NCTE & ALAN

In November, I had the chance to attend my first NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Annual Convention. The conference was in Boston - one of my very favorite cities ... added bonus!

Four colleagues and I presented a session on igniting middle school readers and building a reading community.   

Our t-shirts advertising the session were a hit! 

We presented Friday afternoon, the first day of the conference.  We had a lovely crowd, and the presentation went very smoothly ... quite a relief after planning and preparing for so many months!  After presenting, we were able to relax and just enjoy the conference and the sharing of ideas. 


Highlights of included: 

• a fabulous dinner with Little, Brown.  I was able to sit next to the amazing Matthew Quick., author of The Silver Linings Playbook, and my favorite, Sorta Like a Rock Star.   What a treat to hear about his upcoming releases and many movie deals!  
• an excellent session featuring some literary rock stars  ... master teachers Colby Sharp and Donalyn Miller, literature guru Teri Lesesne, literacy experts Kylene Beers and Bob Probst, and hilarious author and reading promoter Jon Scieszka.  The standing-room-only session was entertaining, informative, and inspiring.
  

  

  Jon Scieszka ... such a hoot!

• a delightful Scholastic brunch with Reader's Theater readings from fabulous authors including Rodman Philbrick, Elizabeth Eulberg, and Barbara Kerley.  The room fell in love with Natalie Lloyd, debut author of A Snicker of Magic. 
• Delicious East Coast food!  One of my favorites was the lobster roll at Island Creek Oyster Bar (Best Lobster Roll 2013... definitely earned my vote!) And, a stop at Flour Bakery, breakfast at The Paramount, and a dinner in the North End are Boston musts!

Blueberry Pancakes at The Paramount

• Visiting the amazing Boston Public Library.  I may move to this city just so I can go here on a regular basis.  It was almost a religious experience.  ;)  

• Sitting with incredible Jerry Spinelli at a Random House dinner.  He is such a talented man and a truly amazing person.  It was an honor to get to talk with him.

•  Meeting Lindsey Leavitt.  She is one of my favorite "chick lit" authors.  Her books are heartfelt and hilarious.  I really want her for my BFF.  ;)

 

• Meeting SCOUT! ... aka Mary Badham, the darling lady who played Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird!  

 

 

After the conference, we were able to stay for the ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) Workshop. The event kicks off with a cocktail party for all attendees and featured authors.  

The lovely Sarah Dessen

The hilarious Jon Scieszka

The next morning you show up, and they hand you a HUGE box of books!  Opening it feels like Christmas morning!  Then you get to listen to author panels all day and get books signed by favorite authors.  Pure heaven for lovers of young adult lit!

It was a terrific weekend celebrating books, authors, and literacy in an amazing city.  I am thankful for the chance to attend, and can't for next year!   

ALA 2013!

Last week I traveled to Chicago for the American Library Association Annual Conference.  Here are a few highlights from the fun weekend:

1.  Caldecott Pre-conference

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Caldecott Medal, ALSC offered a special pre-conference at the Art Institute of Chicago.  It was magnificent!  It started with a keynote given by illustrator/author Brian Selznick.  He spoke about Randolph Caldecott, told the history of the medal, and payed tribute to the late great Maurice Sendak, his mentor and friend.  It was hilarious, touching, and unforgettable.  

The rest of the day included panels featuring Caldecott winning illustrators, discussions about the winning books through the ages, and break-out sessions focusing on different aspects of the award, the honored books, media, and style.  

As a lover of both art and the written word, I appreciate the way the two come together beautifully in picture books, creating illustrated stories that delight readers of all ages.  I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this this day-long celebration of the Caldecott Medal and the wonder of picture books!

Caldecott Medal 75th Anniversary Logo created by Brian Selznick.  I love the clever way he incorporated several of the iconic characters from the winning books.  

Chris Raschka and his editor Lee Wade discussing the evolution of A Ball for Daisy. 

 
2.  Publisher Events

I was able to attend several fabulous publisher events throughout the weekend showcasing authors and previewing new books.  Thank you to Penguin, Little Brown, Random House, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, and Disney Hyperion for including me in this fun events! 
 

With Sarah Dessen at the Penguin YA Rock Star dinner.   Laurie Halse Anderson, Marie Lu and DJ MacHale were the other rock stars in attendance!  Yowza!  

Little Brown dance party with cool Holly Black

No taxis could be found so several of us, including authors Holly Black & Paolo Bacigalupi, friend Dr. Marianne Follis, and hilarious literary agent Barry Goldblatt (AKA Libba Bray's husband!), took a limo back to our hotels.  What a memorable ride!  :) 

Scholastic Brunch featuring group readings done by authors Gordon Korman, Brandon Mull, Kirby Larson, Kat Falls, Kathryn Erskine, and Jeffrey Brown.  Hilarious!

Received a custom tattoo from Caldecott and Pura Belpre award-winning illustrator David Diaz at an S & S dessert reception 

  
3. The Fashion & Impressionism Exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago

Friend Mary Pruitt and I took a break from the library events for a quick visit to the AIC. I had not been able to explore the museum during the pre-conference, so was glad for the chance to return for another visit.  The current exhibit showcases the impact of fashion on the Impressionist painters as they worked to portray modern life in their work.  Absolutely fascinating!  One thing I really enjoyed ... the exquisite wording in the descriptions of the art and inspirations. I collected so many delicious phrases!  

The lions outside the institute sporting Blackhawk helmets to celebrate the Stanely Cup victory!  :)

4.  Newbery Caldecott Wilder Banquet

I was so honored to sit with Random House publishers at the NCW Banquet.  This banquet is such a special annual occasion.  As several have said, it's like the Academy Awards for the world of children's literature.  This year's recipients delivered the most hilarious and heartfelt speeches.  It was a true privilege to be there and to be a part of the celebration of literary excellence.  And who was sitting at my table?  Newbery winning legends Cynthia Voigt and Patricia MacLachlan!  What an unforgettable evening! 

ALSC friends Gaye Hinchliff and Mary Ann Scheuer

With good friend Dr. Marianne Follis

The unbelievable Jon Klassen accepting the Caledecott Medal (and he won an honor too!).  I LOVE him. 

An incredible gathering of illustrators.  It's like an uber talented frat party!  

5.  Time with friends!
One of the best things about library conferences is spending time with librarians from all over the US!  I am so thankful for these friendships and the chance to reconnect every year.

With friends Karen Kessel & Mary Pruitt

With roomies Dr. Rose Brock, Heather Aston, and Dr. Mary Pruitt in our matching pjs!  A girl never outgrows the joy of a pajama party!  :)

What a terrific weekend.  And, to top it all off, I came home with oodles of books to keep me busy all summer!  Thank you, ALA, ALSC, publishers, and dear friends for another fabulous conference.  Can't wait for Las Vegas 2014!      

Library Opening in Midland!

I went to Midland (my hometown) for the opening of a new library branch a few weeks ago.  What a special weekend! 

John Trischitti ("Mr. T"), the Library Director, led the project to build a new branch for Midland County.  The library opened to a large, excited crowd on the morning of April 13.  The event was headlined by (my fellow Midland Lee High School graduates!)  First Lady Mrs. Laura Bush and General Tommy Franks.  After opening remarks from these distinguished guests, the doors were opened and the people flooded in!    

The First Lady of Libraries :)  Mr. T smiling proudly!

The Centennial Library is an engaging space for patrons of all ages.  The design is modern and offers cutting edge technology.  Ceiling-installed data projectors splash videos onto the walkway floors that delight young and old.  The library's smallest patrons can be seen eagerly chasing the butterflies through the images.  :)  The walkway is lined with large, live trees that give the space a unique, tree house feel.

The children's area - which General Franks calls "the kiddie section" ;) - is vibrant and interactive.  The kids flock to it ... an immediate sign that it completely succeeds in reaching its audience!    
 

A hot air balloon invites readers to climb in and "ride!"

Kid-friendly keyboards

A sight that makes a librarian's heart sing!

Other cool features of the library are these giant touch screen catalog search stations (like giant iPads!),

... a cozy reading room complete with comfy chairs and a fireplace,  

... self checkout stations,

... a genealogical research center, and flexible spaces to showcase traveling exhibits.  All of these features come together to create a relevant, inviting library that encourages exploration, reading, and learning by users of all ages.

After the opening, the library foundation hosted a lovely luncheon.  First Lady Laura Bush and General Franks made further remarks and thoroughly entertained the lunch guests.  My mother and I were delighted to be a part of this special event.

Kudos to Mr. T (and all who worked on this worthy project) on the library design and the opening day festivities!  It was an outstanding day for Midland, for the Midland Lee Rebels :), and for libraries.  I was truly honored to be a part of it.  If you are ever in the Midland area, definitely make a stop at the Midland County Centennial Library!  And then go to Taco Villa or Murray's for lunch.  ;)