Simon and Schuster Lucky Video

Simon and Schuster released a video promoting The Higher Power of Lucky. It highlights quotes from authors who are in support of her book--who have come out in full force since it has been banned from libraries. It also features a short interview of Susan Patron by Cynthia Kadohata.

You can view the video here.

What's in Your Pantry?

What’s in my pantry? No, I don’t have Vikings held up in there with swords and shields ready to attack me if I don’t tear up my old credit cards (like in the Capitol One commercial). Instead I have a plethora of legumes and grains.

Here is just a semi-completed list:

Rice: Jasmine, Basmati, Sticky, Wild Rice, Brown Rice, Red Rice, Arborio

Pastas: Orzo, Couscous, Spaghetti, macaroni, Angel Hair, Penne, Linguine, Thai egg noodles, wide rice noodles, skinny rice noodles

Grains: Bulgur, Wheat Germ, All purpose flour, Self rising flour, cake flour, rice flour, bread flour, buckwheat flour, blue cornmeal, regular cornmeal

Beans: Dried beans of every kind imaginable, 8 types of Indian lentils (dhal), canned cannelini and black beans

This is just the beginning. What is my obsession? Every time Donnie opens up the pantry door, he says we’ll never be hungry in an ice storm. We have plenty to eat. I like variety and I also insist on having the exact ingredient called for in a recipe. My more practical mother would substitute like items she had on hand, or just leave the item out altogether. Not her hoarding daughter, though. No, I’m the one who has 52 spices in her cabinet because, heaven forbid, should I leave anything out.

It’s kind of like my book collection. I have stacks of books that I own. At the present time, I have four large stacks of books on the floor of my office because I need a new bookshelf. We are in the middle of remodeling bathrooms at the moment, so a new bookshelf is on the backburner for now. They aren’t bothering me in the floor. They are in neat stacks, sorted by author or by subject, so when the bookshelf finally arrives, there will be no sorting or purging involved. These books line my shelves and my floor and the floor by my bed and tower on my nightstand. My husband thinks I’m crazy every time I bring a bagful of books home from the library. He reasons that I have plenty of books at home to read. I reason, “Look how much money I’m saving you!” To me, these books are like gold sitting on a shelf (or on the floor). I can’t bear to part with any of them. People have said, “Why don’t you donate the ones you have read?” These are just my nutty friends. I don’t get rid of books.

What’s worse? I have an entire list of books on my computer that I want to buy or read at some point in my near future. An obsession? Maybe. But, what’s in your pantry (or bookshelf)?

It's Hollins Time Again!

The highlight at the end of my winter is always receiving the Hollins packet that gives the courses being taught and the events for the summer.

I did a little dance yesterday when I got my packet. I was thrilled to see Paul Janeczko and editor Michael Stearns (HarperCollins) will be speaking in July (not together). There is a summer chock-ful of good stuff. I really would LOVE to take the Children's Mystery Novels class, but I will be otherwise engaged this summer. We have plans to be in Thailand visiting my parents for the summer. I will only be here for some of the summer activities at Hollins. I'm so fortunate to live only 15 min. away from Hollins, so even if I can't take classes, I can still go to the special events.

I can't wait!

I'm going "loo"ny

Two bathrooms in my house are under construction. We have one bathroom/laundry room that I am using. Arggh! It looks like a college boys' bathroom mainly because my husband only cleans it about once a month. But alas, today is the day my toilets will be installed. It's a good thing because I have had just about enough of traipsing downstairs to the toilet in the middle of the night. By the time I get back upstairs, I'm wide awake.

In honor of poetry Friday (and I know it's Saturday, and I know I'm "supposed" to celebrate someone ELSE's poetry, but for the last two weekends I have wanted to write something myself), here is my limerick (and a bad one at that) on my dilemma.

There once was a girl with a loo
She didn't know quite what to do
She tore everything out
And threw paint all about
And now her loo looks brand new

Pathetic, I know.

Wonderful, Wonderful Words

Because I have a 2 1/2 year old, I spend a lot of time reading picture books over and over and over again. Some of them get taken back to the library very quickly. Others I like to keep around for awhile. In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming is one of those I have already renewed once. For a book with only 64 words in in, it has 36 amazing verbs! Every night when it was time to go to bed to my daughter would say, "Read The Small, Small Pond," and I would say, "Okay!"

Today I brought in to my 4th grade class. We've been talking about vivid verbs. I read it out loud to them and had them write down their favorite words. They were so excited. Their favorites were words like wriggle, quiver, waddle, drowse, and many more. We had a word feast today with all of these words. This book was a Caldecott Honor Winner in 1994. Why has it taken me 13 years to find this treasure?!

Penny is priceless

I just finished reading Newbery Honor book Penny from Heaven. I remember hearing Jennifer Holm speak at a IRA conference (I think it was IRA) several years ago and remembered how much I liked her and wanted to read more of her books.

I loved this book for so many reasons. I love the voice of Penny. I love how that even though so many things have gone wrong in her life, she still has a pretty "normal" growing up experience. I love the fact that the bad stuff in her life doesn't dominate the book. We get glimpses throughout the book of her background, but only at the end do we find out how much her family has loved and protected her.

I loved this book even more after reading the author's note and finding out that it was based on real family and real events. What a fabulous way to tell your family story!

I'm working my way through the Newbery Honor books and so far, I've been thoroughly enjoying myself!

Poetry Friday--on Saturday

Well, I missed Poetry Friday, but I thought I'd post a day late. After experiencing today, here is the haiku I wrote.

sunshine tempts my frigid feet
to bare all outside
whipping winds tell my toes “no”