Finally Friday Oct. 30

So ... long time no writing, right?

Of course you shall be subjected to London photos. Even more than already posted on Instagram. But not yet. For now just this pic of my drive home today.

It's supposed to keep raining tonight. Messed up family fun tonight ... but others in south Texas had it much worse. Weird to be driving to school with a tornado warning on the radio.

Loads of book character pumpkins this week. Some really unique ones. 120 total.

Here are some of my favorite pins. See you on Monday with a Voyagers giveaway. On a totally unrelated note who remembers the ancient TV show of the same name that always ended with a "Find it at your library" sound bite? So terrible and yet I enjoyed it. Was on Amazon Prime for a while. Books completely not even the same thing, just the same name.

The 5K I'd signed up for in December was cancelled day before yesterday. That bums me out. I hadn't gotten the cardio training in I wanted but it had helped me get on the treadmill when I didn't want to at all. Guess I don't need this anymore.



Laugh, it made me.



While in London I discovered the tastiness that is orange spiced cocoa. Got it at Pret a Manger. Will have to see if this comes close? #emptycalories



I NEED this.

Funny Things Kids Say and AMPING UP #makermornings

This morning three little first graders were bringing the books from their classroom to be checked in and they had a lot to say.

 "Miss, did you cut your hair? It looks so nice!" (I did. About four inches.)
"Miss, I like your scarf. It looks like tiger stripes." (I was thinking fall colors but hey, I'll take it.)
 "Miss, you look so pretty today!" (Well. How does one respond to that?)

 I kid not. I want them to come visit me EVERY MORNING FROM NOW UNTIL FOREVER!

I weeded some old Star Wars books on Friday. I did. They were like 8 years old and not that many kids ever could tell me anything about them after checking them out. I think all the strange names would get them confused. Kids try to say all the names. And as a purist ... they were old canon, anyway. I ordered a few more from B&N (well, 5) so we'll see if they are more successful!


 This was delivered today. See that box? Do you know what it is? CRAZY TOWN! In our little elementary library. Here's to figuring it out after I get back from my trip.

#makermornings just got super high tech.

A photo posted by Angie Oliverson (@msoreadsbooks) on Oct 14, 2015 at 5:15am PDT

I get to host another giveaway soon. It will be for the Voyagers series. Super excited because I've heard all good things.

Finally Friday on Saturday 10/10

I hope everyone had a great week!
By the time Friday rolls around anymore I am just so tired I fall asleep before getting anything done. Like blog posts. Or folding laundry.
Lots to do today to get ready. If you are on Instagram the week starting Oct. 17 will be less in the library or Star Wars related. For a week it will be much more ANGLO-PHILED. And Sherlock-ified. And HARRY POTTER ALMOST ALL THE TIME. Just saying. What it usually lacks in interest might be better that week. When there is wi-fi. International data plans are not great.

Here are some pins I liked or used this week. Click through to get original sources.

We just got two of these a couple weeks ago. So far just used Masterpiece and Tangrams. Masterpiece was a huge hit. Tangrams was as well. Both required reminders that the things that are worth it usually ARE hard.



Yes, of course I love this one. Though it should add "Choose a NEW book, you will!" Because that is really a reason we want books back, right? So that they can get new ones? And, of course, so that others can read the book they had. Just got back The Most Magnificent Thing after SEVEN MONTHS. SEVEN MONTHS. Yes, that frustrates me. No excuse. Better late than never.



That tired led me to some blood tests (where a rude person totally crunched my bumper and drove away :X) and an MRI last week. Of course (luckily!) they found nothing and it will be three months before the sleep-authority neurologist can see me. But that and a silly book study about leadership and "teams" led to some low points this week. "I'm so tired." "There's not enough time in the day to get done what needs to." "MY HEAD HURTS." "I'm so tired." "I miss before the the big budget cuts when I had a full time assistant and felt like part of a team in the library and trusted all members of the team outside of the library." "MY HEAD HURTS." The book goes on about being the right person in the right job and I've wondered. I really have. Then a kid's face will light up when he or she sees me and I try to remember

and since I believe in the kids I keep going. This pin also relates to religious belief. I don't talk a lot about that here but we had a great biannual conference weekend last week after the MRI where I heard a lot of messages that will hopefully help me whine less and remember the purpose of it all more. ;)


The only thing I haven't loved about genrify-ing the fiction area is that creating a HUMOR section hasn't dulled the kiddos' near inability to see any book that doesn't have the word WIMPY on the cover. It hasn't saved Hank books. I weeded another 7 or so and that was half of what we had left anyway. I always suggest Hank. It never works. :/ Hank on audio is what made two of my brothers readers.



Last year we had classes decorate ... well, they looked like brown bowling pins ... turkey bodies! Then they added favorite book titles to paper feathers. That put all the work on them. I love this one. But it would put a lot of the work on me and I still need to finish the electronic resources board inside the library (finally took down the SW "Read and the Force will be with you" banner). Decisions.



Don't forget to enter the giveaway for two free copies of the new Mo Willems/Tony DiTerlizzi title Diva and Flea! Closes in just a couple days! I've loved hearing where you might like to go.

Pigeon and Pirates and Copyright and Plagiarism

I ... am very tired of doing digital citizenship/ copyright lessons. And there are still at least two more to go. And that's the two that actually ANSWERED me and scheduled something.

So this year I was going to read The Pirates of Plagiarism again. Just got it last year after some drama because new admin/bookkeeper had totally different rules and expectations for spending bookfair money. And then I couldn't find it. Anywhere. :P

3-4 watched a video provided by our district and played a Kahoot game.
5 watched the video and practiced some easy citation.

K-2. Oh, K-2. What do we do when your librarian can't find a book? And the topic is full of vocab that is so hard? We talk about things that are digital. We talk about citizens being part of a group needing to follow rules for safety and to get along.

And then we read The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog. And do a drawing lesson (drawing Pigeon is pretty easy ... I actually start with an imaginary ice cream cone and then add the neck/head/eyes). We give credit to Mo Willems by writing his initials in the top right corner. Talk about how MW has the copyright and can tell people if they can use his pigeon by purchasing the book. And that as students we can play with ideas as long as we give credit and don't try to sell them (over simplified but these are little ones).

Then we add pirate accessories (P is for Pigeon and Pirate). Adorable. And talk about how pirates took things that didn't belong to them. Don't be a pirate!


I've been letting them take their drawings and never getting any pics. Bad blogging teacher librarian. So tired. LOOONG day yesterday with PTA. And a long meeting after school today. (Gym classes are "off" this week. I'm supposed to be doing the treadmill.) Can I stay awake to read some of this?

Dear Independent Bookstore that is so Very Far Away; I'm sorry I didn't drive to you. I went with easy Amazon. If only I could stay awake long enough ... #usuallystarwarslibrarian #butfortonightandaweekverysoonhplibrarian

A photo posted by Angie Oliverson (@msoreadsbooks) on Oct 6, 2015 at 6:00pm PDT

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for TWO copies (one winner gets to keep one and give one to a friend!) of Diva and Flea.

#IMWAYR Let's Have an Adventure in Paris! #DivaandFlea #ad

So ... I mentioned this briefly last week. But here it is again because, I mean, look at this cover. What is not to love? And this, coming from a not really animal person! And of course you can tell where they are, just from the curved understructure you catch just a bit of across the top.

And then look at the author and illustrator. Can you say ROCK STARS?

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now… who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!
Our Kid Lit to YA version is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.

I loved this one!

Want to win two copies of the book--one for you and a friend? Bonjour, ami! Keep reading and follow the entry instructions at the bottom of the post.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Diva, a small yet brave dog, and Flea, a curious streetwise cat, develop an unexpected friendship in this unforgettable tale of discovery.

For as long as she could remember, Diva lived at 11 avenue Le Play in Paris, France. For as long as he could remember, Flea also lived in Paris, France–but at no fixed address. When Flea flâneurs past Diva's courtyard one day, their lives are forever changed. Together, Diva and Flea explore and share their very different worlds, as only true friends can do.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mo Willems (www.pigeonpresents.com), a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, has been awarded a Caldecott Honor on three occasions (for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity). Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! was also an inaugural inductee into the Indies Choice Picture Book Hall of Fame. The celebrated Elephant & Piggie early-reader series has been awarded the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal on two occasions (for There Is a Bird on Your Head!and Are You Ready to Play Outside?) as well as garnering four Honors (for We Are in a Book!, I Broke My Trunk!, Let's Go for a Drive! and A Big Guy Took My Ball!). 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Tony DiTerlizzi (www.diterlizzi.com), a number-one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, created the middle-grade series The Spiderwick Chronicles with Holly Black, which has sold millions of copies, been translated into more than 30 languages and made into a feature film. He won a Caldecott Honor for illustrating The Spider & The Fly, and in 2014 he teamed up with Lucasfilm to retell the original Star Wars trilogy in a picture book featuring artwork by Academy award-winning concept artist, Ralph McQuarrie. He lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with his wife, daughter and dog, Mimi.

LEARN MORE

Find out more on at Disney.com

Follow Disney on Twitter and Instagram

Follow Mo on Twitter

Follow Tony on Twitter and Instagram

#DivaandFlea

Want to learn more about THESE TWO FRIENDS?

It was adorable. It really was. I can't wait for some kiddos (let's say 2nd grade? Strong 1st grade readers of course and then 3rd and maybe 4th will still enjoy it) to discover it. SO. To ENTER. Please comment ONCE with a place where you would love to have an adventure and be a flanuer. I'm excited because I will be heading to LONDON in just a few more days. Only for a week (it is still the school year, after all ... I've never been gone that long before during the school year!) but I am super excited!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This prize was provided by Disney Publishing. Thanks!