Spicy foods...

Usually when I think about food and the library it is either in the context of NO food while reading library books or I think about the cookbooks we have on the shelves. This time it is neither of that. Once a year my library gets taken over by the Science Fair. This year more than 200 students participated with close to 100 on display in the library. Some of these projects were over my head! And not just because they were placed up high... I must admit though, my favorite project was one in which the student tried to determine if there are differences in taste qualities as we get older. The student mentioned as one conclusion that "Spicy foods are just a pain in the tongue." This still has me laughing!

I am so cool!

I am so cool! That's the feeling of elation that I had this afternoon after I finished producing a picture video presentation using Photo Story 3. The school district recently made this Microsoft software available to all students and teachers. I had a brief training in how to use it in the fall and had expected to be the full trainer for the district librarians, but instead the district made it available for everyone and is offering training for those who wish it. It is very easy to learn the basics and a beginner can make an impressive presentation in a matter of minutes. My presentation included pictures from our recent "Book Week". And...I made a really cool presentation therefore I am so cool! Too bad I don't know how to link it to my blog! I'm already scheduled to begin teaching this to second grade students next week. From what I understand this is free software available to those with geniune copies of Windows XP operating systems. I'll be downloading it soon at home. Yes, I realize this sounds like a commercial and I would guess there is other software out there of this nature, but this is the first one I have run across so I am hyped about it. Once upon a time there was the phto album, then the slide show, then the home videos, then the PowerPoint presentations, then Photo Story.....yeah!

Science Fiction and Fantasy Genres

I was having a discussion recently with my husband about a Stephen King novel that he's been reading. I've read some Stephen King but have chosen not to read most of his works. I tried but had some difficulty defining what kind of science fiction I like. Finally I came up with realistic science fiction. I'm not sure if that is the correct label for the sub-genre I lean towards or not. King's The stand, as well as Brave new world by Aldous Huxley, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and The Giver by Lois Lowry all fit this category in my opinion. These stories are all written in a realistic manner that seems believable, at least to me. I do not enjoy other types of science fiction, such as the sorts that are set in outer space or have aliens from outer space visiting and/or destroying Earth. I do like time travel, especially when the travel is to some time in history. Fiction works that dwell heavily on the paranormal generally are not to my liking though. I don't usually enjoy animal fantasies with the exception of Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. I do take delight in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl with its glass elevator, even though the little men doing all the work is a stretch. Face it....chocolate, all the chocolate one can imagine....yum!

Tuesday by David Wiesner

I have many, many favorite picture books. This tends to be a natural thing I would suspect as an elementary school librarian. It has taken me awhile to narrow the list down to my favorite picture book. Today I remembered, my favorite picture book is Caldecott Medal winner Tuesday by David Wiesner. I love this book for many reasons: 1) I like frogs, I have a rather large collection of frogs; 2) It is a very humorous book. 3) It only has about 9 words making it truly a picture book. 4) The illustrations are fantastic. I had the opportunity, quite by accident as I didn't realize it was there, to see a showing of Wiesner's illustrations for this book at the Dallas Museum of Art. Can't decide which picture I like the best, but I'm leaning towards the last two. They just tickle me....oh....you'll have to read the book yourself, I'm not going to describe it!

(The posting above can also be found at We blog books! with one exception. I chose not to link the Dallas Museum of Art. Recently an elementary art teacher lost her job/was forced to resign due to a trip to the museum. Students inadvertently saw nude art. Therefore, I'm playing it safe and not linking the museum on that page. I dislike being a conformist at times, but realize the necessity of it also...)

Book Week

This past week has been Book Week at my school. We usually do this in November in conjunction with National Children's Book Week. I was out on medical leave at the time and no one thought in time to celebrate. Having Book Week now was a great way to jump right back in following the winter break. This year I stepped things up a bit. We had our usual check out an extra book and bookmark contest. In addition my third grade reader's theater group presented with a short play titled "Do it with Dewey" which was a big hit. The other new addition though has not thus far panned out. I'm hoping it will yet. I started a blog called We blog books! for my students to share and discuss their favorite books. So far my entry is the only one. Sadness. Even so, I declare that the week was a success. It is always exciting to see kids get excited about checking out an extra book!

A summer to die by Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry is one of my favorite authors. With that in mind I chose a title by her that I hadn't read yet for part of my winter break reading. A summer to die, published in 1977, is a poignant story of thirteen year old Meg as she grows in many ways. Lowry sets this story in a remote rural area bringing little of life outside of a few homes into the tale. Meg befriends her few neighbors, an elderly widower and a young couple, learning life lessons from them as well as teaching some lessons of her own. The story moves along easily. Lowry deftly builds Megs' character as she grows from child to young women in the space of a few months. As the title implies, death takes place. I ached for young Meg as she came to realize the lose she was about to experience. Lowry is truly a master at eliciting emotional response from her reader. I couldn't help thinking of the differences this story would have if it were written today. Megs' father would use a computer to write his book and illness might be addressed differently due to medical advances. Yet, Lowry wrote a timeless story. One that stretches emotions and causes one to think.

Lowry's latest book Gossamer also causes the reader to think as she spins a tale that delightfully answers many questions about dreams, such as how and why we dream...

Chief Information Officer

One day recently I was reading something about a CEO (chief executive officer) and a CFO (chief financial officer) when the thought occurred to me that as a school librarian I could be considered the CIO (chief information officer) of the school. Sounds like a nice title and probably is used somewhere out there in the corporate world. There are actually many titles by which my position can be referred. My state certification authorizes me to practice as a "Learning Resources Specialist". Some would call me a media specialist, a teacher librarian, library media specialist, etc. Some would say (and I tend to agree which puts me in a difficult spot but oh well....) that since I have not a masters degree in Library Science or Library and Information Science that I should not rightly call myself a librarian. But alas, it is the title that my position is given and so therefore I tell people that I am a librarian. Much easier to do so and easier to say than "Hi, I'm a learning resources specialist but you can call me a librarian..."

Then there's the sweet kindergarten student who regularly greets me with "Hi library teacher!" That always gets me smiling!

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Like many others, I first read this book in 8th grade as a school assignment. I have reread it many times as well as watched the movie many times. I love the irony that this book is often listed on the lists for banned or challenged books. The story revolves around a man who is secretly hiding and reading books during a futuristic time in which books are considered evil and are therefore are illegal. Firemen do not put out fires but rather set them to burn books. A secret underground society of hobos memorize various classics to keep literature alive. I shiver to think that such cowardly ideas in regards to our freedoms are very much bantered about in our times. Why are so many afraid of words?


I also found intriguing the "modern" conveniences so like those in my favorite cartoon - The Jetsons. I think it is time to reread this one and compare these conveniences to those we have today...