Category: Saturday Smorgasbord

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Fun Sports Books for Kids

Posted on by Jaymie

 

You can’t go wrong with books for kids that focus on the sports they love – or even sports in general. Here are some of my favorite sports books to share with kids.

innings-and-outs-of-baseballThe Innings and Outs of Baseball (Science of Fun Stuff) – I love this early reader series – Science of Fun Stuff and History of Fun Stuff. This particular book focuses on the history of baseball. After the epic World Series victory by the Chicago Cubs this year, baseball is as popular as ever.

 

 

babymouse-goes-for-the-gold

Babymouse 20: Babymouse Goes for the Gold – If you haven’t read a Babymouse graphic novel before, you’re missing out. They are FUN, with great pop culture references throughout each story. This particular one focuses on the Olympics.

 

 

jump-shot

Jump Shot (Barber Game Time Books) – I have enjoyed this series about twin brothers, based on the real-life athletes, Tiki and Ronde Barber. They have books about baseball, football and basketball, but this one is my favorite.

 

 

fantasy-league left-out

Two of the most prolific writers of sports books for kids are Mike Lupica and Tim Green.  Fantasy League – Our family has played fantasy football for years. That made this book extra fun to read. Even though it is written for kids, my husband and I both enjoyed it. It’s about a kid who is amazing at fantasy football. Then he gets to try his skills with an actual football team. Left Out – I haven’t read this one yet, but I have it on my TBR pile. It focuses on a deaf kid who wants to play football and the challenges he faces. I’m really looking forward to reading this one.

athlete-vs-mathlete double-dribble time-out

This series is my favorite of all the sports books! This series is about a set of fraternal twins. One is a basketball star and the other is a star student. When the “smart one” gets recruited for the basketball team in book one, Athlete vs. Mathlete, it starts a series of identity struggles for the boys. “Who am I if I’m not the ‘athletic one’ any more?” In book two, Athlete vs. Mathlete: Double Dribble, the question becomes, “Who are we if we aren’t the best twins in basketball?” And book three, Athlete vs. Mathlete: Time-Out, puts the focus back on the original twins as they try to find their place at a competitive summer sports camp. These would be great for a classroom read aloud where students could talk about the identity struggles of the boys.

what-is-the-world-series what-is-the-super-bowl what-are-the-summer-olympics

Finally, there’s the Who Was series of books. The original series focused on biographies, but they have expanded into Where Is, which looks at amazing places around the world, and What Is which looks at different periods in history and other things. The What Is series includes these sports titles: What Is the World Series? (What Was…?),What Is the Super Bowl? (What Was…?), What Are the Summer Olympics? (What Was…?).

 

Do you have any sports lovers in your life?

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Now Monthly!

Posted on by Jaymie

When I launched my blog this fall, I create the Saturday Smorgasbord as a “a variety show of posts – list posts, links to articles I found related to books, etc.”

In order to have time to do these posts well, I’ve decided to post them just on the first Saturday of the month. I feel like that will keep them fresh.

book-stack

If you have missed some the past Saturday posts, you can find them all here. My favorite so far is probably my Top 10 Favorite Illustrators. You can also find posts about Christmas books coming out this season, favorite teachers in literature, and more.

Hope to see you on Saturday, December 3rd where I’ll be posting about my favorite sports books for kids!

Be sure to swing by over Thanksgiving weekend and pick up my PDF of recommended books for holiday gift-giving, too!

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Top 10 Favorite Illustrators

Posted on by Jaymie

I am crazy about picture books! And the illustrations are a large part of a picture book grabbing my attention. Certain illustration styles immediately catch my eye. And when you are reading with kids who don’t read on their own yet, the pictures are a HUGE part of the child’s engagement with the book. Here are some of my favorite illustrators, and links to some of my favorite books that include their amazing art work!

dan-santat

Dan Santat – Dan Santat has a great illustration style. I can usually pick out a book he has done from across the book store. I like his work so much. If you want to see great examples of his work, check out his award winning book, The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, or his illustration work on the Dav Pilkey Ricky Ricotta series ( Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot ).  The Three Ninja Pigs is an outstanding story by Corey Rosen Schwartz. The illustrations by Dan Santat work perfectly with this awesome story!

 

mo-willems

Mo Willems – The Elephant and Piggie books are a huge hit with the preschool and early reading crowd. The language is simple, the stories are funny and the illustrations are a major component of the humor. He is also well known for the Knuffle Bunny series and the Pigeon books. A few of my (many) favorite books by Mo Willems are Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, Let’s Go for a Drive! (An Elephant and Piggie Book), and I Will Surprise My Friend! (An Elephant and Piggie Book). If you are looking for something for slightly older readers, try The Story of Diva and Flea. Lovely illustrations of Paris in this book.

 

ashley-spires

Ashley Spires – I fell in love with Ashley Spires’ work when my son and I discovered the Binky the Space Cat (A Binky Adventure)  graphic novel series. As cat people, we thoroughly enjoyed the jokes, many of which were in the pictures. The Most Magnificent Thing  is an amazing book about ideas and perseverance. Ashley’s style speaks to me, and I sit up and take notice any time she releases a new book.

 

 

lauren-child

Lauren Child – Lauren Child is the author/illustrator of the Charlie and Lola books. Disney turned these into a cartoon several years back. We watched it all the time. The writing was smart and fun. The illustrations have a paper piecing feel to them that have fun texture. My favorite Charlie and Lola story is We Honestly Can Look After Your Dog (Charlie and Lola). The New Small Person  is a clever story about a boy who gets a younger brother that he refers to as the “new small person.”

 

kadir-nelson

Kadir Nelson – I wish I could show you the illustrations inside this book because they are stunning! I used to show this book to students while letting the accompanying CD of Dr. King’s speech play. The words and pictures were a perfect  compliment to each other. Check out I Have a Dream (Book & CD)

 

 

don-tate

Don Tate – I met Don Tate at a conference a couple years ago. I was so excited to meet him because he wrote about and illustrated stories of African American history I had never heard before. I love Ron’s Big Mission, a book I would read a lot during Black History Month. It is a stirring story of a boy pursuing his right to a library card. I also like The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch and Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton. The covers are lovely and reflect the illustrations within.

 

alex-latimer

Alex Latimer – I discovered Alex Latimer through the American Library Association conference when I saw a cover and it pulled me out of traffic on the exhibit floor into the publisher’s booth. Lion vs Rabbit is my favorite story of his because of the clever rabbit’s solution to bullying. When you read it the second time  (and you will want to read it again), really explore the illustrations! I also loved to read The Boy Who Cried Ninja  and Penguin’s Hidden Talent  to students.

 

troy-cummings

Troy Cummings –  More Bears! cracks me up every time I read it. And Troy Cummings had an interesting job of illustrating such an unusual story. He did a bang up job at it! Wait until you see all the bears! I also love his work in Little Red Gliding Hood. Lovely pictures and lots to look at and enjoy as you read this one!

 

 

peter-h-reynolds

Peter H. Reynolds – I got to meet Peter H. Reynolds at a conference after I discovered his books and it was a highlight of the conference. I love the message of his books The Dot and Ish (Creatrilogy)  about embracing your art, no matter how imperfect you think it might be. My favorite book of his is So Few of Me which I think could be modeled on my life.

 

 

kazu-kibuishi

Kazu Kibuishi – I have loved the Mary Grand Pre’ illustrations in the Harry Potter books since I first read them. The covers are lovely and so iconic at this point. So when Scholastic said they were releasing the books with new covers, I was not interested. But then I saw them. They are gorgeous! (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Book 1)) The illustrator, Kazu Kibuishi, is the author/illustrator for the Amulet graphic novels ( The Stonekeeper (Amulet 1) ). His work is exquisite. If we didn’t already own three sets of the Harry Potter books, I would totally get this new set. I love the pictures!

 

So, who are your favorite illustrators?

 

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: New Christmas Books

Posted on by Jaymie

This time of year, I start to get excited about Christmas. I start watching Christmas movies on TV. And I look for Christmas books to read. It helps me get in the mood for the holiday season.

Here are a few new Christmas books that came out this year. I haven’t read any of them yet, but these have received good reviews and they sound great! I hope you find something in this list to help you read your way towards the holidays.

an-amish-family-christmas An Amish Family Christmas: A Charmed Amish Life Christmas Novel – Grief, secrets and second chances  are at the core of this new story in the Charmed Amish Life series. I know my friends who adore Amish fiction and Amish life will enjoy this book. And maybe discover a new series!

 

 

 

baxter-family-christmas A Baxter Family Christmas – A new story in the ongoing Baxter family saga.  This one looks at redemption after tragedy at the holidays. I’ve never read a Baxter family story before, but this one sounds amazing. This is top of my holiday reading list!

 

 

because-of-bethlehem

Because of Bethlehem: Love Is Born, Hope Is Here– I love reading Max Lucado because he makes familiar Bible stories fresh and new. Help freshen up your holiday season by reading Lucado’s take on the Biblical Christmas story.

 

 

 

christmas-comes-to-main-street

Christmas Comes to Main Street (The Briar Creek Series)– fiesty competition may lead to love in this story of a big city fella and a small town baker in a holiday contest. This one sounds fun!

 

 

 

christmas-on-my-mind

Christmas on My Mind (A Cowboy Christmas)– Apparently this one came out in hardcover this past spring, and just released in paperback in September. Cowboy Sheriff takes an interest in town newcomer. Is it because her family members have a shaky relationship with the law, or is it because there is something special about this woman? Part of a series.

 

 

eggnog-murder

Eggnog Murder– A set of three holiday-themed mysteries. Short stories join long-running series starring Lucy Stone, Hayley Powell and Julia Snowden (Maine Clambake series). I love collections like this because it lets readers try a taste of three series with which they might not be familiar.

 

 

the-christmas-town

The Christmas Town–  A former foster child, now grown up, longs for a sense of home somewhere in her life. I love stories like this! A new story from the author of The Christmas Shoes and the Christmas Hope series.

 

 

 

twelve-days-of-christmas

Twelve Days of Christmas: A Christmas Novel– A woman blogs her efforts to thaw the grinchy heart of her neighbor. But when things start to warm between them, can she tell him the world has been reading about her efforts online? Debbie Macomber is a holiday staple, turning out a new Christmas story regularly. Check out this year’s offering!!

 

 

we-need-a-little-christmas

We Need A Little Christmas (Evergreen Lane Novels)– A grieving young woman is thrown together with her high school crush as she goes through her grandmother’s belongings. When she is done with her grandmother’s estate, will she leave everything – and everyone behind her?

 

 

 

So, which of those sound great to you?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Election Books for Kids

Posted on by Jaymie

 

As you have no doubt noticed, election season is here. It’s really unavoidable. Everywhere you look there is a yard sign or a political ad or a social media post about this year’s election, especially the contest for president.

All of this hype leaves kids to wonder what all the fuss about. And it leaves parents and teachers wondering how they can talk about the election in a way that is appropriate for their kids. Here are just a few books that you can use to launch conversation with kids about the role of president in our government, or about the importance of voting. There are also a few books that are just fun fiction aimed at kids about the presidency in general. For the most part, these are generic resources that would work for any family/classroom, regardless of politics. (The book titles are links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on one of these links and buy something, I receive a small commission on the sale)

Grace for President

Grace for President– A cute picture book about a girl who realizes we haven’t had a woman president and she wants to see that changed. So she runs in the school’s mock election. This is a popular election season book for kids. I’d be surprised if your local or school library doesn’t have a copy of this one!

 

 

The Kid Who Ran For Presidentthe-kid-who-ran-for-president– A fun story from Dan Gutman about a boy who decides to run for President of the United States. (This book got a lot of press earlier this year when comedian Jon Oliver referenced it in a rant about Donald Trump.)

 

 

Abe Lincoln at Last!

Abe Lincoln at Last!– This is my all time favorite Magic Tree House Book. I love it because the story is great and because it shakes up the usual formula for the series. There are some fascinating tidbits in here about how the White House operated back in Lincoln’s day.

 

 

Liberty Porter, First Daughter The Case of the Rock N Roll Dog
Liberty Porter, First Daughter
The Case of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Dog (First Kids Mystery)
Both of these books are the first in series about being a kid in the White House.

 

 

Who Is Hillary Clinton?

Who Is Hillary Clinton? (Who Was…?)– For families supporting Mrs. Clinton or for students interested in knowing more about the candidates in this year’s election, check out this book from the awesome Who Was series. At this time there is no companion book for Donald Trump. I couldn’t find a good book for kids about Mr. Trump that wasn’t satirical.

 

 

If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution

. . . If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution– As the Constitution is the document that outlines our three branches of government, this could be a good resource for students wondering about how it came to be and what is included in it.

 

 

Grover Cleveland Again!

Grover Cleveland, Again!: A Treasury of American Presidents– A fun look at all of our presidents (including Grover Cleveland who was president, lost the next election, and then was re-elected in the next term). The spreads are lovely and the information is engaging. The only complaint I have heard about the book (and it is accurate from my own read through) is that the author’s personal biases comes through in the storytelling. This would be a tremendous resource both for the content and for the opportunity to talk with students about fact versus opinion.

 

dont-know-much-about-the-presidents

Don’t Know Much About the Presidents (revised edition)– A more objective presentation of the presidents, but the layout isn’t as engaging as the previous book. Both books together would make for a great contribution to a classroom, school or home library.

 

 

 

Do you have any go-to resources you like to use with kids when talking about government or elections or the presidency?

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Six Authors to Follow on Twitter

Posted on by Jaymie

Twitter is a fantastic resource for anyone. Love the musical Hamilton? (Me, too!) You can follow the creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda and other cast members on Twitter. Do you have a favorite soda or candy bar? The company that makes them is probably on Twitter. Having trouble with your cable service? You can probably find the company on Twitter and get a faster result than if you called the 800 number.

On Twitter, I have found teachers and authors and publishers to be a tremendous resource for me. It’s so nice to find a cyber-tribe who loves the things I love. I can tweet out to an author when I finish their amazing book. I can ask for recommendations. I can encourage other readers.

I follow a tremendous number of authors on Twitter. Some post a lot. Some post a little. If you have never used Twitter, or you’ve never thought about following an author, I have six recommendations for you to start with!

  1. Kate Messner – @katemessner. I have blogged about Kate several times. I think she is an outstanding author. She tweets about her books, about other authors, resources for teachers, etc. She also hosts a summer program for teachers called Teachers Write which is an excellent program encouraging teachers of writing to dig into the process on their own.
  2. Phil Bilder – @philbildner. Phil is a relatively new author to me. He does a great job of tweeting about book news. As a former teacher, he is a great advocate for reading and for other authors, too.
  3. Brad Meltzer – @bradmeltzer. If you don’t know who Brad is, you should check him out. I love his Ordinary People Change the World picture book series for kids. He also writes thrillers for adults and hosts Lost History on television. He’s a funny guy and his social media is always great.
  4. Jess Keating – @jess_keating. I haven’t read any of Jess’ books yet, although I had some of her middle grade books in the library when I was teaching. I met her at a conference a few years ago and she was very cool. She tweets about science, writing and reading. She also has a YouTube show called Animals for Smart People that is fun.
  5. Josh Funk – @joshfunkbooks. Josh writes picture books and I love them! They are so clever. Josh is a major reading/book advocate. I often see him promoting books of other authors/illustrators. He’s a great resource for book fanatics.
  6. Candace Fleming – @candacemfleming. Candace is a fiction and non-fiction author for kids. I’ve met her at two different conferences and she is fabulous. Check out her Twitter for information about her various projects.

This time of year, Twitter is full of political posts. I tried to steer you toward authors who post mostly about book things. Use this as a jumping off point. If you have some favorite authors, look them up on Twitter and see if they are active there or not. If you don’t care for an author’s politics, but you love their books, wait until after the election to follow them so you can get all the best tweets from them to meet your reading needs!

You can also follow The Neverending TBR blog on twitter – @Neverending_TBR. I hope you’ll come check it out.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: 8 Authors I Buy Automatically

Posted on by Jaymie

 

I do an incredible amount of “book work.” I read magazines about books, I read web posts about books. I read book reviews. I track book release days. I do a lot of reading.

There are a few authors that I will buy almost without even bothering to read a blurb about the book. These are my “go-to” folks. These are the ones who have written new series and I have followed them merrily along without hesitation. Here they are:

Jen Hatmaker Jen Hatmaker

I will read anything Jen Hatmaker wants to write – books, Facebook posts, Instagram posts, emails. You name it! She makes me laugh while “telling it like it is.” She is an encourager and an affirmer. If you’ve never read her stuff before, I’d recommend starting with For the Love.

 

 

Jennifer Lynn Barnes Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The book, The Fixer was my favorite book of 2015 – and I read over 300 books in 2015! The sequel, The Long Game: A Fixer Novel is shaping up to be my favorite for 2016. I tried her series, The Naturals, from the library after eyeing the covers in bookstores over and over. I fell in love with that series, too. There’s a smart, sassy quality to both series that I adore. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is my go-to recommendation when I am talking to people about books for teens.

 

Kate Messner Kate Messner

Capture the Flag was probably my first encounter with Kate Messner’s work and it remains my favorite book of hers to this day (although there is stiff competition!). I’ve also loved The Seventh Wish, All the Answers, and the Ranger in Time series (Rescue on the Oregon Trail – think Magic Tree House with a dog). She writes books – and characters – that connect with readers’ hearts. When she puts out a new book, I pay attention!

 

Jenn McKinlay Jenn McKinlay

The Library Lovers series (Books Can Be Deceiving) is the only one of hers I have read from start to the latest installment. But I like her writing style so much, I’ve picked up and started her cupcake bakery series and her hat shop series. I haven’t had time to really dig into those series, but I love her writing style. Her books click for me no matter what series she is writing.

 

Mo Willems Mo Willems

Knuffle Bunny. The Pigeon. Piggie and Gerald. Diva and Flea. Leonardo. Edwina. Amanda and her alligator. If you’ve read these, you know what I am talking about. Funny, clever writing. Endearing characters. If you don’t know what these books are, get to a bookstore immediately! I recommend starting with I Will Surprise My Friend! or I Am Invited to a Party! . I’ll say “you’re welcome” now. I know you’ll love them!

 

Donalyn Miller Donalyn Miller

Donalyn Miller is known in teacher and literacy circles as “The Book Whisperer” (also the title of her first book). When Donalyn talks – about how to conference with readers, about what real readers do, about great books you should read – people listen. The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child and Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer’s Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits were my two favorite books when I was a teacher/ librarian. I love the practical advice given in them for teachers who want to build a classroom that celebrates reading. I recommended these to every teacher who talked to me about ways to improve the reading culture in their rooms. I attend any and every presentation she gives at a conference. I follow her recommendations on GoodReads and Twitter. She is the real deal for teacher resources. Even if I am not teaching when her next book comes out, I would buy it without hesitation.

Jarrett Krosoczka Jarrett Krosoczka

We were first introduced to Jarrett Krosoczka’s work with the Lunch Lady graphic novel series (Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute). Then we checked out his picture books. When he released the first Platypus Police Squad middle grade novel, I hesitated, wondering if he could handle a longer form like this. I should not have hesitated! I remember being delighted at the intricate mystery in book one (Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked). We loved the whole series. When Jarrett said he was picking up the Jedi Academy series (started by Jeffrey Brown), I was completely on board. I have seen Jarrett present at conferences, and I will forever be a fan after the way he interacted with my son several years ago when we met him in person.

Rick Riordan Rick Riordan

I don’t remember how we discovered the Percy Jackson series (The Lightning Thief ). I just remember our whole household fell hard for this series about a kid with ADHD who finds out he is the son of the god Poseidon. We have read them multiple times and have the books in multiple formats – physical, audio, graphic novel. We have read Riordan’s Egyptian series (starting with The Red Pyramid ), his crossover books between Percy, Annabeth, Carter and Sadie. We have started the Trials of Apollo series and are currently reading book 2 in his Magnus Chase series,Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 2 The Hammer of Thor . The books are funny and completely engaging. The characters are kids you love spending time with. As long as Rick Riordan keeps writing them, our family will keep reading them.

 

So, what do you think of my list? Who would be on your “Must Buy” list of authors? Leave a comment below.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My Favorite Teachers in Children’s Lit

Posted on by Jaymie

 

Today’s post is all about TEACHERS! I love teachers. I loved being a teacher (One year I taught history and science to a split class of 2nd and 3rd graders. I taught a creative writing club to elementary students for 3 or 4 years.  And I was a teacher/librarian at an elementary school for five years. It was my most favorite job ever!). My father was a teacher for over 30 years as was my father-in-law. Many of my friends are teachers. Teachers are rock stars!

There are several literary teachers that I adore and I wanted to post about them today. Here they are:

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds Vashti’s Teacher in The Dot

The woman never gets a name but she is a key component to how Vashti thinks about art. She challenges Vashti to make her mark and own it. And her encouragement gets passed on to another young artist through Vashti.

Teachers are inspiring.

 

Mrs. Granger in Frindle Frindle by Andrew Clements

At the beginning, Mrs. Granger calls Nick out for trying to distract her at the end of the day. Kids probably aren’t sure they like her at the beginning. Adults might cheer that she gets Nick with a pretty awesome consequence. This is not a soft and sweet teacher. She is tough. Her expectations for her students are high. But as the Frindle story unfolds, you start to wonder what those looks in her eyes might really mean. And at the end, you find out she was rooting for Nick all along!

Teachers see things in their students that the students don’t yet see in themselves and then try to call those things out.

Mr Terupt in Because of Mr. Terupt  Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Mr. Terupt is the rookie teacher for a group of fifth graders including the class clown, the genius, the kid who hates school, the mean girl, the new girl, the “fat girl,” and the outsider. These seven students share the story of their school year together with Mr. Terupt – their struggles, their triumphs, the times they grow, the times they fail, and the accident that changes things for all of them.  And this is just the first of three books where we get to watch these particular students grow. But we also get to see the impact Mr. Terupt has on them. He wants more for his students than occupying space in a classroom. He challenges them to creative projects to really cement the learning for his students. Mr. Terupt is inspiring!

Teachers are creative and innovative.

Ms. Bixby in Ms. Bixby’s Last Day Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

I posted about this book earlier this week here. You don’t get a lot of information about Ms. Bixby right off the bat, but as you read, you discover why she makes such an impact on her students, especially these three boys.

Teachers care about their students lives outside of the school day. 

 

Mr. Howell in Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett (Origami Yoda 4)   The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett by Tom Angleberger

If you aren’t familiar with this fun series, you should really check it out. It starts out as a series about a kids with an origami Yoda puppet that gives advice. But the series becomes so much more  when the emphasis moves to the school’s program to improve standardized test scores. In this particular book, the students (with a plethora of origami Star Trek characters) stage a rebellion against the school’s inane test prep program. I can’t say too much about Mr. Howell’s role, because that would be a big spoiler. I’ll just say this:

Teachers go to bat for their students.

Mrs. Twinkle in Chrysanthemum  Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Chrysanthemum feels special and loved. She especially likes her name. But when she gets to school, the other girls tease her for being named after a flower and for having such a long name. Poor Chrysanthemum starts to wilt at school. But when Mrs. Twinkle arrives and says how much she adores the name, how she is also named after a flower, and that she might even name her baby Chyrsanthemum, the other girls change their tune. And Chrysanthemum can bloom at school once again.

Teachers are clever, and understand group dynamics and how to diffuse difficult situations.

Do you have a favorite teacher from children’s literature?

Saturday Smorgasbord: Children’s Literature Festival

Posted on by Jaymie

Today I attended a local children’s literature festival. What a great time! We heard from author Shannon Anderson, author/illustrator Troy Cummings, author/illustrator Tom Watson, and author Carolyn Crimi.

Books for sale at children's literature festival

The crowd was mostly professionals – teachers, librarians, and students studying to be one or the other. There were only a few kids in the crowd, but they were the stars of the show! Both Troy Cummings and Tom Watson drew the kids in (pardon the pun) with great audience participation. And the kids loved it!

Authors and Illustrators at children's literature festival

The two author/illustrators presented like they would for school. I would recommend both highly for school visits. They related well to the kids there without talking down to them. They seemed genuinely pleased to interact with their target audience. Shannon Anderson was able to link her writing and her books to her roles as mom and elementary teacher. This was especially helpful for the teachers in the room. Carolyn Crimi spoke on the value of humor – both in books and in the classroom/library setting. She gave great, practical ideas for teachers and librarians to use.

Overall this was a great event! I am so pleased that we have such a stellar opportunity in our community for children’s literature lovers and professionals.