Make New Friends but Keep the Old

Can you believe tomorrow is May?  Where did April go?  In normal times, we would be putting the finishing touches on our Gala planning.  Fifth graders would be finishing up their artwork.  First graders would be sharing the timeline with older students.  Third graders would be helping me transform the library into an event space. Kindergartners would be proudly gluing the last pieces onto their research boards. Every day a fact about Loren Long would be mentioned on the morning announcements.  All I would be thinking about would be May 14.  The only thing I wouldn't be worrying about yet would be my dress.  Too soon for last-minute-me. The earliest I would begin my desperate search would be next weekend.

Not all is lost, though. Stay tuned.  I have many ideas to make that day still special.

An Old Friend

But speaking of Loren, check this out 👇

Tonight on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, she read Loren's There's a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake. How cool is that?!

Activity sheets with music, lyrics and more  to pair with the book were also posted.  Love it!

New Friends

I met Loren back in 2015. Today I "met" well, they didn't really meet me but I fell hard for them via Facebook and Instagram live events.

At 10:30, Raul the Third read his Vamos! Let's Go Eat! He was so much fun and made us all hungry!  I took copious notes of the places he recommended in the Boston area since my cousins live out that way.  First there was Tenoch and the Painted Burro both in Somerville, MA. There was some other place in Medford, MA that I didn't catch and Bowie Bakery in El Paso, TX. Si! I was paying attention! Oh, you didn't know? Today's post is part restaurant recommendations compliments of Raul the Third lol.

Speaking of the restaurants, check out this mural by Raul at the Painted Burro. Now I want to go there even more.  Hmmm...I think Raul needs to come to Castleton and inspire some wall painting like Rafael Lopez did last year....

Raul was so great. He read his book. Played with a tortilla 👉and drew for us. I even followed along and I am not an artist one bit.

This activity guide from Versify is amazing! It has a recipe, coloring page, hand puppet cutouts and even a matching game with Spanish vocabulary. I'm hooked!  Will you be my friend, Raul?  If you say yes, I'll promise to treat you to a taco of your choice!

Since it's all about the food in this post, here's the recipe for Mexican corn (which I personally love!)

At 11:15 (and this is embarrassing to say), an unfamiliar author, read two of her books aloud on Instagram Live.  If you read this in time, maybe you can watch it.  She was so sweet and I want her to be my friend asap! She mentioned she has at least one teenager so we can definitely swap stories about that over coffee (or something stronger lol).

Smriti Halls was so genuine and real.  First she read her book, Elephant in my Kitchen!  Who knew it would be a book we could have read last week to celebrate Earth Day! What a clever surprise at the end!  Definite purchase!

Then she read us the best seller, I Love You Night and Day.  Good thing she did.  Up till then, I hadn't cried yet today.  I couldn't help myself.  The kids and I all agreed that we want to read more of Smriti's books. I am putting them on my to purchase list.


Next week she is having a book birthday for I'm Sticking with You. This one also sounds perfect for today's times. I wrote in my notes, "Bear wants a bit more space."  Period. As much as we love all the people we live with, I think we can all relate.

So I'm ready to get tacos with Raul the Third and coffee (or?) and sweets with Smriti.  Wine and dine them so speak so they can't say no to Castleton and of course, tons of leaps. Hey! Loren has taken many leaps and promises he will come to Castleton when it is safe. So, please, Raul and Smriti, won't you come into my world, too! xo

Make YOUR Mark

Ever since I can remember, I've been a crier. As soon as the first tear would fall, my parents would run to get the bucket(s).  No joke. These days I cry at least once a day.  This morning I wasn't even out of bed before I needed my first of many, many Kleenex for the day.

This post is dedicated and in memory of, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, a children's book author who we lost way too early. Ten days before Amy died, this Modern Love essay was published.  I don't usually read on the treadmill, but that day I happened to be and tears were flying to the people left and right of me. Warning: It's not for the faint of heart.   If you prefer audio, Debra Winger read it for the ML podcast here.

Why Amy? Well, today is her birthday making it the perfect day to share her books, especially Duck! Rabbit! with Tom Lichtenheld. My first real introduction to her work was in graduate school.  I was doing my student teaching and my cooperating teacher librarian gave me Duck! Rabbit! as a gift. Talk about a timely book--although all of Amy's books are--looking at the world through different perspectives.  Should we unpause? If so, when? How? What does that look like for you? Or me? My mom? My friend in California? My brother in Vermont? My cousins in Boston? Is it a duck or a rabbit?



We have so many of Amy's books in our library and fortuanately, many are available right now on Sora.

Like Spoon (with Scott Magoon).  At some point in our lives, we all get that inadequate feeling when we compare ourselves to others. (Stay away from Pinterest!).  Kids do, too.  Read this book together and talk about what makes us all unique and awesome. Then celebrate with a spoon party!  Take out as many different spoons you have in your house and eat as many different spoon-worthy foods with them. I might even try that=FUN!

Or the books where Amy played with numbers like Wumbers with Tom Lichtenheld?

And equations, like This Plus That:Life's Little Equations with Jen Corace:

I loved having kids come up with their own equations and putting them together for a class book. My life equation for today: taking a walk + students waving from me from afar = smiles to my face (oh and tears, but we won't tell them that!)

Or friends + shapes = Friendshape with Tom Lichtenheld?

How can you make stories out of shapes? Can you try it 3D with legos?

Amy's birthday will be over by the time I finish this post if I shout out every fabulous book of hers.  I will conclude with Exclamation Mark with Tom Lichtenheld since it's another one with a message I love (I know. I know. I really love the message in all of them.)  Check out this Reader's Theatre script.  Send the link to friends and family and you can act it out together virtually! (Exclamation mark typed on purpose, of course!)

And what's a birthday without a present.  Here's a bookmark PDF from Tom Lichtenheld.

So go ahead.  Whether you are a parent, a kid, a teacher remember you are unique and special however way you view things and you are making your mark on someone's life every.single.day.  Thanks for the reminder, Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  You definitely made your mark in our lives. xo

PS-Check out this post from 2017 when I pulled out Wumbers for Pi Day.

Book Birthday Party TODAY!

My kids were up late baking oatmeal cream sandwiches, you know, like the Little Debbie kind. Omg. They came out so good! There better still be some left by 1:15 today!  I know it's not chocolate cake or Tillamook Marionberry Pie ice cream (Yes, this Yankee had to look it up! And what do you know? I can find pints locally!), like 4th grader Ryan Hart would probably prefer, but it will have to do.  If Ryan were here, I'd give her one. I can't imagine anyone not liking it.

Oh, Ryan Hart. I love her so much and I know you all will, too! She's being described as a modern Ramona.  I can see that. But she is unique in her own way and so real. 

Ryan, her older brother, Ray and her parents move into a new (old) house.  It's taken some time getting used to but after the house is filled with family and friends on Easter, Ryan realizes that "...it's the people that make a place a home. Without love, all you have is a house." This rings so true today.  We need to fill our homes with love, inside and out. Physically and virtually to help us get through. Love always wins.

Talent show. 

Sleepover. 

Hair love.

Mysterious hairpins.

Sunshine imagination parade.

And a surprise at the end that will surely lead to some exciting material for future books...

Not to downplay Ramona at all.  She's great and I can totally see Ramona and Ryan being friends! I'm just excited to introduce a new crop of students to Ryan starting TODAY.  Her voice is so authentic and fresh. I know they will love her as much as I do! And Book #2? I hope I don't have to wait too long.  I start stocking up on the Tillamooks tomorrow.

Joyful Noise

Today a few of us watched Sherri Duskey Rinker read her fun book, How to Put an Octopus to Bed on her Facebook Live.  Before she began, she told us about her friend, author Angela DiTerlizzi, who bought a ukulele last month and taught herself how to play. Agh! Why didn't I think of that?! I'm doing it! Then Sherri challenged all of us to learn something new and share it with the hashtag #learningtodosomethingnew.  Sherri's thing? Toss a pizza.  I hope she shares the video of her success!

My fifth graders were listening! After the read aloud was over, one piped up immediately about wanting to share a song he wrote as part of a music assignment using the Chrome app, songmaker. Of course! It was a synthesized song with a good beat.  Then the other two wanted to share their songs, too.  I loved dancing around in my chair.  The only thing that could have been better was if we were together.

What is my #somethingnew? Honestly, can I steal the ukulele idea?  It's the instrument of the century. Rafael Lopez packed his when he visited last year. Loren Long accompanied our rendition of his "There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Log" when we Skyped last year. Emily Arrow's ukulele even has a name--Bow!

Lucky strike! I found a short video of Loren playing his ukuele:

Here's Emily Arrow's Little Tree. Any chance you can think of a NEW dance to perform along with this song? (wink-wink). More on that at a later date...

Do you want to make your own ukulele?  This video will get you started. Modifications-You could use yarn for the strings and a paper towel holder for the neck.

Currently, I am ISO of a list of "Joyful Books." While looking, I found this Valentine's Day book list from the Today Show.  Lots of love and happiness there. So, it got me thinking. Why not plan an un-Valentine's Day party? What a great loving, happy distraction it could be.

You could watch this short video of the Necco company candy heart factory:

How about making your own candy hearts (#learningtodosomethingnew) and send them to your friends? Add a sweet card and maybe some chocolate kisses (or Reeses). And when you make your mailing list, don't forget your favorite leaping librarian ;-) I guarantee your package will bring your Valentines TONS-O-JOY!

Happy Un-Valentine's Day! xoxo

PS-If you are looking for more joy, check out these two videos from my son and his best friend's YouTube channel. Some jokes (haha) and some rainbow cheer.

Dance for the Indie Bookstore TODAY

The wall outside Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI

Northshire Bookstore*

Thanks, Lindsay Lackey and friends.  I didn't get my first cry in yet today.  Were these just tears of joy? sadness? frustration because I just want to hug you all? I don't know but I want to watch it over and over again. Thank you for this video. It is SO good, SO inspiring, SO uplifting and full of SO SO SO much fun love. xoxo

I want EVERY SINGLE INDIE BOOKSTORE TO MAKE IT. I am trying to do my part (buying books for  myself and kids every week) and hope everyone who can, is.  And, oh, every single one of these book creators. I love you and thank you for your dance. I want to dance WITH YOU when we can all be together again! Plus, It was great to see so many familiar faces and friends! Love your sock dance, Sarah 😉

So, it's a sunny Saturday. I need to get outside.  I need to clock in my 10,000. But I also I know I couldn't support #IndieBookStoreDay #IndependentBookStoreDay in just 240 characters. A brief blog post was in order.  

I could just say, "Please support your local bookstore today," but that doesn't seem like enough.  Maybe it is, but I have never been one for few words. 

Need help finding a store? Don't forget bookshop.org and libro.fm.

Last Sunday's New York Times Book Review published an editorial that gave me my first cry of that day.  It's hard to think of everyone behind the making of one book and beyond. The other day, I reached out to someone who's business coordinates author and illustrator school visits and he told me he had to let all his staff go. My heart sank.

I searched for the link on the NYT website and could not find it.  Hope you can read it this way. You might notice my notes from the week.

I read this tweet last night.  Follow the whole thread. Maybe throw in a t-shirt with your book order.

I want to buy indie bookstore t-shirts. Can anyone point me to indies that have 'em?

— Mike Jung (THE BOYS IN THE BACK ROW, 10/6/20) (@Mike_Jung) April 24, 2020

Speaking of t-shirts, I'm excited that Jarrett Lerner will be posting new t-shirt designs later this week!

I’ve gotten lots of requests recently to reopen sales of some of my T-shirt designs.

First of all, THANK YOU!

Also: I plan to launch new fundraisers for these designs next week, and will also be sharing a brand-new design on Friday of next week.

More soon! 💛💛💛 pic.twitter.com/bTNiCWRniR

— Jarrett Lerner (@Jarrett_Lerner) April 25, 2020

Jerry Craft Spring 2019*

There you go. Could I have said it all in 240 characters? Maybe, but that's just not me.  I'm a wordy gal and I like stores with lots of words in them.  I have always dreamed of going on a Indie Bookshop Tour. Let's add that to my #BookIt travel agency (Don't know what I'm referring to? Check out this post.)

To begin, can I get the list of all the stores mentioned in the video, Lindsay?  I'll start planning my route tomorrow with the Bookhouse in Albany. 💕

Today in my Literati t-shirt!

*Shout out to Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs, NY where the photos were shot and the Manchester store who have been so accommodating to my current needs. Thank you.

#ILoveNYLibrariesDay

Growing up in Queens, I frequented two branches of the Queens Public Library.  It was always fun to go down to the main branch in Jamaica on the weekends. They had bins and bins of albums that you could check out.  Being a kid (copyright?) I remember playing and recording the songs I liked on my portable cassette player.  The Briarwood branch was more like home.  I could walk over there after school, do my homework, dive into random subjects in the World Book Encyclopedia (so much more kid friendly than the Encyclopedia Britannica set in my living room) and chill.

When I moved back to New York from stints in Maryland and Maine in 1996, I landed in the Capital Region without a job. My boyfriend, now husband, and I lived in an apartment. I spent a lot of time at the Guilderland Public Library searching for jobs. This was way before I became a librarian. Since 1999, the Castleton Public Library has been my home library.Yeah, I'm not feeling old right now.

I met some good friends at that library once I became a mom.  We would go for story hour and stay. And stay. And stay. We started making a lunch pot luck. "I'll bring the PB and J." "OK. I'll bring the goldfish."  "I got the juice boxes."  It got so crazy that one of my friends sewed a special tablecloth just for us to keep down there. Good times.

Today, more than ever, New York libraries have a lot to offer.  Have you checked out the Castleton Public Library website lately?  There are so many free resources.  Even if you don't have a library card, you can still check out books   They have additional databases (ie, Tumblebooks math) and even ideas for virtual field trips. Check out this LINK for a curated list  of activities and ideas for kids and teens.

Want more? Check out the New York Public Library page for tons of remote resources for parents, families, kids, and educators.

Of course, I have to include resources from my original home town library, the Queens Public Library. Check out their Facebook page for a calendar of all their virtual events. Just have to throw this out there--growing up in Queens that has made me who I am today.  Anyone from Queens can probably agree.  I am forever grateful for that and I love the Queens Public Library.

But we can't leave our upstate friends out.  Gosh, in just a few clicks, I'm realizing that you could go to any public library website and find virtual things to do.  After reading a tweet from my Buffalo friend, Maria, I went to the Buffalo Public Library page and woah! They have a ton of activities in their calendar! Between all these libraries, you could be busy literally every minute of the day! And we didn't even mention reading! If that doesn't make you love New York libraries, I don't know what will.

Yes, I love my friends in Texas. I proudly wear my Texas Bluebonnet award shirt. I have a Texas flag postcard by my circulation desk. But, I am undeniably a born and bred New Yorker and I love ALL my NY libraries. The ones from my childhood, my 20s and now. #ILoveNYLibrariesDay

PS: I got some amazing snail mail today from my friend, Elisha Cooper.  Could it BE more appropriate for #ILoveNYLibrariesDay ?  I don't think so. And a great way to end a celebration of #NationalLibraryWeek.  Thank you, Elisha.

I was hoping you could get a bag, too! So I went searching, sadly unsuccessfully, on NYPL's website.  Maybe when this is all over you can purchase one at the branch? However, I did find a link to free downloads of crosswords, wordfinds and coloring pages for kids and adults. Check it out.  And if you still need more to do, you know where to go! I 💙 Libraries!

Just the facts, Ma'am!

When we are in school in the building, the best days are when I have lunch with kids.  I can actually sit down and eat without inhaling my unmicrowaved leftovers in record time.  When I eat with kids it is usually around 12:30.

These days the time is 11:30.  I do manage to sit down, although nothing to write home about since I've been sitting most of the morning already. (I have clocked in 106 steps today, which is better than my usual 34.) My companion is Governor Cuomo. I like him, like he likes "the boyfriend" but only a fraction of how much I like my students.

Everyday Governor Cuomo talks about the facts. "Just the facts, Ma'am," he'll remind us. Many days at the end of his presentation he will share his personal opinion.  Today's facts were "ugly and disturbing" and his opinions, although not shown in a slide, were clear.

Need a reminder about facts vs. opinions? Michael Rex's book couldn't be more succinct.

Fact: I'm going to share a reading of the book on class Seesaws, Dojos and Google Classrooms.

Fact: I'm not very good at Screencastify and moving the arrow from left to right to get into the screenshot is a challenge.

Fact: My hair is a mess of wildness. Just ask Mrs. Golden.

Opinion: This is a great book and kids from K--??? will love it.  

Not a proven fact but I'm guessing your kids will giggle, call out to the book (I did that--Look! His name is Bubba!) and learn in a simple and fun way the difference between facts vs. opinions (and you can even throw in a lesson in there about fake news.)

What facts do you know about the world we are living in today?

What are your opinions? What are the opinions of the adults in your life

Jot them down.  Write your own book. Quiz your friends and family and share your results.

Think of me the next time you are having lunch.  I really don't mind my current daily lunch date but I'd much rather be with my students. Now that's a FACT.

A little more...

There's a great video on "Fact & Opinion" on Brainpop (check site for login) and/or you can also watch this short video:

#NYLibrarySpotlightDay

"Woke up. Got out of bed. Dragged a comb across my head...

...I read the news today, oh boy..."

-Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart's Club Band

Happy #NYLibrarySpotlight Day.

Woke up. Got out of bed. Did NOT drag anything across my head. Yoga. Coffee...and...and the news? Well, oh boy is right.

Today was a good day for this New York school librarian.

I got up early in a panic thinking I had to get an email out to a teacher by 6:50.  Oops. Am I on Texas time?  It was SEVEN 50. Bonus hour to get things done.

Before 9, three first graders were in front of me eager to learn how to access SORA. Once they got their logins and a reminder to use their public library card, too, the world of books was exponentially opened up to them. Good feeling.

Answer and send emails.  

Read a picture book about the coronavirus.  There are a lot out there but what makes this one special is that it can be translated into 25 languages. Forward to my faculty and staff and the HS Spanish teachers.  One Spanish teacher immediately replies, "I love it."  Win. 

(CES Parents reading this: I have a whole folder of books like this on my resource page.)

It's almost time for the daily 10:30 read aloud. This week Grace Lin is reading her Newbery honor book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, via Facebook Live. I know my students would probably not watch on their own so I offer it up as a meet with me. Look at them, especially the one in the bottom left with his arms up. They. Are. Listening. It is always a challenge getting these things going, though. Every day. Today was unusually difficult so I finally pulled it up on my laptop and projected it on my school computer.  Crisis diverted. (CES Parents: So far the read alouds have been middle grade but next week they will be all picture books.  Meet code: 56reads.)

I try and take a brief break to watch Governor Cuomo's press conference.  Today was no exception. My son baked a loaf of sandwich bread last night and I ate the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich I ever had. I'm not kidding.

A belated book birthday party is better than no party at all, right? So for my 6th grade Dewey Duty lunch we celebrated Lauren Wolk's Echo Mountain. I just received the e-galley on Monday but lucky for me, I couldn't sleep that night so I got a bunch of it read before the release yesterday.  So far, amazing. Gripping. Can you really go wrong with Lauren Wolk?  I pulled out a cupcake, we read the first two chapters together and everyone was hooked.  Juliann was randomly picked to receive a copy compliments of me via Northshire Bookstore. She was SO excited! To this date, this is the 10th book I have given away. Money well spent that normally would have gone to coffee, gas, doughnuts,  theatre, Montreal, concerts...

Back to bookstores, Grace Lin gave us three tips today. Buy books and audiot books from: bookshop.org and libro.fm (to support indie bookstores) and check out her podcast, https://www.kidsaskauthors.com/. The podcast sounds awesome! Kids come up with questions for book creators and they answer. Great questions to remember for author/illustrator Skypes and school visits.

Faculty meeting. More emails. Plan. Walk. 

Facetime with a friend. Wait. She's key to this entire day. I would not have had it without her. 

In 2006 Val and I met at a party. She was a 3rd grade teacher, NOT a librarian. We just met. I was on maternity leave and ready for something new. She told me to become a school librarian. Seriously. I heeded her, a stranger's, advice. I did not know her AT ALL. Six months later I quit my job and enrolled full time.  The theme for National Library Week is "Find Your Place at the Library." Thanks, Val, for changing my life by helping me find my place and giving me today. 🧡📚😍

#NYLibrarySpotlightDay #NYLibraryWeek #NationalLibraryWeek #LibrariesTransform #SchoolLibraryMonth

Are you a Water Protector?

It's Tuesday so you know what that means! Yep! My kitchen became a bakery last night because it is BOOK BIRTHDAY DAY! Yay!

Ok...So we're fudging it a tad for the picture book category.  We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade was released awhile ago but it deserves to be celebrated. Since tomorrow is Earth Day I'm making this a duo party.  Perfect excuse for cake. This book is poetic, gorgeous and I hope will motivate kids of all ages to protect our water and environment so it will still be here for many, many future generations.

I bought the ebook to read aloud later at our party but you can watch the author read it right here.  Enjoy!

Thanks Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press for this discussion guide.  Here are a couple of activities you can do together for Earth Day and beyond.

Will you take the pledge?

How will YOU be a water protector?

To my Schodack friends: Why don't you share your answers on our Flipgrid? Our code is: castletonelementary. You'll need a Schodack account to login.

Happy VERY Belated Book Birthday We are Water Protectors and Happy ALMOST Earth Day! (although EVERY day is really Earth Day!) Protect water! Protect our planet! xo

Marathon Monday

I did it. I ran five miles yesterday.  It felt good. My heart rate was up and I was warm enough to unload two layers to my tank top.  That felt really good. Winter is behind us. Although, I won't mention that snow fell on Saturday.

This weekend I was supposed to run 13.2 miles in the Helderberg Half.
Today was the Boston Marathon.
Both canceled. But that doesn't mean running isn't canceled.
Beside the obvious of running 26.2 miles, what else can we we do to honor the Marathon's tradition since 1897?

Art

This may be a bit of a stretch but why not color in Rafael Lopez's muralist.  He looks like he could be running through the town while he paints.

Make sure to check out Rafael's Instagram (@rafael_161_ or his blog for daily art ideas).

STEAM

LINK to vault

Ok...So this could be even a bit more of a stretch but while I was looking for ways to tie the marathon into lesson plans, I came across this *amazing* resource from the annual Cambridge Science Festival. I mean, the marathon is in Boston and Cambridge is practially Boston, so not too much off the path.

How about you engage yourselves in a "marathon" of STEAM activities today or the whole week or 26.2 days?!  Check it out! Tons of book ideas, podcasts, shows, virtual trips and all for kids!  Maybe try 26 things? They call it a vault. Be careful when you enter because it is overflowing!

History

Why not do a little research on the Boston Marathon?  Here's a short story about it from NPR today.

Go to one of the databases and read up on marathons, Boston, the Olympics...


Now my friend, Tom Bober, will be proud of me on this one.  I just checked out the Library of Congress and found a photo from the 65th Boston Marathon in 1952.  Examine the photo.  What do you notice? 

Physical Activity

Of course, running today makes sense.  Pick a distance (26.2 yards?) and run. What's your time? Compete against yourself or family members.  What other physical activities can you do? Walk for 26.2 minutes?  What about jumping 26.2 inches? Or see how far you can jump and divide it by 26.2? Jump up and down or off a step 26 times.  Calculate how long that takes. Try and beat your time. Do 26 jumping jacks.   Be creative! See what you come up with! Make sure you are careful and take breaks if you need to.

Finally (and what really inspired this whole post)

Be sure and read Elisha Cooper's piece in today's New York Times. I realize the print version isn't as exciting and we all can't send our husbands out to try and find a copy for us, (although sadly mission was not accomplished YET), but the digital copy will work, too.  I just wanted to get one that I could hang up in my new "office." He's back out to keep looking. I am not too hopeful so please send if you have one and I'll run an extra 26.2 something in your honor. Thanks!

Now off to walk, not run, about 26.2 x 458 steps.
Be safe out there.

Baby You Can Drive My Car

 

I love road trips. Period. There is nothing better than packing up your car, pulling out of the driveway and heading to a destination multiple states and hundreds of miles away from your zipcode. For years, I would drive my kids from upstate New York to North Carolina for some cousin time.  We termed it "Road Camp." The first year we read about this place called Wright's Dairy-Rite off of Exit 222 on I81 in Virginia in "Diners Drive-Ins and Dives." We had to stop. Moving forward, we couldn't drive south without pulling up and ordering lunch in Staunton, VA.

Ahhh...I am so looking forward to more long car rides in the future. Until then, I will have to be happy with reading about them.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

Dan Gemeinhart's adventure of 12 year old Coyote, her dad, Rodeo, on the ultimate road trip from Florida to Boise in their bus, Yager, was a favorite of so many of us last year.  Since we've been quarantined, Dan started sharing Coyote's story aloud.  Here is chapter 1 but you can find more chapters as part of Dan's Coyote Sunrise Book Club on YouTube.

Thanks to Henry Holt for posting this guide on how to make a memory box/treasure chest.  Not only does it pair well with Coyote Sunrise and is perfect for today's world, it is also is a great segue into the next road trip book I am loving right now.

Clean Getaway

I listened to the audio of Nic Stone's book this week and loved it.  It made me want to grab my 95 year old Super Bubby in New Jersey and drive. Somewhere.  She always talks about living in Missouri before my grandfather went oversees.  That's where she learned to drive.  Or we could stay close take a short drive to the Jersey shore.  And then make a treasure chest. And drink hot chocolate.

Scoob and his G'ma are on the ultimate road trip through the south trying to retrace her steps with his grandfather back in the 60s when it wasn't even legal for the two of them to be together.  Even now dark skinned Scoob with his white grandmother get some looks. This book will inspire you to do some research when you are finished-Medgar Evans, Loving vs. Virginia, Emmett Till, the Green Book--are just a few. Here's a full discussion guide. And finally, you may even want to watch the 2018 movie (PG-13) "Green Book."

PS-Dion Graham has many accolades for his audio books. This one is going to get him another one.

Sign Off

Seriously, you will never be able to look at a road sign the same way after reading this book.  It is so good with a great surprising ending and I promise I would say all these wonderful things about this book even if Steve and I weren't friends.  Today, as we are quarantined to walks around our own neighborhoods, go on a hunt and check out the signs. What do you notice? What stories can you make up about the figures on the signs? Is there something about a sign that you never saw before? I'll be completely honest, there is a sign I passed all the time that I never knew was there until I saw it in Sign Off. And the school sign?! We can discuss that for hours.  Well, hours is what we have now so go check it out and let me know your thoughts!

Until then, I will continue to be positive and dream of my next road trip. We're not putting many miles on our vehicles these days so an extra 1500+ this summer or fall won't hurt. xo

Running on Empty

This Saturday I was supposed to run my first half marathon in many years.  Right before we quarantined I ran seven miles. Then I stopped. Instead I have chosen to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. My mental, emotional and physical being needs it.

Now I am getting emails about how to run in this "virtual" race or that one.  Do I want the swag? Do I need the push? Maybe. No matter what, I think I will lace up those running shoes this weekend. It helps that I already have a good book queued up.

Jason Reynolds

PE Teacher and his book group Dec 2017

Since we're talking running and I am a librarian, I can't go without mentioning the Track Series by Jason Reynolds.  I know I have talked about them before. But did I ever say how good the audio is? I listened to them WHILE I was running and it was the perfect match.

Ahhh...Jason Reynolds...

Everyday at 10:30 on some social media platform (Instagram Live this week) we have the opportunity to listen to some incredible writers read from their work. Kwame Alexander, Jacqueline Woodson, now Jason.  Jason is reading from Look Both Ways, but the most meaningful for all of these folks is the commentary.  Today, I took down some of his quotes.  He read the short story, "Five Things Easier To Do Than Simeon's and Kenzi's Handshake" and shared with us that the handshake in sign language means, "I can hear you even when the world can't."

And I can't remember the context before he said this but I wrote it down because it came from the bottom of his heart. This guy. "I love kids enough to pay attention to them."

Finally, Jason, as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature has begun a new program through the Library of Congress, "Write. Right. Rite."  Here's the introduction video:



So every Tuesday and Thursday, Jason will post a new writing prompt. Tuesday it was make up your own award for yourself and today it was make up your own tattoo.  I personally like this one since I have been considering getting a tattoo (don't know what, don't know where) for a few years.  "What do you want to live with you and on you for the rest of your life?"  Interesting...It was a great conversation starter at dinner tonight.

Today Jason on his Instagram emphasized the importance of learning the rules of writing, of the English language, even if it means just so we can "bend and brake them." Maybe ELA teachers wouldn't be too keen in him saying this but I get it.  Oh, that, Jason Reynolds, he is truly special.

You should be able to find all of his Write. Right. Rite videos at this link from the Library of Congress.

Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon

We're still talking about running, right?

Patriots Day is this coming Monday, the day of the Boston Marathon. Not this year.

Did you know women were not allowed to enter the race back in the day?  Bobbi Gibb was the first woman to run it and at first, illegally. She didn't even have the right shoes on her feet.

I love this book written by Annette Bay Pimentel and illustrated by Micha Archer. It was on my Sibert Smackdown list.  We made runners out of giant popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners. I shared it with many classes, across the grade levels. If Bobbi's perseverance doesn't get you running, I don't know what will.

Here are some discussion questions from the Unleashing Readers blog and some activities from Penguin Classroom.

I found this inspiring video of Bobbi Gibb.  What can you do to break the mold?



Looking forward to putting on some miles this weekend.
Just for the swag? Perhaps.

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!

Rain, Rain Go Away...Gone!

My husband's degree is in meterology but he is far from a weatherman.  He looks at the same radars as you do to check out to see if it's ok to ride his bike or hang clothes on the line.  Yesterday I didn't need to check with him about the weather.  All I had to do was look out the window to see it pouring.

Today, I see some blue sky.  I just checked my phone app and it looks like it will be dry for days.  I have to tell you, though, the rain did not stop me from taking my daily walk.  I donned a raincoat. Put my hood up. Opened the umbrella and marched on. I might have even leaped into a puddle or two.

My favorite rain book is Float by Daniel Miyares.  That book arrived in my Junior Library Guild book box in the fall of 2015 and I fell hard immediately.  I wrote him a gushing email and the rest is history.  He visited us for our gala in 2017 and with every new book, he continues to perfect his craft. Coincident or not, today he has a book birthday!

This book looks gorgeous and has received three starred reviews! It's a  biography about Ramanujan, a boy in India in the late 1800s who reinvented mathematics as we know it today.  STEM friends-Add this one to your list!

Back to Float, which can also be combined with STEM activities like these:

If you read enough of Daniel's books, you will see that yellow pop out everywhere.  I love it.  How could YELLOW not make you smile? I mentioned this to Daniel once and this is what he said about it:

Want to know a fun, crazy fact? Daniel illustrated Kwame Alexander's 2016 picture book, Surf's Up! I know, right?  My worlds totally, positively, colliding! Here's a coloring page (and more ideas) to help you dream of sunny, hot summer:

Like many of my illustrator friends, Daniel is posting art videos on Instagram. His videos might be more suited for older kids, or not. Anyone interested, really. Here is one where he draws a house by the water.  To me, one thing that always stands out in Daniel's work is how he draws shadows.  What do you think?

Subscribe to Daniel's YouTube channel or Instagram so you can watch and draw or paint along to all his videos.

Oh, one last thing--related (because I wanted an inside workout since it was raining, and we are talking about rain...) or, maybe not really. Mr. Biehler shared on his Twitter a new app  he downloaded, Home Court. I checked it out and it is so much fun! It can be used any day and time:  inside (the next rainy day we have) OR outside.  I plan to play with it daily! 

Check out this tweet BY the company.  You rock, Mr. Biehler!

Teamwork makes the dream work 🏀💪 ⠀
⠀@coachbiehler and family shows us how to get it done - who will you tag team today? Mention us at @homecourtai for a chance to be featured.⠀
⠀#stayinthegame #homecourtai #inthistogether #familytime #teamworkmakesthedreamwork⠀ pic.twitter.com/hu1vkBSCSY

— HomeCourtai (@HomeCourtai) April 14, 2020

And not nearly as cute as the Biehlers, but I'll share anyway--my first attempt last night.  Yes, this is before we figured out I should go find an inside ball (tennis?). But there are way more workouts on here than just ball handling.  Rainy day or not, I challenge you to try it out! You won't be disappointed!