It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

Kindergarten through second grade just started voting for their favorite Washington Children’s Choice Picture Book Award.

Today I read to our fourth-fifth ALC class,  Finding Winnie, The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick.   I love this story, had no idea about the back story of Winnie-the-Pooh.  I love the photos at the end of the book.

A week ago Saturday I picked up  THE GUEST ROOM by Chris Bohjalian.   What a quick and intense read.  Which is like Bohjalian.  It was on the Lucky Day rounder of the library.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE by Joyce Maynard is my current read.  And I am about to start  ZORGAMAZOO by Robert Paul Weston.

What are you reading?

 

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Poetry Friday: A Poem Needed for These Times

Poetry Friday is held  at My Juicy Little Universe.  Thanks, Heidi.

This is so needed.  Kindness is my new mantra.

Kindness

Naomi Shihab Nye

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing. 
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

From Words Under the Words: Selected Poems. Copyright © 1995 by Naomi Shihab Nye. From Poets.org

 

They’re almost ready to send off.  Do you want one?  Sign-up HERE

 

Happy Friday.

Happy Poetry.

 

Poetry Friday: A Limerick to Celebrate My Assistant

Poetry Friday is held with Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge

It’s Classified School Workers Week.  I couldn’t live without my library assistant.  Yesterday on my way to work, I came up with this limerick to honor her.  (Her first name is Karen)

There was a library assistant named Starr
Who did her work way above par
If you needed a book, she knew where to look
That library assistant named Starr

© 2016 Jone Rush MacCulloch all rights reserved

Time’s ticking.  Do you want a poetry postcard? Would you like to receive a poem in April?  Visit HERE.

Happy Friday.

Happy Poetry.

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading

I’m reading DELICIOUS by Rachel Reichl for my book club.  I am also reading ONE for the MURPHYS by Lynda Mullay Hunt.

These books are being checked out by students for the Sasquatch Award and the Young Readers’ Choice Award.

And these are books from a Washington State Library grant.

What are you reading?

Poetry Friday: Celebrating Ten Years of Blogging

Welcome to Poetry Friday, it’s being held at Teacher Dance.

Day 29 of  the Found Objects Poetry Challenge was this photo from Diane Mayr.  It’s festive and I’m celebrating.

ten year
blogaversary
rockin’ it

I remember a new idea, blogging, was circulating on the Internet.  Another librarian helped me with my first blog that launched the end of February 2006.

The focus of my blog was on life in the library.  It was like having a website and having it be more manageable. 

 Soon I discovered writing communities with prompts and others sharing poetry.  By October, I had a new blog, Deowriter, for more of  writing outside of school.

What I love most about blogging is the sense of a global community.  I think of all the people I have connected with because of my blogs. 

This blog has provided a space for students to share their work which makes writing not just to finish an assignment but a for the real world. 

Being connected to the Poetry Friday community and the CYBILS are things I value.  They remind me of the goodness in the world on those dreary days.

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In 27 days it will be NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. Do you want a poetry postcard?  Sign up HERE.

Happy Friday.

Happy Poetry.

Wednesday Wonderings: Dr. Seuss

We have Family Library Night once a month.  If it’s March, it’s “Cat in the Hat” Night to celebrate the life of Theodore Geisel AKA, Dr. Seuss.  Teachers sign up to read favorite books Seuss or not.  We have the local public librarian come.  This year we included our EOCF (Head Start) friends housed in the building and our Russian and Spanish ELL leaders shared a story activity.  We also had the choir sing a song from Seussical.

We have cake, give out books, and books marks for a terrific evening

What is it about Cat in the Hat and Dr. Seuss that most people love?