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The One and Only Ivan
The One and OnlyIvan written by Katherine Applegate is a “first-gorilla” narrative about Ivan’s life as he lives and works at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. When he makes a promise to an old friend, it is up to Ivan to help a new baby elephant find…
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Wonder
Wonder written by R. J. Palacio is a beautifully written novel for middle school readers about being different – something almost everyone can relate to on some level. The main character is a 5th grade boy named August Pullman who was born with severe facial deformities that prevented him from going to school…
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Passion
I was lucky enough this past week to hear Anita Silvey speak at a library event. If you don’t know the name Anita Silvey, then you are missing out. Anita worked in the publishing world, was an editor for Horn Book Magazine, and teaches at Simmons College, and has devoted her life in the…
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Common Misunderstanding
As I’ve said in the past, I’m a children’s librarian and have been for 4 years (professionally) and have a worked in a library since I was 14, so I’ve actually worked in my career for over 10 years and I’m only 27. That’s not to say that I’m an…
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RIP Maurice Sendak
Most people know Maurice Sendak as the author and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are, but he also In the Night Kitchen and Chicken Soup with Rice among many others. Sendak received the Caldecott medal in 1964 for his most famous book Where the Wild Things Are. He will be remembered…
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May the Fourth be With You!
Happy International Star Wars Day everyone! May the Fourth be With You! I was watching the news this morning at the gym and lo and behold it’s Star Wars Day and I didn’t even know about it! It’s very interesting to me that a movie series that was released in…
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The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale
The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale is written by Carmen Agra Deedy, the author of The Library Dragon, and Martina, The Beautiful Cockroach, and 14 Cows for America, among many others and Randall Wright. I was hesitant to pick this book up because I’m not really one for…
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Children’s Author and Illustrator Event
I was lucky enough to get out to Kutztown University’s Children’s Literature Conference this past Saturday and was pleasantly surprised by much of the conference. Matt Phelan, Seymour Simon, and Thomas Yezerski each had a session and were available for autographs. They also include a Book Review section each year. …
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World Book Night
I’ll be honest, before just a few minutes ago, I have never heard of World Book Night, but it looks like an amazing event. The USA Today wrote an article about the event that you can find here. Basically, thirty books have been selected by librarians, publishers, and booksellers to…
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Lively Listening (read aloud) Program
This post is actually a cheat, because I’ve posted on this topic before. I think reading aloud to kids of all ages is just as important as it is to babies and toddlers. This week for our Lively Listening program I focused on informational texts, biographies, and historical fiction. These…