New Books. Old Books. Books, books, books!

New Books.  Old Books.  Books, books, books!


Yesterday my son and I traveled to the big city!  We both had Barnes and Noble gift cards that NEEDED to be used.  As we headed into town, I remembered the used book store that we like to visit and so I made a left turn to head up to old town where it is located.  I love this used book store.  I have never paid more than 4 or 5 dollars for a book.  People donate books there and they also receive the weeded copies from the large public library and the very large school district located in this city.

Yesterday I found five of the "Who is/Who was"  biographies for 50 cents each!  I buy a lot of things for myself when I shop.  But some things, like those 5 I mentioned above, get donated to our school library.  After shopping here we headed to B and N.  Since it was just my son and I, and our purpose for coming to town was to shop for books (and Chili's queso), I knew I had time to look through all the shelves without rushing.   I started in the history section and picked up a book about Teddy Roosevelt.  I wonder how his presidency would have gone had he had access to Twitter!  I also purchased The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman.  Read the book, watch the movie!  I then headed back to the student section.  My Diary from the Edge of the World, by Jodi Lynn Anderson, looked interesting and so I picked that up also.

I believe that to surround yourself with books is to surround yourself with wisdom and opinions and knowledge from other sources so that informed decisions can be made.  I think those can be new books or used book or borrowed books.  I am always surrounded by books.  I am a librarian.  I choose to always be surrounded by books. However, I think this is good practice for everyone.  I love when students talk to me about books they have at home.  I always encourage them to bring in for me to see.  I look for suggestions everywhere!

The books I purchased yesterday are now added to the stacks of books that take over my house:  the living room stack, the bedroom stack, the dining room table stack...  No matter where I go in my house I always have access to a stack of books.  I like it that way!

Happy reading!

Elephant and Piggie, where have you been all my life?

I know I'm late to the party! But. Seriously. Elephant and Piggie where have you been all my life? I have heard about these books for a few years now.  The first one was published in 2007.  My youngest child was 6 then; and so, as a teacher and a mom, I should have paid more attention to these books.  I have read the Knuffle Bunny series and the Pigeon books, but for some reason, I had not read the Elephant and Piggie series.    

Scholastic put together a 6 book collection of these books and I ordered them. I'm so glad I did.  I will be buying more!  They are so funny. I love the way that any aged person can read them and put the sense of humor that they have into voice.  A first grade student will probably use a different tone than a 50 year old would. Books like this transcend generations.  

I also found that this set of books teaches valuable lessons about friendship.  The first one I read was My Friend is Sad.  This book is about the importance of sharing important things with those you love and that concept needs reviewing from time to time, no matter whether you are 6 or 36.  

Thank you Mo Willems!

2017 Reads

2017 Reads is my Pinterest board where I will track what I read in the year 2017.  I began doing this in 2014.  What I have found is that I both want and need to read more.  From 2014 I have increased the number of books that I read each year.  That's a good thing.  But I have resolved to do more.  

Last night I began reading Wonder, by RJ Palacio.  This book was published in 2012.  It's been in my pile since the beginning of the school year.  I'm about 1/2 way though it.  I love the small chapters (1 to 2 pages.)  I have found that several authors use this technique.  I can see how this writing style would make the book more appealing to young readers.  They can plow through a chapter fairly quickly.  They can feel success.    

Update:  Finished the book.  Loved it!  Easy read.  I know the students I will be recommending it to. I have one fourth grader in particular who I think will really move through it quickly.