Category: #BookLove

Posted on

Our Town Has a Little Free Library Now!

Our little town of 3,000 people recently had a BIG upgrade. No, not a new stoplight! It’s even better than a stoplight. We are now the proud owners of a little, free library in the park! I told you it was better than a stoplight. 

A high school senior in our area found a need and filled it. Our school demographics here are over 60% low-income and on free and reduced lunch, which can mean limited monetary resources for things like… books. 

My family spent an afternoon in the park where I was able to sit and observe each of the kids and families in the park interact with the little, free library. Most were acting out of curiosity, but all of them took a book out at some point and read at least a few pages- even the teenagers! 

It made my heart happy that we have such an amazing resource here in our town, somewhere we can all come together and bond over literature. 

I also loved that during our outdoor adventure at the park, we were able to pull out a book and read for a bit without having to bring one of our own. 

My family did our part by donating a few books to the little free library after it had been up and running for a few months and needed a good refresh of books.

Benefits of little, free libraries: 

  • Promotes literature in all ages, especially in younger kids
  • Promotes a sense of community and unity
  • Is a great place to donate books
  • Is a great resource to find new books you may not have discovered before 

Does your town have a little free library? Do you take advantage of it? 

Posted on

Our Library Book Haul

This week’s library book haul was such a good one, I felt like I needed to share! We ended up with some amazing titles that I’ve been so impressed by.

I Am Enough by Grace Byers

This self-esteem booster book was very well written and I love the inclusivity of the illustrations. This book is sure to leave you and your kids feeling empowered!

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty

The part where she is sent to every different office in City Hall to have her question answered made me giggle!

Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr.

We chose this one to go with my daughter’s caterpillar and butterfly unit they are doing in her kindergarten class. I love how fun and simple this book is, and how they are able to incorporate a lot of information and learning in the text as well. Using this book in conjunction with Google Images was incredible!

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

This book was my son’s choice. I wouldn’t say it was my favorite! But it wasn’t horrible, either. He got a good laugh out of it though, so I’m still glad we picked it up!

Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel by Leslie Connor

I love the illustrations in this book! It was also a great conversation starter for talking about immigrants, Native Americans, and good old hard work.

Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt De La Peña

Carmela takes us on her adventure of running errands with her brother, and it’s fun to see a peek into their day and the errands that are important to their family.

One Little Bag An Amazing Journey by Henry Cole

I am absolutely in awe of these illustrations. Henry tells us an entire story over generations without writing a single word. Add this one to your Earth Day rotation, it’s incredible! I also loved how much talking and conversation came from the wordless picture book by studying the images.

Posted on

The Librarian Makes the Library

It was a regular, sunny, Monday in May. But for my family, it was anything but ordinary. It was our first real day in the new town that we had just moved to, a small Idaho community that was completely new to us. I was unsure about the move to begin with because I absolutely loved the town we were living in previously. I was giving up great schools for my kids and friends and connections for our family by moving to a new, small town that I was not as comfortable with. 

My kids and I had to run an errand in City Hall to set up our utilities and the library is right next to City Hall, so we decided to stop in and get our library card while we were there. To give you perspective, our town’s library is a double-wide trailer. That’s the extent of how big it is. No basement, no upstairs. Just one level of a double-wide trailer. I was not impressed, to say the least! 

Reluctantly, we walked into the doors of the little, tiny library not knowing what to expect. 

Only to be met with a big, “Hello! Welcome to the library! My name is Susie, are you new in town or just visiting?” from the librarian sitting behind the front desk. She had a friendly face with an even friendlier smile. 

Side note: That’s a really great indicator that you’ve entered a small town, you’re immediately asked if you’re new or visiting because I really kid you not, everyone knows everyone and when a stranger enters, they know. 

I explained to Susie that we were new in town and without saying anything more she said, “Oh, you must have bought that house across the street from the post office! I know where you live!” Again… It’s just a small-town thing. 

We chatted and introduced ourselves as she showed us the kid room of books and toys. It was a very small section, but still very clearly loved and used by many. Then she continued the tour to the rest of the library where all of the books were shelved and asked more about what types of books I enjoyed reading so that she could give me book recommendations. 

We left this tiny double-wide trailer with a library card and a stack of books for my kids and me. On our walk home (Oh yeah, did I mention the library and City Hall are only a few blocks from our house? Small town life, everything is just a few blocks away.) I was taking time to reflect on my emotions before, during, and after our interaction at the library. 

Before we went in I was disappointed with what we saw- a very small building that couldn’t possibly hold enough books to constitute a library. Especially coming from such a nice, cozy, big library in our old town. 

While we were there I was pleasantly surprised by the warm greeting we received from Susie and the overall tour. I don’t ever remember being recognized as someone new in town or receiving a tour of any other library I’ve been to. I can genuinely say that the first friend I made in our new town was with the librarian. 

After we left I felt excited to go back to the library, return our books, and leave with a new handful that came recommended by Susie herself. These emotions were such a stark difference from what I was feeling leading up to visiting the library! 

Though the building was tiny, it truly was mighty. And it made me realize that being a “good” library doesn’t mean massive amounts of space and resources. A library isn’t judged on how many books are on the shelves or how many storytimes a week. 

What makes a good library is a really good librarian that has a friendly face and a big smile every time you walk through the door. It’s a space open to the public to feel safe and included. A library, by definition, is a room with a collection of books. But I think if you were to ask the regular library patrons what a library really is to them, they would say things like, “It’s a safe place for me to go after school until my parents can pick me up.”

“It’s a building I can rely on to have wifi because our internet is out right now.”
“It’s somewhere I can see a friendly face and find a good book.”
“It’s a familiar place that I like to bring my kids to story time each week.” 

A library is so, so, so much more than the building or the setup inside. And I am ashamed to say that I read a book by its cover and assumed the worst of our small town library. But once I opened it up and got to know it a little bit, I realized that I really did think I was going to like it here. 

Looking back one year later after our big move to the small town, I can firmly say that my attitude towards moving and living here was greatly influenced by my friend Susie. What an impact a library can have on someone! It’s incredible! 

Posted on

Picture Books For Spring Break

If you’re looking for some good picture books for Spring Break, look no further! Here’s what we added to the bookshelf in our house: 

My Garden by Kevin Henkes

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert 

Worm Weather by Jean Taft

Waiting by Kevin Henkes

Over in the Meadow by John Langstaff

Posted on

Falling in Love Fast and Hard. With Books.

The first chapter book I ever remember being read to me was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I can vividly recall sitting on my dad’s lap in our rocker recliner chair listening to the sound of his voice while he read to me the chapter where Harry and Ron are being chased by the troll through the hallways of the school. The picture in my mind of the scene played out just like a movie, and I hadn’t even seen the movie yet! 

It was at this moment that I knew books held something I wanted to get a hold of. 

I don’t remember the process of learning to read. I’m certain I went through the same motions every kindergartener goes through to get there, by sounding out words and working on phonics and sight words. What I do remember, though, is receiving a letter in the mail a few weeks before 1st grade started from my new teacher. It was so exciting! I asked my mom to read me the letter, I can even remember where exactly in my house I was standing as it all happened. When I tried handing the paper to my mom, she returned it to me and said, “No, you can read it! You know how to read now!” 

I doubted her, but slowly I read the letter my teacher sent, telling me how excited she was for me to join her in her first-grade classroom. She talked about all of the fun activities we would do, the things we were going to learn about, and the books we would read. I was especially excited about the books! 

After finishing the letter, I looked up at my mom with pride in my heart. This was the first time in my life I felt like I had read something. Like, really read and fully comprehended what I had read. This wasn’t a small booklet of CVC and sight words strung together to make up some dinky early reader book. This was me picking up a paper with words and meaning and reading what my teacher wanted to say to me. 

First grade ended up being magical and incredible and just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, we have our very first library day. They sat us down at tables in the library where our sweet librarian told us all about the Dewey Decimal system and reading levels. After our short lesson, we were free to roam the stacks and choose a book to check out and bring home to read. 

I stood in front of those bookshelves that seemed as if they were ten feet tall, completely overwhelmed by the number of options. How was I supposed to pick out the perfect book?! I searched and searched through shelf after shelf, becoming increasingly anxious that I was going to leave the library without a book to show for it. 

I ran to my teacher for help, to which she responded in the most saintly way most first-grade teachers do. 

She led me to a shelf near the back of the stacks and on the second shelf from the top to the far left, she pulled a book. Karen’s Witch by Ann M. Martin. It was the perfect reading level and the perfect genre for me. I started the first chapter as we walked back to the classroom… 

“Hi. I am Karen Brewer. I’m six going on seven years old, and I think I’m very lucky. I’m lucky because I have two families. Most people only have one. But my brother Andrew and I have two.” -Ann M. Martin in Karen’s Witch 

This was the moment my heart swelled with happiness as Karen and I became best friends. 

This was the moment that I knew books were going to mean so much more to me than just words on a page. 

It all started with the safety of being read to by trusted adults. 

It solidified itself as I found meaning behind words and reading. 

And then it really took off when I found a friend in books. 

My love for reading fell fast and hard. I was hooked from such a young age and continued to read all of Karen’s novels, as well as the Harry Potter Series, Charlie Bone, Sideways Stories From Wayside School, The American Girl Series, and more and more and more. 

This isn’t always the case for early readers. In fact, it can be the opposite most times. 

But we as teachers and parents can foster their new experiences with books by helping them find safety, meaning, and friends as they explore the literature that speaks to them. 

When was the first moment you fell in love with books? 

Posted on

The Many Reasons to Love Reading

My whole life I have been an avid reader. The amount of books I’ve been able to consume has varied my whole life, depending on how much school work or work I’ve had, or the ages and stages of my children. Recently, I’ve been able to read more despite being in the deep trenches of stay-at-home mom life, which has brought me a lot of joy. In 2022 I was able to read 53 books! 

There are so many reasons to love reading and books. One of those reasons is the sheer fact that reading is educational. It doesn’t have to be a textbook or self-help book to deem itself educational. Consuming words on a page is inherently so. Taking the time to read word for word a romance novel or thriller, or anything else, is exposing you to different writing styles, vocabulary, metaphors, similes, and so, so much more. You don’t have to be noting all of the foreshadowing and imagery in the book, because somewhere in your brain you are internalizing it. You can thank your English teachers for that! 

I love researching and learning as much as I possibly can. I would be content to take college classes forever! But reading a book every day is a cheaper alternative, instead. 

Reading takes you places. I know, I know. I sound like a cheesy poster hanging up in your middle school library. It probably has some fantasy-looking tree and weird bubbly letters, too. But if you can cut through all the cheese, it really is true. 

My favorite example of this was back in November when the weather here in Idaho started getting really cold and snowy, the good old seasonal depression started kicking in for me. Typically I combat this with some exercise, but we were on random virus #4 and I couldn’t stay healthy long enough to even think about walking around the house, let alone the block. My next solution involved spending a few days on the couch with a vitamin D supplement, some cold medicine handy, and an Elin Hilderbrand book in my hands. Elin Hilderbrand writes books set on the island of Nantucket. Reading about twin sisters on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard spending their days on the beaches and enjoying the sunny weather made me feel like I was there for a time. Elin brought me to the summer days on the islands when I couldn’t go myself. 

I’ve also enjoyed some time in Australia, Oxford, New York City, India, Europe during WWII, and many, many other places and time periods. If you give them the chance, reading really can take you wherever you want to go. 

For me, reading is also an escape. When life is overwhelming, noises are too loud, and I just can’t handle it all anymore, I always know that there is a book I can escape to for a time. I can leave my worries behind and completely envelope myself into a storyline until I’m ready to head back and face everything that lies before me. Reading really has become a great addition to my mental health. 

Books of all sorts have always been such a staple in my life. I could not imagine a world where I wouldn’t be able to pick up a good book and start reading! Instilling a deep love and appreciation for books in young readers is an important job as well, and a blog post will be coming in a few weeks talking more about that. Don’t miss it. 

Posted on

My Complete List of Books I Read in 2022

My complete list of books read in 2022. If you’ve read any, let’s chat about it! I wanted to write up my thoughts about every single book on this list, but then it would get too lengthy and no one would have time to read this post in its entirety. If you want to know more about a certain book, I am always open to talk about it and discuss. Reading books is my favorite hobby! If you want to learn more about how I was able to accomplish reading so many books, check out my last post.

Key: 
📘 eReader books
👂🏼 Audiobook
📕 Physical book

1. 📘Curvy Girls Can’t Date Quarterbacks by Kelsie Stelting

2. 📘Luna’s Rescue by Erica Richardson

3. 👂🏼Educated: a Memoir by Tara Westover

4. 📘👂🏼Seven Perfect Things by Catherine Ryan Hyde

5. 📘He’s Just a Friend by Karly Stratford 

6. 👂🏼The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

7. 👂🏼Night Road by Kristin Hannah

8. 👂🏼That Summer by Sarah Dessen 

9.📘The Orphan Keeper by Cameron Wright

10. 👂🏼A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

11. 👂🏼Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

12. 👂🏼 Orphan Train Rider by Andrea Warren

13. 👂🏼 The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff 

14. 📘👂🏼 Anxious People Fredrik Backman 

16. 👂🏼Things My Son Needs to Know About the World by Fredrik Backman

16. 👂🏼American Royals book #1 by Katharine McGee

17. 👂🏼My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman

18. 👂🏼Forever Boy by Kate Swenson 

19. 👂🏼Majesty: American Royals book #2 by Katharine McGee 

20. 👂🏼 Inheritance: American Royals by Katharine McGee 

21. 👂🏼 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab 

22. 📘👂🏼 The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka 

23. 👂🏼Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt 

24. 👂🏼 Where the Deer and the Antelope Play by Nick Offerman 

25. 👂🏼 Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult 

26. 📕The Stolen Sisters by Louise Jensen 

27. 👂🏼The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida 

28. 👂🏼Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 

29. 📕Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 

30. 👂🏼Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline 

31. 👂🏼The One Hundred Years of Leni and Margot by Marianne Cronin 

32. 👂🏼Book Lovers by Emily Henry 

33. 📘He’s Just My Ex by Karly Stratford

34. 👂🏼The Help by Kathryn Stockett

35. 👂🏼To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han 

36. 📕P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

37. 📕Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Jan

38. 👂🏼To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

39. 📕The Bodyguard by Katherine Center 

40. 📕 Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover 

41. 📕28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

42. 👂🏼The Book Haters Book Club by Gretchen Anthony

43. 👂🏼I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy 

44. 👂🏼Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt 

45. 👂🏼Thirst by Scott Harrison 

46. 📕In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It by Lauren Graham 

47. 👂🏼The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand 

48. 👂🏼People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry 

49. 👂🏼Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty 

50. 👂🏼Have I Told You This Already? By Lauren Graham 

51. 👂🏼Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

52. 👂🏼My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan 

53. 👂🏼 Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 

Photo by Caio