of all my readers.  Check out what they had to say about the book:

"Every librarian should get more than one copy of this book for their library because if you only have one, it will always be checked out." A, 11

"Boom Box is my favorite character because he is the nicest one among the Beat Boys and he can make beat box sounds with his mouth.  Impressive!"-Luca, 10

"My favorite character is Cool Papa Byrd because he speaks funny and weird. He is enthusiastic, chill, amazing, and not the usual lazy grandpa you see a lot." - Aidan (10) and Zach (11)

"Cool Papa is my favorite character because he rocks his blues story and I can hear in my head Wah-Wah Nita's cry."-Nate, 10

"This book was so good I couldn't hear anything else around me except what the characters said in the book. Every kid should read this book because it's full of action, adventure and cliffhangers."-A, 11

"My favorite part was when Clayton and the Beat Boys were getting chased by the cops on the train. My heart was racing!"-Luca, 10

"My favorite character is Cool Papa because he inspired Clayton to love the blues.  And if there was no Cool Papa, there would not be a story."-Jay, 11

So on May 9, grab this book, put on your porkpie hat and play the midnight jam!  We hope you love it as much as we did!