Day even more made! Though the lighting is awful, it didn‘t get in the way of my tots fan girl moment when I got tell Laurie Halse Anderson my review of Shout (which comes out Tuesday)! She jumped up and gave me a hug and I about died! She is an incredible person and I am an awe of how she took the things that have happened to her and created a way to open up the door for difficult conversations for others.

Day has already been made! I had the opportunity to listen to Laurie Halse Anderson this morning, and it was incredible. I am still fangirling!
#TeachersofLitsy

Hi Friends! I know I‘ve been gone awhile, but I could use your help! I‘ve just accepted a job at our new junior high opening in the fall and have since been tasked to find books (YA Fiction or Nonfiction) to use cross-curricularly with Math and Science. Please drop some recs below!
#TeachersOfLitsy #ITeachMiddleSchool #NeedBookRecs

Happy Weekend, Friends!
1. Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson (I just finished Ghost by Jason Reynolds this morning)
2. All of the above, but I don‘t love ereaders, so you won‘t find on one too often...
3. I Am the Cheese by Robert Cormier and Of Mice and Men (But I have since gone back and read—and appreciated—both of them.)
#WeekendReads

@outofprint Had a #BOGO event last week and instead of purchasing gifts for friends and family, four brand new shirts made their way into my closet. #HowDoesThatEvenHappen #BookishTees #EnglishTeacher #ILoveMyBookTees

This book is absolutely beautiful. The tale of Mary Blair, the visionary behind It‘s A Small World at Disneyland. The words. The colors. The story. It‘s a magical read.
#ColorfulBooks

I love this bookmark my kiddo made as he reads through MY childhood copy of this book! His school district does a “Book Battles” competition and the fourth graders are super competitive this year! Kellen‘s goal is to read all 20 books on the Book Battle list! (This is Book 8 for him!)
#KidReaders #ChildhoodBooks #BookBattles

I really enjoyed this thriller! Because I‘m in the depths of teaching POV and Suspense, it was fun noticing the things I talk about with my students. This is the story of Emma, our unreliable narrator, who is headed back to Camp Nightingale 15 years after the disappearance of her cabin mates. It was a quick, fun read. If you like Final Girls, then you‘ll enjoy this one as well!
#BOTM

I got to spend the evening listening to this adorable author! The Book Thief is one of my favorite books, so I‘m excited to dive into this one! Markus Zusak was funny, entertaining, and charming! I love getting to meet awesome authors like him! (I just wish more of them would make a stop here in SLC.)

I am so glad I didn‘t finish reading this book while I had students in my classroom—I had tears streaming down my face the whole last chapter. I LOVE that the author included facts and information about the three refugee groups that are featured in the book—it made me want to go out and learn more about it. If you still have not picked up this book, please go and do it now! It is worth your time!
#DiverseReads #MrsKempersBooks #IReadYA #MustRead

This was my #BOTM way back in February, but I‘m glad I saved it for a rainy, dreary October. This was a perfect blend of ghost story/thriller/crime fiction—all of my favorite genres rolled into one. I found myself thoroughly creeped out and totally unsure of where it was going! This was a fun, delightfully creepy, perfect for October read.
#MrsKempersBooks

This book. 💕 Rylie‘s story begins with the question: boy or girl. The answer: both. As a gender fluid teen, Rylie is desperate to fit in or, better yet, go unnoticed. When that doesn‘t happen, it is a struggle to keep everything bottled up inside. I loved this story—it is funny, real, heartbreaking, and even though I don‘t identify with Rylie‘s gender identity, I identified with Rylie‘s human experience.
#ReadDiverse #LGBTQMC #IReadYA

An accurate representation of my bookshelf! 😂 Happy Reading Friday, friends! #AccurateBookshelf #HappyFriday

Today‘s my favorite day! Here‘s what I‘m currently reading! What are you reading today?

#NationalReadABookDay #ReadDiverse #LGBTQMC

@hermyknee is my favorite person/litten/friend EVER!!! Even though she is the one who worked so hard for our #TeacherCarePackageSwap she still sent me a little gift! Thank you for this delightful treat—I can‘t wait to dive in! And thank you for being my friend—you are such a wonderful person, and I am truly blessed to know you! #ReadingFriendaAreTheBestFriends #ThankYouGift

This was my first read for my school‘s #DiverseReads challenge, and it did not disappoint. This is the story of Fabiola as she leaves her home country of Haiti to pursue a bright future in America. However within minutes of stepping on American soil her plans are turned upside down. This story is magical, charming, heartbreaking, with a rawness that seems to embody modern YA lit. American Street was a great start to our challenge!

Thank you @MicrobeMom for such a thoughtful box! I love the theme of relaxation and health—something we all need to remind ourselves at the beginning of a new school year!
Thank you thank you!
#TeacherCarePackageSwap

And it‘s officially on its way to Texas! (So if you‘re in Texas and still haven‘t received your package—this is probably for you! 😜) Happy Back to School, friends!
#TeacherCarePackageSwap

August has been a crazy month! We started back to school Wednesday, and I feel like we hit the ground running! To celebrate a great start to the school year, here is my first #FeetUpFriday post!
I have a couple more things to pick up and my #TeacherCarePackage will be on its way to Texas! Happy Back to School, friends!
#TeachersofLitsy #BackToSchool #DiverseReadsChallenge

I love it when my librarian brings me book suggestions! I love that she values my opinions when it comes to the literature we try to provide to our students!

Today was our official back to school meeting, so here we go!
#Back2School #TeachersofLitsy #LitsyLovesLibrarians

Woo-hoo! Look what arrived on my doorstep today!!! Thank you @MicrobeMom I can‘t wait until September 3!
#TeacherCarePackageSwap #Back2School #TeachersofLitsy

Sweet! @Susanita Look what arrived today!
Thank you, again, @Read4life for helping to get our little group back on track!
#WhoDunItByMail

This is my favorite description of both pirates and teachers! You know a book is going to be good when you‘re already chuckling and thinking “Yeah!” (Or “Y‘argh”) in the introduction.
#TeachersofLitsy #TeachLikeAPirate

“Stuff your eyes with wonder...live as if you‘d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It‘s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.”
Understatement of the year: Ray Bradbury had an incredible way with words. The way he wrote—speeding up, slowing down, twisting and turning...awesome. I have to let it process a bit, but I am so excited to read this with my 9th graders this year!

For Back to School I got new glasses! (I also received my Book Nerd shirt from #OutOfPrint so I had to share that as well! Happy Reading, friends! #Back2School #TeachersofLitsy

Thanks for the tag, @hermyknee 😊
1. Mostly “you guys” but after living in Texas for seven years, “y‘all” comes out every once in awhile
2. Three: care-a-mell
3. Litsy, Goodreads, Libby
4. Parade and Fireworks! (It‘s Pioneer Day, or Days of ‘47 weekend here in Utah)
5. No pressure! If you‘re reading this, then consider yourself tagged!
#FriYAYIntro

Y‘all. How do people do school in the summertime? 😭 The research paper I‘m supposed to be writing is super informal and super short, but I can‘t bring myself to even get started! It‘s technically not due until next week, but I just want it done and finished with. (Tagged book is actually pretty awesome!)
#TeachersAsStudentsAreTheWorst #TeachersofLitsy #HelpMe

#BookMail is my favorite mail! And...just because it‘s summer vacation doesn‘t mean that I can‘t get myself ready for B2S! I‘m so excited to dive right on into these books! #TeachersofLitsy #WritingWorkshop

Not really book related (other than I‘m rereading the tagged book), but my mom, sister, and I had a girls night out at Paint Nite! (I‘m in the middle.) We loved painting Delicate Arch so much we made plans for a girls hiking/camping trip there next summer! #PaintNight #DelicateArch #GirlTime

Thank you for the tag, @Susanita 😁
1. Laundry and yard work tomorrow, but Paint Night with my mom and sis on Sunday! The attached pic is what we‘re painting—wish us luck! 😬
2. Both—but I‘m not usually up in time for a sunrise...
3. Ehhh, yes, but I don‘t really like sand. It just gets everywhere, and it makes my hands feel dirty.
4. Dishwater blond is the official name of my natural color
5. Hi, friends! Happy Friday!
#FriYAYIntro

How did I wait so long to read this book!?! I LOVED it! It was clever, funny, sad, and ultimately satisfying! I can‘t wait to read this with my students this year!
#TeachersofLitsy #SummerReads #MrsKempersClass

Hi, friends! If you‘re participating in the #TeacherCarePackageSwap take a look at Target‘s Dollar Spot! It‘s totally speaking my love language right now—here are my finds from this morning!
#BacktoSchool #TeachersofLitsy

Because today is shopping day....🤪
1. Weekly (but my husband does the shopping! Hahahaha)
2. I don‘t like salad, so by default I don‘t like salad dressing (though I will dip the occasional veggie into ranch)
3. Bake I LOVE baking! (My maiden name is Baker)
4. Yes—but I keep it small
5. Tagged book—Jim Gaffigan is my fave!
#TellMeTuesday #HappyEating

A friend‘s mom donated to me a bunch of books for my library, but they were more suited for a middle-aged woman traveling Europe and watching how much bread she eats, so...I took them into Central Book Exchange and was able to exchange them for these books that are more suited for my junior high readers. Plus, technically these books weren‘t available for exchange, but the nice lady gave me a discount since I‘m a teacher! #Score #TeachersofLitsy

I don‘t know if I‘ve ever related more to Calvin... My fellow #TeachersofLitsy with me on this!?! 😂

Hope that everyone is having fun stalking their fellow teachers for our #TeacherCarePackageSwap Remember, if you have any questions/concerns please don‘t hesitate to ask! #HappySummer

I love this—the words create a perfect image of a storm crashing down on Montag. Bradbury‘s writing is phenomenal.

Side note: How have I (a high school English teacher of ten years) never read this book before? #IAmAshamed

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you find some time for you (and reading)!

My Mystery Grab Bag from #OutofPrint came today!!! And while I already own the “When in Doubt” it‘s in my house colors, so this one is still different, and I already have the “Hey Boo,” but I got paint on it and was contemplating getting another one, so this is perfect! Also, I looked up the translation of “Bildungsroman” which means “coming of age novel” which is perfect for me as I teach these types of novels! #BookMail #BookishTees

I am so excited!!!! I received word today that I am one 500 teachers to receive #MetaphorDice from Taylor Mali‘s Kickstarter campaign! This will be so much fun to use with my classes next year! #TeachersofLitsy

Sounds about right! (I liked Jane‘s character, and sometimes I identified more with her than Elizabeth.) And honestly, I‘m just glad I didn‘t get Lydia (or let‘s face it, Kitty)...
Which character are you? https://bookriot.com/2018/06/18/pride-and-prejudice-quiz/
#BookRiotQuiz #CharacterQuiz

I wanted to share my latest @outofprint shirt! I started with The Prisoner of Azkaban because that‘s my favorite book—but Chamber of Secrets is sitting in my cart (along with the latest Book Nerd shirt)... I LOVE these shirts—they are so comfy, and I get away with wearing them at work since I teach English and they promote reading! (At least that‘s how I explained it to my principal.) 😉
#TeachersofLitsy #OutofPrint #BookishTees

Hey #TeachersofLitsy We are so excited about our swap! The fabulous @hermyknee and I will be sending out your matches this week! So keep an eye out! Thank you to all you wonderful people that signed up! This is going to be fun!
#TeacherCareSwapPackage #HappyStalking

My son attended a lacrosse camp this week at the University of Utah, so while waiting I decided to hit up a local Barnes and Noble when I stumbled on this gem! I love little old bookshops—there‘s something comforting about the old-book-smells that waft through the air. Plus they had the cutest shop dog—I loved him! I have a whole box of books I‘m going to take in to trade! #NewtoMeBookstore #HappyReading

#TeachersofLitsy Don‘t forget: Last day to sign up for #TeacherCarePackageSwap
Start the new school year off right with a care package worthy of our incredible Litsy teachers!!!
***OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!***
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKhv9ALWN7cbtSHUbB7Wq-d5eo1RQpGr-vRKmE...

Today‘s the last day to sign up!!!! The incredible @hermyknee and I are so excited to be hosting the #TeacherCarePackageSwap for our wonderful #TeachersofLitsy
***Please include your email address in the notes on the Google form!***
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKhv9ALWN7cbtSHUbB7Wq-d5eo1RQpGr-vRKmE...

A few weeks ago I held a small giveaway to celebrate my #Litsyversary, and it was so wonderful to hear all the wonderful things that we all love about Litsy! Thank you to everyone who participated—I couldn‘t pick just one winner, so I chose two instead! Congratulations @glitterkitty459 and @sammisho the random name picker picked you! Please email me at andkyl4@gmail.com and let me know your addresses and which book(s) you would like from your TBR!

Hi, friends! For those of you who noticed my absence, I‘m so sorry! I‘ve had a rough couple weeks and one of my ways to deal with it was to avoid social media as much as I could, but I feel like I‘m coming out of it, so please be prepared for an onslaught of make-up posts! Love my Litsy family!

#HumpDayPost
1. Seriously. I HATE repeating instructions/directions. However, my students learn that zero tolerance quick, so I don‘t have to as much throughout much of the school year.
2. Westworld (why did I wait so long!?!) and NCIS
3. Black (I‘m boring when it comes to car colors...)
4. Watermelon 🍉 and Corn on the cob (though my tummy can‘t handle corn anymore...)
5. The Puffin in Bloom collection 💕

My librarian asked me to read this book to help determine whether we should keep it on our shelves (Davis County, Utah can be pretty conservative). Absolutely we should keep this on the shelf. Knowing that my state ranks highest in teen suicides, I think it‘s important that ALL students are reflected in what they read, and that they know they are loved. This was a cute story about being true to yourself.
#IReadYA #ReadDiverse #TeachersofLitsy

We‘ve spent the weekend at Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino National Forest, and today was the first decently warm day where I could lay in the hammock and read! So while the rest of the fam is kayaking at the lake, I am in my happy place. #ReadingWeekend #IReadYA #LakeLife