tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84554709363778511952024-03-14T15:08:17.553-04:00WILD ABOUT WORDSWild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.comBlogger507125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-11375909491657854582013-07-30T18:21:00.000-04:002013-07-30T18:21:45.785-04:00A Dozen Ways to Enhance Your Writing Career TodayI began this blog in July 2007. Hard to believe it's been six years! <br />
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Blogging takes time and energy, and this year finds me with MANY contracted commitments, including teaching creative writing to high school students, working on my next funny MG novel (<i>Death by Toilet Paper </i>comes out August 2014), etc. I need to harness as much creative energy as possible for these commitments.<br />
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So, while Wild About Words is on hiatus, I leave you with a dozen blog posts that I hope will help your writing career reach new heights.<br />
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Thanks for making this endeavor such a joy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>HELPFUL LINKS FOR WRITERS . . .</b></span></div>
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1. <a href="http://www.donnagephart.com/for-writers-and-illustrators.html" target="_blank">Links to interviews with industry professionals</a>, including Wendelin Van Draanen, April Henry, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Kate Messner, Tina Wexler, Cynthia Lord and others about a variety of writing topics.<br />
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2. <a href="http://donnagephart.blogspot.com/2011/06/resources-for-young-writers.html" target="_blank">Sites and resources for young writers</a>, especially helpful for those who teach writing. <br />
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3. <a href="http://donnagephart.blogspot.com/2011/12/40-reasons-i-love-scbwi.html" target="_blank">40 Reasons I love S.C.B.W.I.</a> (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators)<br />
<br />4. Marion Dane Bauer offers wise words in her <a href="http://www.mariondanebauer.com/blog/" target="_blank">blog about writerly issues</a>. <br />
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5. April Henry's mystery novels keep me riveted as does her excellent <a href="http://aprilhenry.livejournal.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>. Here's a <a href="http://www.aprilhenrymysteries.com/does-your-character-need-a-job.html" target="_blank">post she created about jobs for our characters and/or their parents.</a><br />
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6. Laurie Halse Anderson has done this wonderful annual Write Fifteen Minutes a Day Challenge each day in the month of August. Here's a <a href="http://madwomanintheforest.com/wfmad-day-1-welcome-to-the-write-fifteen-minutes-a-day-challenge/" target="_blank">link to the first challenge post on August 1, 2012.</a><br />
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7. <a href="http://writerunboxed.com/" target="_blank">Writer Unboxed</a> is a must for highly professional, intelligent thoughts about all aspects of writing.<br />
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8. Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi are the powerhouses behind <a href="http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Bookshelf Muse</a>, where you will find tools to help you with character traits, emotions and much, much more!<br />
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9. Every summer, Kate Messner, creates a <a href="http://www.katemessner.com/teachers-write/" target="_blank">free on-line writing workshop</a>. Each day is a gold mine of ideas, lessons and insights about the writing biz.<br />
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10. Cynthia Leitich Smith publishes the most comprehensive blog on the net about everything to do with children's publishing, including interviews, giveaways and more. Take a peek at <a href="http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">CYNSATIONS</a>. <br />
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11. Barbara O'Connor has a great blog about children's book publishing. Here's <a href="http://greetings-from-nowhere.blogspot.com/2013/07/it-was-setup-part-1.html" target="_blank">her post about setting up your novel.</a><br />
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12. I end every day looking at <a href="http://cynthialord.livejournal.com/" target="_blank">Cynthia Lord's thoughtful blog</a> because it makes me feel good -- even when it makes me cry. <br />
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Enjoy these links and feel free to add your favorites in the comment section below.Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-23629639443485326682013-07-08T17:10:00.002-04:002013-07-08T17:10:39.421-04:00A Few More Great Resources for Writers:1. Pam Calvert's <a href="http://wwwpamcalvert.blogspot.com/2013/06/picture-book-university-sign-up-today.html" target="_blank">Picture Book University</a> studies a different aspect of creating picture books each Monday. To view today's lesson about storyboarding, click <a href="http://wwwpamcalvert.blogspot.com/2013/07/picture-book-university-storyboard.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Last Monday, she had a lesson about <a href="http://wwwpamcalvert.blogspot.com/2013/07/picture-book-university-picture-book.html" target="_blank">10 picture book genres</a>. It's a fantastic resource for those interested in picture books.<br />
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2. Looking for a contest to flex your writing muscles? Look no further than Quirk Books -- a very cool publishing company based in my hometown of Philly. (Hmm. Makes me want a Philly soft pretzel RIGHT NOW!)<br />
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They are offering a $10,000 prize and publication for a novel-length work, featuring fresh, fun and strikingly unconventional love stories. Deadline is October 1, 2013.<br />
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Read all about the contest <a href="http://quirkbooks.com/lovestories" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5g1MuccjKpKE4KSjhIz7Tqr14ljVtR3sDQUYxYp1oWLsTRYonkev9YNW0T3qMXr9gpNOvZbuggd2akFNxkdTmWhUCIics_WHR2xmj8aLOEQ76r_C1UpRQTb6ZAYSAWHhPunAhEdWzn8b/s1600/LoveStoryContest_postcard_WEB1+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5g1MuccjKpKE4KSjhIz7Tqr14ljVtR3sDQUYxYp1oWLsTRYonkev9YNW0T3qMXr9gpNOvZbuggd2akFNxkdTmWhUCIics_WHR2xmj8aLOEQ76r_C1UpRQTb6ZAYSAWHhPunAhEdWzn8b/s320/LoveStoryContest_postcard_WEB1+(1).jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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3. Today, I'm the guest author at Kate Messner's Teachers Write free summer on-line writing institute. If you want to make sense of sensory writing, click <a href="http://www.katemessner.com/teachers-write-7813-mini-lesson-monday-with-donna-gephart/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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Be sure to check out the other mini-lessons, Q&As, etc. from many authors. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhlhrQo0kGabqEBJJ5HgZQmkdJGaxjL3viwxjD_LsUCgqteV7QficJx-tSjUSzQpyTezWBTf1FOlil6xmJb2rpZfYm5fxHIcDTTIWLQHNUWbh1RD92yQUXN9EohuYe4DiQrnpRYkmRTiK/s1600/Teachers+Write+2013+Button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhlhrQo0kGabqEBJJ5HgZQmkdJGaxjL3viwxjD_LsUCgqteV7QficJx-tSjUSzQpyTezWBTf1FOlil6xmJb2rpZfYm5fxHIcDTTIWLQHNUWbh1RD92yQUXN9EohuYe4DiQrnpRYkmRTiK/s320/Teachers+Write+2013+Button.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's hoping your summer is going all write!Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-73269061273493141692013-06-24T17:02:00.002-04:002013-06-24T17:03:59.646-04:00Great Resources for Writers . . . 1. Get thee to Kate Messner's amazing virtual summer writing camp. (No fees. No fuss. No muss. Just a great community and lots of inspiring ideas and "visits" from guest authors.) <a href="http://www.katemessner.com/announcing-teachers-write-2013/" target="_blank">Click here to learn more</a>. <a href="http://www.katemessner.com/teachers-write-62413-mini-lesson-monday-notebooks/" target="_blank">Click here for today's mini-lesson. </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.katemessner.com/announcing-teachers-write-2013/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Fo9fYpTV7F7Em1RIOaBjbk9anDH33oBZn0ZXUvjL9__hLWezGU_AEmXa_Xx48t1c4KzCj75i2Hy-wbfiMy_AUeqEgcl6ju0tgqUpX9w9x2g5gIbITmF5A5LsZRFb-U4FOphZwUWjGB5U/s320/Teachers+Write+2013+Button.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. You MUST read <a href="https://medium.com/thoughts-on-creativity/bad7c34842a2" target="_blank">this article about saying "no"</a> to protect one's creative time, written by Kevin Ashton. Excerpt: "Time is the raw material of creation." "Saying 'no' has more creative power than ideas, insights and talent combined."<br />
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<a href="https://medium.com/thoughts-on-creativity/bad7c34842a2" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsytT9O1ghQZYqLmAbPJ0j_Wx7JIia5YzhDiLLeEyHmfLPwA95VsHpJXeu8dtKwE1aTo2y5lzzVR7OWrzp2ft3T0hlY7V2pykyXTbCKcEXvnkYFYlpcswnECjWmSzsc-m98GY0HfTBMb6/s320/No+image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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3. Every one of <a href="http://www.mariondanebauer.com/" target="_blank">Marion Dane Bauer</a>'s blog (Writing, Revision and Life . . . ) entries is an insightful look at an aspect of a writer's life. <a href="http://www.mariondanebauer.com/blog/page/10/" target="_blank">Here's a post she wrote about cobbling together a living as a writer.</a> (If you have a moment, check her posts before and after this one.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mariondanebauer.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="78" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsMAwrnZ4Oqp-kPGj1Rfp53_sQzX5zKGYtUPBa5_cFBdaRgmV6MODfBa7wXhbDsF7cMF4yJNtwwfQIWez03tzu1g9DAT2ixcNouyuEoxn4PxnweY-yu8WzKAc2SiaDFLjw7HRcGdy7D77/s320/Marion+Dan+Bauer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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4. <a href="http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">CYNSATIONS</a> is a fabulous blog by <a href="http://cynthialeitichsmith.com/" target="_blank">Cynthia Leitich Smith</a>. It's frequently updated and loaded with great resources, information, interviews, giveaways and much more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6IxisamNS2zrNfGCdmw2-9SDNZhATXKKkKjfWuhb8MWeY5PMXVWXNVVb9kKO766OmDN5U0DNdhyphenhyphenB20euGIHbJ3pZCza6t6j4329mqT5bpSIdG0k5U3l_0v036-RIcfvWYcEuYcvOvhKF/s1600/Cyn_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6IxisamNS2zrNfGCdmw2-9SDNZhATXKKkKjfWuhb8MWeY5PMXVWXNVVb9kKO766OmDN5U0DNdhyphenhyphenB20euGIHbJ3pZCza6t6j4329mqT5bpSIdG0k5U3l_0v036-RIcfvWYcEuYcvOvhKF/s1600/Cyn_med.jpg" /></a></div>
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5. <a href="http://writerunboxed.com/" target="_blank">WRITER UNBOXED</a> offers more writerly wisdom than you could shake a pencil at. One of my favorite contributors is <a href="http://writerunboxed.com/robin/" target="_blank">Robin LaFevers</a>. Her post, <a href="http://writerunboxed.com/2013/05/10/clawing-our-way-back-to-the-creative-center/" target="_blank">"Clawing Our Way Back to the Creative Center"</a> resonates with truth and wisdom. (Be sure to read Donald Maass' comment after the post, about the questions that will lead you to your next novel.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtU9ETOOWV_IHjj4vuigm8nFp9g8gd4Q9LV7kscVl2wubuMcUTUZhkER7wBrp7aCfafaaddHb-BjVACZhxBEoMowJPAYNk2xLSCRJ5J-fb3-2aN3sA1bMRwIf8s6Dd2FTjgd1JCI21Trv/s1600/RLgray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtU9ETOOWV_IHjj4vuigm8nFp9g8gd4Q9LV7kscVl2wubuMcUTUZhkER7wBrp7aCfafaaddHb-BjVACZhxBEoMowJPAYNk2xLSCRJ5J-fb3-2aN3sA1bMRwIf8s6Dd2FTjgd1JCI21Trv/s1600/RLgray.jpg" /></a></div>
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6. If you're feeling discouraged about the process of writing a novel or you find yourself going over the beginning again and again, you are not alone! Check out Barbara O'Connor's blog, <a href="http://greetings-from-nowhere.blogspot.com/2013/06/old-dog.html" target="_blank">Greetings from Nowhere</a>. She's got tons of great posts about the writing process (and her dog's cute).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSvpCaLxNTQ5A-6krBfso9TpPJIwb4XVx-tIKOS_P5ob8OTthjmYD6_raGIRuCVfuwK2mLzLJKY63V8h-jfNB8GovFs8f-HoxeURsYg49sS8cnWZxFb1YUxmecU_8DQbFnRAZ76JXl9ya/s1600/Barbara+O%27Connor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSvpCaLxNTQ5A-6krBfso9TpPJIwb4XVx-tIKOS_P5ob8OTthjmYD6_raGIRuCVfuwK2mLzLJKY63V8h-jfNB8GovFs8f-HoxeURsYg49sS8cnWZxFb1YUxmecU_8DQbFnRAZ76JXl9ya/s1600/Barbara+O'Connor.jpg" /></a></div>
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7. Prolific author, <a href="http://www.donnajonapoli.com/" target="_blank">Donna Jo Napoli</a>, gives an excellent Tedx talk about why we writers for children must dare . . .<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3j2oom5Y3tc" width="380"></iframe>
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Wherever you are on your writer's journey, here's hoping these resources excite and inspire.<br />
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Happy writing trails,<br />
Donna<br />
<br />Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-11447385454397403532013-06-21T13:18:00.001-04:002013-06-21T13:18:24.552-04:00PHUN IN PHILLY!Did you miss me? I've been off having delightful adventures in Philadelphia.<br />
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Here are some phun Philly photos . . .<br />
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Our nephew's prom coincided with my sister's birthday. Happy to be there for both occasions!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ellen and Kyle</td></tr>
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Kyle's date, Marissa, was lovely . . .<br />
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I also had the great pleasure of visiting with my 10th grade English teacher, Myra Durlofsky. We've kept in touch for over 30 years. I so loved her that I made her a character in one of my novels. Here she is . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehl61srV-5WmldVAKocV6n8Ltv14WTwu_KqUMC6IDO-0Qw7pYDDGjoUsLtH76_mgumT2cmLck420LfXycTKdD0NUfHEzaJpa16WwpfRbyF3KmFN73O3EKAudl5LFdfaGklBT_ND1Aj75d/s1600/Myra+Durlofsky+June+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehl61srV-5WmldVAKocV6n8Ltv14WTwu_KqUMC6IDO-0Qw7pYDDGjoUsLtH76_mgumT2cmLck420LfXycTKdD0NUfHEzaJpa16WwpfRbyF3KmFN73O3EKAudl5LFdfaGklBT_ND1Aj75d/s320/Myra+Durlofsky+June+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myra Durlofsky</td></tr>
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Our family summer party took place during our visit. Lots of laughing and swimming and baby cuddling and, of course, eating . . .<br />
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I had so much fun visiting with family and friends. There were graduations. There were celebrations. There were wild Wii championships. It was fantastic.<br />
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Then I had the great pleasure of spending a few days with my niece in the city.<br />
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Here she is on the steps of her new apartment . . .<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicole</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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She cooked great meals and was an excellent tour guide. The first evening, we watched the sun set over the Schuylkill River, then saw the public art displays behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinoKGGWtjEN1cXFynkg8lbcOhkjOw3hjJWPhnypNH-NoAOvnvA4FQCINWUeI-4wRGlk4t7fid6u6Zd8jKx9rRrfTUnXkiaZAQ-MWmOStDBsDmcU_0Xr_BOUemCUsNWVz6fIe4M7r-9Yr3T/s1600/Me+and+Nicole+Philly+June+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinoKGGWtjEN1cXFynkg8lbcOhkjOw3hjJWPhnypNH-NoAOvnvA4FQCINWUeI-4wRGlk4t7fid6u6Zd8jKx9rRrfTUnXkiaZAQ-MWmOStDBsDmcU_0Xr_BOUemCUsNWVz6fIe4M7r-9Yr3T/s320/Me+and+Nicole+Philly+June+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna and Nicole</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We hiked all over the city . . .<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeqCRmzmSzPZfmQ6NS_vPb4ugMDxxoWRlPkWQ1m3xdPkYIa6-S3HhVrgXeKFtalXCm8wuJgm6vrvO0oFOVse0N6n1U1IXLcbpzJ8dI7hrFAjvLaOh75oxDD8svNWpUDtYgCr7DWoWBa3M/s1600/City+Hall+Love+Statue+Philly+June+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeqCRmzmSzPZfmQ6NS_vPb4ugMDxxoWRlPkWQ1m3xdPkYIa6-S3HhVrgXeKFtalXCm8wuJgm6vrvO0oFOVse0N6n1U1IXLcbpzJ8dI7hrFAjvLaOh75oxDD8svNWpUDtYgCr7DWoWBa3M/s320/City+Hall+Love+Statue+Philly+June+2013.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City Hall and the Love Statue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And visited LOTS of bookstores.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4_Q4hMnAk97Jm22h8ct4OhCmJDxsKK7z37sjgJB62kxd6rS8gSk_K2mtVFD0vU5p_DOVCdQYs1kgElCFKnzpP2l-tNurE2D7Lqx7bJLdfA0Yzjoezx4O6kWJhNBvUAdmB9lFql_x5kKH/s1600/Bookstore+Cat+Philly+June+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4_Q4hMnAk97Jm22h8ct4OhCmJDxsKK7z37sjgJB62kxd6rS8gSk_K2mtVFD0vU5p_DOVCdQYs1kgElCFKnzpP2l-tNurE2D7Lqx7bJLdfA0Yzjoezx4O6kWJhNBvUAdmB9lFql_x5kKH/s320/Bookstore+Cat+Philly+June+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bookstore cat getting cozy on a display of new books</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
One of my favorite parts was spending time in the library on Vine Street. (Not the first library in the country, which was created by Benjamin Franklin, but the first library system in the country.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXSNbITsLaxnfEhFIXwyVk-y2sax2vnEm6q0ISCKfZvIWfUJ36GYG2kgqSkzq0-F6jWLpgIgzF0cv8zgcFrQLALZEEMSIr_pkqdQ81HQPu6f53beDezRk60ZFR5kTz6CU56kIfKh_wC70/s1600/Philly+Library+June+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXSNbITsLaxnfEhFIXwyVk-y2sax2vnEm6q0ISCKfZvIWfUJ36GYG2kgqSkzq0-F6jWLpgIgzF0cv8zgcFrQLALZEEMSIr_pkqdQ81HQPu6f53beDezRk60ZFR5kTz6CU56kIfKh_wC70/s320/Philly+Library+June+2013.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Free Library of Philadelphia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Of course, we had to visit the children's department.<br />
<br />
Along the walls were framed posters for Children's Book Week. Here's one of my favorites . . .<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhuPP_ee8RSONW5ssiVhpv79P_EvcrnmfkT2FLwQuZgE3FHiirR5mRs2zrINEQss2cpxU9MorklSLRSXtXFqCRBDUdTZSmBIJMT_CKp2c7fxUND-nMjK7DpFelCrF_AVdG6uFudEWOpDJ/s1600/Children%2527s+Book+Week+Flamingo+Poster+Philly+Library+June+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhuPP_ee8RSONW5ssiVhpv79P_EvcrnmfkT2FLwQuZgE3FHiirR5mRs2zrINEQss2cpxU9MorklSLRSXtXFqCRBDUdTZSmBIJMT_CKp2c7fxUND-nMjK7DpFelCrF_AVdG6uFudEWOpDJ/s320/Children%2527s+Book+Week+Flamingo+Poster+Philly+Library+June+2013.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one is from 1964</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was marveling at the collection when I recognized one of the librarians.<br />
<br />
"Did you use to work at the Northeast Regional Library?" I asked.<br />
<br />
"Yes," she said.<br />
<br />
She's been in the system for 37 years (19 of which were at my childhood library, that I loved so much).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrByD5M07uEJsgP7MQf786DV5P1zdGM-gk3mbAqfAap8v_KgqwQiw5TlMRh2nc1b8dZHxlOk-dz4LtW0k9UTc5oN0m1yhbXRM7SqQm2Q4tso8RsVJNA52RAS_oM-HSQMYDMTPU2dIcmHMK/s1600/Irene+R.+Wright+Philly+librarian+June+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrByD5M07uEJsgP7MQf786DV5P1zdGM-gk3mbAqfAap8v_KgqwQiw5TlMRh2nc1b8dZHxlOk-dz4LtW0k9UTc5oN0m1yhbXRM7SqQm2Q4tso8RsVJNA52RAS_oM-HSQMYDMTPU2dIcmHMK/s320/Irene+R.+Wright+Philly+librarian+June+2013.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna and Irene R. Wright, Head, Children's Department</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I told her how much that library and the people who worked there meant to me. I told her that I became an author of children's books for Random House.<br />
<br />
When I handed her a card, she said, "We have your books!"<br />
<br />
And indeed they did . . .<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghU1gM8X0oy1Sen_-1rjGRPGCx52vaIr7dNsCSfAPo-a0Q6AbZHlbZ5Ek70Cv11sy6FfdFpSVoqiYc3D_FlrSAFKNoHe8x1TlHI-rQc-STVD4E0tEQHALrdzANBvr1BttnSC6ehQdpo1Fg/s1600/Book+at+Philly+Library+June+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghU1gM8X0oy1Sen_-1rjGRPGCx52vaIr7dNsCSfAPo-a0Q6AbZHlbZ5Ek70Cv11sy6FfdFpSVoqiYc3D_FlrSAFKNoHe8x1TlHI-rQc-STVD4E0tEQHALrdzANBvr1BttnSC6ehQdpo1Fg/s320/Book+at+Philly+Library+June+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Not all the places I saw were filled with joy. When we drove past the Mutter Museum, one of the settings in my new book, I saw something that made me gasp -- the rubble of the building at 22nd and Market Street that collapsed recently, killing six people.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozWmtNwnW-doQbiVyn8pCU8LelM81fl37Lqq-zpP4h__knpb4MOnO6VseoZpfJ2I1mEAide6boBlzTKaLGNe94ELdZGEhsOA3WgnPgpclxCyG-EwXZvJUuNwyGmRIAXjWF4t0lHT1FtgC/s1600/Collapsed+Building+22nd+and+Market+June+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozWmtNwnW-doQbiVyn8pCU8LelM81fl37Lqq-zpP4h__knpb4MOnO6VseoZpfJ2I1mEAide6boBlzTKaLGNe94ELdZGEhsOA3WgnPgpclxCyG-EwXZvJUuNwyGmRIAXjWF4t0lHT1FtgC/s320/Collapsed+Building+22nd+and+Market+June+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were flowers and memorials placed along the side</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Despite the sadness of this, it was good to spend time in my home city. And wonderful to spend time with family and friends.Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-87547431827825610362013-06-03T17:04:00.000-04:002013-06-03T17:18:07.860-04:00Adventures in Aventura!My last event of the season was a doozy!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVr_VO7HgF_T6L2e2N3iwZiF7_1GDO8qzFltPNp-ql8vB9r0LSasPUcKEcHc3Fj0yv4Z8Qrwya2aJ5YyLT8rDDkSiJ2jySHHqaemexUK6yi1-ATqTjx-4uggQWcAzN9nxQXQg5O33z34K/s1600/Aventura+2013+Fly+Guy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVr_VO7HgF_T6L2e2N3iwZiF7_1GDO8qzFltPNp-ql8vB9r0LSasPUcKEcHc3Fj0yv4Z8Qrwya2aJ5YyLT8rDDkSiJ2jySHHqaemexUK6yi1-ATqTjx-4uggQWcAzN9nxQXQg5O33z34K/s320/Aventura+2013+Fly+Guy.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not every day one gets to hang out with FLY GUY and call it "work."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Lisa Blair, president of the Miami-Dade Family Learning Partnership worked with Aventura Mall to create a SIX-hour event called <a href="http://www.aventuramall.com/thebookshop" target="_blank">The Book Shop</a>.<br />
<br />
We arrived the night before and were greeted by this in our hotel room . . .<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP793PueruaudseuH2cE-5jGPqe4lHryEfAWrEsgY-IRd8UZwOcxAKpfe_4yB8aR0HkuBn6B8UTh7tZFdADEXK05utTyJX1oKzRlgwMbg15JjNOL2BV8dKhclEIvw5VdOfpJP0sLCAdAui/s1600/Aventura+2013+Gift+Basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP793PueruaudseuH2cE-5jGPqe4lHryEfAWrEsgY-IRd8UZwOcxAKpfe_4yB8aR0HkuBn6B8UTh7tZFdADEXK05utTyJX1oKzRlgwMbg15JjNOL2BV8dKhclEIvw5VdOfpJP0sLCAdAui/s320/Aventura+2013+Gift+Basket.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely gift basket, filled with all the essentials, including Sharpies, bottles of water and Mint Milano cookies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When we went out to dinner, we found these signs all over the mall . . .<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismyMPxN8kDRU3qMUyoZ5QJQZSiywo0JQnDm2FWi1PXv0yiqomw3IZjj2I4MlezKJ5UoBTRrQjegPGoedK8T0-xVUibKgy4ajUvlhpSkUQee_H8fZ5ldbPVJTwig2TzvjSDme5b5jvesUG/s1600/Aventura+2013+Riley,+Me,+Janeen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismyMPxN8kDRU3qMUyoZ5QJQZSiywo0JQnDm2FWi1PXv0yiqomw3IZjj2I4MlezKJ5UoBTRrQjegPGoedK8T0-xVUibKgy4ajUvlhpSkUQee_H8fZ5ldbPVJTwig2TzvjSDme5b5jvesUG/s320/Aventura+2013+Riley,+Me,+Janeen.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riley Roam, Me and Janeen Mason near a sign, advertising the big event</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And what an event it was! There were books galore and authors -- Cheryl Holder, <a href="http://www.lisamccourt.com/" target="_blank">Lisa McCourt</a>, <a href="http://www.janeenmason.com/" target="_blank">Janeen Mason</a>, <a href="http://pageturneradventures.com/" target="_blank">Riley Roam</a>, me and <a href="http://www.luciagonzalezbooks.com/" target="_blank">Lucia Gonzalez</a>!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jSPggJpG4wBMit-NbgeEMWcfXinWNJubDg3I2JGoLGRxZQStzUQiZhMxCwJNzYTiaGso_k2Atbt4PvwKANuPPKU0uy9XvUlwiNL5WVEf0L1M9O6WEckycMUAmmz3nf8Udq7AH0rEcH_J/s1600/Aventura+2013,+Lisa,+Riley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jSPggJpG4wBMit-NbgeEMWcfXinWNJubDg3I2JGoLGRxZQStzUQiZhMxCwJNzYTiaGso_k2Atbt4PvwKANuPPKU0uy9XvUlwiNL5WVEf0L1M9O6WEckycMUAmmz3nf8Udq7AH0rEcH_J/s320/Aventura+2013,+Lisa,+Riley.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa McCourt and Riley Roam</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym8rldCbDBGckCsOzham_RLw7yxFSqnUV5loKgy5EikYh1E8OBzDX9ulBaRDsqm5lpxL07rLw9u6D7BJ5e0hoJox5G3TLE7mk2_vmRnEond4M1KHAZZ0CHkExJZrYVkRRYaa3Q6GK91Af/s1600/Aventura+2013,+Janeen,+Lin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym8rldCbDBGckCsOzham_RLw7yxFSqnUV5loKgy5EikYh1E8OBzDX9ulBaRDsqm5lpxL07rLw9u6D7BJ5e0hoJox5G3TLE7mk2_vmRnEond4M1KHAZZ0CHkExJZrYVkRRYaa3Q6GK91Af/s320/Aventura+2013,+Janeen,+Lin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Janeen Mason and her assistant, Lin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And there were some real characters there, too . . .<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pCIHWWzkfKjPa8Duw1wfFi1wZxlKYUSzcM_eliuHNE-eQ-fOD-L16Ouq5GDrCdVqRBpWOPTvlPR1LtFfNfP8kS70FWDvdWpDpmSN5JvGEJ7-NvZY94naFFYLCCrET1C5F_ANGxdTXcpK/s1600/Aventura+2013+Madeleine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pCIHWWzkfKjPa8Duw1wfFi1wZxlKYUSzcM_eliuHNE-eQ-fOD-L16Ouq5GDrCdVqRBpWOPTvlPR1LtFfNfP8kS70FWDvdWpDpmSN5JvGEJ7-NvZY94naFFYLCCrET1C5F_ANGxdTXcpK/s320/Aventura+2013+Madeleine.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi, Madeline!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And what's a book event without a giant dragon . . .<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbPEZPfnjr5l1dOcCIrH-gS-oh3JIyTjJoT3tMtCz4iKhXUXHdad9LrRFGCJ_xXCLbGHUBBSdS6uz1YziGXAV4L1LuRlD1VloJaxzgSh-KrKLMfiZiTNyQ2N8UZzuZ8ltP0DhTSXttvnl/s1600/Aventura+2013+Dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbPEZPfnjr5l1dOcCIrH-gS-oh3JIyTjJoT3tMtCz4iKhXUXHdad9LrRFGCJ_xXCLbGHUBBSdS6uz1YziGXAV4L1LuRlD1VloJaxzgSh-KrKLMfiZiTNyQ2N8UZzuZ8ltP0DhTSXttvnl/s320/Aventura+2013+Dragon.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">reading a giant book?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The fun never stopped with the dynamic duo of <a href="http://www.pageturneradventures.com/" target="_blank">PAGE TURNER ADVENTURES</a>. They emceed the entire event and provided stellar entertainment for over six hours!<br />
<br />
They also performed THE GREAT PIZZA CONTEST . . .<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudZ2I89lBvWYB8E5oad5GALxCUtHM4YQd7UHCUX2cbMoXFejsZTeJw8J2O6c-y5wKxnOS48kIMeypMribcQU_uINTTTm_CdhD0NjAFmMJucL7fVD3Uj6mmOlijmnmkoDCy9VQF2S1AG3P/s1600/Aventura+2013+Great+Pizza+Contest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudZ2I89lBvWYB8E5oad5GALxCUtHM4YQd7UHCUX2cbMoXFejsZTeJw8J2O6c-y5wKxnOS48kIMeypMribcQU_uINTTTm_CdhD0NjAFmMJucL7fVD3Uj6mmOlijmnmkoDCy9VQF2S1AG3P/s320/Aventura+2013+Great+Pizza+Contest.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One unsuspecting audience member wore a very interesting wig!</td></tr>
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And the <i>OLIVIA BEAN TRIVIA CONTEST . . .</i><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C9elDByZW5SsyD1zzD0UN-ShtT8SCG1aKalLMvYfwV-VNHlnk7TKfE3i4jEG2k1CsZGeLJgwOOfoo-RGwc0MHNXfnB50HhgM-HBuhOpd8ZwLPGuWTeaKofEqGJ-ZzDQvVFb08spBHWwh/s1600/Aventura+2013+Game+Show.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C9elDByZW5SsyD1zzD0UN-ShtT8SCG1aKalLMvYfwV-VNHlnk7TKfE3i4jEG2k1CsZGeLJgwOOfoo-RGwc0MHNXfnB50HhgM-HBuhOpd8ZwLPGuWTeaKofEqGJ-ZzDQvVFb08spBHWwh/s320/Aventura+2013+Game+Show.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got to be scorekeeper and only cheated a little. It was for the children!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i> </i>The best part was the endless stream of families, celebrating reading adventures together!<br />
<br />
Thank you Lisa Blair, Miami-Dade Family Learning Partnership, Aventura Mall and MANY hard-working employees and volunteers for creating such a fun event and for allowing me to help celebrate a love for literature! Thanks a million to my handsome hubby, who helped out in many ways throughout the event.<br />
<br />
Happy summer reading, everyone!<br />
<br />
Even you, Fly Guy . . .<br />
<br />
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Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-33426082536001001592013-05-23T13:12:00.002-04:002013-05-23T13:12:43.785-04:00THANK YOU, TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS!As summer approaches, I want to say a big <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>THANK YOU</b></span></span> for . . .<br />
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1. Many memorable school visits . . .<br />
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2. Fun Skype visits/Google Hangout, World Read Aloud Day . . .<br />
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<br />
Some of you have hosted me at conferences and festivals. Some have made very generous donations to children's literacy organizations. And one of you sent me an umbrella that came in very handy. (You know who you are!)<br />
<br />
Each of you has dedicated your time and energy to enriching the lives of children. <br />
<br />
What you do matters in ways you can't imagine. You change lives. You make this world a better place by being an advocate for the children you interact with every day.<br />
<br />
You deserve a lovely, restorative summer!<br />
<br />
If you've always wanted to write, check out <a href="http://www.katemessner.com/" target="_blank">Kate Messner</a>'s FREE summer on-line writing workshops for teachers. Authors provide guest posts all summer and answer questions. The writing workshop will be hosted on <a href="http://www.katemessner.com/blog/" target="_blank">Kate's blog</a>. You can join the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/311160185635267/" target="_blank">FB group here</a>.<br />
<br />
Or maybe you're looking for great summer reads. Sign up for <a href="http://jkrbooks.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Jen Robinson's Book Page</a> newletter, crammed with inspiring book recommendations, news and interesting links.<br />
<br />
Or travel to exotic locations (or at least dream about them) by signing up for <a href="http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/?tz_cs=HPV0" target="_blank">Travel Zoo's Weekly Top 20</a> Travel Deals.<br />
<br />
Whatever you do this summer, have a wonderful time filled with the things you love best. You deserve it!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">THANK YOU!!!</span></b></span>Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-81992020191864101052013-05-21T07:59:00.000-04:002013-05-21T07:59:26.388-04:00Celebrating Young Authors!This is the third year in a row I've had the GREAT pleasure of keynoting at the YOUNG AUTHOR CELEBRATION for students in 1st through 8th grades from St. Lucie County.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the families streaming into the event as the doors open . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3lbayj9xyiYuRdGqHaFzN4sMoxfiZ4xcbSIgOSMuiTL86nUS8bl4yevt3XvT7o1josmR8ktuVDYbQqY6yexQYZ7ujvkYiW4-cTb4znS_OXdlayG1bMpXB2TFP92bJA9tx-k_fikLGX8F/s1600/Young+Author+Celebration+Ft.+Pierce+High+May+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3lbayj9xyiYuRdGqHaFzN4sMoxfiZ4xcbSIgOSMuiTL86nUS8bl4yevt3XvT7o1josmR8ktuVDYbQqY6yexQYZ7ujvkYiW4-cTb4znS_OXdlayG1bMpXB2TFP92bJA9tx-k_fikLGX8F/s320/Young+Author+Celebration+Ft.+Pierce+High+May+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<br />
I love this event because the parents and grandparents are so proud of their children. And they should be. These students created beautiful, heartfelt/funny/scary books that were deemed tops at their schools. It's an honor to be invited to this event.<br />
<br />
Thanks to co-chairs, Erin Coppoletta and Lori Foley, for the hard work that goes into putting on such a terrific event for hundreds of attendees. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FBc0GaIri4plNU8v8sjDRuvE6Q_6zdF05aYP7N6AyHiTp7OIrVueokaU_fO5g26uvhyGEJkgkyDBv71W-zb047TEuA_7Q4Ss_7idZYkYSFA7Qk2r8lhJXbfpgUiYemy7jrQJDRO2-eri/s1600/Erin,+Lori,+Young+Author+Celebration+May+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FBc0GaIri4plNU8v8sjDRuvE6Q_6zdF05aYP7N6AyHiTp7OIrVueokaU_fO5g26uvhyGEJkgkyDBv71W-zb047TEuA_7Q4Ss_7idZYkYSFA7Qk2r8lhJXbfpgUiYemy7jrQJDRO2-eri/s320/Erin,+Lori,+Young+Author+Celebration+May+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erin, me and Lori, before the event begins</td></tr>
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<br />
And thanks to Debbie Remington for inviting me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLeX1L70ShPgXpunNaKhD7d7V1h6lfdCXqGpO6sXePvCAfdq8G_qXO7BDVeqLlN9zcKEYLUuuewwLLnO7RPCrWDPIM8kNK_Pz-44IkawguY9U6BmmkWEyDnHoBEsnrjYcyAzbODFNQvRL/s1600/Debbie+Remington+Young+Author+Festival+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLeX1L70ShPgXpunNaKhD7d7V1h6lfdCXqGpO6sXePvCAfdq8G_qXO7BDVeqLlN9zcKEYLUuuewwLLnO7RPCrWDPIM8kNK_Pz-44IkawguY9U6BmmkWEyDnHoBEsnrjYcyAzbODFNQvRL/s320/Debbie+Remington+Young+Author+Festival+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie Remington and me, Young Author Celebration 2012</td></tr>
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<br />
My favorite part, of course, was having a few moments with each of the students as they came up to have books signed, chat and have photos taken. Some students asked me to sign THEIR winning books, which felt like such an honor. <br />
<br />
I was delighted to see Crystal and her parents at the event. This is Crystal's third year in a row winning the honor of attending the Young Author's Celebration!<br />
<br />
Here she is a few years ago, when she was my escort during a school visit . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2S8AFe1-8Ahl9d-sw8MtshPAoWybfYeo_y-eNiYip8unIeX0Wb9QG5ErUo56740JfwtodqIhgn7fS9j4fTMhSFiIByDq2wPwsDoGhT0cnOKAPutuhGx6xZrR8TSR8epx2zv6GDtCD7h0/s1600/Crystal+Manatee+Academy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2S8AFe1-8Ahl9d-sw8MtshPAoWybfYeo_y-eNiYip8unIeX0Wb9QG5ErUo56740JfwtodqIhgn7fS9j4fTMhSFiIByDq2wPwsDoGhT0cnOKAPutuhGx6xZrR8TSR8epx2zv6GDtCD7h0/s320/Crystal+Manatee+Academy.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crystal, at Manatee Academy</td></tr>
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She's grown much taller since then!<br />
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And a huge shout of THANKS to our youngest son, who helped me during the entire event. He and I loved spending time with these sweet kids. We celebrated when we were done by going out to lunch and <a href="http://www.crackerbarrel.com/" target="_blank">this fancypants restaurant</a>.<br />
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If there are any YOUNG AUTHORS reading this, please stop by <a href="http://donnagephart.blogspot.com/2011/06/resources-for-young-writers.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a> to get resources for young writers, including places to send your work, excellent guidebooks, contests and more.Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-52588553128587069482013-05-17T14:50:00.000-04:002013-05-17T14:50:03.056-04:00I'll Take Fun Skype Visits for $400 . . .Lots of FUNtastic Skype visits this week.<br />
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Yesterday, a school book club from New York created a <i>Jeopardy! </i>board, which they used to ask me questions. (<a href="http://www.donnagephart.com/olivia-bean-trivia-queen.html" target="_blank">Olivia Bean</a> would have been proud!)<br />
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Aren't these kids precious? (Half a dozen book club members forgot to show up. But they're all getting signed bookmarks!)<br />
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And this sweet crew from Massachusetts, who had excellent questions for me . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRBpTcR4CG0_3UwZdZeCugfdlAeCqZfUpYsaxuKWguZdrsAEWezL0heGQYlA-bRtzbT4aCa7qnYdtKcImRy7Dfwo-Rna5Pdb9nl6OlPZ2Xyvg92DOhrRudb7KzhricWMIyljSwC1znDDO/s1600/Massachusetts+Skype+Nels+May+2013.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRBpTcR4CG0_3UwZdZeCugfdlAeCqZfUpYsaxuKWguZdrsAEWezL0heGQYlA-bRtzbT4aCa7qnYdtKcImRy7Dfwo-Rna5Pdb9nl6OlPZ2Xyvg92DOhrRudb7KzhricWMIyljSwC1znDDO/s320/Massachusetts+Skype+Nels+May+2013.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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My first Google Hangout was with 50 middle schoolers at a public library in Indiana. What fun!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A student sits in front of the camera to ask a question.</td></tr>
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And finally . . . the biggest, zaniest Skype visit I ever did was with Deb Tyo's amazing students from Ohio.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZhb83RCSvpTMv9RmFnbgT31NjwhFWq_6IAIwgv402xzYWhVRgedR2VUx1kbF8bKlhqb74Pb9hovLicH5wdDJXw6443311fxDjBQmp8OM24tFSPQ2GeCWaz1pkdJ9ofGyjjVAVw5EezwA/s1600/Skype+visit+Tyo+May+2013.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZhb83RCSvpTMv9RmFnbgT31NjwhFWq_6IAIwgv402xzYWhVRgedR2VUx1kbF8bKlhqb74Pb9hovLicH5wdDJXw6443311fxDjBQmp8OM24tFSPQ2GeCWaz1pkdJ9ofGyjjVAVw5EezwA/s320/Skype+visit+Tyo+May+2013.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a small portion of the students.</td></tr>
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Some of the students created a video invitation for me to Skype with their class during <a href="http://litworld.org/worldreadaloudday/" target="_blank">World Read Aloud Day</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxZnSHFsgpGGWAN9UMxz7VLdW9ledfTR-Xs5D1KS9rf_c5granZtdtyl3vXlQt6bmbWIlIfccIFgcJUp4HwPw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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But nature had other ideas. School was cancelled that day because of snow. I suggested everyone fly down to Florida, but some people were too busy playing in the snow . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKuQSs9TKvfeaNOVmy1ir2QoEcxl4PofG2MbijLM7yN0gQzKTnoBDeot5s7b5avUFlKC9X-Fy4DhHP6PYatl8IwQaAPKPKbRxStG2dqV8urd7hUY6Bl_I5TcY3K1FO6fjk5o9x7i2l9YH/s1600/Deb+Tyo%27s+Sad+Snow+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKuQSs9TKvfeaNOVmy1ir2QoEcxl4PofG2MbijLM7yN0gQzKTnoBDeot5s7b5avUFlKC9X-Fy4DhHP6PYatl8IwQaAPKPKbRxStG2dqV8urd7hUY6Bl_I5TcY3K1FO6fjk5o9x7i2l9YH/s320/Deb+Tyo%27s+Sad+Snow+Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Deb Tyo</td></tr>
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We made up for the missed Skype visit today. These kids were so enthusiastic and well-prepared! When they asked about my new book and I held up my finished manuscript for <i>DEATH BY TOILET PAPER</i>, the toilet paper went flying . . .<br />
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It was so much fun visiting teachers, librarians and superstar students in four states this week without ever changing out of my slippers. Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-1144293715914533902013-05-02T18:23:00.000-04:002013-05-05T19:27:19.081-04:00SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPENED AT MY LAST SCHOOL VISIT . . .My last school visit of the year became more special because of a very generous donation from <a href="http://booksindeed.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">KIDS IN NEED -- BOOKS IN DEED</a>, co-founded by <a href="http://juliannabaggott.com/" target="_blank">Julianna Baggott</a> and David Scott.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiUsf-jVlArbVSRwfEnGLpw0HGv7kJhzTEk-Rt8rc6_eORkqDB2HYF038PuE7WX_jPPIQxyA0pCnQUl0am7TLu8g0ZZt4jSzs2ZTKAOZl4yXKWb5c60F3sNPGmStUkoPC8-xXlhSn3u10/s1600/Crosspointe+Ms.+Ivery-Lester.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiUsf-jVlArbVSRwfEnGLpw0HGv7kJhzTEk-Rt8rc6_eORkqDB2HYF038PuE7WX_jPPIQxyA0pCnQUl0am7TLu8g0ZZt4jSzs2ZTKAOZl4yXKWb5c60F3sNPGmStUkoPC8-xXlhSn3u10/s320/Crosspointe+Ms.+Ivery-Lester.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Media Specialist, Ms. Ivery-Lester and a "Thank You" sign for KIDS IN NEED-BOOKS IN DEED.</td></tr>
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Before my visit, every student in 3rd - 5th grade received a copy of one of my books. Every student.<br />
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That meant the students had time to read the books and create projects, like these . . .<br />
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That meant when my presentations were over, I didn't have students eagerly asking where they could get copies of my books, only to be told there were no copies available in the school library, which happens sometimes. <br />
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Thanks to<a href="http://booksindeed.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> KIDS IN NEED -- BOOKS IN DEED</a>, after my presentations, this is what happened . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDiWhP6mx_Dl_R-JS8PcP5NRL0qFLEseyFkmcJSqfkwRVYZKJN-U7eL-I1IANxvMLS_CRXDInJytgcFrWQ9QVZXSqf9WNq476Xvvztv9575FBuG2PlgC521ae1IPcbhsDIXj9PhM15IiP/s1600/Crosspointe+Elementary+with+Principal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDiWhP6mx_Dl_R-JS8PcP5NRL0qFLEseyFkmcJSqfkwRVYZKJN-U7eL-I1IANxvMLS_CRXDInJytgcFrWQ9QVZXSqf9WNq476Xvvztv9575FBuG2PlgC521ae1IPcbhsDIXj9PhM15IiP/s320/Crosspointe+Elementary+with+Principal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dynamic principal, Dr. McKeever, interacted with students while they waited in line to have their own books signed.</td></tr>
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I loved interacting with each student who came up for a signature. Some shared favorite parts from the books, others asked questions they'd prepared ahead of time and some handed me books from friends who couldn't be there. <br />
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It was delightful to see these boys and girls so excited about books!<br />
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How could I not LOVE my job?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilomT4aX-YMMQvNCPKWwARryZ_lOlsDAsFPiyI2WLjCg0SqRfWXIOMJtzre-GcLgAhbGtOysULQE3eeiWWYv25Ltl0QqoUoMXocid9HQhIri5qg8aee5ckqnyfxlEn3yAHmApx1yxNrjHf/s1600/Crosspoint+El+New+Friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilomT4aX-YMMQvNCPKWwARryZ_lOlsDAsFPiyI2WLjCg0SqRfWXIOMJtzre-GcLgAhbGtOysULQE3eeiWWYv25Ltl0QqoUoMXocid9HQhIri5qg8aee5ckqnyfxlEn3yAHmApx1yxNrjHf/s320/Crosspoint+El+New+Friends.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I promised something special to the last student at the end of the last line. He'd waited so patiently to meet me.<br />
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While in Texas, a student handed me a bracelet she'd made with the word "BOOKS" on it. I wore that bracelet to every school visit. It seemed all the kids -- boys and girls -- were wearing cool, funky hand-made bracelets.<br />
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S. left with that bracelet on his wrist, because I knew it would matter to him. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK1RZjstyHiTQjNocQ7FWp2M743lrmuLD4n4EgsMs1Czbz7bz2ZNqb5r_rV193GLEcVUSnlEz_i2Ux4fvYDSXz81VoD6fh_IIeBEdPoPIN94BzuR5abvUuP4FDhVJ3nuSSKgHk8wg9nEy/s1600/Crosspointe+El+Samuel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK1RZjstyHiTQjNocQ7FWp2M743lrmuLD4n4EgsMs1Czbz7bz2ZNqb5r_rV193GLEcVUSnlEz_i2Ux4fvYDSXz81VoD6fh_IIeBEdPoPIN94BzuR5abvUuP4FDhVJ3nuSSKgHk8wg9nEy/s320/Crosspointe+El+Samuel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna and S.</td></tr>
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Thank you, <a href="http://booksindeed.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">KIDS IN NEED -- BOOKS IN DEED</a>! You've made the kind of difference that can't be measured -- the kind that matters most. Thank you wonderful young readers and dedicated staff that made this very memorable school visit possible.<br />
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Mostly, thank you for reminding me why I do what I do. And that it matters.Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-77574946337801951772013-04-29T22:27:00.000-04:002013-04-29T22:27:48.382-04:00Meet My 1,100 New Friends . . .What a fun school visit this morning!<br />
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Here are a few of my new friends . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Fm3N1cPHTVDICHA495sjD2PGx4y78xj0LOX4VfnSNAyleiS5z4WpMvW7KQiw8OX7kdV84KGSr-igCmsTZ-OUZx4Cdlt_diU2mdXzCn7p1aNtwJINBsOnmEDPOCyNzYk6D_LA2Dh9V5X-/s1600/Binks+Forest+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Fm3N1cPHTVDICHA495sjD2PGx4y78xj0LOX4VfnSNAyleiS5z4WpMvW7KQiw8OX7kdV84KGSr-igCmsTZ-OUZx4Cdlt_diU2mdXzCn7p1aNtwJINBsOnmEDPOCyNzYk6D_LA2Dh9V5X-/s320/Binks+Forest+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And a few more . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_T35Y02ZLJQQUVQNH92JhGsk3oZdK_NxGhMZJfqkAFHiJng4SRNQbxmy-cIc28vTTJNPeW56CXCU_SHLz4PgxyLQ3uRlzA8k6aD5Xx3ukTGJuA5JWJoAa2fDFI-GFZWBSgXKiQA-_vr1/s1600/Binks+Forest+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_T35Y02ZLJQQUVQNH92JhGsk3oZdK_NxGhMZJfqkAFHiJng4SRNQbxmy-cIc28vTTJNPeW56CXCU_SHLz4PgxyLQ3uRlzA8k6aD5Xx3ukTGJuA5JWJoAa2fDFI-GFZWBSgXKiQA-_vr1/s320/Binks+Forest+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Two sessions -- K-2 and 3-5 -- totaling 1,100 students.<br />
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After the presentations and meeting as many kids as I could, I was whisked off to the library to sign books. And sign. And sign. For well over two hours.<br />
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Here are some of them . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaSqZHaU7IDl7vTjLEEqPrgHhx1uId6pESNRyUM9fQkegn4MiE7wbeh-ykL_kcvYeARCb6seqiZP8VgYYMi4-Kiqqzxirw4TekDd_vmgc_usx6hmCLr_YrzBHW3JIwgXqhu9bHpG9yk7C/s1600/Binks+Forest+Signing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaSqZHaU7IDl7vTjLEEqPrgHhx1uId6pESNRyUM9fQkegn4MiE7wbeh-ykL_kcvYeARCb6seqiZP8VgYYMi4-Kiqqzxirw4TekDd_vmgc_usx6hmCLr_YrzBHW3JIwgXqhu9bHpG9yk7C/s320/Binks+Forest+Signing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I loved being in the library. There were all these great reading areas. In fact, one whole "bookshelf" was for students to place their shoes, so they could sit in this cushiony area and read silently. Here are a few young readers in that area of the library . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkYVkMePeeyZeKPNk-x9cfcN4euv2rmuSBlHGB2QFMjm7GNvUa3E8p_d6Uy5tAtRrfdjbXClMTps8QgSyvEUV5KvHAFygksa3khFUhjD-JfjRcasluSwxSjXJlhQUFu13X5r_77ucbLx9/s1600/Binks+Forest+Reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkYVkMePeeyZeKPNk-x9cfcN4euv2rmuSBlHGB2QFMjm7GNvUa3E8p_d6Uy5tAtRrfdjbXClMTps8QgSyvEUV5KvHAFygksa3khFUhjD-JfjRcasluSwxSjXJlhQUFu13X5r_77ucbLx9/s320/Binks+Forest+Reading.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
There were other great spots, too, with furry friends to read with . . .<br />
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And this . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72GHztPlZMLljuU17lTuOkszvcZyOz5WwcJCFc4nk1eBmXqmdtAp1ebjoL1Y5oFBavrZdHTEvB1WaUFF6AmbjIA0lEP_voocFa6DyIXmB38WQuwTI9E2cBHGUrQsBhMhNDDNJ15Ms2SsV/s1600/Binks+Forest+Winnie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72GHztPlZMLljuU17lTuOkszvcZyOz5WwcJCFc4nk1eBmXqmdtAp1ebjoL1Y5oFBavrZdHTEvB1WaUFF6AmbjIA0lEP_voocFa6DyIXmB38WQuwTI9E2cBHGUrQsBhMhNDDNJ15Ms2SsV/s320/Binks+Forest+Winnie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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What a welcoming library! What a great school! What fantastic, book-loving kids!<br />
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Thanks, Sharon Wedgworth, for inviting me and treating me to a wonderful day!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijw3cfQCXjXjFV2se76oz2L8XoTtdOyWvCSut-dib_NylaQ_uGLVN-54g-2Bm4yHB7rQYcwMMF8fvLZpBXoltL4lpOyDWI80Fe9rQVBewxYYRyaF_jNNPcHCB8EE3rMOs2sYokeZ7LDfU1/s1600/Binks+Forest+Sharon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijw3cfQCXjXjFV2se76oz2L8XoTtdOyWvCSut-dib_NylaQ_uGLVN-54g-2Bm4yHB7rQYcwMMF8fvLZpBXoltL4lpOyDWI80Fe9rQVBewxYYRyaF_jNNPcHCB8EE3rMOs2sYokeZ7LDfU1/s320/Binks+Forest+Sharon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and media specialist, Sharon Wedgworth</td></tr>
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Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-31454073978248156662013-04-28T08:07:00.000-04:002013-04-30T15:03:59.330-04:00One of Those School VisitsI show up for school visits with a lot of energy and never know what's going to happen.<br />
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When the halls are bright and covered with student artwork, I know something about the school. And when the librarian who invited me and the staff are friendly and welcoming, I know more. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiia4ybGRzJOFk82CyhcS-y_ZnFJcWHFtA3zuvC82bTv7Wo2FxBaz39z4bgKA5piBtj0o6zOl4Ks9rGm-4oQJt1BlXE1iud0KciWIk7whavr6Nobq4WOZNtpy3KJdphreV6hRhVMxyi682h/s1600/Hidden+Oaks+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiia4ybGRzJOFk82CyhcS-y_ZnFJcWHFtA3zuvC82bTv7Wo2FxBaz39z4bgKA5piBtj0o6zOl4Ks9rGm-4oQJt1BlXE1iud0KciWIk7whavr6Nobq4WOZNtpy3KJdphreV6hRhVMxyi682h/s320/Hidden+Oaks+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ms. Cruz, me and lovely librarian, Marie Smith</td></tr>
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The morning I arrived at Hidden Oaks Elementary, parents were flooding into the library to participate in a monthly program to celebrate their children. The librarian, Marie Smith, was coming from creating the morning news. She was proud that every book in the library was chosen by her because she opened the library 8 years ago, when the school opened.<br />
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Don't even try to tell me librarians are anything less than the heart of a school. <br />
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During this visit, I spoke to two large groups of students -- 4th grade and 5th grade -- in the music room. It was a cozy atmosphere where I could be close to the kids and interact with them.<br />
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They were wonderful!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJxSrel0p7e5UOJiyePlJ3llFEsVwv9OrJt1B8UA21KUqS5Z4wO4uDi3czh8JKoGv6Gc71p_kePZTgaYkcGiPij6NuEEwE1efUd6zqOxff3Ya20kGtrEz2tVXMcrEkpTppdcdcE6sqR5x/s1600/Hidden+Oaks+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJxSrel0p7e5UOJiyePlJ3llFEsVwv9OrJt1B8UA21KUqS5Z4wO4uDi3czh8JKoGv6Gc71p_kePZTgaYkcGiPij6NuEEwE1efUd6zqOxff3Ya20kGtrEz2tVXMcrEkpTppdcdcE6sqR5x/s320/Hidden+Oaks+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jake got to hold Hammy the Hamster because he has a real hamster named Hammy.</td></tr>
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These students were so enthusiastic about reading and writing. They were nice not only to me, but to each other. And they went out of their way to make me feel welcome. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKe6DBXmUeqGk4MsuL2GA__2o8uTs4IhXRNfh1Bdzv2uZ0ubcCkv5ud2lnTtPciV7EoUT8MogbCBoLZosNGXHBgrw4l2GttxzB6L3WwusRtjvXWKL1Q5sYKb-9ESBa1KE-lLVyJIZI61ib/s1600/Hidden+Oaks+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKe6DBXmUeqGk4MsuL2GA__2o8uTs4IhXRNfh1Bdzv2uZ0ubcCkv5ud2lnTtPciV7EoUT8MogbCBoLZosNGXHBgrw4l2GttxzB6L3WwusRtjvXWKL1Q5sYKb-9ESBa1KE-lLVyJIZI61ib/s320/Hidden+Oaks+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These girls made this terrific "Welcome" poster. Don't you love the green Converse sneakers?</td></tr>
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I loved meeting ALL the students, but two of them made an imprint on my heart.<br />
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Jackson, with Down Syndrome, was so excited to get his book signed that he hugged me for a long time and kissed the back of my head, then he turned and kissed the top of the head of the boy in line behind him. "Best part of my day," I told the students. "Best part!" The kids were grinning like crazy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4cLCqOcPRFnpYGANB4UUutJ20Y0G0nW2yeqLnhNLY-SSgwE5TvvuBGCoIh7c9i31KFCQf_kodzZSefWA6HAAbgCI6_ZNMt5C6HAY3myEWpJYzRIcqUnv6csp55rYpM3Vbis8YAvJnVnk/s1600/Hidden+Oaks+Jackson,+Ms.+Cruz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4cLCqOcPRFnpYGANB4UUutJ20Y0G0nW2yeqLnhNLY-SSgwE5TvvuBGCoIh7c9i31KFCQf_kodzZSefWA6HAAbgCI6_ZNMt5C6HAY3myEWpJYzRIcqUnv6csp55rYpM3Vbis8YAvJnVnk/s320/Hidden+Oaks+Jackson,+Ms.+Cruz.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A young friend, Ms. Cruz and Jackson</td></tr>
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But the moment that slayed me -- and it was only a moment because that's the way these things happen -- a girl came up after my presentation to tell me something. "My dad lived in Philadelphia, too," she said. I asked her a question about where he lived, then said, "Tell your dad I said hi." With students crowding behind her, she replied, "He's not here anymore. He's up in heaven."<br />
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I gave this girl such a hug, then whispered in her ear, "My new book is all about that." (It's about a boy in Philadelphia who comes to terms with the death of his dad.)<br />
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She looked up at me. "It is?"<br />
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I nodded, then gave her an extra hug, because even if she didn't need it, I did. Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-92041123432030009642013-04-24T10:39:00.000-04:002013-04-24T10:39:21.976-04:00All the Fun Stuff Going On . . . The past 5 months, I've had some <i>late </i>nights and <i>long </i>weekends writing and revising and re-revising <b><i>DEATH BY TOILET PAPER</i></b>.<br />
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Yesterday, I had the great pleasure of hitting "SEND." My agent, Tina Wexler, responded with an e-mail that every writer dreams of -- praise so generous it made me tear up. Twice.<br />
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Now, I'll work with my editor, Michelle Poploff, and the awesome team at Random House to make this the best book possible. I can't wait for its release next year!<br />
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I've been doing lots more than writing and revising these past five months.<br />
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There have been oodles of school visits, including the week I spent in Fort Worth, TX with incredible hosts, extraordinary students and . . . Clifford the Big Red Dog.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKeGc52K2HMTzgujwl-aPjNJBI8YqhusyeAmYrocYiduRvTw2XYZQH7e7112IJoRvubU-MMcp39khBDpZYiGbWbc5y8v6AfCUSpfbnKVhCKI4RTXhIef5SYJ1Jj2lr3E3jWg8Q4BjPFCT/s1600/Donna,+Clifford,+Briscoe+in+Fort+Worth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKeGc52K2HMTzgujwl-aPjNJBI8YqhusyeAmYrocYiduRvTw2XYZQH7e7112IJoRvubU-MMcp39khBDpZYiGbWbc5y8v6AfCUSpfbnKVhCKI4RTXhIef5SYJ1Jj2lr3E3jWg8Q4BjPFCT/s320/Donna,+Clifford,+Briscoe+in+Fort+Worth.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eager Briscoe Elementary students</td></tr>
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I've traveled the country virtually doing tons of Skype visits, like this one with 6th grade students in VA . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdInAXiWFsnrvQSaHTVW8ZJKB2-lgEIQZ13d8UcJIy1zvhiSAKF_hWBxG68UTqOI4GVPOrTK84k0PwnMwqkO-2CeozZABenedXceTCL7mBHB4L5d7hEb7dRQt-ytjex1JI1GQjY1bFMqBn/s1600/Skype+4:18+Virginia:Buchanan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdInAXiWFsnrvQSaHTVW8ZJKB2-lgEIQZ13d8UcJIy1zvhiSAKF_hWBxG68UTqOI4GVPOrTK84k0PwnMwqkO-2CeozZABenedXceTCL7mBHB4L5d7hEb7dRQt-ytjex1JI1GQjY1bFMqBn/s320/Skype+4:18+Virginia:Buchanan.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks, Ms. Buchanan, for sharing your FUNderful students with me.</td></tr>
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I've received lovely notes from students, including these thank you letters from <a href="http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mr. Schu's</a> students in IL and Ms. Luchie's students in ME from <a href="http://litworld.org/worldreadaloudday/" target="_blank">World Read Aloud Day</a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6AUVWjhIT1LhSTMX6pmu3Sk2-4SIyZaRc8zNGLw90CDw8hVWliRVxZmGxiLK6lDMDGXpsUMIw0-JYRmr1kZelYDS8ADbrR9_x8s_yajD44psasEktoA9mbxkso88GKuVZxyKsxAduPFFf/s1600/Thank+You+Cards+from+Mr.+Schu%27s+Class+with+Dogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6AUVWjhIT1LhSTMX6pmu3Sk2-4SIyZaRc8zNGLw90CDw8hVWliRVxZmGxiLK6lDMDGXpsUMIw0-JYRmr1kZelYDS8ADbrR9_x8s_yajD44psasEktoA9mbxkso88GKuVZxyKsxAduPFFf/s320/Thank+You+Cards+from+Mr.+Schu%27s+Class+with+Dogs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank You Notes from Mr. Schu's students. (Dogs not included.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvHdNKobClGIxvZ2tgXnA0Mo941w4ODfm0ElxZbhgu1rUcOVp0WZDR7EFG7nZ5If0hNaw_0GZ_K43i-N9K1q3CiK8rU5pCC2x54XLlkvumyg5kwUXPbIz9wcbX966HQ81TEGtT0Vkxbru/s1600/Thank+You+Cards+from+Maine+with+Teddy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvHdNKobClGIxvZ2tgXnA0Mo941w4ODfm0ElxZbhgu1rUcOVp0WZDR7EFG7nZ5If0hNaw_0GZ_K43i-N9K1q3CiK8rU5pCC2x54XLlkvumyg5kwUXPbIz9wcbX966HQ81TEGtT0Vkxbru/s320/Thank+You+Cards+from+Maine+with+Teddy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teddy guarding the thank you notes from Ms. Luchie's students. (Thanks, Teddy!)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I created a fun <i>OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN </i><a href="http://www.randombuzzers.com/blog/view/the-buzz/olivia-bean-trivia-queen/2013/04/17/" target="_blank">quiz for Random Buzzers</a> that includes trivia and a chance for kids to earn Buzz Bucks and "buy" books with them. <a href="http://www.randombuzzers.com/blog/view/the-buzz/olivia-bean-trivia-queen/2013/04/17/" target="_blank">Check it out! </a><br />
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Recently, I spoke at a luncheon with Jim Cummings. He spent a year in Africa with no running water or electricity and counts it as the best of his life. Jim has created an amazing project -- <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kijana-lwanda-maktaba-campaign?c=home" target="_blank">KIJANA EDUCATIONAL EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE</a> -- which connects children across cultures, provides educational spaces, puts books into kids' hands in Kenya and more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmze9ZQWcEgTzd8Qhaqu2n6ha4Akod2a4P5KkTntEt8AhuHuDTSFOYMNUl3X_d_QXjoyguiCclYfY38Fsidl2G6jLTC0_eHWrUhVs34MlIluQPVqyFn8iNSjwgpkUOYS4NHM6ZLFs8Tx5f/s1600/Kihani+Project+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmze9ZQWcEgTzd8Qhaqu2n6ha4Akod2a4P5KkTntEt8AhuHuDTSFOYMNUl3X_d_QXjoyguiCclYfY38Fsidl2G6jLTC0_eHWrUhVs34MlIluQPVqyFn8iNSjwgpkUOYS4NHM6ZLFs8Tx5f/s320/Kihani+Project+Photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kijana Educational Empowerment Initiative</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There are <span style="font-size: large;">only 4 days left</span> to contribute to his <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kijana-lwanda-maktaba-campaign?c=home" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Kijana Lwanda Maktaba Campaign.</span></span></a></span><br />
<br />
There are great "thank you" gifts for even the smallest donation. Won't you take a moment to donate? I just did. <span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kijana-lwanda-maktaba-campaign?c=home" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kijana Lwanda Maktaba Campaign.</span> </span></span></span></a><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">HERE'S WHAT I'LL BE DOING THROUGH THE END OF APRIL . . .</span></span></b><br />
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1. <a href="http://aprilisforauthors.org/" target="_blank">APRIL IS FOR AUTHORS</a> -- Saturday, April 27th at Palm Beach Gardens High School, 25 authors from around the country will give presentations, participate in panel discussions and sign books at this FREE event from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. This is a wonderful annual event. If you live in or near Palm Beach County, FL, be sure to stop by this Saturday.<br />
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2. I'll be attending the 26th annual <a href="http://www.broward.org/LIBRARY/EVENTSCLASSES/Pages/ChildrensLiterature.aspx" target="_blank">CONFERENCE ON CHILDREN'S LITERATURE</a> in Ft. Lauderdale Friday. I had spoken there a few years ago. This time, I'm going to enjoy a great lineup of speakers, including the Ambassador for Young People's Literature, <a href="http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/" target="_blank">Walter Dean Myers</a>. Can't wait!<br />
<br />
3. And I'll be doing <b><span style="color: red;">THREE</span></b> days of local school visits. <br />
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I'm excited about each of these visits, but especially about the last one because . . . Thanks to the generosity of <a href="http://booksindeed.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kids in Need, Books in Deed</a>, a nonprofit organization, every one of the students I'll be speaking to at this Title I school has been given a copy of one of my books. A brand new book to keep. (Something I never had growing up.)<br />
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I can't tell you what it feels like to present to a group of low-income students who ask how they can get a copy of a book, only to be told there are no copies for them. <a href="http://booksindeed.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kids in Need, Books in Deed</a> is a great organization, and I've already made a donation to thank them for the important work they do here in Florida, getting books into kids' hands in conjunction with author visits.<br />
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After the whirlwind of activity the past 5 months and what's on the horizon for the remainder of April, I'm pretty sure on May 1st, you'll find me here . . .<br />
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Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-45027490724148131632013-04-15T15:18:00.000-04:002013-04-15T15:18:27.672-04:00Guerilla Gardener . . . Last summer, I worked with a group of enthusiastic, creative, smart economically disadvantaged kids in Columbus, Ohio. (I, by the way, was an enthusiastic, creative, smart economically disadvantaged kid from Philadelphia.)<br />
<br />
What got to me about the neighborhood in which these kids lived was this: They did not have a supermarket.<br />
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Yet, in nearby neighborhoods, the residents got to choose between Kroeger, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc.<br />
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It. Pissed. Me. Off.<br />
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Apparently, this food availability disparity pissed off Ron Finley of South Central, LA enough that he did something about it. He became a guerilla gardener.<br />
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"If kids grow kale," Finley says, "they eat kale."<br />
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"Gardening is the most therapeutic and defiant activity you can do, especially in the inner-city. Plus you get strawberries."<br />
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I've seen creative solutions before, like a renovated bus that brought fresh fruit and vegetables to impoverished neighborhoods each week at a reduced cost. (Kind of like a bookmobile, with low-cost, fresh produce.)<br />
<br />
But I LOVE Ron Finley's solution . . . because it returns power to the people. It offers dignity, education, good health and good karma. (Plus you get strawberries.) <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://embed.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerilla_gardener_in_south_central_la.html" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-66242428994994243432013-04-11T14:53:00.000-04:002013-04-11T14:53:58.940-04:00ELEANOR AND PARK . . . Every once in a while, I finish a book and have to share it with others. Immediately. <br />
<br />
The last book I felt that way about was <i>A MONSTER CALLS </i>by Patrick Ness. Perfect. Before that, it was <i>THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN </i>by Sherman Alexie. True and heart-breakingly hilarious.<br />
<br />
I just closed another book and must share.<br />
<br />
<i>ELEANOR & PARK </i>by Rainbow Rowell.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqd_a-gADRPPrkvCvvkzB0YP_k4BN-a7a4r-Q4hLqvIlNGOe97ZxjwixOmML6xeYyu93CBrhRg_W2nf2s6US1BcIJj1eJy_3MKNOJtWSFAfd6UXxWY4XFBUA-Fp4iNMqOqw8mM9pR4LJk/s1600/Eleanor+and+Park.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqd_a-gADRPPrkvCvvkzB0YP_k4BN-a7a4r-Q4hLqvIlNGOe97ZxjwixOmML6xeYyu93CBrhRg_W2nf2s6US1BcIJj1eJy_3MKNOJtWSFAfd6UXxWY4XFBUA-Fp4iNMqOqw8mM9pR4LJk/s320/Eleanor+and+Park.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
When I first saw this cover, I thought it was a picture book with thumbprint characters. It's not.<br />
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This young adult novel is about Eleanor, a misfit on the outside, who defies the world and falls in love with Park. Park, who feels like an outsider, sees beneath Eleanor's odd clothing, big red hair and large frame. He's attracted to her like Romeo was to Juliet. <br />
<br />
Eleanor lives in a dire and dangerous home. I worried for her and hoped for her the entire book. I stayed up way too late several nights. <i>Just one more chapter. Just one more . . .</i><br />
<br />
This novel is written beat by beat, moment by moment, feeling by feeling -- simply and honestly.<br />
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If you don't believe me, read <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/books/review/eleanor-park-by-rainbow-rowell.html?_r=2&" target="_blank">John Green's review in the <i>New York Times</i></a>. Or the multiple starred reviews. Or the blurbs from well-known authors -- all on <a href="http://rainbowrowell.com/blog/" target="_blank">Rainbow Rowell's site</a>.<br />
<br />
But really, forget about reading all of that and read <i>ELEANOR & PARK</i>.<br />
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There will be only one thing to do when you're done. Tell someone else.Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-64592610309124750772013-04-02T14:39:00.002-04:002013-04-02T14:40:54.451-04:00Opportunity for a Scholarship to Attend the Annual SCBWI Conference . . . <span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][1]"> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[0]">::::: fAiRy gOdSiStErS iNk :::::</span><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[2]"> </span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[2]">anounces</span><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[3]" /><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[4]">Our 6th Annual SCBWI Conference Scholarship!</span></span></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtF0pxsVba_h-3l9pAk0_BnCEkDSX0OquvKqrnGZWbq5BxdNetD16PIaYzwmHY81-hoIzpVYi58e77X3sRVwZqSjW2w4Pa2Kc5AAS0yyuCimKQyldWfiAFfPEOAQ0kRzQdVPFd9HfrNzE/s1600/Fairy+Godsisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtF0pxsVba_h-3l9pAk0_BnCEkDSX0OquvKqrnGZWbq5BxdNetD16PIaYzwmHY81-hoIzpVYi58e77X3sRVwZqSjW2w4Pa2Kc5AAS0yyuCimKQyldWfiAFfPEOAQ0kRzQdVPFd9HfrNzE/s320/Fairy+Godsisters.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="userContent">Fairy Godsisters: Robin LaFevers, Thalia Chalta, Valerie Hobbs, Lee Wardlaw and Mary Hershey</span></td></tr>
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<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[4]"></span><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[7]">wHo can apply: YOU with your shiny SCBWI membership (Make haste to </span><a content="www.scbwi.org" href="http://www.scbwi.org/" id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[8]" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.scbwi.org</a><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[9]"> to join/renew if needed)</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]" /><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[1]" /><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[2]">wHaT: $1,000.00 toward conference tuition, manuscript or portfolio critique, and a bit of mad money during your LA stay.</span><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[3]" /><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[4]" /><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[5]">wHeN: Conference runs from August 2 -5, 2013</span><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[6]" /><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[7]" /><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[8]">wHeRe: The Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles CA</span><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[9]" /><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[10]" /><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[11]">wHy:
We are five very fortunate authors for children and young adults who
have been generously mentored, guided and supported by a host of
talented individuals. We can't think of a better way to thank them than
by easing the way for others. The National Conference is a game-changer.</span><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[12]" /><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[13]" /><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[14]">hOw:
To enter, write at least one but no more than three haiku telling us
why we should pick you for this year's conference. (A haiku is a
three-line poem, featuring a total of 17 syllables: 5 in the first line,
7 in the second, and 5 again in the third.) Have some fun with this!</span><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[15]" /><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[16]" /><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[17]">Email your entry to fairygodsistersink@gmail.com by April 15th. Winners will be announced on May 1st. Questions, just ask!</span><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[18]" /><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[19]" /><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[20]">Please feel free to share this info with your SCBWI buddies everywhere.</span><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[21]" /><br id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[22]" /><span id=".reactRoot[127].[1][2][1]{comment583222748354756_101176216}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[23]">Best of luck to you all!</span></span></span></span></span>Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-23259961570951490212013-03-29T12:58:00.000-04:002013-03-29T12:58:16.456-04:00ADVENTURES IN TEXAS . . . Last week found me in Fort Worth, TX doing a series of school visits.<br />
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My first host, Maggie, and I began the week by walking a lovely trail along the Trinity River.<br />
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We made a new friend along the way . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkziRtUL_Ue6g0qx6xkIaT15t1Syg9MeKZsSIO9XUdz5dqsT3sDwGvWdMSxZU6uSWDmLsIB8lyUkET-7NLKA0M8lbFnO2mh-cNiDmC_wmH_bxvzNGwDuQ5VTnA0rB41iPL9D51OfOKG4_/s1600/Mark+Twain+and+Maggie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkziRtUL_Ue6g0qx6xkIaT15t1Syg9MeKZsSIO9XUdz5dqsT3sDwGvWdMSxZU6uSWDmLsIB8lyUkET-7NLKA0M8lbFnO2mh-cNiDmC_wmH_bxvzNGwDuQ5VTnA0rB41iPL9D51OfOKG4_/s320/Mark+Twain+and+Maggie.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark and Maggie</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNObzgs5Zusgb99wfcl3_ZFvjejmnpXwX9dj39NilaocVSspJwnJ_rLG0dMj99sYQDWYRm30PHwzo10Y1PM4uquJYauPlohlTvuoiAqnsmQ9mwsKcbM0iXkeVIKGzSwHgHRahMlyIG9MaR/s1600/Mark+Twain+and+Donna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNObzgs5Zusgb99wfcl3_ZFvjejmnpXwX9dj39NilaocVSspJwnJ_rLG0dMj99sYQDWYRm30PHwzo10Y1PM4uquJYauPlohlTvuoiAqnsmQ9mwsKcbM0iXkeVIKGzSwHgHRahMlyIG9MaR/s320/Mark+Twain+and+Donna.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark and Donna</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Then the fun, er, work began the next day at Trinity Valley School . . .<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SgCBT1xtdY78pdPcY8qcSeAtFTt228gCKAKHhTcFbS6xCX068UGME0K2SFL1elQ_NEYdFKu3nm4TNKJj5PF36h0lXomoYXZ_DrPBWIFpPtfnZuofBHKtnUHk-aK-3l03iNQhVbkmfNDe/s1600/TVS+Library+3:13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SgCBT1xtdY78pdPcY8qcSeAtFTt228gCKAKHhTcFbS6xCX068UGME0K2SFL1elQ_NEYdFKu3nm4TNKJj5PF36h0lXomoYXZ_DrPBWIFpPtfnZuofBHKtnUHk-aK-3l03iNQhVbkmfNDe/s320/TVS+Library+3:13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I spoke to 7th and 8th graders in an auditorium, an eager group of creative writing students and 5th and 6th graders.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgK9OiGvfiszxNAlfSkroIjE4g9YjIjT667xVQqfjextE1w_FEME6ju5OLyZ2bQAMKCeOlh-XynCqKZutox08k2obCLfhDy_aBkIIqAhAwPLypif2gf_PUEagSIE7tU7RZQMX6bxxZzowA/s1600/Gephart_5thgrade.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgK9OiGvfiszxNAlfSkroIjE4g9YjIjT667xVQqfjextE1w_FEME6ju5OLyZ2bQAMKCeOlh-XynCqKZutox08k2obCLfhDy_aBkIIqAhAwPLypif2gf_PUEagSIE7tU7RZQMX6bxxZzowA/s320/Gephart_5thgrade.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna with Trinity Valley Students</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7YfdIGwVGlKjWubaMN_iRMsjTyWvvu_mWP7xupyAtVC313CkJh6vQDZsvvil4MzyW_QxqHQCWnUeogFix2PiHp72fRk8J4rgA1t8XSve44FCcGaiHR6AdVXn5lrR3rFayk5Hu4vNMGLH/s1600/GerphartAlexAnna.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7YfdIGwVGlKjWubaMN_iRMsjTyWvvu_mWP7xupyAtVC313CkJh6vQDZsvvil4MzyW_QxqHQCWnUeogFix2PiHp72fRk8J4rgA1t8XSve44FCcGaiHR6AdVXn5lrR3rFayk5Hu4vNMGLH/s320/GerphartAlexAnna.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex, Donna and Anna</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
What a delightful day!<br />
<br />
The next couple days I spent with Paula Tyler of the Fort Worth Library Foundation. Paula is brilliant and gracious. She advocates for young people in need in so many ways. I learned much from her and her husband, Ron.<br />
<br />
We visited SIX schools over two days.<br />
<br />
The kids were amazing! One group of eager young readers at Sellars Elementary gathered round while I spoke in the library from a rocking chair. Afterward, they ran up for hugs and autographs, and one little girl timidly approached and said, "I made this for you last night . . ."<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCiJJPicRHb2yRRAp2N4ZY0isculWIimhFe3fqp96fY9DHjBV7pp3vcWXeZe1xNJT1V5ezDDkDxP6M5MFYjGOarylQm9XijQe1qHVRCc3W0uRO3ZlOTxJon98Un9XsjcaxbLpbilW7IoW/s1600/Books+Bracelet+3:13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCiJJPicRHb2yRRAp2N4ZY0isculWIimhFe3fqp96fY9DHjBV7pp3vcWXeZe1xNJT1V5ezDDkDxP6M5MFYjGOarylQm9XijQe1qHVRCc3W0uRO3ZlOTxJon98Un9XsjcaxbLpbilW7IoW/s320/Books+Bracelet+3:13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Books Bracelet, being modeled by son's friend, Mercedes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I wore that bracelet every day and showed it to the students at every school. <br />
<br />
The next day, we learned that these enthusiastic young book club members weren't the strongest readers in the school. For the most part, they were the students who needed the most help with their reading skills. Each of them read at least one of my books. They had excellent questions and were wholly engaged. What a testament to the power of a dedicated, creative, caring school librarian. I'm talking to you, Ms. Johnson! Your group of students were an author's dream!<br />
<br />
At Wedgewood Sixth Grade School, the daughter of school librarian, Cheryll Falcone, created this amazing illustration of Hammy the Hamster from <i>How to Survive Middle School</i>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRmxD54RsU2x4n8WH4Aiks4bkMZA8snycKWcbu7-AJrWSovQ32yXM8t9H6Q6fspsfrDZ_6BcS4qA1Q6gE9IlHZ7MRkrkgIcQ3XXKgGFC4MbyqRIB4sfGANKbcb72rCGMXiNMaupJ_jyJe/s1600/Go,+Hammy+3:13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRmxD54RsU2x4n8WH4Aiks4bkMZA8snycKWcbu7-AJrWSovQ32yXM8t9H6Q6fspsfrDZ_6BcS4qA1Q6gE9IlHZ7MRkrkgIcQ3XXKgGFC4MbyqRIB4sfGANKbcb72rCGMXiNMaupJ_jyJe/s320/Go,+Hammy+3:13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna, Cheryll Falcone, Hammy the Hamster and Paula Tyler.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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My last school visit was with the lovely ladies at the Young Women's Leadership Academy. These serious, dedicated, smiling girls inspired me much more than I ever could have inspired them. What a spectacular experience! I wish I had a photo of the sea of enthusiastic young women in their red school shirts. Several e-mailed me later to tell me of the books <i>they </i>were writing!<br />
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Between the school visits, Paula gave me a tour of Fort Worth.<br />
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We visited the <a href="http://fwbg.org/" target="_blank">Fort Worth Botanic Garden</a> . . .<br />
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We visited the <a href="http://themodern.org/" target="_blank">Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth</a> and the <a href="http://www.cartermuseum.org/" target="_blank">Amon Carter Museum of American Art</a>. Fabulous!<br />
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And we ate . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnqxk5k0TBPSCQQPLy30DtsouZk1QwjZQxN4zAX78IoNqg5KR8S5Kn8RrM5FAVkI1eBWnBTMBumVq7J1WRy27FAJLGE720iB-20CyILL2668Waqt7xEUkSx-WxHSG9BLbREOZmn0qFXZd/s1600/Raviolis+at+Lilly%27s+3:13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnqxk5k0TBPSCQQPLy30DtsouZk1QwjZQxN4zAX78IoNqg5KR8S5Kn8RrM5FAVkI1eBWnBTMBumVq7J1WRy27FAJLGE720iB-20CyILL2668Waqt7xEUkSx-WxHSG9BLbREOZmn0qFXZd/s320/Raviolis+at+Lilly%27s+3:13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled raviolis and spinach salad at <a href="http://lilisbistro.com/" target="_blank">Lili's</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My only regret is that I didn't have a book to put in the hand of every eager student who asked after the presentation how s/he could get a book. It's hard to see kids who are so excited about reading not have enough access to the books they want to read.<br />
<br />
My host, Paula, said the Library Foundation would provide some copies to the school libraries that needed them.<br />
<br />
I wished these kids could have their OWN books -- something I could never afford as a kid.<br />
<br />
It made me grateful for organizations like <a href="http://booksindeed.blogspot.com/p/about-kin-bid.html" target="_blank">Kids in Need -- Books in Deed</a>, created by Julianna Baggott and David Scott. These wonderful folks will be providing a book for EVERY student at my upcoming visit to a Title I school in Palm Beach County next month. <br />
<br />
I'm thankful I said "YES" when invited to Fort Worth last year. I thoroughly enjoyed my experiences in Texas, my gracious hosts and the wonderful librarians, educators and children I had the great pleasure to meet. Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-25231829618311817562013-03-26T15:45:00.000-04:002013-03-26T15:45:18.542-04:00THE THREE WINNERS OF THE BIG GIVEAWAY ARE . . . Thanks for celebrating the <a href="http://donnagephart.blogspot.com/2013/03/olivia-bean-trivia-queen-big-birthday.html" target="_blank">Week of Giving</a>!<br />
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As you know, a total of $425 was donated to <a href="http://www.firstbook.org/" target="_blank">First Book</a>!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ-Go_504Z84JfXvLIQk8tS3eRaItYLv7a3mI34epJnA098ALz1ct5xfgVDJN9gw9J1W4D3Y88QEguZRVGXKplIpn9m6epn1rz7EKxR13AGC5-pbSUeLfDGrKXC-kRNYfODbM_Qb46gJF/s1600/First+Book.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ-Go_504Z84JfXvLIQk8tS3eRaItYLv7a3mI34epJnA098ALz1ct5xfgVDJN9gw9J1W4D3Y88QEguZRVGXKplIpn9m6epn1rz7EKxR13AGC5-pbSUeLfDGrKXC-kRNYfODbM_Qb46gJF/s320/First+Book.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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And a box of new, award-winning books were donated to my childhood library -- the Northeast Regional Library in Philadelphia!<br />
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Now it's time to announce the winners of <a href="http://donnagephart.blogspot.com/2013/03/enter-big-giveaway.html" target="_blank">THE BIG GIVEAWAY</a>!<br />
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EACH of the three winners will receive the following prizes:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">3 signed copies of <i>OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN</i></span></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">30 signed bookmarks</span></b></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">$30 to spend at the bookstore of your choice </span></b></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Congratulations <span style="font-size: small;">to the following randomly selected <span style="font-size: small;">winners<span style="font-size: small;">:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">1. <b><span style="color: red;">JENNIFER</span></b>, whose comment was: "</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Hooray for First Book! Thank you and the others who donated to such a worthy cause! And hooray for OLIVIA BEAN!"<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. <b><span style="color: red;">J<span style="font-size: small;">ULIE</span>.<span style="font-size: small;">STEPHENSON</span></span></b>, whose comment was: "</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>How perfect. Olivia Bean is on my never-ending Titlewave "wishlist."
Thank you for this opportunity. I am sharing with all my ELA teacher
friends."<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3. <b><span style="color: red;">JESSICA</span></b>, who<span style="font-size: small;">se comment was: </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I emailed three teacher friends! Can't wait to Skype!"</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you are a winner, please contact me <span style="font-size: small;">at dgep (at) hotmail (dot) com<span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">I'll need your mailing address to send the prizes<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanks so much for participating in <span style="font-size: small;">The Week of Giving!</span> </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-85392790789786758372013-03-15T14:55:00.000-04:002013-03-15T14:55:45.509-04:00ENTER THE BIG GIVEAWAY!We're celebrating <i><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN'S</span></span></b> </i>paperback release this week by<span style="font-size: large;"> GIVING!</span><br />
<br />
Today, we're giving away not one, not two, but <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">THREE</span></b></span> prize packages! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aYxCSxP27sVpMVEQ_Pie8YiiJhAjLMUej9WQ7xUcAqtxDc6oktagTBTDR0-Ed7TaFVM4_DUyp_2_Ne1JqrDX7u8k_Iskv8fSP9XyWSOzF8hGWwDfXtm0gZpS7oT53TVek1xi-PwS5PbR/s1600/OBTQ+Bookmarks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aYxCSxP27sVpMVEQ_Pie8YiiJhAjLMUej9WQ7xUcAqtxDc6oktagTBTDR0-Ed7TaFVM4_DUyp_2_Ne1JqrDX7u8k_Iskv8fSP9XyWSOzF8hGWwDfXtm0gZpS7oT53TVek1xi-PwS5PbR/s320/OBTQ+Bookmarks.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There will be signed bookmarks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSMuPl5I5Djl_9l5L6PitIreJZNdpNCtQuN65eyBMoOdJoFn3tbAT4-quH3keUzgjKKVyA1hiHp_Bidp22Nv8wBCQ8iU1TarQythAv_0WrwhxdOgsvDgvx20-cpd4wmNsAx3H3IgyIjg8/s1600/OLIVIA+BEAN+FINAL+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSMuPl5I5Djl_9l5L6PitIreJZNdpNCtQuN65eyBMoOdJoFn3tbAT4-quH3keUzgjKKVyA1hiHp_Bidp22Nv8wBCQ8iU1TarQythAv_0WrwhxdOgsvDgvx20-cpd4wmNsAx3H3IgyIjg8/s320/OLIVIA+BEAN+FINAL+COVER.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There will be autographed books</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7Mr-bDrf4BT5I7D-fPIL8G8JCC4uMSlhCuVQNgVlj8QVrpRBDyWTscbZ7r6mBEJitCMgEepWb4JyzyVi5rZ77TzyoSYCSrG2-79SarZtM0nGFmdXTs945O0T0kmS53eMDYM4dYdc7jtm/s1600/5885462-a-cash-box-full-of-money-is-good-for-financial-economic-retirement-and-savings-inferences.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7Mr-bDrf4BT5I7D-fPIL8G8JCC4uMSlhCuVQNgVlj8QVrpRBDyWTscbZ7r6mBEJitCMgEepWb4JyzyVi5rZ77TzyoSYCSrG2-79SarZtM0nGFmdXTs945O0T0kmS53eMDYM4dYdc7jtm/s320/5885462-a-cash-box-full-of-money-is-good-for-financial-economic-retirement-and-savings-inferences.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There will be cash to buy books!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But first . . .<br />
<br />
A big <b>THANK YOU</b> to everyone who participated in <a href="http://donnagephart.blogspot.com/2013/03/olivia-bean-trivia-queen-big-birthday.html" target="_blank">our last blog post</a> and voted for which children's literacy organization should receive a $200 donation.<br />
<br />
Your kind comments and generosity inspired me!<br />
<br />
Kimmy T is sending boxes of new, award-winning books to my childhood library -- <a href="http://libwww.freelibrary.org/branches/branch.cfm?loc=NER" target="_blank">The Northeast Regional Library</a>.<br />
<br />
Thank you, Kimmy T!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAmNcXN6XI1NaBc_UOrgkGdC0vP9rV1kBsPWZnm4wgBBpj8YVEhV6S3FI1lU6P0cro-E5hZ9rYdxZ2wzYer5Q_7GbvfeKBuiJ2vDQgCwhGr8TkESnLMhF5MrZIgh080cn2g3G_rIa92dq/s1600/Northeast+Regional+Library.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAmNcXN6XI1NaBc_UOrgkGdC0vP9rV1kBsPWZnm4wgBBpj8YVEhV6S3FI1lU6P0cro-E5hZ9rYdxZ2wzYer5Q_7GbvfeKBuiJ2vDQgCwhGr8TkESnLMhF5MrZIgh080cn2g3G_rIa92dq/s400/Northeast+Regional+Library.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imagine my purple banana seat bicycle with the basket for books parked in front.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
S.R., a teacher at a Title I school, matched my donation! Thank you, S.R.!!!<br />
<br />
Paul Grecian, <a href="http://www.paulgrecianphoto.com/" target="_blank">photographer</a> and friend, added $25 to the total. Thanks, Paul!<br />
<br />
That means the organization with the most votes will receive $425.00!!!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">* Drum-roll, please. *</span> </span></div>
<br />
After totaling votes from blog comments, we had a tie. Fortunately, one person wasn't able to post a comment and sent her vote via e-mail, which broke the tie.<br />
<br />
So, the recipient of the $425 donation will be . . .<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.firstbook.org/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">FIRST BOOK!!!</span></span></b></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQv9PhhZnDkEP6f-RcXEv6PYQhTIoy-QibW-vHXnuh1PmdR5Zml5NaRvQ2ny0w_nZ4OBozTyjryI-bNbDTN4r7vEZ1bLxU0GJ-b-fD8ujrDVWA1zQXvZCOjCOs63Wlw024AOYA6kXNMQK/s1600/First+Book.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQv9PhhZnDkEP6f-RcXEv6PYQhTIoy-QibW-vHXnuh1PmdR5Zml5NaRvQ2ny0w_nZ4OBozTyjryI-bNbDTN4r7vEZ1bLxU0GJ-b-fD8ujrDVWA1zQXvZCOjCOs63Wlw024AOYA6kXNMQK/s320/First+Book.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their programs provide access to new books for children in need.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: red;"></span><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b><br />
Now, onto the <span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>BIG GIVEAWAY</b></span> . . .<br />
<br />
<b>THREE</b> prize packages will be given away!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Each prize package consists of:</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">3 signed copies of <i>OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN</i></span></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">30 signed bookmarks</span></b></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">$30 to spend at the bookstore of your choice<i> </i></span></b></span></li>
</ul>
To enter this random drawing, tell 3 friends about the giveaway and leave a comment below.<br />
<br />
That's it!<br />
<br />
Winners will be announced on the blog <b>Tuesday, March 26th</b>, after I get back from a week of school visits in Fort Worth, Texas. <br />
<br />
What are you waiting for?<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">Share this opportunity with 3 friends!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">Leave a comment.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">Check back March 26th to see if you've won. </span></span></li>
</ul>
Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-3019035196180467152013-03-12T17:16:00.000-04:002013-03-14T17:36:37.174-04:00OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN BIG BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!Join the celebration as <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><i>OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN</i></b></span></span> comes out in paperback!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8GzqrK_gflcJuSAnEtF7N0epqo4_3NeSoI1dSG58EwH7CpKzmXu0x3oc8z7ywITULr4gzhhJD8cBvxl5Os6Htvrv88lFepmIvdC6wcQYMMb4iQneBjG9dCmixmy5pj0Q5KGvtTVQaA3E/s1600/OLIVIA+BEAN+FINAL+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8GzqrK_gflcJuSAnEtF7N0epqo4_3NeSoI1dSG58EwH7CpKzmXu0x3oc8z7ywITULr4gzhhJD8cBvxl5Os6Htvrv88lFepmIvdC6wcQYMMb4iQneBjG9dCmixmy5pj0Q5KGvtTVQaA3E/s320/OLIVIA+BEAN+FINAL+COVER.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Available at your local bookseller and online.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We're celebrating all week by <span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>GIVING</b>!!!</span></span><br />
<br />
Growing up, my favorite book was . . .<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1fmOXsX33nBfWVT5mvEqNzVrGfeo16bSRPslk4R8R5eMHcWApzLBKI2RX-0z0bfAzJx9UhZxq6LmZy0VkzAZIhvY3Vu470w0nSV2Ir6K9k9cATqoiQri9_BZvU26a2JwtpVN86ziJ-AG/s1600/Mr.+Popper%27s+Penguins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1fmOXsX33nBfWVT5mvEqNzVrGfeo16bSRPslk4R8R5eMHcWApzLBKI2RX-0z0bfAzJx9UhZxq6LmZy0VkzAZIhvY3Vu470w0nSV2Ir6K9k9cATqoiQri9_BZvU26a2JwtpVN86ziJ-AG/s320/Mr.+Popper%27s+Penguins.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<br />
I never owned a copy until I was an adult, because we couldn't afford to buy books when I was a kid. I'd borrow it from the Northeast Regional Library of Philadelphia again and again.<br />
<br />
That's why I'm so excited that <i><b>OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN</b> </i>is now available in paperback! It means this <a href="http://www.donnagephart.com/reviews.html" target="_blank">fun story of a determined girl to accept her family and reach her dream against all odds</a> will get into more young hands.<br />
<br />
If you're thinking of buying a copy, won't you consider donating it to a young reader, a local elementary or middle school, a public library, a children's hospital or a children's literacy organization? <br />
<br />
If you want to make a bigger impact, how about providing a copy for every 4th, 5th or 6th grade student at a Title I school? (Bonus good karma if you support your <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">local indie bookseller</a> with your purchase.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80iqN1qb1Pn08i5YGP3_zmQexFKNqfJkNnQZMhT7oNHIK3VRa9Nk0gBsw_0GdEbGPQ5kPtPfJO3v6XYlw23v8my1_mCTDRf9koaTdJFTvG2_LtVYOD7Xmz9vLRwmVMFrO6JfKTreYccyp/s1600/71780-425x282-Boy_reading_a_book.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80iqN1qb1Pn08i5YGP3_zmQexFKNqfJkNnQZMhT7oNHIK3VRa9Nk0gBsw_0GdEbGPQ5kPtPfJO3v6XYlw23v8my1_mCTDRf9koaTdJFTvG2_LtVYOD7Xmz9vLRwmVMFrO6JfKTreYccyp/s320/71780-425x282-Boy_reading_a_book.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from: childrens-books.lovetoknow.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Thank you in advance for your support!<br />
<br />
Now, it's my turn to <span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>GIVE</b>!</span></span><br />
<br />
Because I'm passionate about opportunities to get kids reading, I will donate <b>$200.00</b> to a children's literacy-based organization. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>YOU </b>will choose which one gets the cash . . .<br />
<br />
1. <a href="http://rif.org/" target="_blank">RIF</a><a href="http://rif.org/" target="_blank"> -- Reading is Fundamental</a>. RIF's highest priority is reaching under-served children from birth to age 8.<br />
<br />
2. <a href="http://www.firstbook.org/" target="_blank">FIRST BOOK</a> -- Their programs provide access to new books for children in need.<br />
<br />
3. <a href="http://www.reachoutandread.org/" target="_blank">REACH OUT AND READ</a> -- Promotes early literacy through books given out by thousands of
pediatricians in all 50 states.<br />
<br />
4. <a href="http://sentra.ischool.utexas.edu/~ifican/index.php" target="_blank">IF I CAN READ, I CAN DO ANYTHING</a> -- A national reading club for Native American children.<br />
<br />
5. <a href="http://www.thereadingconnection.org/home" target="_blank">THE READING CONNECTION</a> -- Dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk children and families by
helping them create literacy-rich environments and
motivation for reading. <br />
<br />
6. <a href="http://www.kidsneedtoread.org/" target="_blank">KIDS NEED TO READ</a> -- Provides inspiring books to underfunded schools, libraries, and
literacy programs across the United States, especially those serving
disadvantaged children.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE</span></b></span> for one of these six organizations in the comments section. (The organization with the most votes will get the $200.00.)<br />
<br />
And drop by Friday, when a <span style="font-size: large;"><b>BIG GIVEAWAY</b></span> will be announced!!!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A</b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>m</b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>azing Addendum:</b> <span style="color: black;">Within an hour of <span style="font-size: large;">this blog post, an educator from<span style="font-size: large;"> a Title I school in Orlando, who <span style="font-size: large;">understands firsthand</span> how import<span style="font-size: large;">ant it is to get books into kids' hands</span>, decided to match the $200 donation to one of these six organizations. So vote, people. Vote! <span style="font-size: large;">(T<span style="font-size: large;">hank you <span style="color: red;">S.R.</span> for your gene<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">ro<span style="font-size: large;">sity</span>.</span></span> <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">Y</span></span></span></span>ou<span style="font-size: large;"> inspire<span style="font-size: large;"> me . . . and made me cr<span style="font-size: large;">y a little.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-74899356806899231562013-03-07T11:32:00.000-05:002013-03-07T11:32:15.801-05:00CELEBRATING WORLD READ ALOUD DAYIt was my pleasure to participate in World Read Aloud Day 2013.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJjY-ww1WGEBaKhsbBHpy6dpHIstE835526NCi9INye46hyYhT505vxV-_RX4dfQqRF8NGVYorMbTtdRCssM5_k84r23l_-__t7Dd3KD_jvfiI2Q9U6IkfDBVNotaZWRYcCeesJahN2AD/s1600/World+Read+Aloud+Day+Poster+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJjY-ww1WGEBaKhsbBHpy6dpHIstE835526NCi9INye46hyYhT505vxV-_RX4dfQqRF8NGVYorMbTtdRCssM5_k84r23l_-__t7Dd3KD_jvfiI2Q9U6IkfDBVNotaZWRYcCeesJahN2AD/s1600/World+Read+Aloud+Day+Poster+2013.jpg" /></a></div>
This initiative to increase global literacy and celebrate the power of words and stories to change worlds is the creation of Pam Allyn at <a href="http://litworld.org/" target="_blank">LITWORLD</a> -- a non-profit literacy organization, fostering resilience, hope and joy through the power of story.<br />
<br />
Thanks to author extraordinaire, <a href="http://www.katemessner.com/skype-with-an-author-on-world-read-aloud-day/" target="_blank">Kate Messner</a>, who helps facilitate authors to read aloud to classrooms all over the world via Skype to celebrate this special day. <br />
<br />
Thanks to Kate, I connected with amazing school librarian Mr. Schu a few years ago. Check out the <a href="http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2013/03/it-is-world-read-aloud-day.html" target="_blank">video on his blog</a> post about World Read Aloud Day. (There are books being given away at the end of <a href="http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2013/03/it-is-world-read-aloud-day.html" target="_blank">his post</a>.)<br />
<br />
In keeping with tradition, I <a href="http://donnagephart.blogspot.com/2011/03/six-schools-five-states-and-one-pair-of.html" target="_blank">wore my bunny slippers</a> while traveling around the country to classrooms in Maine, Iowa, Illinois and Texas.<br />
<br />
Here's a photo of my first visit with the kids in Ohio, who created this <a href="http://donnagephart.blogspot.com/2013/02/kids-say-and-create-darndest-things.html" target="_blank">FUNTASTIC video invitation</a> for me . . .<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1h9S_T5kuzhh9xs2HFbmbPZ5mZGkINSNYCtAvYWx3ntkynOGRKuMPT8WcBjKbwPzcB6-ueuYcEU9iLukD_de-Lez1bk0SojZHeiJ9ASyOr_tbj51iDKXpklhL4Xb-Co8wEaxoeC31sbTl/s1600/Deb+Tyo%27s+Sad+Snow+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1h9S_T5kuzhh9xs2HFbmbPZ5mZGkINSNYCtAvYWx3ntkynOGRKuMPT8WcBjKbwPzcB6-ueuYcEU9iLukD_de-Lez1bk0SojZHeiJ9ASyOr_tbj51iDKXpklhL4Xb-Co8wEaxoeC31sbTl/s320/Deb+Tyo%27s+Sad+Snow+Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alas, a snow day cancelled school. Deb Tyo, thanks for the apt photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
School was open in Maine, where I got to hang out with some very cool 7th graders. In this photo by Abigail Luchies, I got a chance to see what the students saw. (My view, of course, was very different.) <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RqtZFqaZXunyl3orCvYZ7JhoHxzWcg3gfOYRvYuR26HEyb5CQsibH3j5TAeB4tL6nZIaygZV9qROO1U1eXELW68Revxm7yOdjg-vVZhgLAiimQtkkbIDZoA_nl6XZtgTUEF2bl-LbC7J/s1600/WRAD+2013+Abigail+Luchies+Maine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RqtZFqaZXunyl3orCvYZ7JhoHxzWcg3gfOYRvYuR26HEyb5CQsibH3j5TAeB4tL6nZIaygZV9qROO1U1eXELW68Revxm7yOdjg-vVZhgLAiimQtkkbIDZoA_nl6XZtgTUEF2bl-LbC7J/s320/WRAD+2013+Abigail+Luchies+Maine.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love that the boy in the back row has his copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid next to him.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
From Maine, I traveled to Illinois To meet Todd HiIlmer and some of his 6th and 7th grade students.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF6zF3km904AEND3eiZtwm0jABsmSet6z_t_Cq8715N24ZlkK0vsarQ8FQOjIAYd9Qv9WCn5K4GybkM9xvObugBAI-ATr60cV96RCaGOzykss5Plb4ifnoRwy45NWCPwdkbLr9yIhLiS1/s1600/WRAD+2013+6th+grade+IL+Hillmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF6zF3km904AEND3eiZtwm0jABsmSet6z_t_Cq8715N24ZlkK0vsarQ8FQOjIAYd9Qv9WCn5K4GybkM9xvObugBAI-ATr60cV96RCaGOzykss5Plb4ifnoRwy45NWCPwdkbLr9yIhLiS1/s320/WRAD+2013+6th+grade+IL+Hillmer.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These kids were adorable!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2NxR6wFxb8HwQ0BDB_ZSWtCZ2RJ1repNhekSs9rD_8htZfijWWx_HMZPmVyllFhBRulOPvDX66XtEJz4ncQMo3PXx4Y6Fk-F2srH6uFbXWH5aCY5Zkaf99FDLYu6qmCrbA7zUsezAzxu/s1600/WRAD+2013+Mr.+Hillmer+w:7th+grade+class.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2NxR6wFxb8HwQ0BDB_ZSWtCZ2RJ1repNhekSs9rD_8htZfijWWx_HMZPmVyllFhBRulOPvDX66XtEJz4ncQMo3PXx4Y6Fk-F2srH6uFbXWH5aCY5Zkaf99FDLYu6qmCrbA7zUsezAzxu/s320/WRAD+2013+Mr.+Hillmer+w:7th+grade+class.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Hillmer and his gang, sharing lunch, stories and fun trivia questions.</td></tr>
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<br />
I stayed in Illinois for awhile because <a href="http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2013/03/it-is-world-read-aloud-day.html" target="_blank">Mr. Schu</a> was in the house.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlX-A_2_2Qb9YB6_KNyjUQ5Nh1DKVolCOookJ-EtHE4MZQ0jiXTduvlmGrlGeapvG40TiuLGG_4s_oVhSLzlC9TR_TiFV7ZwYjP00o5HIHVEwFDaubn0wGDhkQI7bZf4gB0TqANN8ypBlW/s1600/WRAD+2013+Mr.+Schu+--+Reading+Sharon+Creech+quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlX-A_2_2Qb9YB6_KNyjUQ5Nh1DKVolCOookJ-EtHE4MZQ0jiXTduvlmGrlGeapvG40TiuLGG_4s_oVhSLzlC9TR_TiFV7ZwYjP00o5HIHVEwFDaubn0wGDhkQI7bZf4gB0TqANN8ypBlW/s320/WRAD+2013+Mr.+Schu+--+Reading+Sharon+Creech+quote.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A few of his students read touching introductions for World Read Aloud Day. This young lady in blue quoted something from Sharon Creech's <i>Love That Dog </i>that may or may not have made me cry a little bit. All his students were engaged and inquisitive and appreciative and I so wanted to be there in person to give them all hugs. (One of the disadvantages of Skype visits.)<br />
<br />
Two minutes after leaving Illinois, I was visiting with Shannon McClintock Miller's students in Iowa. (One of the advantages of Skype visits.)<br />
<br />
Can you guess what's missing from this photo?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGySQQSpnT7VgIQ3AQawd2XcLui57KmItxfx5Gr07SC9_T0C8s2tfXY2uQ_UrfEzBkC5iTEvzNxTYbt5gBFkmeUUHXcV9qEA8Z9WK_11OuZBIxH8Xyuz0lyrVWiUrfRSlWY4xKZIoSJre/s1600/WRAD+2013+Shannon+McClintock+Miller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGySQQSpnT7VgIQ3AQawd2XcLui57KmItxfx5Gr07SC9_T0C8s2tfXY2uQ_UrfEzBkC5iTEvzNxTYbt5gBFkmeUUHXcV9qEA8Z9WK_11OuZBIxH8Xyuz0lyrVWiUrfRSlWY4xKZIoSJre/s320/WRAD+2013+Shannon+McClintock+Miller.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Shannon McClintock Miller</td></tr>
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<br />
The pot-bellied pig, of course! He was scheduled to be part of World Read Aloud Day festivities, but was unable to walk through the snow.<br />
<br />
Don't worry, they found another way to add a whole lot of fun and shake up the day. <br />
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<div class="clearfix yt-uix-expander yt-uix-expander-collapsed" id="watch7-headline">
<h1 id="watch-headline-title" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Van Meter School Celebrating World Read Aloud Day With a Little Harlem Shake!">
<span style="font-size: large;">Van Meter School Celebrating World Read Aloud Day With a Little Harlem Shake!
</span> </span>
</h1>
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<br />
Had only fifteen minutes to get all the way to Texas. Luckily, Skype got me there in about two seconds . . . and didn't lose my luggage!<br />
<br />
Hello, Jane Jergensen's 6th graders at Kerr Elementary School in Allen, Texas!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ojh0PxuYUIrOY9Oe7UN5N9x6cs-J0EZrk3-Ypn6KYBilwJBuLl9pjAlcA9_x9Z7vS7DgdYGgXAnQta1sva3JGam1IUaAb8fWf_3nPXXKIzlJyKhLxlWBXniKUdiW5z_In1PriKuC2euo/s1600/WRAD+2013+Jane+Jergensen%27s+6th+graders.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ojh0PxuYUIrOY9Oe7UN5N9x6cs-J0EZrk3-Ypn6KYBilwJBuLl9pjAlcA9_x9Z7vS7DgdYGgXAnQta1sva3JGam1IUaAb8fWf_3nPXXKIzlJyKhLxlWBXniKUdiW5z_In1PriKuC2euo/s320/WRAD+2013+Jane+Jergensen%27s+6th+graders.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group was much larger than could fit on one screen!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />
I had the great pleasure of visiting Kerr Elementary in Allen, Texas last year, during a school visit. And I was equally impressed with these kids during our Skype visit. You should have seen the long line of kids waiting to ask questions; and such good quality questions!<br />
<br />
After having lots of laughs in Texas, I ended the day with two classes of adorable kindergarteners back in snowy Illinois.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOFdsopml-kolIP2_EeEsclZrpl1txcSj8vYjzL04obxEYAkNDCGK0mBo6RxHGBU5z2eTmkLacP-A5sms-iMmCO0sejOl7DdZky0ywzSxT4QuC6JvW5qs8wPB949OePWT3g63uvtXzxtR/s1600/WRAD+2013++Jeff+McHugh+2+Kindergarten+Classes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOFdsopml-kolIP2_EeEsclZrpl1txcSj8vYjzL04obxEYAkNDCGK0mBo6RxHGBU5z2eTmkLacP-A5sms-iMmCO0sejOl7DdZky0ywzSxT4QuC6JvW5qs8wPB949OePWT3g63uvtXzxtR/s320/WRAD+2013++Jeff+McHugh+2+Kindergarten+Classes.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Library Guy, Jeff McHugh, was fun, friendly and funny. He told me that when I showed the kids my giant purple pen and told them purple was my favorite color, one of the kids said, "Wow. Purple is my fourth favorite color."<br />
<br />
Loved these kids! We had a lot of fun reading Kelly DiPucchio's <i>Zombie in Love</i>. Thanks, Mr. McHugh for sharing this awesome, engaged group with me!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wykf-656AnCIUbX7pFU8r-Q3vULSJ517-JYAbjtmfO8Ss0aII415kXMZXLsrgLeDbjIwqAflWEQ2D58XQgUDAndyATOVrSSCqSwHd2u1vJD7_N54OQNkgCt7xhpsazq3X3yMX76fbARx/s1600/Zombie+in+Love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wykf-656AnCIUbX7pFU8r-Q3vULSJ517-JYAbjtmfO8Ss0aII415kXMZXLsrgLeDbjIwqAflWEQ2D58XQgUDAndyATOVrSSCqSwHd2u1vJD7_N54OQNkgCt7xhpsazq3X3yMX76fbARx/s320/Zombie+in+Love.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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World Read Aloud Day was a blast! Can't wait till next year. Won't you join in by reading aloud to children in your community or, via Skype, to children around the country . . . or the world?Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-20469038851398365502013-03-04T19:52:00.000-05:002013-03-04T19:52:00.686-05:00Between Books It feels great to finish writing a book.<br />
<br />
Then it doesn't.<br />
<br />
It's a strange letting go of a family that's taken residence in one's mind for months and welcoming a new one in.<br />
<br />
Being in the midst of writing a novel is like being gainfully employed -- knowing what you're going to do each day. Having purpose.<br />
<br />
Finishing the novel is like being unemployed. Laid off. Thank you very much for your services. There's the door.<br />
<br />
I remember hearing Jodi Picoult say as soon as she finishes a book, she begins a new one. That same day. <br />
<br />
I wish I could do that. I can't.<br />
<br />
After I've given all my energy to a book, I'm emotionally spent. Empty.<br />
<br />
The
time between books is for refilling, for noticing stories and great
character names and connections between things I care about. It's time
to let ideas light up my mind. To take furious notes. To read piles of
books, hoping to be sparked by inspiration.<br />
<br />
The
time between books is for reconnecting with friends, taking long walks,
spending time focusing on my family's needs, doing mundane jobs I've
long neglected at home. <br />
<br />
But the time between books is sometimes uncomfortable. <br />
<br />
I want to be productive. I want to write every day, but I'm not yet ready. I have to fill the well, gather momentum and the willingness to lose
myself in another family's story -- a family that will feel so real,
I'll worry for them, lose sleep over them and root for them even though I know the odds are against them.<br />
<br />
I'm more like Linda Sue Park, who finds herself trolling the want ads for teaching jobs when she's between books.<br />
<br />
Writing days are hard sometimes. Frustrating other times. And sometimes they are smooth sailing with fat page counts. Sometimes filled with exciting discoveries and heartbreaking happenings. Sometimes they are slogging through the muck of a sluggish mind. Other days, the fingers can't fly fast enough to keep up with the story. <br />
<br />
Writing days -- good, bad or ugly -- are where I belong, where I'm always headed.<br />
<br />
The days spent writing are the ones I feel most at home with myself and with the world.<br />
<br />
Postscript: I wrote this post last night. This afternoon, my agent called with brilliant revision suggestions for <i>Death by Toilet Paper</i>. So, it looks like I'm happily employed again. For now. Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-58304643238184766612013-02-26T17:06:00.001-05:002013-02-26T17:06:59.941-05:00Ruta Sepetys Rocks Books and Books . . .Last week, I had the great pleasure of hearing author <a href="http://rutasepetys.com/" target="_blank">Ruta Sepetys</a> give a talk at Books & Books.<br />
<br />
Hubby and I drove two hours through rush hour traffic on a weeknight to be there.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
A little more than a year ago, Steve Watkins, Julia Durango and I judged the Golden Kite Awards. We read through 450 books . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBynUHcfLc60YSLUR-YU1PO9J_eDnFk64WruVvYw3NYJP_84OjaPJntQx60X-gHZooPi9gDMFTVPq0o4Sn0A87n94x58e75uRcLYFpq62kj_ZgWk1yVqeozxqn8nqbjXtbqxF-93pCCth/s1600/Donna+with+Golden+Kite+Award+Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBynUHcfLc60YSLUR-YU1PO9J_eDnFk64WruVvYw3NYJP_84OjaPJntQx60X-gHZooPi9gDMFTVPq0o4Sn0A87n94x58e75uRcLYFpq62kj_ZgWk1yVqeozxqn8nqbjXtbqxF-93pCCth/s320/Donna+with+Golden+Kite+Award+Books.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And ultimately chose Ruta's <i>Between Shades of Gray </i>as the winner of the Golden Kite Award. <br />
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<br />
Not to be confused with that masterpiece of literature, <i>Fifty Shades of Gray</i>. Even though Ruta's book does start with: <span style="color: red;">They took me in my nightgown.</span><br />
<br />
Here's a blurb about the book: <span style="color: blue;"><b>Fifteen-year-old Lina Vilkas is arrested by the Soviet secret
police and deported to Siberia with her mother and younger brother. </b>Lina
fights for her life, vowing that if she survives she will honor her
family and the thousands like hers by burying her complete story in a
jar on Lithuanian soil. Lina’s writings chronicle her experience, her
struggle to accept help from a kind Soviet guard she’s supposed to hate,
and retain her dignity without losing faith in mankind.
</span><br />
<br />
<i>Between Shades of Gray </i>has been published in 41 countries.<br />
<br />
So, when Ruta's follow up, <i>Out of the Easy</i>, came out, I had to get it.<br />
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<br />
And when I found out Ruta would be at Books & Books at the beginning of her 10-week tour, I had to get there.<br />
<br />
She was worth the trip!<br />
<br />
Ruta gave the best author/book talk I've heard at a bookstore. Her stories were fascinating, funny and harrowing. They involved American idol, being in a prison camp and spending a day with a mafia boss. Her personality is warm and genuine. And she stayed until every last question was answered and every book signed.<br />
<br />
I'm an even bigger fan now!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHey-BxqOUiQp0m9YvLHXcJEmATwiNibd5zifUimGFrjQ4AqNbqyf7aQ2ua8ypMYHfp7jh3Yt2snp_bePNU1KWwxqCGJjL14UehtaF9e1PMx2Oa_wHx_iDiQy_d-wIj-hbXGb9FKqkC_b/s1600/Ruta+at+Books+and+Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHey-BxqOUiQp0m9YvLHXcJEmATwiNibd5zifUimGFrjQ4AqNbqyf7aQ2ua8ypMYHfp7jh3Yt2snp_bePNU1KWwxqCGJjL14UehtaF9e1PMx2Oa_wHx_iDiQy_d-wIj-hbXGb9FKqkC_b/s320/Ruta+at+Books+and+Books.jpg" width="139" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna & Ruta Sepetys at Books and Books</td></tr>
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Ruta's tour will take her to many places in the United States, London, Paris, several locations in Lithuania and she will be speaking to the European Parliament! </div>
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Here's her <a href="http://rutasepetys.com/events/" target="_blank">touring schedule</a>. If you get a chance to see Ruta speak, don't miss it!</div>
Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-70417180696843264092013-02-08T15:10:00.000-05:002013-02-08T15:10:18.853-05:00KIDS SAY (AND CREATE) THE DARNDEST THINGS . . .One of the joys of my work is the creative response from kids. <br />
<br />
1) This web site for <i>How to Survive Middle School</i> was created, I assume, by a student: <a href="http://htsms.weebly.com/index.html" target="_blank">http://htsms.weebly.com/index.html</a>. To say I was impressed by the effort would be an understatement.<br />
<br />
2) Found out <i>How to Survive Middle School </i>is on the <a href="http://cpslibraries.wikispaces.com/ElementaryBattleoftheBooks" target="_blank">Battle of the Books</a> list for Chicago Public Schools, grades 4-6. Love how educators make reading fun with events like Battle of the Books. <br />
<br />
Here are some of the things kids have said about the Battle of the Books in Chicago:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">"We all felt so excited that we almost fainted!"</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">"All the books I read helped me understand more about the world."</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">"I came to the U.S. two years ago. I was a very slow English reader. Now I can read a book in a day!"</span><br />
<br />
3) And the extraordinary educator, Deb Tyo from Ohio, sent me this video invitation created entirely by her 6th grade students.<br />
<br />
To fully appreciate this short video, you need to know four quick things:<br />
<ul>
<li>When I graduated elementary school, the math award I received was a dictionary (that I still use today).</li>
<li>There is "an unfortunate hula hoop incident" in my book, <i>Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen</i>.</li>
<li>The upcoming title for my 2014 middle grade novel is <i>Death by Toilet Paper</i></li>
<li>To celebrate <a href="http://litworld.org/worldreadaloudday/" target="_blank">World Read Aloud Day</a>, an annual event created by <a href="http://litworld.org/" target="_blank">LitWorld</a>, I will be one of many authors Skyping into classrooms to read and interact and have some fun. For a list of authors available to Skype with students on WRAD, check out <a href="http://www.katemessner.com/skype-with-an-author-on-world-read-aloud-day/" target="_blank">Kate Messner's blog post</a>. </li>
</ul>
Now, onto the FUNtastic video, created by Deb Tyo's inventive students:<br />
<br />
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What do you think? Should I Skype with these kids on WRAD? You betcha! And I think I'd better bring my hula hoop, too.Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-20698845599383758062013-02-04T19:54:00.000-05:002013-02-04T19:54:20.076-05:00See You Later, AlligatorWhen my friend, Kim . . .<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUB5WqxCyq5B1SQxTL7KDK8nE3FaM36XCZLd5EdsL5Iy_udzwQQNdiRYEJ6Qpt2WC0xLKOcilkvC_Dk9AHNe9heEKYxUSII6_EeY1pBNlLZwmK0HE9J6GSMdhaVN_I7xUaDNfYgxT6HbTM/s1600/Kim+Kayaking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUB5WqxCyq5B1SQxTL7KDK8nE3FaM36XCZLd5EdsL5Iy_udzwQQNdiRYEJ6Qpt2WC0xLKOcilkvC_Dk9AHNe9heEKYxUSII6_EeY1pBNlLZwmK0HE9J6GSMdhaVN_I7xUaDNfYgxT6HbTM/s320/Kim+Kayaking.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim, trying out her new kayak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
. . . told me about canoeing recently through Riverbend Park and coming face to face with a wide-mouthed, hissing alligator and accidentally paddling the wrong way -- closer to the alligator's open jaws -- I wasn't scared.<br />
<br />
I was terrified!<br />
<br />
So I did what any normal person would. I joined Kim for a kayak adventure through those same waters.<br />
<br />
Here's why . . .<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EjJgmZUTOLRGsv8ULZTsjP_J640isYoRcSUpDIG0CTVxmjaKOiiujPLkr8NXyDjt8H4biQAQBCCNJOYuo1vmWkItm9Q8FDsLwcTO1Oc2kfV5KFurh4h8qUOZ0cs_9PUSxQZHxa3PCGQp/s1600/Donna+kayaking+with+Kim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EjJgmZUTOLRGsv8ULZTsjP_J640isYoRcSUpDIG0CTVxmjaKOiiujPLkr8NXyDjt8H4biQAQBCCNJOYuo1vmWkItm9Q8FDsLwcTO1Oc2kfV5KFurh4h8qUOZ0cs_9PUSxQZHxa3PCGQp/s320/Donna+kayaking+with+Kim.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking through Riverbend Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Isn't it gorgeous? The way Florida used to be before we paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Or, in our case, filled in the swamps and put up gated housing communities, shopping malls and several rodent-inspired amusement parks.<br />
<br />
It's such a treat to get out in the wilderness, get an upper body workout and enjoy nature.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOPAGl3taOEljpM8iFefwLkGizTsWssZOAvz-5TnQWtLu6dMEkSohSFn5b8W5FCZeFYNNi6rO1b2VFrj0ArPIyaeY4qMh-ElQUtH68eUuP5RDe5BSdnW8C6ANBfhm8NOdmdorPB7SEMfB/s1600/Donna+kayaking+with+heron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOPAGl3taOEljpM8iFefwLkGizTsWssZOAvz-5TnQWtLu6dMEkSohSFn5b8W5FCZeFYNNi6rO1b2VFrj0ArPIyaeY4qMh-ElQUtH68eUuP5RDe5BSdnW8C6ANBfhm8NOdmdorPB7SEMfB/s320/Donna+kayaking+with+heron.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heron and I having a staring contest. The heron won.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There was also this little fellow . . .<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkZFtPy2zmqJa6EJjplnsmRWFSe7quuwSmpe4lApSv1HlQhsvwwGvdEp12xc0_2LveaLtqnb5TOqwBFXEv9TxlwKGqzGpk5NPqdvqwWNjJfW3p-jnT5CtKgnwcQw7bmaAbM4avr0iAX2D/s1600/Limpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkZFtPy2zmqJa6EJjplnsmRWFSe7quuwSmpe4lApSv1HlQhsvwwGvdEp12xc0_2LveaLtqnb5TOqwBFXEv9TxlwKGqzGpk5NPqdvqwWNjJfW3p-jnT5CtKgnwcQw7bmaAbM4avr0iAX2D/s320/Limpkin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Limpkin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We saw hawks and turtles, both large and tiny, spiders and then we saw this . . .<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgeb9qsEpmozK89UK1GgXG-8B2zG1T6sqWhkKBYSKmwZCTXmWVx2E4zUOeAAoPq9sIxPCW-4HQwVFSFocJ6PSUp4qWKslUrgf0yGuEildMX_7tv26NyvUXS53BM6ZYF99yUgwCyPG7LCU/s1600/Alligator+Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgeb9qsEpmozK89UK1GgXG-8B2zG1T6sqWhkKBYSKmwZCTXmWVx2E4zUOeAAoPq9sIxPCW-4HQwVFSFocJ6PSUp4qWKslUrgf0yGuEildMX_7tv26NyvUXS53BM6ZYF99yUgwCyPG7LCU/s320/Alligator+Sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"While canoeing this river you will encounter alligators."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Kim and I noticed the sign didsn't say "May encounter alligators" or "There's a tiny chance you'll encounter alligators." The sign said "While Canoeing this river you WILL encounter alligators."<br />
<br />
Well, we fooled them because we weren't canoeing. We were kayaking. Entirely different. Right?<br />
<br />
But then, what is that on the bank . . .<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UBI0JOeHtgi6SUT921prMzgoiyIp3aXV4BTBz8jfC9T5lA_1xXHr_5WbIX9Ui_upzIKrQAQZQa2g1ZXS9upyO_SLIx6qtrCZrQFkatWl9fAg91fdntiL8cqr1acf4EZbiCnVlt8WoeCn/s1600/Alligator+on+bank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UBI0JOeHtgi6SUT921prMzgoiyIp3aXV4BTBz8jfC9T5lA_1xXHr_5WbIX9Ui_upzIKrQAQZQa2g1ZXS9upyO_SLIx6qtrCZrQFkatWl9fAg91fdntiL8cqr1acf4EZbiCnVlt8WoeCn/s320/Alligator+on+bank.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alligator on the bank. Notice how he blends into the surroundings, looking more like a log than a gator.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fortunately, he stayed put and we didn't. "Paddle faster, Kim!"<br />
<br />
"Just a minute. I'm taking a photo."<br />
<br />
(Notice it's not a closeup. I have smart friends.)<br />
<br />
Thanks to Kim for shlepping her kayaks to Riverbend Park for our morning adventure. And to her hubby, Brian, for lending me his kayak. And to the powers that be that let this part of South Florida be.<br />
<br />
Beautiful. Wild About Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325527050158095051noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455470936377851195.post-75373414771932072762013-01-28T17:27:00.000-05:002013-01-28T17:27:33.362-05:00American Library Association Announces 2013 Youth Media Award Winners<span class="caps">It's that time again: the Oscars of children's literature. </span><br />
<span class="caps"><br /></span>
<span class="caps">A most exciting hour of announcements for a book nerd like me! I couldn't have been happier with the choices.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="caps">And the winners are . . . </span><br />
<br />
<span class="caps">SEATTLE</span> — The American Library Association (<span class="caps">ALA</span>)
today announced the top books, video and audiobooks for children and
young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and
Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Seattle.<br />
A list of all the 2013 award winners follows:<br />
<b>John Newbery Medal </b><span style="color: #333333;">for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>The One and Only Ivan,” written by Katherine
Applegate, is the 2013 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by
HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.<br />
Three Newbery Honor Books also were named: “Splendors and Glooms” by
Laura Amy Schlitz and published by Candlewick Press; “Bomb: The Race to
Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon” by Steve Sheinkin and
published by Flash Point, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press; and “Three
Times Lucky” by Sheila Turnage and published by Dial Books for Young
Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.<br />
<b>Randolph Caldecott Medal </b>for the most distinguished American picture book for children<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>This Is Not My Hat,” illustrated and written
by Jon Klassen, is the 2013 Caldecott Medal winner. The book is
published by Candlewick Press.<br />
Five Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “Creepy Carrots!”
illustrated by Peter Brown, written by Aaron Reynolds and published by
Simon <span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon <span class="amp">&</span>
Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; “Extra Yarn,” illustrated by
Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett and published by Balzer + Bray, an
imprint of<br />
HarperCollins Publishers; “Green,” illustrated and written by Laura
Vaccaro Seeger and published by Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Roaring
Brook Press; “One Cool Friend,” illustrated by David Small, written by
Toni Buzzeo and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of
Penguin Young Readers Group; “Sleep Like a Tiger,” illustrated by
Pamela Zagarenski, written by Mary Logue and published by Houghton
Mifflin Books for Children, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publishing Company.<br />
<b>Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award </b>recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed
America,” written by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian
Pinkney is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by
Disney/Jump at the Sun Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group.<br />
Two King Author Honor Books were selected: “Each Kindness” by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by <span class="caps">E. B.</span>
Lewis and published by Nancy Paulsen Books, a division of Penguin Young
Readers Group; and “No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life
and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller” by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson,
illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and published by Carolrhoda Lab, an
imprint of Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.<br />
<b>Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:</b><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>I, Too, Am America,” illustrated by Bryan
Collier, is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book is written by
Langston Hughes and published by Simon <span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon <span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.<br />
Three King Illustrator Honor Books were selected: “<span class="caps">H. O. R. S.</span> E.,” illustrated and written by Christopher Myers, and published by Egmont <span class="caps">USA</span>; “Ellen’s Broom,” illustrated by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyons and published by <span class="caps">G. P.</span>
Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group; and “I Have a
Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr.” illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written<b> </b>by Martin Luther King, Jr. and published by Schwartz <span class="amp">&</span> Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.<br />
<b>Michael L. Printz Award</b> for excellence in literature written for young adults<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>In Darkness,” written by Nick Lake, is the
2013 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Bloomsbury Books for
Young Readers.<br />
Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Aristotle and Dante Discover
the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, published by Simon
<span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon <span class="amp">&</span>
Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; “Code Name Verity” by
Elizabeth Wein, published by Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group;
“Dodger” by Terry Pratchett, published by HarperCollins Children’s
Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers; “The White Bicycle” by
Beverley Brenna, published by Red Deer Press.<br />
<b>Schneider Family Book Award</b> for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Back to Front and Upside Down!” written and
illustrated by Claire Alexander and published by Eerdmans Books for
Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., wins the
award for children ages 0 to 10.<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>A Dog Called Homeless” written by Sarah Lean
and published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins
Publishers, is the winner of the middle-school (ages 11-13) award.<br />
The teen (ages 13-18) award winner is “Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I
Am,” written by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis and published by Simon <span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon <span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.<br />
<b>Alex Awards</b> for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Caring is Creepy,” by David Zimmerman, published by Soho Press, Inc.<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Girlchild,” by Tupelo Hassman, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Juvenile in Justice,” by Richard Ross, published by Richard Ross<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore,” by Robin Sloan, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>My Friend Dahmer,” by Derf Backderf, published by Abrams ComicArts, an imprint of Abrams<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>One Shot at Forever,” by Chris Ballard, published by Hyperion<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Pure,” by Julianna Baggott, published by Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>The Round House,” by Louise Erdrich, published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Tell the Wolves I’m Home,” by Carol Rifka
Brunt, published by Dial Press, an imprint of the Random House
Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Where’d You Go, Bernadette?,” by Maria Semple, published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.<br />
<b>Andrew Carnegie Medal</b> for excellence in children's video<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
Katja Torneman, producer of “Anna, Emma and the Condors,” is the Carnegie Medal winner.<br />
<b>Laura Ingalls Wilder Award</b> <span lang="en">honors an author or
illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over
a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature
for children. The 2013 winner is </span>Katherine Paterson<span lang="en">. </span>Paterson
was born in China in 1932 to missionary parents and grew up in the
American South, moving eighteen times before she was 18. After
graduating from King College in Bristol, Tennessee, she herself became a
missionary in Japan. She returned to the <span class="caps">U.S.</span>
to attend the Union Theological Seminary in New York, where she met and
married John Paterson, a Presbyterian minister. Her first book, “The
Sign of the Chrysanthemum,” was published in 1973. Katherine Paterson
currently lives in Barre, Vermont.<br />
<b>Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement: </b>Demetria Tucker is the 2013 recipient. <span style="color: black;">Tucker
has served as youth services coordinator within the Roanoke (Va.)
Public Library System and library media specialist at the Forest Park
Elementary School, where she was selected 2007 Teacher of the Year. As
family and youth services librarian for the Pearl Bailey Library, a
branch of the Newport News (Va.) Public Library System, Tucker now
coordinates a youth leadership program, a teen urban literature club and
many other programs that support the youth of her community.</span><br />
<b>Margaret A. Edwards Award</b> for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
Tamora Pierce is the 2013 Edwards Award winner. Pierce was born in
rural Western Pennsylvania in 1954. She knew from a young age she liked
stories and writing, and in 1983, she published her first book, <i>Song of the Lioness. </i>She
continues to write and even record her own audiobooks. She currently
lives with her husband (spouse-creature) and a myriad of animals in
Syracuse, New York.<u> </u><br />
<b>May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award</b> recognizing an author,
critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children's literature, who
then presents a lecture at a winning host site<span style="color: #333333;">. </span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Andrea Davis Pinkney will deliver the 2014 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. Andrea Davis Pinkney is a <i>New York Times </i>best-selling
writer of more than 20 books for children and young adults including
picture books, novels and nonfiction. During the course of her career,
Pinkney has launched many high-profile publishing and entertainment
entities, including Hyperion Books for Children/Disney Publishing’s Jump
at the Sun imprint, the first African American children’s book imprint
at a major publishing company.</div>
<b>Mildred L. Batchelder Award</b> for an outstanding children's book
originally published in a language other than English in a country other
than the United States and subsequently translated into English for
publication in the United States<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>My Family for the War” is the 2013
Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Germany in 2007 as
“Liverpool Street,” the book was written by Anne C. Voorhoeve,
translated by Tammi Reichel and published by Dial Books, an imprint of
Penguin Group (<span class="caps">USA</span>) Inc.<br />
Two Batchelder Honor Books also were selected: “A Game for Swallows: To
Die, to Leave, to Return,” written and illustrated by Zeina Abirached,
translated by Edward Gauvin and published by Graphic Universe, a
division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.; and “Son of a Gun,” written
and translated by Anne de Graaf, and published by Eerdmans Books for
Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.<br />
<b>Odyssey Award </b>for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>The Fault in Our Stars,” produced by
Brilliance Audio, is the 2013 Odyssey Award winner. The book is written
by John Green and narrated by Kate Rudd.<br />
Three Odyssey Honor Audiobooks also were selected: “Artemis Fowl: The
Last Guardian,” produced by Listening Library, written by Eoin Colfer
and narrated by Nathaniel Parker; “Ghost Knight,” produced by Listening
Library, written by Cornelia Funke and narrated by Elliot Hill; and
“Monstrous Beauty,” produced by Macmillian Audio, written by Elizabeth
Fama and narrated by Katherine Kellgren.<br />
<b>Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award </b>honoring a Latino writer and
illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate
the Latino cultural experience<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Martín de Porres: The Rose in the Desert,” illustrated by David D<span lang="es-ES">iaz</span>,
is the Belpré Illustrator Award winner. The book was written by Gary D.
Schmidt and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt Publishing Company.<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
No Belpré<b> </b>Illustrator Honor Books were selected this year.</div>
<b>Pura Belpré (Author) Award</b><span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of
the Universe,” written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, is the Belpré Author
Award winner. The book is published by Simon <span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon <span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.<br />
One Belpré<b> </b>Author Honor Book was named: “The Revolution of
Evelyn Serrano” by Sonia Manzano, published by Scholastic Press, an
imprint of Scholastic Inc.<br />
<b>Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award</b> for most distinguished informational book for children<span style="color: #333333;">:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the
World’s Most Dangerous Weapon,” written by Steve Sheinkin, is the Sibert
Award winner. The book is published by Flash Point, an imprint of
Roaring Brook Press.<br />
Three Sibert Honor Books were named: “Electric Ben: The Amazing Life
and Times of Benjamin Franklin,” written and illustrated by Robert Byrd
and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin
Young Readers Group; “Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great
Survivor B95,” written by Phillip M. Hoose and published by Farrar
Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers; and “Titanic: Voices from the
Disaster,” written by Deborah Hopkinson and published by Scholastic
Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.<br />
<b>Stonewall Book Award -</b><span style="color: black;"><b> Mike Morgan <span class="amp">&</span> Larry Romans Children’s <span class="amp">&</span> Young Adult Literature Award</b></span><span lang="en">
given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of
exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
experience:</span><br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,” written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz and published by Simon <span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon <span class="amp">&</span> Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, is the Stonewall Award winner<span lang="en">.</span><br />
<span lang="en">Four Stonewall Honor Books</span> were selected:
“Drama,” written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier and published by
Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; “Gone, Gone, Gone,” written by
Hannah Moskowitz and published by Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon <span class="amp">&</span>
Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; “October Mourning: A Song for
Matthew Shepard,” written by Lesléa Newman and published by Candlewick
Press; and “Sparks: The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest
of Debbie,” written by <span class="caps">S. J.</span> Adams and published by Flux, an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.<br />
<b>Theodor Seuss Geisel Award</b> for the most distinguished beginning reader book:<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Up, Tall and High!” written and illustrated by Ethan Long is the Seuss Award winner. The book is published by <span class="caps">G. P.</span> Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.<br />
Three Geisel Honor Books were named: “Let’s Go for a Drive!” written
and illustrated by Mo Willems, and published by Hyperion Books for
Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group; “Pete the Cat and His Four
Groovy Buttons” by Eric Litwin, created and illustrated by James Dean
and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of
HarperCollins Publishers; and “Rabbit <span class="amp">&</span> Robot: The Sleepover,” written and illustrated by Cece Bell and published by Candlewick Press.<br />
<span style="color: black;"><b>William C. Morris Award </b></span><span lang="en">for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens</span>:<br />
<span class="dquo">“</span>Seraphina,” written by Rachel Hartman, is
the 2013 Morris Award winner. The book is published by Random House
Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Four other books were finalists for the award: “Wonder Show,” written
by Hannah Barnaby, published by Houghton Mifflin, an imprint of Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers; “Love and Other Perishable
Items,” written by Laura Buzo, published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint
of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.;
“After the Snow,” written by <span class="caps">S. D.</span> Crockett,
published by Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s
Publishing Group; and “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” written by
emily m. danforth, published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of
HarperCollins Publishers.</div>
<b><span class="caps">YALSA</span> Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults</b>:<b> </b><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="dquo">“</span>Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the
World’s Most Dangerous Weapon,” written by Steve Sheinkin, is the 2013
Excellence winner. The book is published by Flash Point/Roaring Brook
Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.</div>
Four other books were finalists for the award: “Steve Jobs: The Man Who
Thought Different,” written by Karen Blumenthal, published by Feiwel <span class="amp">&</span>
Friends, an imprint of (Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group;
“Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95,” written by
Phillip Hoose, published by Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of
Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “Titanic: Voices from the
Disaster,” written by Deborah Hopkinson, published by Scholastic Press,
an imprint of Scholastic; and “We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham
Children’s March,” written by Cynthia Levinson, published by Peachtree
Publishers.<br />
Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, <span class="caps">ALA</span>
awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the
best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians
and other children’s literature experts, the awards encourage original
and creative work. For more information on the <span class="caps">ALA</span> youth media awards and notables, please visit <span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.ala.org/yma">www.ala.org/yma</a></u></span> .<br />
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