Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/11/17

December 11, 2017 by Kellee

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

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The 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 the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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 support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Tuesday: Ten New Authors We Met at NCTE/ALAN 2017

Wednesday: Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone by Alice Briaere-Haquet

Thursday: Prince and Pirate by Charlotte Gunnufson

Friday: Emily and the Spellstone by Michael Rubens

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Talking to Kids about the Sixth Mass Extinction” by Laura Perdew, author of Extinction: What Happened to the Dinosaurs, Mastodons, and Dodo Birds?

Last Week’s Journeys

I was a bit worried about Knock Out by K.A. Holt because House Arrest has quickly become one of the books I rave about the most, and I didn’t know if a sequel would be able to stand next to it in my mind and heart, but MAN! It does! Knock Out takes place years later and the main character of House Arrest is now a secondary character. I don’t want to tell you much more because the premise of Knock Out spoils the end of House Arrest (in my opinion…K.A. Holt says you could read them in either order, but I’m partial to the publication order because it adds more suspense in both).
The Whatever After series keeps surprising me! Although the main premise is formulaic (Abby and Jonah go through a mirror and mess up a fairy tale, so they have to fix it and it changes), the actual stories have each been very unique! I can definitely tell why this series is so popular! Bad Hair Day is about Rapunzel, and within the first 20% of the book, Abby has cut off Rapunzel’s hair, so they have to figure out how to fix that one.

Ricki

It’s finals week, so I’ve been reading all of my students’ writing. Many of them are creative writing majors, and their work is wonderful!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

My life has been full of so much fun lately! The holidays are my favorite because we get to celebrate family and friendship and kindness and goodness. Oh, and I love Christmas music! But that also means my life is full of non-reading things thus affecting my reading life.

I am almost done with Cold as Ice, Whatever After #6, and I cannot wait to find out how it ends! It is a retelling of “The Snow Queen.”
I actually am surprising myself that I haven’t read Thunderhead yet. I don’t know if I am psyching myself out of starting because 1) then I’ll have to wait even longer for the final book in the trilogy, 2) It is going to be a time-suck of a book because I won’t want to stop, 3) I just am so worried that it is going to not be what I want after Scythe. But I need to get reading because I have students and teachers all waiting to get their hands on my ARC (however, at this rate, they may just have to buy their own copy in January). We’ll see how it goes…

Ricki

I am finally reading American Street by Ibi Zoboi and am loving it.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Ten Favorite Christmas Books from Maria N., 7th grade

Wednesday: The Musnet Series by Kickliy

Thursday: Inky’s Great Escape by Casey Lyall

Friday: Red & Lulu by Matt Tavares

So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

and

Author Guest Post!: “Talking to Kids about the Sixth Mass Extinction” by Laura Perdew, Author of Extinction: What Happened to the Dinosaurs, Mastodons, and Dodo Birds?

December 10, 2017 by Kellee

“Talking to Kids About the Sixth Mass Extinction”

I think that when most people hear the word ‘extinction,’ dinosaurs come to mind first. But the truth is, billions of species have gone extinct in Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history.

Many of these were background extinctions, a normal part of life on this planet. There have also been five mass extinctions—events that wiped out more than 50 percent of species at one time. Perhaps the most well-known of these is the asteroid that hit the earth 66 million years ago and wiped out those dinosaurs.

What is not well-known, however, is that there is a sixth mass extinction currently underway.

The normal background extinction rate for mammals is one extinction every 100 years. But in the past 100 years, there have been more than 40 extinctions. Looking at all species on Earth, everything from the smallest microbes to the largest mammals, scientists estimate that the current extinction rates are 1,000 to 10,000 higher than normal. But unlike the previous five extinctions, this one is our fault.

We spend a lot of time talking about climate change, but we also need to pay more attention to the species that are dying off because of that and other human-related causes.

It’s time to spread the word. Before I wrote Extinction: What Happened to the Dinosaurs, Mastodons, and Dodo Birds?, there weren’t any books for kids that talked about the sixth extinction or what they can do to help slow this trend. Kids need to know what’s happening to the planet they are inheriting. And they need to be empowered to take action. In some ways, it seems a daunting task to stop extinctions. But history has proven that one person can make a difference in the world, and that together we can do even more.

It’s important to start the discussion with kids and to show them that even at their age, there are things they can do to create positive change. Here are some ideas!

Activity: Start the Discussion

If the scientists’ predictions are right, three out of four species will go extinct over the next few hundred years. What will the world be like? Take students outside so they can get a better understanding of this prediction. Have students list the different species they observe. Encourage them turn over rocks, crawl in a garden, think about what is underground, or look in a tree. Remind them to include insects, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, trees, and plants. Can they find 10? 20?

Once they have a list, ask students to cross out three out of every four of those species on it. For this activity, those crossed off species are the ones that will become extinct.

Questions for discussion:

Are the extinct species part of the food chain? What will happen to the other species that rely on that species for food or shelter?
What will happen to species when their main predators die off?
Can the ecosystem can be healthy, even with those missing species? Why or why not?
Can some of the surviving species adapt? What adaptations would they need to survive?

Activity: Taking Action

Another way to get kids thinking about extinction is to have them think about their own carbon footprint. Start with a discussion of the terms “carbon footprint” and “carbon emissions.” Then, discuss and list the things humans do that require burning fossil fuel. Each of these activities contributes to global warming and ocean acidification, and ultimately to increased extinction rates. But there are things we can do to reduce carbon emissions.

There are many online resources that can help students research this, including NASA’s Climate Kids website (https://climatekids.nasa.gov/), and other carbon footprint calculators. The purpose of the activity is to have students identify their own actions that contribute to carbon emissions and what actions they can take to reduce their carbon footprint.

Questions for discussion:

What can you do in your home or community to reduce your carbon footprint?
Will making changes in how you live be easy or difficult?
Calculate the carbon emission reduction if everyone in the class took one step to reduce their carbon footprint. What would the savings be if each student could also convince three other families to do the same thing? How about if 1,000 families in the community took steps to lower emissions?

Activity: Planning for the Future

Tell students they are a team of engineers for a new town that’s going to be built. All that’s there right now is a mix of prairie and forest. Their job is to make it as green as possible. They must find a way to balance the need of humans and the needs of the environment and the species that live there.

Start by researching what makes a city green. Also, students must consider all the things in a town that people need—homes, schools, food stores, etc. They can even discuss their own town or city as an example of things you want to include (or omit) in the town they design and build. Possible activities include collages, models, dioramas, or drawing. The focus should be on the green details.

Questions for discussion:

What was easy about creating a green city? Difficult?
What was difficult about balancing the needs of the environment with the needs of people?
What can be done in their own town or city to move it towards being more green?

Discussions and research lead to awareness. Awareness leads to action. And action creates change!

Extinction: What Happened to the Dinosaurs, Mastodons, and Dodo Birds? (with 25 Projects)
Published September 15th, 2017 by Nomad Press

About the Book: Have you seen a dodo bird recently? Do you have mastodons playing in your back yard? Not likely—these species are extinct. In Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history, more than 5 billion species have gone extinct, some of them at the same time. In Extinction: What Happened to the Dinosaurs, Mastodons, and Dodo Birds? readers ages 9 to 12 learn about the scientific detective work scientists perform to find the culprit behind mass extinctions, including the present-day, sixth mass extinction.

About the Author: Laura Perdew is an author, writing consultant, and former middle school teacher. She has written more than 15 books for the education market on a wide range of subjects, including the animal rights movement, the history of the toilet, eating local, and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. She is a long-time member of the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators. Laura lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Thank you, Laura, for pushing us to start this conversation with our students!

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Emily and the Spellstone by Michael Rubens

December 8, 2017December 8, 2017 by Kellee

Emily and the Spellstone
Author: Michael Rubens
Published June 13th, 2017 by Clarion Books

Summary: This summer, comedy writer and YA author Michael Rubens makes his middle grade debut with Emily and the Spellstone, a hilarious and accessible fantasy about growing up and coming into your own.

Emily is fed up with her frustrating family and the clique-filled hallways of elementary school. All she wants for her twelfth birthday is a cell phone, but of course her tech-obsessed older sister had to go and get carpal tunnel, so now Emily isn’t allowed to have one. Worst birthday ever. As she stomps off down the beach to get away from it all, she stumbles across a strange stone that seems to speak to her, and looks oddly like the cell phone she desperately wants. What Emily doesn’t know is that this weird rock is actually an ancient Spellstone, and only she can unlock its powers. What could go wrong?

Rubens’ whimsical wordplay and delightful prose bring this unpredictable adventure to life. Monsters and magic will inspire readers’ imaginations, while Emily’s more terrestrial troubles like mean girls and annoying little brothers will resonate with anyone who has ever been new or felt out of place in their own family. According to Booklist, “the quick pacing, playful narration, and high stakes are plenty to keep reluctant readers and young fantasy fans engaged.” With a diverse cast of supporting characters and a spunky heroine, this wacky romp is a perfect summer read.

About the Author: Michael Rubens is the author of two YA novels, Sons of the 613 and The Bad Decisions Playlist, and one novel for grownups, The Sheriff of Yrnameer. A correspondent and producer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, he has also been a producer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His writing has appeared in places like The New Yorker’s Daily Shouts, Salon and McSweeney’s. He lives with his family in Brooklyn. Visit his website at www.michaelrubens.com.

Review: It is obvious that Rubens writes comedy for a living. Emily’s story is a perfect mix of laugh out loud moments, puns, and crazy adventures with monsters and evil. And unlike other books this reminded me of, Rubens has created his own monsters and villains instead of using an established mythology which means it made it really hard for me to make predictions, so I was on the edge of my seat (LAUGHING along the way) the entire novel. As soon as I finished, I went on Twitter to make sure all of my middle grade teacher friends knew about this one because I think that fans of Riordan’s books are going to really enjoy this one.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Primarily, I picture this book in classrooms/libraries for independent reading or being used in classes during lit circles/book clubs. However, there are some really funny read aloud parts that could definitely be used to discuss humor, word choice, puns, and voice. It would also be lots of fun to make up apps that could be on Emily’s Spellstone.

Discussion Questions:

How did Emily change from the beginning to the end of the novel? What plot points were key in her character development?
Find examples in the book that show Emily’s and Gorgo’s sense of humor.
How do you think Emily feels by the end of the book about being a Stonemaster?
Were there any signs throughout the book to indicate that Gorgo was going to make the decision he did?
If all of the humorous passages were eliminated from the book, how would that change the tone of the book? How does the word choice the author chose help make the tone what it is?
Why were the Venomüch family included in the story?

Flagged Passages: “Emily lay as still as she could, not daring to move, barely daring to breathe.

There was something lurking in the darkness.

She couldn’t hear it or see it, but she could feel it, the sheer foulness of its presence.

It wasn’t Gorgo. She knew that. This was something else. Something far worse. . . . . .

‘There was. . . something in my room last night.’

‘Ah, right. I thought I felt somehthing. Some sort of shade or spirit, probably sniffing around after the Stone.’

‘Why?’

He shrugged. ‘Dunno. Maybe someone sent it. Or maybe it just showed up, drawn by the Stone,’ he said. ‘You’re about to say ‘why’ again, aren’t you?’

‘Yes. Why. Why would that thing be drawn to this stone?’

‘Because it’s a Stone. They’re incredibly powerful, Stones are. Powerful and rare. A Stonemaster can use them to work great magics. That’s a very ancient relic you have there. Well, sort of modern ancient. The first Stones were massive. You’ve heard of Stonehenge, right? Well, thos are really old-fashioned. You couldn’t move them anywhere. The one you have, though, it’s portable, or, uh. . .’

‘Mobile?’ said Emily.

‘Right!’

‘A mobile. . . Stone?’

‘Precisely!’

‘A mobile Stone for casting spells.’

‘Right again.’

‘It’s a Mobile. Spell. Stone.’

‘You seem fixated on that.’

‘It’s like a mobile cell phone.’

‘Not sure what you’re talkinga bout, but if you say so.’ (p. 55, 69-70)

Read This If You Love: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Guardians of the Gryphon’s Claw by Todd Calgi Gallicano, Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Tracy at Media Masters Publicity for providing a copy for review!**

Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone by Alice Brière-Haquet

December 6, 2017 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone
Author: Alice Brière-Haquet
Illustrator: Bruno Liance
Published December 5th, 2017 by Charlesbridge Publishing

Summary: “To be young, gifted, and black.”

A stunning picture-book biography of the High Priestess of Soul and one of the greatest voices of the 20th century.

With evocative black-and-white illustrations and moving prose, readers are introduced to Nina Simone, jazz-music legend and civil-rights activist. Shared as a lullaby to her daughter, a soulful song recounts Simone’s career, the trials she faced as an African American woman, and the stand she took during the Civil Rights Movement. This poignant picture book offers a melodic tale that is both a historic account of an iconic figure and an extraordinary look at how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go for social justice and equality. A timeless and timely message aptly appropriate for today’s social and political climates.

Review: Although Nina is just a taste into who Nina Simone was as it only introduces her talent as a pianist and shares her beliefs in regards to civil rights. Set up as a lullaby that Nina is singing to her child, the story recounts her love of music and learning about the racism within our nation as well as a story where she stood up to inequality at one of her piano concerts. The lyrics and illustrations are dreamy and perfectly fit the purpose of the story: to introduce and intrigue the reader when it comes to Nina Simone.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I do wish that there had been back matter that went more in depth into Simone’s contribution to jazz and civil rights; however, without them existing, this nonfiction picture book allows for a perfect change for inquiry. Now that students have been introduced to Nina, have stations/centers focusing on different parts of her life, jazz, or the Civil Rights Movement.

Discussion Questions:

How does the illustration on the bus use the idea of the piano to symbolize the relationship between White and Black citizens in the early 1900s?
What techniques do the author and illustrator use to make the book seem lullaby-eque?
How did the imagery of the single black chair symbolize the racism that occurred at Simone’s concert?
How does the author tie in Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement?

Flagged Passages:

“‘The white keys are whole notes and the black keys are flats, or half notes,’ my teacher explained.

I asked why.

‘Because that’s just the way it is.’

Yes, that’s the way it was. White was whole. Black was half. It was that way everywhere and for everyone.

I could have held it against people. Or worse, I couldn’t believed I was worth less than other people.

Black people were nothing but half notes on a huge ivory keyboard.

But no. I did not agree with this.

The notes had to mingle and dance together in the air so these lies would disappear.”

Read This If You Love: Andrea Davis Pinkney picture book biographies, Jazz, Learning about the Civil Rights Movement

Recommended For:

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/4/17

December 9, 2017December 4, 2017 by Kellee

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

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Tuesday: Ricki’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Wednesday: Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Thursday: Ricki’s NCTE/ALAN Book List

Friday: Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Book List

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Have you not read the Whatever After series by Sarah Mlynowski yet? You really, really should! I love their premise: Each fairy tale seems to end in a happy ending, but is that really what makes the characters happy? The last one I finished, Dream On, looked at the “Sleeping Beauty” fairy tale.
It probably won’t surprise you to hear that Children of Exile by Margaret Peterson Haddix is a twisty, turny mystery adventure that is a bit dark and looks at a deep issue of human existence. Well, that’s exactly what it does. And there is a twist that I am still dealing with!

Ricki

I REREAD The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas in preparation for my class tomorrow. I am so excited to hear what my students’ think about it. They always have such insightful comments about the books that we read.

I read Case Study Research by Robert K. Yin. I’ve learned that academia is all about stretching my brain about the many types of methodological approaches to studies. Yin is just one scholar who is known for case study research, and I wanted to learn more about his perspective.

I read (and LOVED) Love by Matt de la Peña. I will be purchasing this book in hardcover. Wow, wow, wow. Review to come.

I adored Prince and Pirate by Charlotte Gunnufson. This is a very funny book. I am excited that we are reviewing it this week.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

All of these are sequels! And I can’t wait to get to them 🙂

Ricki

My Adolescents’ Literature class ends this week, and I feel very free to read (rather than reread) anything that I want! My NCTE/ALAN TBR stack is whispering to me right now.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Ten New Authors We Met at NCTE/ALAN 2017

Wednesday: Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone by Alice Briaere-Haquet

Thursday: Prince and Pirate by Charlotte Gunnufson

Friday: Emily and the Spellstone by Michael Rubens

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Talking to Kids about the Sixth Mass Extinction” by Laura Perdew, author of Extinction: What Happened to the Dinosaurs, Mastodons, and Dodo Birds?

So, what are you reading?

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Ten Books Kellee Can’t Wait to Read After NCTE/ALAN 2017

December 1, 2017 by Kellee

One of the MAJOR perks of NCTE and ALAN is the BOOKS: hearing about new books, getting advanced reading copies of books, and hearing authors talk about their books!

Here are ten books that I cannot wait to read after NCTE/ALAN 2017:
(P.S. I didn’t overlap with Ricki’s list at all on purpose–that does not mean that I don’t want to read those! I’ve read #1 and her 9 titles could have been on my list, too!)

1. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

I am actually surprised at myself that I haven’t read it yet! Anyone who read my raves about Scythe or read my gushing speech about Neal Shusterman know how much respect I have for him and how much I loved the first book. I was so lucky to get a copy of the sequel, and I have even heard it might be better! I cannot wait!

2. Knockout by K.A. Holt

House Arrest by K.A. Holt is a book that went under my radar for some reason until this year, and WOW, I fell in love with it! I raved about it at school the next day after I read it, and it got picked up immediately. Lucky me, Holt wrote a sequel, and I don’t have to wait for it since I just read House Arrest. I’m very much looking forward to hearing what happens next.

3. The Serpent’s Shadow by Sayantani DasGupta

Syantani DasGupta read us the first couple of pages of her book, and it is hilarious and adventurous and all of the things that I love in fantasy/mythology/adventure books! And on top of that, DasGupta was just one of the nicest and smartest people I’ve ever met (she studies narrative medicine and is a pediatrician, too!). Oh, and look at that BEAUTIFUL cover!

4. Talking Leaves by Joseph Bruchac

I think Joseph Bruchac’s talk at ALAN 2017 may have topped my favorite moment this year. It is even hard to explain, but I his talk just made me so emotional, and it made me realize that except for some of his creepy books, I haven’t read enough of his novels!

5. The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

I loved Varian Johnson’s Greene books, so I am so happy to get this newest. I also loved his personal connection with this new story.

6. Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

I, of course, knew about Dumplin’ before NCTE/ALAN, but I just hadn’t read it, but I definitely am going to now! Julie Murphy is everything, guys! I loved her awkwardness yet confidence and her brilliance and stumbles. I can’t wait to read her words.

7. Bad Girl with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten

I originally didn’t receive this one, but then my friend Beth, who had a copy at home, came to me to make sure I’d read it or gotten it. When I hadn’t, she gave me her copy. She said I must read it. An I will.

8. Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

That dedication guys! And hearing Mathieu talking more about the importance of strong women in literature makes me want to pick it up!

9. The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis

Um, Christopher Paul Curtis. Period.

10. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

So, guys, I guess I am a pretty huge Holly Black fan. I was lucky enough to have dinner with her, and through the conversations we had, I realized that I have read a very large percentage of her books and loved every one. So, obviously I need to read her newest!
(Side note: My favorite Holly Black books are the Curseworker series, and it is her WORST SELLING! Fix this everyone! It is a must have for every 8th+ grade classroom! Such a wonderful trilogy!)

So many books I want to read!!! We’re lucky to live in a world where all of THIS goodness exists 🙂

Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection 2017

November 29, 2017November 29, 2017 by Kellee

Every year when I am applying through my district to attend the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Annual Conference followed by the ALAN (Assembly on Literature of Adolescents of NCTE) workshop, I have to write up a rationale about why I like to attend the conference, and it is always hard to put into words. And each year the conference seems to be getting better and better.

I consider myself lucky that I get to attend this conference each year because it really does recharge my professional battery. I would not be the teacher I am today without my NCTE and ALAN peers, and I know I will keep growing because of these conferences and the people I know through them.

Like Ricki shared yesterday, we are huge advocates for ALAN. It is the organization where I have found all of my like-minded educators who believe that reading and access to a diverse and wide-range of literature is the key to a literacy education for our adolescents. (PLUG!: It is only $30 a year to join, and you get our newsletter and The ALAN Review!)

A few of the highlights this year include:

1. I am going to start with the same thing as Ricki: The “YA Lit IS Complex: Authors and Teachers Reframe the Conversation About Young Adult Literature and Text Complexity” session. It featured YA authors Laurie Halse Anderson, M. T. Anderson, Matt de la Peña, A. S. King, Julie Murphy, Jason Reynolds, and Angie Thomas. I was in charge of moderating Laurie Halse Anderson’s round table, and I had the pleasure of working with her and her brilliance. The session, chaired by the incredible Jennifer Buehler, was based on her book Teaching Reading with YA Literature which is a must read also. I really hope I get to be part of any future sessions Jennifer decides to propose!

Please feel free to check out my handout about the complexity within and activities to do with The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Andersonthat I shared at my round table on Slide Share (click here).

Also, check out the notes I took while Laurie talked on Twitter (click here).

2. I was also very lucky to be part of the “The Vision of ALAN: Rationales and Strategies for Using Young Adult Literature in Secondary Classrooms” an ALAN-sponsored session with some of my favorite ALAN people (including the one and only Dr. Ricki Ginsberg! And we forgot to take a picture together! We’re the worst!). Five roundtables, each hosted by a past chair of the Walden Award, focused on different young adult literature (YAL) topics including the literary merit of YAL, using YAL in the classroom, and research supporting YAL. Attendees will be free to move to the roundtable of their choosing, and will have opportunities to switch tables/topics during the session. Roundtable leader(s) will provide materials for attendees to take back to their school sites, including book lists, teaching strategies, and rationales for challenged titles.

Please feel free to check out my handout about text sets that I shared at my round table on SlideShare (click here).

3. Author panels are some of my favorite to attend and be part of! First, I was lucky enough to be the chair of an amazing author panel on the use of unconventional narrators within the author’s books and within the classroom. Katherine Applegate, Lisa Bunker, Josh Funk, and Adam Rex each shared some about their writing process and then also shared a way their book could be used in the classroom.

Please feel free to check out the presentation on SlideShare (click here).

4. I then attended an teacher dream come true session called Reading as a Personal Art which included Nancie Atwell (my education hero and this was the first time I’ve seen her speak!), Kelly Gallagher, and Penny Kittle. The focus was on how they include reading in their middle and high school classes, how they get include rigorous and thought-provoking activities with the reading, and how English teachers need to think of themselves as literacy teachers, not literature teachers. One of my favorite thing they shared was the cross-country social justice book clubs Penny and Kelly are doing in their classrooms.

5. The next panel I went to was another awesome author panel: Positive Social Engagement moderated by Michele Knott with Lisa Yee, Jennifer Ziegler, J. Anderson Coats, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, and Ammi-Joan Paquette. The panel looked at ways to use literature, and their books specifically, to help students find their place in our world and make sure that they are a positive part of the future.

(P.S. These are only some examples of the panels! Wowza, right?!)

6. The ALAN Breakfast was by far one of my biggest highlights for a few reasons: A) RICK RIORDAN spoke, and I actually got to meet him. I’d seen him here in Orlando two years ago, but it was an auditorium tour. You should have heard my students squeal when they saw my picture with him! B) NEAL SHUSTERMAN was awarded the ALAN Award for his outstanding contribution to young adult literature and gave a truly enthralling speech. C) I was the chair of the ALAN Award committee, so I GOT TO INTRODUCE NEAL!

Please feel free to check out my introduction on Google Docs (click here).

7. I also have to give a shout out to the publishers who sponsors dinners, cocktail hours, book signings, and so much more for the educators at the conference. We are lucky to have you!

8. The ALAN Workshop should probably have its own top ten list because it isn’t fair to give it only one spot when those two days are such a joy in my life, so I will share my top five panels I loved at ALAN:

MINE! 🙂 I presented with Julia Keller and Jodi Lynn Anderson on their science fiction books The Dark Intercept and Midnight at the Electric.
Joseph Bruchac was entrancing and also such a pleasure to talk to afterwards. I wish I could absorb all of his knowledge and stories.
The key notes were ON POINT this year! Monday opened with Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds and Tuesday started with Meg Medina. True brilliance.
The “In Conversation” panels were fascinating this year! Two examples: Chris Crutcher and Laurie Halse Anderson talked about sex, and Donielle Clayton and Cindy Pon spoke about diversity in sci-fi/fantasy.
The line up in general was fantastic. I am in awe of Laura Renzi and the vast array of authors that she put forth for us to experience.

9. Friends! My heart always feels just a little bit empty when I leave. I have some educators, publishers, and authors who I consider friends who I only see at conferences, so it is always hard to leave them. (Shout outs to Jennie, Michele, Aly, Jason, Dani, Wendy, Daria, Katie, Beth, Beth, Lee Ann, Sarah, Jennifer, Ricki of course!, and all of my other wonderful PLN friends! Also, I was so happy to meet Amber and Kristen!)

10. Books and Authors! So. Many. Books! I already had a problem choosing, and now it is worse. And so many authors to swoon over! I have so many photos; too many to share, but if you want to check them out, you can view my Google Drive folder (click here) if you’d like.