The Backup Bunny by Abigail Rayner

Rayer, Abigail. The Backup Bunny. Illus. by Greg Stones. New York: NorthSouth Books, Print. 


Do you know a child who has a favorite stuffed animal? Do they carry it around everywhere? Do they depend on it and need it almost 24/7? Now: what happens when they lose this stuffed animal? 

This is exactly what The Backup Bunny is all about! 

The narrator in this book is a "backup bunny" - a bunny who waits in a sock drawer ready to take over if Max (the boy in the story) loses his main bunny. This backup bunny is suddenly put into service when Max indeed loses his stuffed friend. But Max can tell this backup isn't the real thing, tossing him out, taking him back, and generally not taking very good care of him. 

One day, the Backup Bunny finds Bunny -- and keeps it a secret from Max, hoping to remain his best buddy. How long can Backup Bunny keep the secret? 

I won't reveal the ending here, but I will tell you that Backup Bunny shows his love for Max! 

What I enjoyed most about this story is the premise of the story, and the way the plot is revealed through surprise and humor. 

The Backup Bunny will be published on March 6th, 2018. Read more about the book here! 

I look forward to sharing this story with 1st graders tomorrow! 

Looking Back: Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

On Monday, the 2018 Youth Media Awards were announced! Such a special day for librarians! And although it was the first day of my Book Fair, I tuned in to hear the titles of the winning books. 

In particular, I was very excited to hear the winner of the 2018 Caldecott Medal announced! 

The 2018 Caldecott Medal winning book is Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell (Feiwel & Friends).

As the day went on, I recalled when I'd first heard of Wolf in the Snow, and I remembered that it was in March of 2017. I searched for this photo in my cameral roll from that time. 

Here, at the 2017  Tucson Festival of Books, I attended a panel with author/illustrators Chris Britt, Jessixa Bagley, and Matthew Cordell. Matthew shared Wolf in the Snow which had been published earlier that year. I bought a copy of this book at the Festival. 

Wolf in the Snow was part of our Mock Caldecott this winter, and so I have had time to read it aloud and share it with third grade classes. 

In thinking about this book, I came to a realization that is meaningful to me:

All of my book experiences, memories, and readings connect or come full circle eventually. Every book event I attend. Every book I read. Every post I write. Every speaker I hear. And I love realizing that! 

Also, pursuing my passion means I never stop. 

It means there isn’t room for much more. 

It means that if someone asks me what my weekend plans will be, it will always be about reading or learning or pushing myself to achieve a goal I have set.

But it also means I will find my best and true self in the mix of it, happy in books.

What I've Been Reading Lately

January has come and gone. I still can't quite believe that. As I work on my library #happyplanner, I see the month will be busy with Valentine's Day and our Scholastic Book Fair. March cannot be too close behind, and before we know it, it WILL be Spring Break.

No matter what month it is, I always have stacks of books to read. I enjoy the variety, the discovery, and the possibility between the pages. So many types of amazing #kidlit to read, I know I will never run out.

Here are the books I want to share with you today on my blog:

(Hover over each book title to learn more about the book.)

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
Publisher: Little Brown.
Publication date: 4/10/18

This is a truly lavish and lovely picture book with stunning colors and vibrancy! A touching story of a family's life in and around a lighthouse, each page turn envelopes you and makes you never want to leave. Did you love Blackall's Caldecott-wining Finding Winnie (also by LittleBrown)? Then you will love this, too. I especially appreciate that the book's trim size is "tall" -- just like a lighthouse. I can hardly wait to buy a final copy!

Tumble & Blue  by Cassie Beasley

Publisher: Penguin Random House 

Publication date: 8/29/17

This is a magical middle grade, as I like to call it! Named for the main characters, this is a story of two friends trying to fix things in their family -- and take the curses away from their lives. I enjoyed the storytelling, the curiosity of it, the quirky characters, and wondering how it would all end. If you loved Beasley's Circus Mirandus, you will love this, too. 

The Digger and the Flower by Joseph Kuefler 

Publisher: HarperChildren's 

Publication date: 1/23/18

Before I opened this book, three aspects of it captured my attention: its trim size, typography, and cover layout. Yellow and black make for complimentary colors and I have seen them together before in picture books of course, but in this combo and in this presentation, the pairing seems never-before-done. I will blog about this book in a separate post coming soon, but this story works because of its ingenious simplicity, repetition, and endearing character, Digger. The dirt on the pages and soot of the machines seems real, and Kuefler has given these machines emotions and character. I felt Digger's sadness (no spoilers here!) as well as the meanness of Crane and Dozer. As I mentioned before, I will blog about this one separately because so much about it intrigues me. 

Of course there are many other books in my stacks, but these are the ones I wanted to share with you today. 

And before I close, here is the book I am currently reading: Children of Exile by Margaret Peterson Haddix--

and here is the book I just finished: 

Last: 

The shoes: (because that IS my blog's name!) 

I can't find them on the Nine West website anymore because I bought them last summer, but I always love when I have the chance to wear my black leather slip-on sneakers by Nine West. According to the box, the style was "Oops DaisyO". They are fashionable, flat, and comfortable, and they survive a busy day in the library!