Midwinter Adentures

I am still happily reliving moments from the American Library Association Midwinter Conference, which was just last weekend. 

Part the First is a recap. Part the Second is about the ALAYMA. Part the Third is about the books. Choose your own adventure.

My conference started with a gathering at Fenway Park, which, even for a local girl, was tremendously exciting. I took quite a few pictures of the ballpark.

Saturday morning started bright and early with a surprise visit from Peter Brown and his new novel, The Wild Robot. I started reading it right away and am very excited to put it in the hands of my students.

In my quest to get more involved in the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), I crashed a meeting and threw my hat into the volunteer ring!

I went from that meeting straight to see Lauren Castillo and get a copy of her new book with Jane Smiley, Twenty Yawns.

I walked right past two people to make my way toward Snappsy the Alligator and turns out I was rushing right past the author, Julie Falatko! I connect with Julie on social media networks, but we had never met in person. How fortuitous to meet her while reading her book!

I finally met Carter Higgins, another social media network friend that I had never met in person.

I got to meet the incredible Herve Tullet and hear about his new book Let's Play as well as exploring his new environs in New York City.

Local friend and writer Victoria Coe celebrated her new book Fenway and Hattie at a gathering with other new authors. Keep an eye out for this book, it's going to be big.

Monday Morning, ALAYMA day has arrived!

The ALA Conference includes the announcements of the American Library Association Youth Media Awards (ALAYMA). 

Since my normal ALAYMA date Laura was on the Caldecott Committee, I joined my friend Ed (Mr. front-of-the-line) Spicer to pass the hours before the doors opened.

Those of us in line early got to watch the sun rise over Boston, which was an added bonus!

Ed Spicer and I around 6:30 am, 

yes indeed, we are excited book nerds and proud of it!

By 7:00 the line had grown quite a bit!

I spied Laura and her Caldecott Committee Members making their way to their seats.

I wanted my students and Laura to hear my reaction to the Caldecott announcements. Please excuse the odd video, I put my phone on my chair, so it is mostly looking at the ceiling!

BOOKS,  BOOKS, BOOKS, 

and MORE BOOKS!

Here are a few vines of books I am 
looking forward to adding to my collection:

I love walking the publishers' booths after the awards ceremony and seeing all the shiny new stickers.

I had a fun time following my friend Laura and the rest of the Caldecott Committee around as they visited the publishers of the books they had awarded.

Thinking back over the past year, I remembered capturing this quick video of Matt de la Peña reading an excerpt from 

Last Stop on Market Street:

Here are the books that I brought home that will be 

part of the library program this spring. 

Here are books that will be added to the ARC Basket, where students commit to comment, if they want to read a book.

Look at this gorgeous cover by Kadir Nelson!

I've got some reading to do!