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Thursday, February 28, 2019

Reflection Is Key


In 5th grade, I wrote in a journal back and forth to my teacher Ms. Corn. (Read my story about Ms. Corn here.) In high school, I had to write a reflection letter for each of the pieces I added to my writing portfolio. In college and when I started teaching and worked on my Master's degree, I was often asked to reflect. 

Besides reflecting when I was asked to by teachers or as part of my work, I have always kept a journal. When I was really little, it was a diary and then it became more of a journal. Rereading them now, I mostly wrote to process everything that was happening in my life...which is why I mostly wrote when I was frustrated. But the cool thing is, I wrote. 

So I'm not sure how it came about, whether it's part of me or I learned how awesome it is, but I'm now a reflective person. I truly believe being reflective is important to life. How else can we continually grow if we don't stop, get honest with ourselves, and think about how to move forward?

Last week, my friend Katherine interviewed me for Writing Wednesday on her blog Read, Write, Reflect. Pausing to answer her questions got me reflecting (because it's in her blog name!) and thinking about how important it is to pause and take stock from time to time. It also made me realize how writing can help us reflect. I'm going to be thinking about reflection and how to encourage it in my own kids and also thinking about how reflection might come up in conversations at school. 

I hope you check out Katherine's blog where she shares about her life as a teacher, reading, writing, and life in general. She's a great friend and a wonderful person and I love that she makes me think!



Monday, February 25, 2019

It's Monday! What Are You Reading/ 02/25/2019

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and I decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them. 


Last Week's Book Adventures:
We are almost done but the boys and I are still reading A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban and I'm still reading Silver Meadow Summer and read a little bit more of Almost Everything: Notes From Hope. 

Upcoming Book Adventures: 
This week I'm sure we'll finish A Crooked Kind of Perfect. I'm going to keep reading Silver Meadow Summer and Almost Everything: Notes on Hope. 

This Week's Posts:

So, what are you reading this week? 
Link up below and check out other blogs to see what they're reading!
To help build our community and support other bloggers,
we ask that you comment on at least three other blogs before you.
Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!


Monday, February 18, 2019

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 02/18/2019

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and I decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them. 


Last Week's Book Adventures:
The boys and I are still reading A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban and I'm still reading Silver Meadow Summer and Almost Everything: Notes From Hope. 

Upcoming Book Adventures: 
This week I'm guessing we'll finish A Crooked Kind of Perfect and I'm going to keep reading Silver Meadow Summer and Almost Everything: Notes on Hope. I read The Moon Within by Aida Salazar and I want to reread it too. 

This Week's Posts:

So, what are you reading this week? 
Link up below and check out other blogs to see what they're reading!
To help build our community and support other bloggers,
we ask that you comment on at least three other blogs before you.
Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!


Monday, February 11, 2019

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 02/11/2019

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and I decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them. 


Announcement:
The Lost Girl Giveaway Winner:

Shaye!

Congratulations! And thanks to Walden Pond Press 
for the opportunity to offer this giveaway!

Last Week's Book Adventures:
I started reading A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban with the kids. I love hearing them laugh and ask questions. I'm still reading Silver Meadow Summer and Almost Everything: Notes From Hope. I also read another stellar stack of picture books at the library this week! My favorite: Lovely Beasts: The Surprising Truth by Kate Gardner.

Upcoming Book Adventures: 
I'm going to keep rading Emma Otheguy's Silver Meadow Summer that I started reading and I'm also reading Anne Lamott's Almost Everything: Notes on Hope. 

This Week's Posts:

So, what are you reading this week? 
Link up below and check out other blogs to see what they're reading!
To help build our community and support other bloggers,
we ask that you comment on at least three other blogs before you.
Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!


Monday, February 4, 2019

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 02/04/2019

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and I decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them. 


Last Week's Book Adventures:
I finished The Lost Girl by Anne Urse this week and it was AMAZING. Be sure to enter my giveaway! And I also went to the library with my friend and read two great book stacks. Many I had read before but some were new. I also finished reading The Wrong Way to Save Your Life and it was so good that I read the last page and cried.



Last Week's Posts:


Upcoming Book Adventures: 
I have an arc of Emma Otheguy's Silver Meadow Summer that I started reading and I'm also reading Anne Lamott's Almost Everything: Notes on Hope. 

This Week's Posts:

So, what are you reading this week? 
Link up below and check out other blogs to see what they're reading!
To help build our community and support other bloggers,
we ask that you comment on at least three other blogs before you.
Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!


Friday, February 1, 2019

The Lost Girl Blog Tour and Giveaway


Today I'm thrilled to kick off the blog tour for The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu! A big thanks to Walden Pond Press for inviting me to participate and for giving me the opportunity to offer a giveaway too!

About The Lost Girl:

Once upon a time, there were two sisters, 
alike in every way, except for all the ways that they were different.

    When you’re an identical twin, your story always starts with someone else. For Iris, that means her story starts with Lark. Iris has always been the grounded, capable, and rational one; Lark has been inventive,  dreamy, and brilliant—and from their first moments in the world together, they’ve never left each  other’s side. Everyone around them realized early on what the two sisters already knew: they had better outcomes when they were together.
    When fifth grade arrives, however, it’s decided that Iris and Lark should be split into different  classrooms, and something breaks in them both. Iris is no longer so confident; Lark retreats into herself as she deals with challenges at school. And at the same time, something strange is happening in the city around them: things both great and small going missing without a trace. As Iris begins to understand that anything can be lost in the blink of an eye, she decides it’s up to her to find a way to keep her sister safe.

What I Think:
Where do I even start!?! Maybe that's not the best way to start but seriously, this book is amazing on so many different levels. Yes, it's a sister story but at the same time it's a girl power story. When I first started reading, I thought of twins I know. I was friends with twins when I was in elementary school and I have a friend who has twin girls. No doubt, they share an amazing bond. Then I started thinking of my own sister and my cousin who I consider a sister. But as the book went on, I thought of so many friends who stand beside me, whose hands I've held, who remind me to carry on and how much they are sisters to me. I thought about how much they mean to me, how much they encourage me, and how strongly I believe in them. We're all the stars in our own stories but we couldn't do it without our supporting actors.

I really don't want to give the story away. It's so luscious and wonderful that you just have to live it for yourself. But I do want to say that I wondered how I would relate to the characters, seeing as I'm not a twin. Well, I did. I loved getting to know Iris and Lark and I loved seeing how they grew apart and together. And I love the suspense of it all. It's truly a must read for anyone out there. Whether you have a sister or not. Whether you are a sister or not. Whether you are a girl or not. You won't be disappointed.

Like me, I'm sure you'll have lots to talk about after you finish reading The Lost Girl but here's a fantastic Educators’ Guide, written by Melissa Guerrette that you might find useful.

About Anne:
    Anne Ursu is the author of Breadcrumbs, named one of the best books of 2011 by Publishers Weekly and the Chicago Public Library, and The Real Boy, which was longlisted for the National Book Award. She is also a member of the faculty at Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Anne lives in Minneapolis with her family and an ever-growing number of cats. You can visit her online at www.anneursu.com

Be sure to visit all the stops on the blog tour:
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 1: Teach Mentor Texts
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2: About to Mock
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3: Novel Novice
MONDAY FEBRUARY 4: Maria’s Melange
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6: Bluestocking Thinking
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7: .com
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8: Unleashing Readers
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 9: Book Monsters
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 10: Fat Girl Reading
MONDAY FEBRUARY 11: Word Spelunker
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12: Nerdy Book Club