This just in!

#kidlit for the win! They closed my library so I could sub for a first grade teacher. She wanted a math lesson where the kids could write math phrases about a picture, but she was sick and her plans were incomplete. Thank dog I have all the books! I may be the only one who checks out the Anno books. I imagine the next librarian will weed them.

Our WiFi goes out 3 days at a time. Instead of reading, I've been crocheting. I need to download an audio book before the next outage. I made myself start a book though. I think the Good Earth will get me out of this slump. Here's my first One with my first attempt at a blanket.

For Native American heritage month I read #WCCPBA Powwow Day by Traci Sorrell. We watched a couple of videos about Powwows because about 30% of my students indicated no knowledge of what a powwow is. They LOVED this https://youtu.be/eI2gnTZh0-I?feature=shared

#weirdwordwednesday follow-up with @CBee and @Amiable

Here's my Google results for the history of window. I wouldn't have shared except I find it fascinating. Have a happy Thursday! Please tag the other weird word lovers.

Ame Dyckman is on my list of authors I'd like to hang out with. Her books are so funny. Parents may enjoy the humor more than the kids though. It was fun hearing the kids react to the chair tipping or the booger page. Not so much fun having them interrupt the flow of the read with their pronunciation of dinosaur name corrections. Everyone stumbled when they read aloud, even me.

Featured this week, an RL Stine picture book. Some kids tensed up that the book would be scary. I comforted them saying how when I was a kid Scooby Doo stressed me out. This book will make kids squeal with disgust and it's a tongue twister at times.

One perk. Scholastic sent a tote to show their appreciation because I agreed to host another fair. I'm so tired of totes. But our speech pathologist is also a seamstress who refuses to take money for turning totes or anything I bring her into something the kids can use. Check out my stellar book faerie. Most of the kids don't know that this fair was a bust.

So much to unpack here. I think this would be a great book to use while teaching wants vs. needs. It's typical Reynolds.

Almost overlooked! This is a folk tale told by the author Carmen Agra Deedy. I've read her Library Dragon outloud 200 times. So my students were intrigued. A little like There was an old Woman, but with the snip of the Grimm's huntsman in Little Red Cap, I don't want to spoil it, but the kids gasped more than once. I heard, "is this real?" First clue, the parrot bakes 100 Cuban crackers.

For those of you who do book fair, this is how 2 of my crates arrived. They gave me one extra restock, but when I went to use it, they argued that I exceeded the limit. Some books advertised never showed up. I was never offered the diversity case. Did not receive any books from that case. Most books were old. Any new books came with just 4 to 7 copies.

Not pleased. This was one of the few new books at my book fair. It was a bust. My 16th and possibly the worst if you correct for the pandemic. I hope it's not a sample of supply chain shortages and consumer confidence. But the lowest moment this week was finding this grammatical error. I'm still coming to terms with third person plural pronouns used as a singular. I'm doing my best. Please. We can't start replacing objects with subjects.

Student art after reading The Boy Who Loved Maps. I don't think they fully appreciated the friendship in the story and there were whispers that it was romance. But I sensed that the MC nearly broke out in hives from the antagonist's tendency toward fiction. My kids were deaf to me suggesting that the MC just loved something new that they usually wouldn't agree to try. Nominated for the 2024 #WCCPBA

I used the video where Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen read their version of BGG so that I could take a break. But I love reading the story. It's so fun to read trip trap trip trap trip trap and modify your voice for each goat. I read the Galdone version to the younger students. I'm always amazed by how many students come to elementary school never having read some 398.2s. Nominated for the 2024 #WCCPBA

Popping in from my Internet-fast or unintended social media break to share a picture of this adorable library patron.

My Internet is constantly in the soup, so I'm having trouble visiting Litsy as much as I'd like. Fur the first day of autumn, I ran out and rescued a Pomeranian mix. My golden, Beezus, is a little stunned. Pom pom's name is Montie Sunshine and he's settling in. Happy equinox! 🍂🍁#dogsoflitsy

The kids loved how this opened up a chance to talk about how loud things can be annoying (or scary). 2024 #WCCPBA nominee. We designed our perfect parties on the back of our coloring pages. Older students noted the literal devices such as onomatopoeia.

Higgins is hysterical. I was wrapping new books and had to pause and visit the #underthedustcover cover and then of course read the book. Higgins provides coloring pages! https://books.disney.com/book-author/ryan-t-higgins/#activiti...

My school year is off to a good start. I'm already 3 books in on a 3 day rotation. The Library Dragon is still a favorite. I hope everyone is doing well. I've been too busy to enjoy much social media.

Nominated for the 2024 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award, this will be a fun one for the kids. I think we may have to start by talking about where the Gobi is and what a legend is. I hope I don't get parent calls about nightmares like when I read Little Red Riding Hood. I know some students will LOVE this. #endpapers #maps #mongolia

Nominated for the 2024 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award, I may read this early in the year to set the standard for how loud we should party in the library. The publisher includes an activity page with discussion guide and coloring book pages! Thank them for that. https://www.kidscanpress.com/Creators/kelly-collier/

Nominated for the 2024 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award. It will be fun to see how many students have attended a real Powwow. I wonder if any of them could name the equivalent Native American event locally here in the Pacific Northwest. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is relatable. 🇺🇲 The author and illustrator are Native American.

I love a good early reader! Let me just make a text to text connection by saying, this is Go Dog Go meets Barnacle is Bored. If kids can rhyme they can figure out the new words in this book.

My Kindle said I could read this in 2 hours. It took me 19 days. I was reminded of Misery by Stephen King, Charlotte's Web, Little Red Riding Hood, the Gingerbread Man, Pax. I wondered if Erin Hunter fans would love it or hate it. I still need to read Allergic. I gave it a lot of stars because I don't think I'll forget this book.

Extra points for thar bein' a map! 🏴‍☠️
I thought this was a funny book, lots of surprises. But the map really topped it off. This graphic novel is really for everybody, it's cute, easy to read, and it has monsters.

Not my usual genre, but I thought I'd get out of my comfort zone. Not just a gaming story, it visits the culture of gaming with friends online, moving to a new timezone/school and romance. It would be a good addition to my #rainbowlibrary

I loved the illustrations in this book about limiting plastic use to save our oceans. Kids who live near beaches can relate to the MC Isley (I 💕 her name, too). Did you know that sea turtles love jellies? Plastic bags look just like jellyfish. This book leaves kids inspired to make a difference. I think it would be interesting for kids who don't live near the beach to research how their plastic could end up in the ocean. Because it does.

This is a funny counting book that explores the infinite possibilities of zero. #underthedustcover

This reads like "My first geology" book, it's cute, but I think it's above its target audience. I could see reading this to students who are just beginning to learn about continental drift, but I could also see it being challenged for giving the main character god-like creation powers. Maybe read while making play dough continents and volcanos.

Nominated for the 2024 #WCCPBA, Friends are Friends, Forever is a lovely story about the immigration experience that would be nice to share during the lunar new year. It includes an extension of the usual snow flake activity that students will love.

Nominated for the 2024 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award, Frog vs. Toad is an easy to follow demonstration of how frogs differ from toads. It might lead to some Venn diagrams and discussion of differentiation and adaptations. Do not expect back matter with more information. It's not like Frog and Toad. There will be mud. I might read this to my 5th graders just before they go to middle school...

Nominated for the 2024 #WCCPBA, Chickadee Criminal Mastermind follows a formula where a bird tells a story about how it turned to crime followed by some back matter with facts about chickadees. I like that it is a bird we encounter at our school and students will recognize its call.

Nominated for the 2024 #WCCPBA, A Walk in the Words carries an important message. I'm always open with my students about my learning disability and how it's not okay to shame people who need more time. The illustrations support the message in this story so well, but of course, I'm partial to Godzilla.

Nominated for the 2024 #WCCPBA The creature of habit will be fun to explore with the kids. I may ask them to draw the 2 characters based on their description before reading. It will be fun to hear them share their habits. I wonder how many will admit they only eat chicken nuggets and macaroni? #endpapers

I'm not the target audience for this book. I was irritated by the way it flowed. I may be a little tired of the concept. I'm sure a family with a Dino-obsessed kid will enjoy it. I hate writing bad reviews.

I love this book! I think every primary teacher needs a copy. It has a wheel of emotion in the back, which would go well with a lesson I already do. I want posters from this book for my classroom. Why am I so excited? When I was a student getting my MIT, someone told me that boys can't express their feelings. Kids need to see themselves! #everybodybooks
#endpapers

"I Like to Read Comics" is similar to the "I Can Read" franchise, except it's not obvious what grade level each book is or misleading for parents who do not read the label key. It should appeal to parents by being easy to read. The red thread draws the eye through the book. Kids will love the graphics. It may be too elementary for the reluctant reader. If they took the franchise label off, it would just be a good book.

Planning for the coming school year, and this book has me thinking about my kids and what they need. This quote caught me:
Abdul asks, "Why write his stories anyway? The people and places in his school books never looked or sounded like the people or places he knew." I love that Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow is changing the world one book at a time. I can't wait to hear what the kids think!

Nominated for the 2024 #WCCPBA
I had no idea what this book would be about and loved that it's a story about a student who struggles. I struggle. I see kids struggle. And there's always someone who persists, "it's so easy!" Which just crushes you. Never say it's easy. Never say it's hard. Not if it's necessary.

I think John Parra is an illustrator/author worthy to follow. I loved his book Green is a Chile Pepper. Nominated for the 2024 WCCPBA, I'll be reading the tagged book to all my students in the next school year. I'll let you know what they think! #WCCPBA #endpapers

I have more than 6 books checked out - so that's weird. All but 2 are picture books and 100% children's lit. The 11 holds are all #WCCPBA nominees. My school year does not start until the 28th and the kids don't come until after Labor Day. Planning is not going as planned though.

Like Frog and Toad for the advanced reader. More complicated and full of anthropomorphisms. Where can I get a paw-pie? If I were a classroom teacher, I'd use this as a read-aloud. The song featured at the end, I had to look up. Here it is https://youtu.be/kmtuRQMoB90

I think I have loved every Amy Timberlake book I have ever read. I just checked, I only have one left to read... because now Skunk and Badger have a sequel!

Too long to read aloud to a class in my setting, but I could see students who like narrative nonfiction enjoying this. The word count is high enough that it could be reformatted as a short chapter book. The illustrations are beautiful. This is actually a good example of a picture book for older students, which is ironic because people push older students away from picture books.

I had a feeling when I found this at the library that it was going to make me cry. I didn't expect how much, though. The whole book killed me. It makes a great gift for your true love. I wish I had had the hope page when I was 33. The sadness page has me reframing my focus on comfort.

I just discovered Nabela Noor Martin and Nabi H. Ali. Their book, Beautifully Me, is about a little girl suddenly noticing negative body image comments and internalizing them. #Bangladeshi #muslim #pocketsofpeace

Donated to my school library by a 🇵🇷 mom who wants to see her kids represented 😊. This book tells the story about how AOC became the youngest woman in Congress. If you are worried about politics, this book is not about her politics. The author presented a story that includes #grit and #perseverance. The illustrator captured her eyes. #puertorico #underthedustcover
End matter includes discussing guide, links, & glossary

Beautiful illustrations with only a few words. This book seems to be a nod to Alice in Wonderland. Oddly, I've never read that. When I look at this book, I wonder what I've missed. For example, I love the little girl's dress, which is from the pages of AinW. What else would I find if I knew more?

After reading Vanderbilts, it occurred to me to read something by Capote. It's possible I've never seen the 🎬. Pop culture is strong. The book reminded me of Wuthering Heights. I kept wondering, how did the narrator get there? The authors tell us. What is the literary device for dropping narrators into a story to spy on the characters? Gaining instant confidence, I imagine them in trench coats with a pencil & notebook.

I deleted Twitter from my phone, and as soon as I get the motivation, I'll deactivate my account. I only had 78 followers, but I liked how it automatically shared from goodreads. I enjoyed the connection I was making with authors, but the platform was becoming too unstable. I joined threads. I'm not happy that it's just Meta. Hopefully, it satisfies my Twitter needs. #dogsoflitsy reading chair thief! So guilty of being cute!

Anxiety.
If you've lived with it long enough, you might not even notice it. Maybe your anxiety isn't a problem for you. It's only a problem when people point it out. You were like, "I'm cool." Just before someone says, "Oh, I bet that triggered your anxiety!" What?