"I have always imagined that Paradise will be some kind of library." ~ Jorge Luis Borges

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Celebrate: Stories that connect us

It's time to...
Discover. Play. Build.

Thing One: Participating in 
World Read Aloud Day (Week)
We have been participating in World Read Aloud Day all week. Connecting with authors Kate DiCamillo, Ame Dyckman, and Peter H. Reynolds was amazing, but equally as amazing was connecting with readers from across the country to raise our voices for global literacy by reading aloud together. Don't underestimate the power of shared reading experiences. Change is in the air. Stories connect us.

Thing Two: Making a story connection 
In this midst of this week of sharing stories, I made a story connection that was both surprising and wonderful. A not-well-known picture book from my childhood, that I had read with my children, popped up on the screen when Ame Dyckman was showing some of her childhood favorites. Stories connect us. 

Thing Three: Meeting Shannon Hale
In an impossibly full week, I squeezed in a visit to a local book shop to meet Shannon Hale.  I was telling Shannon about how Austenland shifts from my daughter's bedside table to mine periodically. I explained that it was a comfort book and that when life is feeling overwhelming, I can pick up the book, read the airport scene and then close the book and drift off to sleep having let go of my worries. She loved hearing this. Stories connect us.

Thing Four: Visiting the BPL 
I helped organize a gathering for school librarians in the Metrowest area of Boston. We went on an outing to the Boston Public Library, where we received a behind-the-scenes tour. It was a fabulous tour, made even more so by this group of book lovers. We all kept stopping to read and share titles, and "ooh" and "aah" over the sheer volume of materials. Stories connect us.


Thing Five: Having both my children home from college, at least for a few nights.
The house is full of youthful energy and how wonderful it feels. Along with that youthful energy comes balancing multiple schedules, organizing meals, and ignoring the mess. Apparently life in college dorms has not broken my children's habit of coming into the house, dispatching with shoes and backpacks, and shedding outer layers in a manner that makes my house look like it has been ransacked. Of course, I can't completely blame them, here's how my week looked in shoes.  Apparently, I walk into my house, out of my shoes and never look back.  
The one thing that I don't mind finding all over the house? Their books. These stories connect us.

3 comments:

  1. Love the theme of how stories connect us. Like you once all four of us enter the house, it looks ransacked with shoes, coats and bags...everywhere!

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  2. Really? In college they still throw everything everywhere? Sigh. I love The Tiger that came to Tea! It's a favourite on my family's bookshelf! What a wonderful theme that weaves through these celebrations

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  3. I love all your celebrations! The shoes make me laugh. So do the kids coming home from college and throwing everything everywhere. I have one in college and one is a senior in hs. I know exactly what you mean. However, just like you, if I look around, there are many things I've left behind. ;-) Somehow, if it's yours, it doesn't bother you as much. Ha. Love all the literacy connections, too!

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