Busy Weeks, A Few Books

Beginning-of-the-year and Book Fair have kept me fairly busy lately, so blogging has been last on my priority list. But I have missed it very much. I miss the reflection and the feeling of accomplishment that blogging provides. So with this post I hope to get back in the routine.

I'll start by posting some titles I've been reading lately -- no reviews, just my thoughts:

Middle grade:

Did you love Holms' TURTLE IN PARADISE as much as I did? If so, then you must read FULL OF BEANS which takes us back to this world and introduces us to Turtle's cousin Beans. 

I read this one on a return flight, and was completely swept away in this touching story of a girl and a dog both looking for a home -- both needing one another. Grab your box of tissues before reading! 

Two things attracted me to this title: the fact that Gordon Korman wrote it and the cover. In this book, a boy obsessed with video games goes too far in his singular focus on playing his favorite game and he must cope with the consequences. Great storyline filled with unexpected events! 

I always enjoy reading Byron Barton's picture books -- I love their simplicity, vividness and use of scale. This one is a bilingual book and has a funny twist at the end. 

Recently I tried a new recipe for the second time. It still wasn't great-tasting. But because I read The Cranky Ballerina, I realize that this is okay. I am a better reader than I am a cook. This one's about finding your passion and how when we are doing what we love, we are truly happier.



In my library, I am getting back to my regular schedule after book fair wrapped up last week. This week I will review book care, procedures, and talk about finding books that are "just right" for independent reading. I also plan to get library centers and Makerspace started.

What books are you reading and what are you focusing on in your library?