Twitterville Talk #65

Here in northern Michigan leaves have been falling for several weeks, probably due to the lack of rain.  Fall is definitely casting her colors as trees are starting to turn.  Seasons shift, school is back in session.  Tweeps love for books, reading, what's best for our students and the latest in technology is constant all around the world.  It's amazing to connect with so many gifted, knowledgeable people.  Happy weekend, happy reading.

Those who enjoy and rely on social networks to provide professional and personal connections have to be careful not to get too much of a good thing.

Where do you fit on this graph, The World at Seven Billion.  Amazing.

Thanks to Debbie Alvarez, adventurer, librarian and blogger at The Styling Librarian who tweeted about these links.






Wouldn't it be cool to have one of these in every library or better yet in your home?
Reading Nook

Thanks to Reading Kingdom for this link.





No surprise here.  The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom has been nominated for the Amelia Bloomer Project.  My review of this outstanding, laugh-out-loud title by Christopher Healy is here.

Thanks to the author himself for this tweet.







Hey, kiddos hurry over to A Rabbit & Robot Online Contest hosted by the author/illustrator herself.

Thanks to Cece Bell for this tweet and the contest.




For fans of the Origami Yoda books, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Darth Paper Strikes Back and The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, written by Tom Angleberger this is good news.  Follow this link to get a copy of pre-printed Wookiee paper.

Thanks to Tom Angleberger for this tweet.


William Joyce, author/filmmaker, has a new series, The Guardians.  Several of the chapter books in the series as well as one of the picture books have been released.  This news just adds to the reading experience, 'Rise of the Guardians' to Receive Animation Prize at 16th Hollywood Film Awards (Exclusive).

The Most Loved Children's Books is one nifty infographic.

Fans will do anything, Airtime Assault #70: Hunger Games Fan Transforms his Lawn into a Mockingjay.

Thanks to Children's Bookshelf of Publishers Weekly for these tweets.

Don't forget to head over to the Scholastic website just for educators.  Of course this link was graciously supplied by the team at Scholastic.




It's already heating up at the Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog with the first post, Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!  I anticipate and look forward to some lively discussions.

Thanks to School Library Journal for this tweet.

The 365 day journey hosted by Candlewick Press, We Believe In Picture Books has started.   Each day a video will be posted proclaiming the importance and value of this artistic joys in the field of literature.

Thanks so much for this endeavor and for providing the link, Candlewick Press.




On September 5, 2012 from 8-9 PM EST large numbers of dedicated readers and educators participated in an online book chat hosted by John Schumacher and Colby Sharp.
Here is the archive of this month's chat about the incredible Newbery book, Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson.

Thanks to Mr. Schu, librarian and blogger at Watch. Connect. Read., for providing the archive and hosting this show with Mr. Colby Sharp, 4th grade teacher, reader extraordinaire and blogger at sharpread.





Not quite the record but Overdue Library Book Returned After 78 Years, During Chicago Library's Amnesty Period.

Thanks to Huffington Post for the article and link.






On September 15, 2012 International Dot Day, Make Your Mark...Make It Matter will be celebrated.  Peter Reynolds, author and illustrator, of Dot, Ish and Sky Color (among others) is the mind behind this celebrations.  Click here for resources to this not-to-be-missed event.

Thank you Peter H. Reynolds!

Did you know September Is National Library Card Sign-Up Month?  60 Ways to Use Your Library Card


Thanks to Reading Rockets for this tweet.

There's going to be a whole bunch of happy gals and guys when October, 2012 comes around.  Until then Penguin Kids has posted this video.


What follows are some of my favorite thoughts and quotes of the week.

"Good books don't give up all their secrets at once." - Stephen King
— Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) September 2, 2012

Picking a new book to read is always scary and exciting, isn't it? You want SO BADLY to love it, for the time spent together to be great.
— Kristin Tubb (@ktubb) September 3, 2012

My students are clapping for new books.
— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) September 6, 2012

We write our books by the light of torch @judyblume carried ahead of us #JudySaves
— C. Alexander London (@ca_london) September 7, 2012

Cooking Up Dreams

On any given day children can be seen puttering in the sand and water along a beach; splashing, digging with shovels, hauling treasures in their pails and designing masterpieces in the sand.  They crave fashioning mud pies in neighborhoods after a rain and from the earliest ages have more fun than anyone I know, playing with their food. (except perhaps for the infamous food fights in college) Given these observations it takes no stretch of the imagination to see them eager to extend those skills into the kitchen arena.

Can a young boy's flavorful fancies become a delicious reality?  Renowned Chef Tyler Florence has authored, with illustrations by author/illustrator Craig Frazier, a book, Tyler Makes Pancakes! (HarperCollins Children's Books, April 2012) inviting a younger reading audience to discover the excitement of whipping up a breakfast favorite.  Open the covers of this book to see how an enterprising child spends his morning, with great joy, gathering ingredients, mixing them together and cooking a parent-pleasing meal.

Awakening Tyler looks at his dog, Tofu, telling him of a true gourmet's dream he's had, flying through a pancake-filled space in a pancake spaceship.  At this point the little guy has a definite craving for pancakes.  Shopping list in hand, he sets off for the local market on his bike with his constant canine companion.

Mr. Jones, the grocer is more than willing to lend a helping hand.  As each of the items are gathered, eggs, buttermilk, butter, flour, blueberries and maple syrup, Tyler and readers discover the origins of each.  Homeward bound, Mr. Jones adds cantaloupe and bacon to the basket of goodies.

In the kitchen trading his baseball cap for a tall chef's hat, Tyler gets down to business.  Step by careful step the batter is mixed and ready for the pan.  Dad pops in just in time to assist at the stove.  One satisfied cook admires his golden stacks and already has plans for his next food creation.

Tyler Florence's passion for the culinary arts and his desire to make it accessible to children are evident in his careful, clear and simple storyline.  The one-way conversations Tyler has with Tofu are delightful.  Tyler's questions about each of the ingredients and Mr. Jones's patient, informative replies are easy to understand.

"What's next?" asked Mr. Jones.
"Buttermilk--whatever that is.  Is it butter, or is it milk?  Does it come from a butter cow?" asked Tyler.
"Nope. Buttermilk come from regular cows," said Mr. Jones.  "And guess what?  There is no butter in buttermilk!..."

Illuminating this tale of gastronomic goodness are the pure, pleasurable illustrations of Craig Frazier.  There is such warmth in every scene you can almost smell the pancakes cooking.  The two-tone toasty brown front and hearty blue back endpapers are peppered with ingredients, kitchen utensils and the occasional dog bone.  Within the book stark white pages highlight his colorful palette of blues, golden yellows, browns, reds, greens and spot colors of orange.

Some of his visuals extend across two pages but most are single pages highlighting the events of Tyler and Tofu.  Humor is evident in every sequence through the antics of the slightly chubby pooch; Tofu's dream is of landing on a celestial surface planting a flag with a bone in its center, on the ride to the market he dreams of riding in the basket instead of running alongside, or in the fruit section all we see is the tip of his nose balancing a single blueberry.  Each time Mr. Jones explains, he asks Tyler to imagine the place from where the food item comes.  Pictures show all three characters gathering in the fresh products. My favorite without question is taping the sap for maple syrup in the snowy woods of Vermont.

I was overjoyed to discover that Tyler Makes Pancakes! is the first of three planned books by Tyler Florence with pictures by Craig Frazier.  The inclusion of the recipe, Tyler's Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, in the back along with some extra Did You Know? further facts is the perfect touch to an already delectable title.  This charming story invites investigations into other food item beginnings, states where products are grown, kitchen safety, or following a recipe.  I love this book more than pancakes; it's going in my cookbook collection.

To venture into the realm of Tyler Florence's culinary world follow the link embedded in his name above.  The first link to Craig Frazier is his main website.  The second link farther down is to his website devoted to his picture books.

This link is to the HarperCollins site where you can browse inside the book.  Julie Danielson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast has two posts (maybe more) about the work of Craig Frazier here and here.  Enjoy the video below showcasing the book's release and more.

What Could Be...

To open the cover and read the first page of a new book with a mounting sense of anticipation is the best kind of adventure.  In that moment anything is possible; before you know it you are places you've never been with beings you've never known experiencing events, thoughts, dialogues or emotions you find unique or familiar.  That is the lure, the gift of books and the pure fascination of reading whether it's fiction or fact.

Curiosity and speculation about the future have been an intriguing theme in literature for centuries.  Author John Claude Bemis, creator of The Clockwork Dark trilogy, brings to readers his vision of a possible tomorrow.  The Prince Who Fell From The Sky (Random House, May 2012) shifts the perspective to animals left in a world after a catastrophic event removes all human life.

The Forest was green with summer when the bear lumbered up from the creek bed where she had been cooling off.  As she crested the bank, she paused to sniff. The air was heavy with the scent of new life.
Moist smells. Earthy smells. Flowery smells.
And mixed with them was the sweet aroma of death.

The bear, Casseomae, is an outcast from her own clan, having lost more than one group of cubs, labeling her cursed.  Living in the Forest which is littered with relics from human (Skinless Ones, Old Devils) civilization, she makes her own way without fear.  The iron rule of Ogeema, the leader of the wolves, crosses each and every boundary within the Forest; the Forest having overgrown any remnant of the Skinless Ones' existence. It is said and perpetuated the wolves rid the Forest of the blight of the Old Devils.

One morning agents of the wolves, coyotes, have trapped a rat named Dumpster, who should be living in a nearby city ruin. Casseomae's interception on behalf of Dumpster is suddenly and loudly interrupted by the appearance of a huge flying object roaring to a crash on the Forest floor.  Inside this spacecraft are beings whose should not be.  All are dead but one.

Against her better judgment and the objections of inhabitants in the Forest, Casseomae travels to find a safe place for this human child.  Accompanying her on this quest, is Dumpster searching for the rest of his mischief (group) which have fled the city hoping to find the Havenlands.  They are being pursued with murderous intent by the wolves, coyotes and an assassin; the child must not be allowed to live.

Aided only by Dumpster's knowledge of most things human (he is his mischief's Memory) and Casseomae's maternal instincts, the trio make their way across unfamiliar territory.  Initially to the animals' dismay and the child's joy, a Companion, one of the despised, a dog named Pang, is discovered tracking them.  His additional knowledge, quick thinking and loyalty prove his worth many times over.  The threesome is now four.

As each page is turned the gap between the hunted and the hunters gets narrower and narrower.  Heart-pounding chase scenes, barely escaping death time and time again, members of the group move closer to what each is seeking.  Navigating in this alien, futuristic landscape with a communication barrier between the animals and child as well as encounters with bewildering and terrifying creatures, increases the tension tenfold as the story races toward a startling conclusion.

John Claude Bemis has built a world both powerful in its suggestiveness and captivating in its possibilities with his imagination and use of language.  Seeing this future portrayed through the eyes of the remaining animals gives credence to (parallels) ecological issues already being faced today.  Detailed descriptions of the setting and the animal hierarchy coupled with the conversations between the characters, especially the snarky comments by the rat, contribute to the appeal of this skillfully wrought story.

Here are a couple of passages.

"You've not got me yet, you dung-heads," the rat said, twitching his whiskers as he peered down at the circling coyotes.  "You know what you got? You mess with Dumpster and you've got spittin' trouble.  Nothing but spittin' trouble!"

Later in the night she was woken by a scent.  The moon had set, and the Forest was dark and resounding with insect song.  She stepped from the ruins.  The acrid smell was from a canine.

When she reached Dumpster, she saw they were standing on one of those paths, but one much bigger than any she'd seen before.  Toward the setting sun, side-by-side trails of broken rock disappeared into the Forest, each path as wide as a river.  Surveying the other direction, Casseomae was amazed to see that the twin paths rose above the treetops.

The Prince Who Fell From The Sky created by John Claude Bemis is a dangerous journey, by survivors left on Earth intent on reaching their goal, readers will eagerly follow. It defies genre barriers combining science fiction, fantasy and adventure.  I can't help but wonder (hope) if there will be another related title.

For further information about the author follow the link embedded in his name above.  Follow this link to the Random House website featuring this title.

Connected Through the History of Our Lives

Under the heading of Content Resources using the following Standards for 21st Century Learners, 2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information, 2.4.4 Develop directions for future investigations and 3.1.2 Participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network of learners, the American Association of School Librarians selected six websites for the 2012 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning 2012.  One of those sites named is Historypin.  In the about section the creators of Historypin state:

Historypin is a way for millions of people to come together, from across different generations, cultures and places, to share small glimpses of the past and to build up the huge story of human history.

This UK based not-for-profit company, We Are What We Do, has partnered with Google to provide its services.  Without cost to users they request that parent or guardian permission be obtained by anyone under the age of 16.  If this is to be used in a classroom setting, whether one account is accessed by many or accounts by individual students are established, consent must be acquired.

To register you must have a Google email account.  Across the top of the home page in the upper right-hand corner is a series of buttons.  If you already have an account click the Login tab.  When you have entered in your password, the next screen asks your permission for Historypin to use your email address only.

When you have allowed permission you are taken to your channel on Historypin.  Your channel gives an overview of everything you have done on Historypin.  At this page you can pin, view your tours (a series of content linked together), collections (groups of pins by topic, theme or event) or statistics as well as altering your account or channel settings.  In your channel settings you can add a link to your blog, post your Twitter name, or link to your Facebook or Google+ accounts.

You can also upload photos/logo to add to your profile, a banner across the top or as a background image.  There are several choices of two-tone color choices for borders and text.  If you choose (which I recommend) to go into the account and channel settings and make changes, the list of options/recommendations in the center also changes.  You are encouraged to pin, create a collection or tour, explore the map or see other people's channels.

Before pinning I wanted to explore the map.  When that choice is selected another screen is superimposed on the map asking you for a username, whether you accept the terms and conditions, are 16 or older or have permission and if you desire Historypin emails and notifications sent to you.  An email is quickly sent asking for confirmation of your registration to the list.

At the map you can search for pins by place, narrowing the search down by date or subject.  You can choose to have the thumbnails shown or not and go to full screen.  You can manipulate the map by zooming in and out, by clicking and dragging it, using the directional button or switch to satellite view.

There were no pins in my hometown nor in my current location.  I decided to try some pins using photographs taken by my father during WWII when he was stationed on Adak, Shemya Island and Attu in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska.  Photographs must be digital.

When I had the photos in digital format I clicked Pin.  At the next screen you are asked if you want to add photos, video or audio.  To add video or audio it must be uploaded to YouTube, listing it as public, using the long link at the share button and then posting the video/audio link into the pin.

To add images to your channel click photos under the I want to add.  A new page appears.  Shrink your Historypin window opening up your Pictures folder on your computer, shrinking it also.  All you need to do is click and drag the photos from your picture folder to the Historypin page.  They upload automatically.  (Historypin asks that .jpg and .png files be 5MB or less.)

At this point you can add more images, delete images, pin them to the map, or pin them later.  I decided to jump right in and begin to pin.  When you click Pin to map a new window pops up asking you to give the selected picture a title, description and tags, separated by commas.  By default your images are copyright protected.

In order for the picture to actually be pinned you must know the approximate date and place.  If the image was taken at "street view" it will be blended  with Google Street View.  When you are done you are asked if you wish to share your pins via 318+ various social networks, blog formats, curation tools, email, by creating a PDF document or printing it out.

Here is a link to the channel which I created showing pictures taken on Adak and Shemya Island between September 16, 1942 and June 3, 1943.  To see them on the map click on either the pink Map or Explore the Map tabs.  Enter in either Adak or Shemya.

When you click on a pinned image it enlarges from the thumbnail.  If you mouse over the image you will have the ability to zoom in and view it in more detail.  By clicking on the small notepad with pencil in the lower right-hand corner numerous options for collaboration and connection are presented.



When you are logged in you can always edit or delete your work.  There are very thorough, extensive FAQ and How To Guide sections making this a user-friendly application.  You will be hard-pressed to find a better tool for documenting family histories, a community history or perhaps the history of your school building.  Historypin is one of those websites where you could spend hours creating and still not want to leave. Thank you AASL.

Monster Moments

What is it exactly about monsters that kids find so fascinating, scary and most of the time, fun?  Books about Nessie and Bigfoot are rarely on the shelves, constantly checked out as soon as they are returned.  At Halloween one of the most popular stories I tell to my older students is The Night of the Sasquatch.

Monsters, more home-grown, are said to be in closets or under the bed.  Oh, yes, I remember the days of not hanging any portion of my body over the bed at night; you couldn't be too careful.  Monsters come in all shapes, sizes and dispositions but the best kind of monsters are full of surprises.

Patrick McDonnell, Caldecott Honor winner for Me...Jane, illustrator of the popular Mutts comic strip and other books containing those irresistibly lovable characters, has written and illustrated a new title for us to enjoy.  The Monsters' Monster (Little, Brown and Company), recently released, is one of those stories where sometimes what you want is not what you need.  You never know, based on the exterior, what the interior will reveal.

Grouch, Grump, and little Gloom 'n' Doom thought they were monsters.

If living in huge, gloomy castle perched on a tall, formidable mountain casting a shadow on a charming village below counts as monster criteria, these three fit the bill.  They're loud (smash, crash and bash), constantly cranky and definitely negative; no being their favorite word. Whining about nothing, having fits of anger, moaning in woe, and fighting about who is the most monstrous of all has their calendar filled in month after month.

Then the trio hatch a plan to construct---

The biggest, baddest monster EVER!

In true Frankenstein style, during a dark and story night, their wrapped giant is lifted into the air, lightning striking him into life.  Amid the elated cheers of Grouch, Grump and little Gloom and Doom, this colossal creation staggers forward arms outstretched.  Uttering two words which completely flabbergasts his new companions, he gathers them up in a group hug.

The Monster opens the window letting in the sunny morning light, he greets all the creepy crawlies in the room and in a burst of true gratitude crashes through the wall.  Oh boy, the threesome are gleeful now; this is true-blue monster behavior.  They follow him down the mountain, down the street and wait restlessly outside a shop.

Where are the screams and moans of despair and fright?  In silence he leaves, bag in hand.  Like cars on a train they follow him to the beach. In the stillness of the sunrise they receive his treats, speaking what they have learned and...being monsters is the last thing on their minds.

The cadence of Patrick McDonnell's narrative sometimes using repetition, rhyme, a series of  questions or a single word, all carefully selected, is magical. The sentences and phrases roll right off your tongue into your storytelling heart, a smile beginning to form on your face.  Readers become a part of the tale so much so that when it ends, they want to stay.

Opening up the book's jacket on the back the three little troublemakers are hopping around, arms raised  wondering what they could possibly have done.  The gray on the jacket is deepened on the cover with only a single, different visual on the front taken from the book.  The orange with black endpapers suggest storm clouds in the front and a sun rising above the sea in the back.

I love the heavy paper used in making this book, beginning with a gray tone background which becomes lighter, warmer near the end.  Despite the dusky, muted hues for most of the book, there is a playfulness present in the splashes of black ink, the monsters' movements and facial expressions (some will elicit peals of laughter).  Full page closeups, two page spreads, small vignettes, go hand-in-hand with the text, complimenting every descriptive thought, action or piece of dialogue.

Patrick McDonnell has written and illustrated a story filled with the improbable becoming possible; a peek at what an attitude of gratitude can bring.  The Monsters' Monster is a visual joy filled to the brim with zip, zap and wow.  For Halloween this title is perfect but really any time of the year will do, because readers just can't get enough of those monsters.

Here is a link to an interview with Patrick McDonnell about this book at Publishers Weekly.

You...Wonderful You!

There are children longing for parents.  There are parents wishing for children.  When a match is made, it's serendipity.

Springfield Zoo has been the setting for two upbeat and inviting stories, Wild About Books (Knopf, 2004) and ZooZical (Knopf, 2011), both written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Marc Brown.  Their third book, Wild About You! (Alfred A. Knopf, August 2012) is a continuation of what readers have come to expect as the cheerful blend of pulsing poetry and animated illustrations.  Those now familiar faces have become excited about books, reading, writing and libraries, expanding their musical abilities and now, parenting with a capital "P".

Who's new at the zoo?
Brand-new babies, that's who!
Some popped from their mamas.  Some hatched out of eggs.
Some walked right away on their long, wobbly legs.

Amid all these new offspring, who do tend to hide from their moms and dads, there are three animals at the zoo with nothing to do, the tree kangaroo and the pandas.  It does not matter to them if their children are like them, any kind would be perfect.  When an Endangered Species Rescue truck pulls into the zoo, speculation and hope rise.

The crew at the zoo gathers 'round to see...a box, a box with an egg inside.  None of the feathered friends are willing to try but the tree kangaroo steps right up, placing it in her pouch.  When the egg, after weeks, cracks open, love flows around the unexpected newcomer.

Puffins and flamingos offer assistance as the little fledgling makes its first move.  Still down in the dumps are the panda duo.  Is there no little critter in need of a helping paw or two?  What's that?  Did they hear a mew?

There is definitely something very special about the poetry of Judy Sierra when she's writing about the Springfield Zoo.  Her rhymes have a rhythm, never forced but flowing freely.  When read silently but even more so when read aloud, it's a jazzy, toe-tapping, finger-snapping tale.

Marc Brown is in tip-top form rendering his illustrations on prepared wooden panels with watercolor, gouache and colored pencils. I was captured as soon as I saw the cover, breaking into a smile and opening it to see the happy, curious zoo inhabitants gathered around an egg.  Endpapers with a scratchy, blue background provide a nest for eggs in various stages of opening as a tiny kitten peeks from behind.

The striped lettering on the cover and title page puts the wild in wild as babies sit on top.  With only a couple of exceptions all of the visuals are spread across two pages in colors exuding a glowing warmth; enhancing the theme of Sierra's narrative.  Even when not smiling, which is infrequent at Springfield Zoo, Brown manages to convey a sense of wonder, community and harmony on the faces of the animals.  While I would gladly frame many of the illustrations, if I could frame only two pages, it would be the last two; sheer delight.

Readers are going to love visiting Springfield Zoo again in Wild About You! by Judy Sierra with pictures by Marc Brown.  The more readers discover in nonfiction reading about the animal kingdom, the more they will understand the compatibility shown by the text and illustrations within the pages of this title.  One can't help but think (as I did in the two previous books), how is this like or unlike our world?

Twitterville Talk #64

Twenty-four/seven Twitter is in constant flux providing insights and support.  It is a community of committed, amazing individuals.  Enjoy your long weekend everyone and keep reading.


The only thing that comes in a close second to my love of reading is the watching of movies.  So when I read that some very special YA books might be hitting the silver screen, I tend to get excited.  Trylle Trilogy, "The False Prince,' more optioned for films.

Daniel Radcliff talks to J. K. Rowling:  Exclusive Video  This is very nice, very nice indeed.

Thanks to Scholastic for these tweets.




As a reminder check out this poster, Reader's Bill of Right, Daniel Pennac.

Thanks for posting this tweet, School Library Journal.








The question was asked and the results are in.  What Is The Best Novel Ever Written? (VOTE)

Thanks to Reading Is Fundamental for this tweet.







How much do you remember about Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys?  Try this online quiz.

Thanks to KidLit Mysteries for this tweet.








Last year the middle grade novel, Wonder R. J. Palacio so moved me I bought a copy for all the teachers in my building.  This year many schools around the United States are using it as an all school read.  This is the image on a wall in one teacher's classroom.

Thanks to Colby Sharp, co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club and fourth grade teacher in Michigan who blogs at sharpread.



I can only imagine how much better it would be to read when sitting in one of these seats.
The library patrons in this school are very lucky.

Do you have your credit card handy?  Head over to 10 to Note: Fall Preview 2012

Travis's Excellent (Ereader) Adventure

This is an over-the-top video put together by Travis Jonker and Elizabeth Bird.  Picture books rule! A Conversation in Books (Literally)

Thanks to Travis Jonker, teacher librarian in Michigan, blogger at 100 Scope Notes and newest addition as a blogger at School Library Journal for these tweets and posts.







This is a wonderful list of Top Read Aloud Books starring Mighty Girls.

Thanks to Debbie Alvarez, teacher librarian and blogger at The Styling Librarian.




Some years you become more attached to the Newbery winners than other years.  When this title won, I cheered.  Watch Neil Gaiman Read 'The Graveyard Book'

Thank to HarperCollins for this tweet.



Make sure you go and pledge to read at Jumpstart! Read for the Record.  Here is a link to a fun activity collaborating with the music person in your building.

These tweets are courtesy of John Schumacher, teacher librarian and blogger at Watch. Connect. Read.




Food and books are one of the best combinations.  Check out Foods From Children's Books:  Turkish Delight, Butterbeer and More.

Thanks to HuffPost Books for this tweet.








Friday night marked the rising of the second full moon of the month, a blue moon.  While the next few tweets might not seem to have anything to do with books and reading, libraries or technology trends, I believe they do.  They represent the life of a man who made a significant difference, a man who contributed to the story of American life.  When Xena and I took our final walk of the day, I looked toward the night sky and winked at that moon.

RT @imaguitarist: bit.ly/imaguitarist - Top 5 Moon Songs ~ A Tribute to Neil Armstrong: First Man On The Moon DL: wp.me/p11A4B-rF
— Joanne Manaster (@sciencegoddess) August 26, 2012

Good Neil Armstrong Quote bit.ly/PczWt4
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) August 26, 2012

Neil Armstrong, 1930-2012. The full New York Times obituary nyti.ms/RdcOeC
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 26, 2012

R.I.P. Neil Armstrong. Here's Norman Rockwell's 1969 tribute to the 1st man on the moon: "Final Impossibility"©NRELC twitter.com/NRockwellMuseu…
— NormanRockwellMuseum (@NRockwellMuseum) August 27, 2012

Nasa creates a video tribute to Neil Armstrong tmblr.co/Zkm-MvSF9Udy
— SchoolLibraryJournal (@sljournal) August 27, 2012

Look at This Great Poster wp.me/p2odLa-1Cj via @wordpressdotcom
— Diane Ravitch (@DianeRavitch) August 29, 2012

Here are some of my favorite quotes of the week.

A student in our room already has a common core: a need for belonging, a desire for learning, and potential for becoming. Build on this.
— Paul W. Hankins (@PaulWHankins) August 25, 2012

"...a culture that doesn't value its librarians doesn't value ideas and without ideas, well, where are we?" --Neil Gaiman #titletalk
— Donalyn Miller (@donalynbooks) August 27, 2012

I read for the same reason I breathe -- to be alive! #titletalk
— Kylene Beers (@KyleneBeers) August 27, 2012

"I came to feel that the stories of the world tend to bring us together. I speak of "folk tales" as a tender bridge..." Ashley Bryan
— Crystal Brunelle (@librarygrl2) August 29, 2012

Quotation of the day: "When I smell a book the words go to my brain." -1st Grader
— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) August 30, 2012