Thanks to Mrs. McCuin's/Ms. Johnson's (no relation) first grade class for being terrific listeners and discussers of picture books. Today was my last time with them this year. We read Margot Zemach's The Little Red Hen and talked about the dropped story stitch and several of them shared what their enrichment group has done to pick up that stitch in ( Read more... )

There's  a special corner of my reading heart reserved for books that make me smile, and occasionally laugh out loud. Authors like Terry Pratchett, Eric Luper, and K.L. Going (in King of the Screw-Ups mode) fall into this category. Greg Taylor just joined them.


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Linkage first:

The Wall Street Journal Article by Meghan Cox Gurdon.

Responses by:

Laurie Halse Anderson: As always, Laurie's analysis is complete, denying neither how hard it is to be a teen, or to be a parent. She's also spot on about the difference between reportage and op-ed, which Gurdon's article clearly is.

Kyle Cassidy: I especially like the ( Read more... )

There's so much to be thankful for this week:

A wonderful novel-writing retreat that left me with numerous thoughts for improving StT as well as some craft advice I will carry with me permanently. The details are here.

The first robin.

Steam rising from sugarhouses, which means there'll be fresh maple syrup, and that daytime temperatures are now more ( Read more... )

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You know how it goes. I'm always reading, but sometimes, as good as a book is, it doesn't quite take it all the way. After too many of those books, I find myself getting antsy. Earlier this week, I told a librarian friend, "I'm looking for a book that will blow my socks off." Little Brother did that for me about a month ago.

This morning, count me ( Read more... )