The Beach Said So

Setting: The school library

Characters: Kindergartners (33 of them)

In an effort to stimulate inquiry questions for future research, the librarian has just shown the students a documentary about the life of a turtle. 

Librarian: Do you think all of the turtles on the beach had just one mom or did they all have different moms?

Kindergartner 1: I think they had different moms.

Kindergartner 2: No they didn't. They all look the same, they only had one mom.

Librarian: Since we seem to have different opinions, where could we look to find the answer?

Kindergartner 3: We could ask the turtles who they're mom was.

Kindergartner 4: Yeah, and ask 'em how many brothers and sisters they have.

Librarian: But turtles don't talk in real life. I am thinking we could find the answer inside something we can touch. What am I thinking of?

Kindergartner 5: We could ask the beach.

Librarian: (confused) Ask the beach? But the beach--

Kindergartner 5: (interrupting) Yeah, the beach knows who laid all those eggs and it could tell you how many turtle moms did it.

Kindergartner 6: The beach can't talk!

Kindergartner 5: Yes it can. If turtles laid all those eggs on you, you'd know how many did it!

Where Have I Been?

I just realized that I haven't written in awhile.

Well maybe not "just realized" since it's been about four months and I've had a pretty consistent mantra in my head stating this very fact.

While I cannot put the blame on anyone but myself, I am going to provide a defense in two simple words:

Grad. School.

You see, this accidental librarian is obtaining her second (yes I said second) master's degree.

And this semester literally took the writing out of me...

Seven (yes I said seven) research papers on various topics of multicultural literature, one ten-day thematic unit emphasizing the collaboration efforts of the librarian and classroom teacher, two highly descriptive lesson plans (complete with updated Bloom's taxonomy references for you teacher folk), one annotated bibliography consisting of thirty-five resources, and a partridge in a pear tree.

A pretty good defense...right?

I didn't have writer's block, I had writer's exhaustion. While I had numerous ideas, actually writing them down was simply not gonna happen.

So now that I'm on break, please look for more posts.

I promise to write a few...

...or a couple...

...at least one more than this post that you are so kindly reading right now!

I hope to write enough to hook you so that you wonder about me when I go silent again at the start of my next semester.

Just kidding...about the writing enough part.

Of course I want you to wonder about me!

God Named Him Larry

Setting: The story corner of the school library

Characters: Librarian, Atianna, Olivia, Daniel (not Dennis)

The librarian is discussing the book she is about to read to a group of kindergarten students. It is their fourth visit to the library this school year. 

Atianna: Do you have a mom?

Librarian: Yes, I have a mom. 

Atianna: What's her name?

Librarian: Her name is Rhonda.

Olivia: Do you have a dad?

Librarian: Yes, I have a dad too.

Atianna: What's his name?

Librarian: His name is Larry.

Olivia: Why isn't his name Michael? 

Daniel: Because God gave him the name Larry!

Olivia: Well God shoulda named him Michael! 

My Name Isn't Dennis!

Setting: The story corner of the school library 

Characters: Librarian, Boy, Girl 

A very lively and large group of kindergarten students has just entered the library and is getting settled in the reading corner. It is their second visit to the library this school year. 

Librarian: Dennis can you please sit down with your legs crossed? That is our first story corner rule.

Boy: (In a very raspy voice) My name isn't Dennis, it's Daniel. Dennis is the guy my dad goes and drinks beer with.

Librarian: Oh, your dad has a friend named Dennis?

Daniel: Yes. He has no money to buy his own beer so he goes over to his friend Dennis' house and drinks his.

A girl is eagerly raising her hand on the opposite side of the group. 

Girl: I went to the dentist!

My "Icy" Personality

I love coffee.

No, I mean I really love coffee.

It is my personality.

It fuels me with the ability to be the wonderfully witty and creative librarian that I am.

I have never understood those people who, after the age of about nineteen or so, can begin their day without a steaming cup of java at the ready.

I would keep a Keurig in my bedroom if I had the outlet space.

That being said, I just cannot bring myself to drink my beloved hot coffee during these humid-sticky-you-sweat-just-from-walking-to-the-car summer days. Even with all options of air conditioning on at full blast, it becomes an impossibility.

What's a girl to do?

Remember, I need this stuff.

Enter iced coffee.

Of course, right? It seems like a complete no-brainer. I'm sure that answer popped into your head about five sentences ago.

But it's really not that easy.

You see, not all iced coffees are created equal. If you try to make it from hot coffee, you end up with a weak and watery mixture from all the ice needed to cool it down. You can try putting a hot cup in the freezer, but where's the instant gratification in that? Dunkin Doughnuts' is too weak (plus they always get the amount of Splenda's wrong). Starbucks' is by far the most superior, but it's expensive and there isn't one on my morning route.

Do you see the problem?

Again, what's an addict--I mean girl--to do?

Thank goodness for The Pioneer Woman. She has created the perfect cold brew iced coffee recipe. Not only has it literally put the fast forward back in my morning, but it has saved me from purchasing a horribly weak coffee concoction and taken a good ten minutes off my morning commute.

Now I get the good parking spaces.

"Before I Fall" by Lauren Oliver

"They say that just before you die your whole life flashes 
before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me."

Mean girls, bullying, partying, drinking, hooking up...and dying. 

Not necessarily in that order. 

Before I Fall is told through the eyes of high school senior Samantha (Sam) Kingston--pretty, popular, and along with her three best friends, Lindsay, Elody, and Ally, one of the resident mean girls. They drive to school in a Range Rover, drink Dunkin Doughnuts coffee (large hazelnut, no sugar, extra cream), gossip about everyone from boyfriends to teachers, and cut class to smoke cigarettes & indulge in The Country's Best Yogurt.

Sound like a racier version of the Sweet Valley Twins?

Don't worry, it's not.

About a quarter into the book, our main character Sam dies in a car accident. She then is mysteriously given the chance to relive her final day over and over again.

Shocking right? Again don't worry, that piece of information won't ruin it for you...it's written on the book jacket.

The concept of this novel is not a new one...it cleverly reflects the movie Groundhog Day for a target audience who probably knows nothing of that phrase beyond a little rodent seeing it's shadow. The parallels between the movie and the novel are evident...the main characters are not very nice people who find redemption in reliving one holiday over and over again, and through their journey they become better people. But while the theme of the movie ends there, the novel delves much deeper. Author Lauren Oliver's ability to perfectly articulate Sam's thoughts about what it means to really live life--what's important, what's frivolous, who really matters--allows the reader to interact with her successes, failures, and gestures of boldness on an extremely intrinsic level. The book's ending also doesn't insult a young reader's ability to infer what happened.

"You mean I actually have to think about the ending to get it?" whined the student.
"Yes," replied the librarian, "Isn't that great?" 

This is Lauren Oliver's debut novel. It, along with her newly published second novel, Delirium, have both been optioned for film rights.

My second piece of unpopular advice, always read the books first.

Summer in Seven

Summer school ended this past Thursday and, like I mentioned before, I have a whole...wait for it...week off before the new school year starts up again!

Why so soon you ask?

My school operates on a "balanced" scheduling system. A shorter summer break means more frequent breaks throughout the year--two weeks in October, three weeks in December, and two weeks in the spring. It's meant to help eliminate the dreaded "summer gap" in students' learning.

Technically, I have eight week days and two weekends, but since that only encompasses one full Monday through Friday rotation, it's a week to me.

What will I do with all of my leisure time you ask? Well, I have a few (make that seven) things I would like to accomplish. They are, in no particular order:

1. Finish reading The Help. One of the few "adult" books I have attempted to read in a long time. It is excellent. I love it. While it's probably not one for my school library, it's so good that it might have to be my second Book Spotlight feature. After the first one is complete, of course (see #2).

2. Finish writing my first Book Spotlight review. I read the book. I liked the book. But I am having a hard time writing about why I liked the book. It's been forever, I know, and I'll get right on it.

3. Clean the mascara gunk off of my eyelash curler. Something so simple, yet I never seem to actually get around to doing.

4. Spend some quality time with my own children. Yes, I am also a mommy. I have two young and very adorable boys. I'm thinking a couple of days playing hooky from daycare and going to the zoo and/or kiddie amusement park is long overdue.

Yes, I noticed cleaning mascara gunk received top billing over spending time with my kids. I did say these were in no particular order didn't I?

5. Bake something ridiculously sweet, chocolaty, and over-the-top delicious that I shouldn't be eating.

6. Go running at least four times this Monday-Friday week. I usually try and shoot for at least twice during the weeks that I'm working. But I figure I should up the ante (see #5).

7. Do some online browsing free of access filters and heavy on shopping and celebrity gossip.

Simple?

Yes.

But isn't life all about the little victories?

At least for me, for this one summer week, it is.