I am a serial book-starter. The numbers of books I’ve picked up and put down in the past few years pains me. Books that I wanted to read and started up but never found the motivation to continue. Books I’ve had on my reading list for years that I never committed to reading. I’m a […]
Category Archives: Reading Lives
April
09
“Dear, Mama”—Remembering & Celebrating Early Family Literacy Practices by Dionna N. Roberts
posted by CBethM
My earliest memories of literacy take me back to the warm musty attic of my family’s small house, on Belvidere Street in Detroit, MI in the early 80’s. My mother transformed this unlikely space into a sanctuary for creativity, stories, and intentional learning. In that tiny intimate space on Saturday mornings, my mother and I […]
March
19
I Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks for a YA National Book Award and Why Libraries Matter by Megan Fink Brevard
posted by CBethM
I was a member of a national book award committee and we read over 54 books in 52 weeks. I can imagine the reaction, why? As a school librarian and a life-long enthusiastic reader, I have loved books since I was a little kid. After working in the publishing field in New York, I found […]
March
12
My Secret Reading Identity by Julia Guthrie
posted by CBethM
I have a confession to make. I have a double reading life. Most of the time, I read middle grade novels. Not only do I consider this part of my job as someone who is entrusted with the reading lives of young people, it’s something I genuinely enjoy (seriously, have you read any kidlit lately? […]
February
26
How I Fell in Love with Storytime by Jennifer Tazerouti
posted by CBethM
Last year, story time was a big challenge for me. Coming from two decades in the middle school arena, it was a new setting with new material and age levels. I stumbled through my own ideas of where the children should sit, whether I should sit or stand, which books were the best choices for […]
February
12
It’s never too late to become a reader! by Angie Moore
posted by CBethM
My husband has never been a reader. It’s not a secret, he will even tell you that himself. He is an incredibly intelligent man, and was, and still is (MBA this year!!) an excellent student, but he never read outside of a classroom. The only thing he remembers about reading as a child was that […]
February
05
Read Alouds: Every Day, Every Student by Lucretia Brattin
posted by CBethM
The importance of reading aloud to every grade level is imperative. And, it should most definitely be an everyday occurrence. This duty does not have be fulfilled by the Language Arts teachers. How awesome is it for the science teacher to read an article from National Geographic or the history teacher to read an article […]
January
29
#BookExpedition: How a middle grade book group came together to read widely for themselves, their students, and each other.
posted by CBethM
When I spotted this Tweet from educator Mike Contuzzi, I was intrigued. Educator reading groups were popping up on Twitter, but I had no idea how they worked. I replied to Mike (who has since left #BookExpedition), wondering what I’d signed up for. Now a #BookExpedition veteran, I love the distance reading […]
January
28
Missing Stories by Emily Visness
posted by CBethM
I’ve been a book collector for many years. My collecting began because I have two children of my own and I wanted them to be surrounded by books in our home since birth. My obsession with books for kids of all ages enabled me to begin this school year, in my move from special education […]
January
22
The Bookmark of a Reader by Kirsten LeClerc
posted by CBethM
In my four and a half years as a teacher-librarian, I have discovered a number of items crammed into returned books. Regular bookmarks, of course. The adorable and witty kind that can be purchased at a Scholastic book fair. But those aren’t what interest me the most. I love finding all the things accidentally left […]
