It’s 3:30 in the morning as I write this, and I’m not particularly thankful to be awake just yet. But alas, I’m awake, and every cloud has a silver lining, so…
Things to be Thankful for in the Wee Hours of a Thursday
- Upon waking in the middle of the night, I discovered that the Cybils (Children’s & Young Adult Bloggers Literature Awards) are open for nominations, so I’ve been happily running amok, nominating bunches of my favorite books, while the rest of the world sleeps. It’s great fun – check out the site if you have favorites from 2009, too!
- My afternoon class participated in their first Twitter-chat yesterday. We have a classroom Twitter account (@MessnerEnglish) that we use to share books we like and put questions out there to the world. Yesterday, I saw that Sara Lewis Holmes, author of OPERATION YES, and her editor Cheryl Klein, were having a Twitter chat at noon. I had it projected on the screen via TweetChat when my kids arrived for class (I had been following for half an hour to make sure all was appropriate), and they were fascinated. We read a chapter from Sara’s new book, got caught up on the chat about how it was written and edited, and had a chance to ask several questions before moving on to the rest of the day’s agenda.
- Today and Friday, I get to finish reading Rebecca Stead’s WHEN YOU REACH ME with my students. I saved the last 40 pages for our final read-aloud session. I can’t wait to see their faces when we get to the part where…well…if you’ve read it, you know….
- I got the nicest email yesterday from a school librarian in Illinois, asking if I’d like to Skype in to be the guest author for their intergenerational family reading night. They’re reading THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z. with their kids and have a whole night of activities relating to family stories & family memories. She’s using the recipe from my website to make Nonna’s Funeral Cookies for refreshments, and they’re having tables set up where families can take the "What Tree Are You?" quiz. My Skype chat with the families will wrap up the evening. While her email was really only intended to give me the details of the night, it just about made me cry. After spending 14 years in the classroom, getting exciting about other people’s books and developing cool activities to go with them, it was surreal to hear about someone doing that with my book. So, so cool. I’m really looking forward to that Skype visit in November!
- My interview on THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z. with Jane Lindholm ran on Vermont Public Radio’s Vermont Edition yesterday. If you missed it, you can listen here.
Hope you have a great Thursday!
I loved your story about the school librarian asking you to be the guest author for an international family reading night. The activities sound so neat, and I’m excited for you — and even more anxious to read “Gianna” now. 🙂 [I’m up early, too — 3:15 a.m., to drive a friend to the airport. Hope you get some sleep later …] Jeni
The interview was great Kate. You’re such a good reader of your work!!!
Oh thanks! I’m thinking maybe a nap after school…hope you get some rest later, too!
Thank you, Linda! I wasn’t actually prepared to read – just talk – so I was hoping it came off all right.
That is so awesome! I’m glad you get to *have* that surreal experience. =)
And following up on one of your tweets from yesterday –
I really wish there had been someone available to help educate parents about the growing variety of YA lit when my children were younger. As it is, my youngest just turned 18 this summer, and our reading tastes have widely diverged over the years. She still tells me all about the books she’s enthralled with, and if I run across one I think she’ll like I tell her, just as I do with her sister (who also babbles happily with me about books in her preferred genre). We, as a family, have always had more books than clothes and toys put together. I remember, though, the very odd looks I got when I was reading a YA book to be able to discuss it with the girls as they were reading it in class. I really hated being treated like a mental deficient, and it left me really hesitant to ask for recommendations for things my girls might like.
Educating parents about the wide variety of available books would be wonderful. Educating parents, in tandem, about the benefits of reading what your children are reading would be phenomenal.
I want to be reincarnated as one of your students!
I was bummed that I didn’t get to nominate Gianna 😉 (But as long as it’s there, that’s all that really matters.)
E and I went out leaf collecting yesterday…next summer, I think she’ll be ready for your book, and I expect even more leaf-enthusiasm 🙂
You sound like a very cool teacher. And how exciting to have a group in Illinois devoting a night of fun to your book!
I hate waking up that early, but do it as well. At least you’re looking on the bright side!!!