Since I'm not doing webcasts every month, I've developed a new way to track what I'm reading and what I think about it. I started an old fashioned notebook. A lovely handwritten collection of my thoughts as I read books for my What's New in Children's Books workshop. I try to record where the book takes place, where the author lives, debut?, related books or books it reminds me of. I jot down quotes that speak to me. I scribble questions I think about while I'm reading. I note potentially sensitive areas for cautious communities. I think about how it might be used in a classroom or library setting. Sometimes my entries are quite long, filling pages of words from the author. (I'm using mostly library books, so writing in the books is a no-no.) Then I get to Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea. It has three starred reviews, plus it is Lynne Rae Perkins. It's a must-read for me already. And I have a sister that I love and am close to. She lives by the Salt...
From books to best practice, follow me as the world of libraries and literacy continue to change. What's hot in #kidlit? What resources are available to connect kids with books? What strategies get the most bang for your time and buck? I'll think about it and let you know. Stay tuned...