Happy Birthday, PACMAN!

Today was PACMAN's 40th birthday. Wow. Like other birthdays, this meant I was thinking about him and the MS all day long.

Of course, this also reminded me of Erin Entrada Kelly's We Dream of Space. Yes, I am still thinking about that book.  Fitch is really into pinball in 1986 and pinball machines were definitely losing their momentum by then. Probably Pacman and the Ms had something to do with that.

We all know kids who love video games whether they are our own (not mine surprisingly), our students, our kids' friends.  You know who they are.  How are they spending their time now since school is virtual?  More video playing time? Less? Do they want to read books about video games or something entirely different? I know I want to just plain read.  Doesn't matter what it is as long as it grabs me and I can escape for a bit. I'm SO looking forward to an extra day to attack my TBR pile this weekend!

Speaking of the weekend, a few of my students and I went to a bedtime story hour tonight with Angela DiTterlizzi compliments of Wellesley Books.  It was great! SHE was great! I want her to come to CES!  She read her brand new book, The Magical Yet. I can't wait to share this book with all my students.

 

"There's a place beyond where we are now."

-Angela Diterlizzi 

(I want to print that out and hang on my wall of inspiration.)

Then, we got a bonus read aloud of her book, Just Add Glitter.

I am thinking of sending some glitter to the three kids who attended tonight. Their parents won't mind too much, right? I mean, we could all use a little glittering up these days.  If you have some around, break it out and sprinkle it as your leap.  Just blame Pacman. Birthdays always deserve glitter.

We Dream of Space

The official "Teacher Appreciation Week" has come and gone.  But isn't it kind of like Mother's and Father's Day--where we could be celebrating teachers every day? 

Coincidentally, the last two books I finished had teachers I aspire to be like: summer school teacher, Ms. J (BenBee and the Teacher Griefer by KA Holt) and 7th grade science teacher, Ms. Salonga (We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly). Can I just say--My Newbery 2021 list is quite long and it is only mid-May. Both of these books and many of the ones I have already read are at the tippy top.

Since I wrote about Teacher Griefer yesterday, I must give equal time to Space. Seriously, this is why I could never be on an ALA committee. I'd be rallying for multiple gold medals right about this time of year.

Twins Bird and Fitch and Cash are all 7th graders in Park, Delaware. Their parents are always arguing and they never eat dinner together, a small detail that is a big deal. The kids are navigating life pretty much on their own.  It's January 1986 and there is big lead up to the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger in Ms. Salonga's class and for Bird, an aspiring space explorer.

I was a senior in HS and, because of regents, was home from school that dreaded da. I know the end of that story but Bird, who dreams of space, does not. The anticipation of the actual day for me, the adult reader, was tough.  How was Bird going to handle it? Ms. Salonga?

These kids. I loved them so much.  Fitch trying to manage his anger and his attempt to make good with Amanda.  Bird accepting being "not pretty" and deeply wondering what it would be like to have a family like Dani's, who do eat together and listen. And Cash running away to something.  I love how they navigate the relationship with themselves, leaving the parents out.

Finally, it was wonderful to take a walk down the memory lane of phone books, pinball, VCRs, soap operas and Tab. And even though I wasn't in 7th grade in 1986, 1982 was close enough. I am surprised I'm admitting all this. Well, I am looking forward to my Area 51 socially distant birthday party next month.

Want more? Found on the Harper Collins Erin Entrada Kelly Educator guide, here are some extension activities for We Dream of Space:

A couple of weeks ago we had a book birthday for this book.  Only three kids showed up.  Book unread, I bought them each a copy.  I spun the wheel and got the win.  Ace showed me his copy today.  I can't wait till he finishes so we can talk ALL about it.

Get reading, Ace (and Kyle and Khloe)! And anyone else who wants to talk. Pajama Mama?