TBR - Weeks 2 and 3

Working my way through two more piles of books.

Kids, post YOUR TBR pile as a comment, along with your initials and last year's homeroom, and you can pick from the prize box the next time I see you (and add another book to your pile).

TBR - Week 1

It's vacation! Which means I have way more time now to read books. Hooray! Here is my first pile.

Kids, post YOUR TBR pile as a comment, along with your initials and last year's homeroom, and you can pick from the prize box the next time I see you (and add another book to your pile).

TBR - late July

Here are my latest to-be-read piles after a couple more trips to the public library:

Kids, post YOUR TBR pile as a comment, along with your initials and last year's homeroom, and you can pick from the prize box the next time I see you (and add another book to your pile).

TBR - Early July

Here is my latest to-be-read piles after a few trips to the public library:

Kids, post YOUR TBR pile as a comment, along with your initials and last year's homeroom, and you can pick from the prize box the next time I see you (and add another book to your pile).

TBR - August 22

Here is my latest to-be-read piles after a couple of trips to the public library:

Kids, post YOUR TBR pile as a comment, along with your initials and last year's homeroom, and you can pick from the prize box the next time I see you (and add another book to your pile).

TBR - August 9

Here is my latest to-be-read pile after a trip to the public library:

Kids, post YOUR TBR pile as a comment, along with your initials and last year's homeroom, and you can pick from the prize box the next time I see you (and add another book to your pile).

TBR - July 31

Here is my latest to-be-read pile after a trip to the public library:

Kids, post YOUR TBR pile as a comment, along with your initials and last year's homeroom, and you can pick from the prize box the next time I see you (and add another book to your pile).

Edited to add the books I picked up on 8/1:

TBR - July 20

Here is my latest to-be-read pile after a trip to the public library:

Kids, post YOUR TBR pile as a comment, along with your initials and last year's homeroom, and you can pick from the prize box the next time I see you (and add another book to your pile).

TBR - July 8

Here is my latest to-be-read pile after a trip to the public library:

Kids, post YOUR TBR pile as a comment, along with your initials and last year's homeroom, and you can pick from the prize box the next time I see you (and add another book to your pile).

ALA Winners in the House

Each year, the American Library Association gives a variety of awards to the books the voting committees consider to be the best in their categories. Thanks to generous donors at DonorsChoose, we were able to add several of these books to our collection.

Part of the DonorsChoose process is writing thank-you notes; I read many of the books to the kids, and they wrote about their favorites. Finding Winnie, the Caldecott winner, and Supertruck, a Geisel honor, were big hits. Here are Rooms 2 and 4 with some of the titles:

Got Box Tops?

I have 100 box tops (we go through a lot of tissues at my house) up for grabs. First person to comment with their (or their student's) room number and initials gets them!

Summer Reading Kickoff is Today!

Head to your local public library branch today for the summer reading program kickoff. Info from the Cranston Public Library web site:

Kids in grades K-5 will receive a reading log that allows them to keep track of their reading all summer. If you read at least 35 days, collect 3 signatures from people you shared your reading with, and visit the library 7 times between June 23 and Aug 8, they'll put a bookplate with your name on it in a library book, and you'll be eligible to win a Kindle Fire Tablet!

Kick-off Dates:

Central Library: MON, June 23, 1-3:30 PM, 5:30-7:30 PM or WED, June 25, 5:30-7:30

William Hall Library: MON, June 23, 3 PM

Auburn, Knightsville, Oak Lawn, and Arlington Branches: Drop in any time

Good Luck for Hard Luck

wimpykid.com

Hey, kids! I finally got a copy of the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck. I know everyone will be clamoring to check it out. So here's the deal:

If you're reading this page, then you qualify to be one of the first readers. Leave a comment below with your room number and initials (NO FULL NAMES), and I'll put you on the hold list. Just choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment As" drop-down list. Remember, initials only.

Public Library Fun This Week

If you have been participating in the Summer Reading Program, the week of August 5 is the last week to check in days read. If you are between the ages of 6 and 12, pick up a Pawsox All Star Reader entry form for your chance to represent your library at a Pawsox game on August 20. One lucky reader from RI will win a trip to Disney World! Visit your local Cranston library branch for more details. And in the meantime, you can attend some other FREE events:

Auburn Branch

• Percy Jackson The Sea of Monsters movie celebration week & movie ticket raffle (age 10 and up) - every day
  

source: CPL eventkeeper.com

Central Branch

• Shark Week: Take & Go Crafts & Fun Activities (grades 5 and up) - every day
  
• The Great Baldini - Monday 6:30 (pick up tix 1/2 hour in advance)
  
• Miss Minoes movie - Tuesday 6:00 (pick up tix 1/2 hour in advance)
  
• Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters Party - Thursday 3:00 (registration required; grades 4-8)
  
• Dinosaur movie - Friday 10:00 (pick up tickets 1/2 hour in advance)
  

Knightsville Branch

• Pencil Toppers Drop by craft - Tuesday 12-4
  

Oak Lawn Branch

• Create-a-Craft - Friday 11-4
  
• Make a Backstage Pass - Friday 2:30 (grades 3 and up)
  

William Hall Branch

• Fused Glass workshop - Thursday 3:30 (ages 10 and up)
  
• Joe's Backyard Band - Thursday 6:30

National Spelling Bee - Who Won? [Secret Contest Alert!]

The finals of the National Spelling Bee are appointment television for me and my friends ... the 2013 contest airs tonight on ESPN at 8 p.m. It's been bumped up from ESPN2!

Anyone who leaves a note in my mailbox by Thursday, 6/20, with the name of the winner gets to pick a free book from the donation box.

Fun fact from their web site: XANTHOPHYLL is the word Laura Ingalls Wilder misspelled in an 1880s community spelling match. Read more about it in Little House on the Prairie.

And one of my favorite clips from a past contest: