My own personal twin day

This day started out pretty darn good and I couldn't stop smiling ALL. DAY. LONG.  Thank you, Alexis.

If I didn't know already (even though I think I kind of did) after today, I am pretty sure I was meant to teach in an elementary school.  How did I come to this conclusion?  If I, a woman in her late 40s, owns the same leggings as a five year old adorable kindergartener, then I was meant to be her librarian!

A couple of weeks ago I was in Alexis's class and noticed her leggings. "OMG! I have the same ones!" I dropped everything and emailed her mom.

Today was THE DAY!  It finally came! I couldn't sleep for 10 days!  Perhaps I will sleep tonight.


Anyway, when Alexis entered the library and they could hear me screaming down the hall (and I have soundproof walls).   Oops!  Thankfully, I don't think it travelled downstairs to the principal's office. 

So I twinned with this shy, sweet, always smiling girl today.  A huge reason to celebrate and leap! What was your reason to leap today?

We had to pose with a couple of my favorite books!

And of course, the leap!

#NYLASSL2017

A selfie at the end of the conference with the fabulous co-chairs, Maria and Tina

I have a Texas sized heart that has enough love for my library and author peeps in Texas AND my BAEs in New York.  That said, greetings from a bus filled with normally NOT quiet librarians (seriously!) but who are currently exhausted from a couple of full days of fun, laughter, and of course, excellent PD in Buffalo, New York!

Kudos to co-chairs, Maria and Tina, who did an excellent job at organizing, delegating, coming up with Plan Bs, and leading an amazing team of folks to put on the best conference ever!

From cool new name tags with a QR code linked to the schedule and the wifi passwords 

attached to gift mugs and every other detail in between, this conference rocked.  Gene Luen Yang, the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature (the job title that he's had with the most syllables) kicked off our conference with an inspiring and entertaining keynote.  We learned that although Superman was not his favorite superhero growing up, he is now.  In fact, I like this theory a lot, “He just might be an Asian American Jew.”

Just as Gene is an ambassador for literature, books can be ambassadors for us and the kids in our lives.  “Every kid/reader needs books that act as advocates and ambassadors…These books teach us to love others…We all need to get outside of our comfort zone…” and that’s why Gene came up with the “Reading Without Walls Challenge.” So if you haven’t done it already, read a book from a genre you don’t normally read, a character who doesn't look or live like you or a topic you don't know much about.

I was lucky enough to be asked by Maria to be Gene’s handler.  I couldn’t have asked for a better job and a better person to work with.  In his breakout session he shared about his experiences in the classroom (for 17 years!) and how he had his students draw comics in his Algebra II and Computer Science classes.  They used a program called “Comics Life,” their photo library or something like “Long Shot Comics” because “anyone can draw dots.” This gave me great ideas on how I can collaborate with my fifth grade math teacher (maybe even this year since the state math test is over!). 

“Comics are a visual narrative medium that asks our students to read.”

“Drawing well doesn’t make for great comics.” Hmmm…really?

Does that mean even I should try it?

At the same time as Gene’s breakout session was a popular workshop called, “Oh, the Places You will Go! – Bringing the World into Your Library with Technology.”  Mike Drezek chatted with my friend, Kirsten Murphy, on Twitter the night before and as part of his presentation he connected with her and her fourth graders in Forth Worth! I’m sorry I missed it! 

AASL President-elect and newly crowned “Dr” Steve Yates was our keynote speaker at lunch.  He shared all the ways to get involved in AASL and how AASL can support us.  He also shared the new covers of our new standards to be unveiled at the annual meeting. What a personable guy!  As a Yankee through and through, I love that Alabama accent and talking to him about the football games.  Boy, would I like to go to one of those some day.

At around this time, I heard that Gordon Korman was not going to make it to our Knickerbocker banquet that evening.  There was bad weather in New York City and no combination of transportation would get him there in time.  Maria, Tina and their team came up with the idea of a lifesized #FlatGordon.  Steven played dead and was the model.  This was perfect.  Gordon accepted his award via Skype and it was almost as wonderful as if he was there in person.

The Knickerbocker Banquet

Congrats to Principal Rich Pogue from Tamarac on his administrator award!

Congrats to Ellen and Stephanie for their awards!

Librarians excited to take a selfie with Gordon!

With fellow graduate students and friends

Saturday

Kristina Holzweiss also had trouble getting out of the city and ended up on Amtrak.  She arrived later that night exhausted.  Since she’s always pushing her students to persevere, the idea never crossed her mind to give up.  She gave an inspiring, emotional keynote this afternoon at lunch. I spied lots of wet eyes.

Saying goodbye to Steven Yates

Conference chairs with our SSL President, Michelle Miller

Sue Kowalski with Gordon!

We didn't know we needed tissues for Kristina Holzweiss's keynote!

All of the workshops were packed and buzzing.  People were excited and pumped to return to their libraries on Monday with new ideas and end-of-year energy. We are excited to be together again in 2018 on Long Island.  Yes, I love my new friends and colleagues in Texas but I will never forget where I began.  Thanks for the inspiration and love, NYLA-SSL.

Epilogue: The Leaping Pictures

Gene Luen Yang!

AASL President-elect Dr. Steven Yates

Amazing Conference Co-Chair Maria Muhlbauer

Just the amazing everything Sue Kowalski

More amazing everythings Sara Kelly Johns and Kristina Holzweiss

The Go-To person and former Conference Chair Jim Clark

My permanent conference roommate who always makes me laugh and fabulous colleague at Schodack Maureen Squier

Gertie's Leap to Greatness Blog Tour!

One of my 4th graders leaping on 10/4, Gertie's Book Birthday!

I'm honored to be the next stop on Kate Beasley's Gertie's Leap to Greatness blog tour!  That just makes me leap even more!

I was one of the lucky ones to get to know Gertie before anyone else when I received my arc last month.  I couldn't stop leaping and you won't either once you read the first line!  You can read my whole first review here:  GERTIE REVIEW

Once you read it you can't stop yourself from leaping into the Gertie fanclub.  At least I can't.  So...I found a few podcasts to listen to.  First "The Yarn" is dedicating many episodes to the making of "Gertie." Here's the first episode with Kate Beasley and Jenni Holm (Yes, THE Jenni Holm talking about her first book)  The Yarn Podcast #30

THEN, on my podcast kick I found Matthew Winner's interview with Kate on ALL THE WONDERS.  This was a great one and kept me intrigued throughout my run yesterday.  I could listen to Kate speak for many hours.  Matthew talks about this book being a great read aloud.  I completely agree and Matthew is a great reader aloud, if I must say so myself.

A couple of weeks ago I passed my arc along to a Mackenzie.  Mackenzie was in 5th grade last year and one of my star readers.  She went above and beyond in reading during our Mock Newbery project and for the past two summers attended almost every single one of my total of ten summer book groups.  She loves to read and has wonderful insight to share when chatting about books.  Needless to say, I miss her now that she is in middle school.  But I knew she would be the perfect person to share my arc with. I almost stopped in my tracks Yesterday I received an email from her:

Wow, this book stopped me in my tracks. It is soooo good!! Thank you so much for sending me this book, I absolutely loved it. The way the author narrates Gertie was perfect, so perfect that I finished the book in a day. I loved all the characters, especially Junior's jumpy personality. This will definitely be a Newbery winner. The kids down at CES will leap for this book, literally. Again, thank you sooo much for this book!

I almost stopped in my tracks when I read that because in the "All the Wonders" interview, Matthew brings up the exact same point that 11 year old Mackenzie does about the narrator!

Later today I received this from Mackenzie:

Leap into adventure with Gertie as she aims to become the best fifth-grader in the whole universe. From Zombie Frogs to sweet chocolates, this is a girl you can't beat.

Definitely a good opening line to a review that can't be beat!

WHO is GREAT like GERTIE?

When I was asked if I would join the blog tour, I was told I could highlight someone who goes above and beyond and spreads the joy of reading.  I couldn't come up with just one.  I'm surrounded by people like that.

Fifth grade math teacher, Brenda Kelliher, is amazing.  She is an innovative teacher, thoughtful, works long hours for the kids, attends all sporting and arts events that her students are in and is one of the most creative people I know.  Even though she teaches primarily math, she loves to read and is always asking me for book recommendations.  She tries to read as many books from our Newbery list as possible and even held a lunch book group last year to be more involved.  Brenda's creativity really shines when it is author visit time and she writes a song for the author that we make into a music video with her students.  In her next life, Brenda needs to be a songwriter and music video director.  I KNOW Brenda would LOVE to write a song if Kate visits.  Hint-Hint. And of course, Brenda leaps with me whenever I request her to!

Here we are the day of the "Hoops Against Hunger" basketball game last Spring

Alissa Pryde and I always joke that she is going to set up a second desk for me in her first grade classroom. Alissa and I collaborate so much that her students think of me as their second teacher. Another creative teacher and one who goes above and beyond, Alissa and I love working together on many projects but most especially Mock Geisel.  We had first graders reading nearly 20 books independently and critiquing them based on Geisel criteria.  These kids Skyped with authors, determined their favorites and stood by those winners in a debate.  It was incredible!  We met authors and librarians through this project who have now become our friends and kids continue to check out daily our Geisel books from last year.  We are very excited to start the project again in a few weeks!

Alissa and I doing a random leap in the hallway last year!

Lastly, I cannot write about colleagues who spread the joy of reading without mentioning fifth grade ELA teacher and my co-teacher on so many projects, Sid Reischer.  It started out with him taking a leap with me four years ago when I asked if he would do a Newbery project with me and the whole fifth grade.  Now it is almost the entire ELA curriculum for the quarter.  Not only do we do Newbery together but we collaborate with authors, the Towers Falling project, phenomenal research, July trips to NYC to plan for the fall, author visits and so much more.  Sid and I complement each other so well both in the classroom and out.  I feel like I owe part of my success in the library to him.  Sid reads. I read.  The students all read and we are all happy.  I can't wait for Sid to meet Gertie.

Sid and I leaping at Little, Brown and Company when we visited them this summer

So go find your colleague who is "Great Like Gertie". Let them know how much you appreciate them and then take a leap together--literally and figuratively. It will be a win-win for everyone!

It's February 29--Do you know where your library leapers are?

As the original "leaping librarian" today was going to be my day. That's a lot of pressure. I was going to leap in the library.  Leap in the cafeteria. Leap in the gym. The music room. The office. Well, life got in the way and I leapt a little but not as much as I would have liked on LEAP DAY! My saving grace? Everyday is leap day whether it is 2/29 or 3/1 or 4/23 or even 9/17. Whatever the day, whatever the time, there can always be a reason to leap into the next moment.

I still managed to get some leaping in, of course, and here we are:

3rd graders leaping with their country books!

More 3rd graders just plain excited to leap!

Leaping in the cafeteria with kindergarteners!

Just another leap...

More kindergarteners!

And more...Just wait till next Leap Day when they are in FOURTH grade!

Check out the girl in the grey shirt saying "Yay!"

Mrs. Pryde's first graders in the library! Jessica brought in the book,
Leopold's Long Awaited Leap Year Birthday by Dawn Desjardins, which we read aloud!

Mrs. Yager's 3rd graders 

The final leap of the afternoon!

It will be an exciting day for these kids to revisit Leap Day again in 4 years.  My plan today?  Try and recreate these pictures with the Ks and 1s.  Maybe I'll even go to the MS and find the 3rd graders just to LEAP!  Stay tuned!