It was 88 degrees today according to my car thermometer and it is only the beginning of May. The grass, wild flowers and neighborhood children are all growing like crazy. And to call my students squirmy would be an understatement. All signs point to a long, hot summer and I couldn’t be happier. Summer is… Read more »
Book Room
A perfect middle grade summer series
Summer is the perfect time for young readers to sink into a book. Even in year-round schools, it’s the longest time they have off during the school year. The only thing better than one book is two books about the same characters. Better yet, three books! A series … now, that’s a satisfying summertime experience…. Read more »
Moving On, Moving Up
This time of year brings graduations and with it, thoughts of moving up and on. Families finalize summer plans and kids prepare to say goodbye to friends they may not see until school opens in the fall. “When it’s time for a journey, to learn and to grow, roads guide your footsteps wherever you go…. Read more »
An Embarrassment of Riches: Poetry Anthologies
In a recent blog post, poet Janet Wong wrote: Find your voice, people say. Your voice, as if you have only one. The problem with most writers is that we have several voices shouting in our heads. The silly voice? The sad voice? Dr. Seuss or Sylvia Plath? Which one to choose? For a writer… Read more »
A Maze Me: Poems for Girls by Naomi Shihab Nye
Nye’s A Maze Me: Poems for Girls (Greenwillow Books, 2014) is a tender tribute to girls from the ages to 11 to 13, an honest study of a young girl’s need to be heard. Regarding pre-adolescent girls, Nye states, “I want to talk to her. Ask her things. See what she is looking at, off… Read more »
Won Ton and Chopstick
Won Ton and Chopstick: A Cat and Dog Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw and Eugene Yelchin (Henry Holt and Company 2015), is the charming companion book to the award-winning Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku. As the sequel begins, Won Ton – a former shelter cat – has settled nicely into his new routines. It’s a fine life,… Read more »
Librarian’s Corner: Kristen Remenar Picks More Poetry!
For those who mistakenly believe that poetry is all about roses and violets and love (mushy!), here are some new earthy and brilliantly uncouth collections. No mush, just good (sometimes gross) giggles! For the youngest readers: Ode to a Commode: Concrete Poems written by Brian P. Cleary and illustrated by Andy Rowland (Millbrook Press, 2015)… Read more »
