Reading – Peaceful Reader

Halloween

It’s the end of the month and I’ve only read four books but I’ve been around a lot of fun authors! I traveled to St Louis with four other librarians from our district and had such a blast meeting other like-minded librarians and authors. We ate delicious food in the downtown area and had cocktails at The Moniker! I’d go back to St. Louis just to have one of their delicious drinks.

On the first night we went early to a James Ponti Spy party and ended up helping him and Stuart Gibbs set up for the party which gave us the opportunity to have one on one conversations with them as well as Erin Soderberg Downing. For librarians who love reading this was magical. We came back with so much swag and free books we barely fit back into the van.

I also found out that one of my author idols, Laurie Halse Anderson, is not only a very gifted writer but is a cheerleader for authors. More than one author mentioned how encouraging she was to them. Jason Reynolds (rock star author!) was in conversation on Saturday morning and he was absolutely amazing. Like a groupie I rushed to get one of his signed books and was crushed that I didn’t make it in time. The conference was amazing and I’m so happy I was able to participate.

I just finished reading The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson and had a connection with almost every story. If you’ve ever wanted to be a bookseller or a librarian the stories told in the book will have your full attention.

I’m almost finished with The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. I wish it was a little more condensed but I agree with his philosophy. Our kids have changed by tech, specifically having free access to the internet 24/7. I think schools should be phone free and that we should really think about how much tech we use at school plus home. For kids it becomes an addiction. If I could design my own elementary school it would have more playtime, recess before lunch so students come in hungry, better quality lunches, and more hands-on activities.

I hope this Halloween every one is safe and had fun, that Israel stops bombing Palestine, and that hope for the world remains in my heart.

Today

I’m having a golden year at school! Students seem happy and ready to be here which in turn makes for pleasant classes and conversations.

My son moved to Detroit and I am very excited to visit this fall. There are a lot of interesting things happening in Detroit. I’ve read some lists and articles about places to eat and visit. I have a teacher account of the New York Times and it helps keep me updated on interesting Detroit places but also all that’s happening in the United States & the world. It’s good to stay updated.

Recently I read through all the Epstein birthday book sentiments and was absolutely horrified. Please can some handwriting expert confirm that it is his signature bc I’m sure that he wrote the poem conversation and drew the female figure with it; mystified how the Christian Right can stand arm in arm with this man.

School shootings, ICE raids, the Fed and FCC, canceling people and media outlets for speaking out. Teachers under threat. It’s hard to take it all in. How can we save Palestine and still support our Jewish neighbors? How will Ukraine survive Putin’s will?

I keep writing to save our public lands, our national parks. Beautiful lands that, once destroyed, will never come all the way back to us. and I wonder how will we really recover from all the damage that’s done to families, natural spaces, our communities, and our democracy? What will it take to reverse this mindset?

📚Favorite books: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, A Place for Us by Fatima Farzeen Mirza, Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kristen Miller, Kindred by Octavia Butler and Tree. Table. Book. by the amazing Lois Lowry for elementary readers of all ages.

🎬 Streaming: Butterfly (Prime), Sirens (Netflix), and Overcompensating (Prime)

And I’m looking forward to going back to the big screen to see “One Battle After Another” and “Blue Moon”.

I’ve worked on this post all month trying to revise, keep my writing in check, questioning myself. I love to write and my goal is never to offend anyone but to make people think either about books, food, connections, and politics. Peace to all my readers and thank you for reading.

May Books

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (#0) by Suzanne Collins – I’ve had this on one of my many TBR shelves and when a friend handed me the new one I knew I should read this one first. I liked understanding more about Coriolanus Snow. I was intrigued by Lucy Gray Baird’s character, a whimsical love interest for the Snow.

Still Me (Me Before You series, #3) by Jojo Moyes- I just loved Louisa Clark’s characters and her struggles with a long distance relationship and the agony of working for people who are friendly but definitely not your friends. I’m sad to say good-bye to these characters.

Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar (elementary fiction)-I read this to 5th graders this year. I thought it had an interesting story line and had a lot to say about friendship but more importantly how we are tending to our environment. The fuzzy mud in the book is toxic and made by a chemical company attempting to make a fuel alternative.

Sunrise on the Reaping (#0.5) by Suzanne Collins – I loved this one! I read it quickly, Haymitch was one of my favorite characters so I enjoyed hearing his story, including the addition of Maysilee, a connection to Lucy Gray. Collins’ created such an amazing cast of characters throughout the Hunger Games series.

We Solve Murders (#1) by Richard Osman: Steve and Amy Wheeler are a entertaining duo. Steve, a retired officer, is Amy’s father-in-law and Amy is a private security bodyguard in charge of a celebrity author who has had death threats. As the three of them cross the globe to solve a mystery we are both scared and entertained.

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller: This story was such an interesting twist on relationships. Elle and her best friend Jonas spent summers together in a group of cabins near Cape Cod. Elle has an unusual and tragic childhood as her mom shuttles them between various unhealthy relationships. Eventually she leaves for London, meets her husband, and returns home only to be constantly pulled back to one tragic summer. Sometimes a first love is not meant to be left behind.

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey: I was able to get my hands on a secondhand hardcover copy of this book awhile ago. And while I enjoyed looking at the pictures and the style of the book ultimately I ended up listening to this on audio; I mean, come on, listening to Matthew’s voice as I did errands was alright, alright, alright. I loved his stories even though the first part featuring their did shock me a bit. The book made me curious about all his work and I watched Dazed and Confused to get a look at his first movie role.

I started this post at the beginning of June and literally got distracted by summer things like sleeping in, sunshine, and the lake. I went to the protest on Saturday and keep wondering what we can do to keep that momentum going. How do we impeach him and get him and Vance out of office…? Honestly we need a do-over.

What I’m reading now: reread of Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt for book club, The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln (graphic novel for school), and The Anxious Generation by Jonathon Haidt.

I’m not great about finishing nonfiction but I heard a tip on Annie’s podcast, What Should I Read Next? She suggests reading nonfiction in the morning; giving it a separate time helps. I’m going to try this over the summer. I can sip my morning tea and read.

Keep the faith, keep reading, and enjoy the sunshine.