Tales from a Loud Librarian

Look at the fabulous sign that Michelle Tran and Zerhow Chan made for our author visit. On Tuesday, April 20th Jon and Pamela Voelkel, authors of the book Middleworld , made a visit to Patrick Taylor. The whole middle school gathered in the cafeteria to see their presentation. Besides talking about their book, they described some of their travels in Central America, Mayan culture, and took the students on a virtual trip through the rain forest. The students experienced the rains (squirts with a water bottle), had a chance to taste worms, and watched a movie showing the removal of a botfly larva from the back of a tourist. Pamela shares mealworms with the students who were willing to taste them. Jon and the visiting Mayan King, Lord 6 Dog. Signing the books. Three of the seventh graders are happy to have their own signed copy of Middleworld . That's me in the middle wearing a pith helmet. As you can see, I am ready for travel.

On Saturday, April 17th, all the members of Bookmarked were invited to go with me to Octavia Books to see authors Maggie Stiefvater , Carrie Ryan , and  Jackson Pearce . Four students were able to join me at the event. The three authors talked for an hour and were very entertaining. Maggie's book, Shiver , is about werewolves, Carrie's book has zombies, and Jackson's first book has a tale with a jinn. Fantasy seems to be their genre of choice. All three said that they always intended to write for a young adult audience. I was surprised that the students I brought were the only kids in the audience. Though the adults there were all familiar with the books. Maggie is sitting on the left, Jackson is in the middle and Carrie is on the right.

One of my least favorite weeks of the year started today -- standardized testing week. This year I am monitoring the seniors, who are not testing, rather than acting as a hall monitor. I hope to get some work done on the days that we hang in the cafeteria. On Wednesday, we are heading to Jefferson Playground for some quality outdoor time. On Friday is the second annual senior carnival. Last year we made $75 for the library by providing a jail. The kids loved it, but it was stressful for me because of the way that it was designed. So this year, I am trying a prize walk (like a cake walk with prizes instead of cakes). I hope to make money, but if all I do is make back the money that I spent setting up the game that is okay too. I finally got a book completely read. I finished Promise of Happiness for book group. The problem is book group is this Saturday, and I might not be able to go. I hate when that happens.

This is unusal for me. I like to read one book at a time, so that I can actually finish them. Right now I am in the middle of three books. I was reading Promise of Happiness by Cartwright for my adult book group on my Kindle. Then I lent my Kindle to a student, so she could read the advanced reader's copy (ARC) of the book by Susan Pfeffer. I have 15 % left of the book. Then I started The Miles Between by Mary Pearson. I was so looking forward to it because I loved her The Adoration of Jenna Fox and  A Room on Lorelei Street . Students loved those books too. This newest one is full of magical realism which is not one of my fav genres. So the Pearson book is sitting by my bed half read, half unread-it will probably stay that way. Then I got the ARC for The Jaguar Stones by J & P Voekel. The Voekels are making a visit to Taylor on April 20th, so I need to get that book read. With so many unfinished titles, I have trouble getting any one of them completed. Along with the fa