This is a great little video of author Meg Cabot talking about the writing process while talking about her new book character, Allie Finkle. Can’t wait to show it to a 5th grade student at school who is reading this book!!
Wordles
It is a new day!
At 10:05 this evening Barack Obama has just been declared the next president of the United States of America…I am so proud of my country right now as well as all the people who have worked so hard to make this happen. Only the second time I have had the pleasure of voting for the winning candidate.
Barack Obama
Oh, my the world is so exciting right now!!! I cannot believe how anxious and thrilled I am! Everyone’s hard work for Obama hopefully is coming true right now. I cannot imagine how thrilled I will be to wake up in the morning to a new day in America.
Laughing during this time must be healthy!!
I read this article from Huffington Post, which I love and it really, really made me laugh, which made me feel good at this time of high stress. I thought I was the only one who looked at how well their suits fit and lo and behold, Nora does too…and she says it way funnier than I could!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nora-ephron/life-in-the-shallow-end_b_132850.htmld
Anne Lamott
This is a great article. Please read and she is right-we need to talk everyday about Barack Obama and the good things he stands for in his run for the biggest job America has to offer.
http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2008/09/16/anne_lamott/
Junie B.
I have read two Junie B. books with Japhy and have been really enjoying them with her. I mentioned this to my dear friend, Verda today and she reminded me that I have been negative about this series in the past. Well, now I take it all back. The last time I read a Junie B. was when Tristan was younger and they seemed to be a baby-ish chapter book and I didn’t think the language in it worked. Of course, Tristan now 13 came out speaking in full adult-like sentences and never sounded like Junie B….now I have a 6-year-old, Japhy who is quite similar to Junie b. so to all those I have not recommended-I have changed my mind and love Junie B. now. That does not make me a flip flopper…just someone who can intelligently change my mind!! So cheers to Barbara Parks!
book shopper
The very best part about my job is picking out books. Oh, I love to work with children I really, really do but still the best part is “shopping” for books for them. I get to thumb through Booklist, Booklinks, and LMC copies circling my special choices. I get to look through Titlewave, Bound to stay bound, or Baker and Taylor to choose my selections. My Mom would laugh because I always liked circling things in catalogs when I was little-I guess I never grew out of it!
I have so many books in my back room waiting for me yet I still am busy circling, choosing, picking the right ones for students and teachers. Now I have a new source to add to my searching: blogs! There are tons of blogs out there from addicted readers like myself giving me more and more and more suggestions for great books to add to my collection. It is mind-boggling and yet thrilling!! There is not enough time in my day to read all the reviews and magazine articles I want to read and now blogging sites. Real teachers work all the time…
Obama, Obama, Obama
Now that school is in full swing I have less and less time to read even though my job requires me to read and be current. Plus I am spending all my other “extra” time working for DMC/the Obama campaign making phone calls, drumming up support for this once-in-a-lifetime intelligent candidate!!! It confuses me when I get such angry people on the phone. If someone called me to talk about John McCain I would simple tell them how much I like my candidate. The people I call seem angry about their candidate. They don’t want to discuss him or their own views they just are mad, which is too bad because a good debate could follow but instead they close themselves off to any new light coming in. I want to say to them (these angry people on the other end of my phone) “don’t be so angry-I didn’t call and yell at you” Common decent human feelings seem to escape the opposite party at this time I guess. Still the work continues and we will all rest after November 4, we hope with all of our hearts.
red flag Olympics
I am over the Olympics already and really, they have barely begun. I realize this is a slightly un-American viewpoint-but that’s part of the problem to me. I am mad because it is China, saluting China and all their human rights errors. I am mad because it gives G.W. Bush a platform to be all “he, he, he, I am the president of the greatest nation in the world and if those Chinese would just get religion all would be better for them!! and shame on Russia for all that naughty violence…!! more he, he, he’s” I even think Bob Costas couldn’t believe rambling Mr. Bush. And my third complaint against the Olympics is that it really isn’t an even playing field. Some countries can afford to pay their Olympic athletes, some cannot, some practice under extreme condition like the swimmer who has been training without an Olympic size pool. I just don’t think the smaller countries come out ahead. Well, and the fourth thing is what a lot of money for pomp and look-at-me fireworks…the money spent on the opening ceremony alone could have brought good feng shui and food to many Chinese workers.
Peaceful Reader 