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“Will they still be here tomorrow?” students often ask Morgan VanClief, the librarian at P.A. Shaw Elementary School in Dorchester, MA.
They’re asking about the brand new books that Morgan has been able to bring to the school’s library through generous grants and access to the First Book Marketplace. Many of her students simply aren’t used to having resources available to them on a consistent basis, so they get nervous that the fun and exciting books they see today might not be there tomorrow.
Thanks to Morgan and funding partners like KPMG, they can be confident that the books they love will be available to them day in, day out.
“I think it helps show them that they do deserve to have these resources at school, just like any other kid,” Morgan says.
In just two years as the school’s librarian, Morgan has turned the library into a vibrant and engaging place where students can explore their interests — but it hasn’t always been that way.
“It was literally just an empty room,” Morgan says of the library, “now we have shelves full of books, computers, and even a little theatre area.”
Students are becoming more comfortable using the library regularly and in turn, more comfortable at school. Just by coming to the library every day kids are opening up, advancing reading levels and most importantly, they’re happier.
“One student who was in kindergarten two years ago—he was very reserved, kind of withdrawn, almost sad at school,” Morgan says, “but after two years of constantly coming to the library, he enjoys school now and his family says he is happier at home too.”
For many students, questions about whether or not the books will be available have been replaced by other questions. Questions about a book’s characters, or the setting of their favorite story–questions that will help them learn and grow.
Morgan VanClief’s library was able to receive books through First Book’s partnership with KPMG. If you work with children in need, you can access books and resources for your classroom through the First Book Marketplace.
The post A Library Full of Books & Happiness appeared first on First Book Blog.
Hello, and welcome to Tuesday's Question. I have a Doctor appointment out of town today, so if I do not respond to your answers today, I most certainly will tomorrow. Thank you, Sandee of
Comedy Plus for you wonderful answer to last Tuesday's Question and thank you Ann of
Snap, Edit, Scrap. for yours.
Please, if you have the time, read Sandee and Ann's answers to
Sibling Rivalry they're simply fabulous and thanks to both of you for participating. I appreciate you.
Okay, this weeks question is:
Do you remember your first crush? Alright, I'll go first...
My first crush was on a boy named Dexter who sat next to me in the third grade and he was fascinating. Dexter had action figures hidden in his desk and maps he drew of oceans, rivers, mountains and streams.
I loved it when our classroom was full, because I could pull my desk close to him and ask him questions, although he never answered me.
He smelled like nickels and could draw Charlie Brown as well as Charles Schulz from the Peanuts cartoon. - Or, at least, I thought he could.-
I think he drew Charlie Brown because our third grade teacher's voice was reminiscent of the adult voices in the Peanuts television specials, but to me all teachers sounded the same. My teachers shared the muffled inflections of grown-ups, "bloc, bloc, bloc, bloc...with a "Good morning children, you sure look bright-eyed and bushy tailed today."-An introduction that made me feel like like a rabbit.-
Our teacher's name was Mrs. Keysler, and she wore cat-eyed sixties style glasses with a chain that jiggled when she walked, so she could clear a path for herself down a crowded hallway of children- Mrs. Keysler had power.-
I drove poor Dexter crazy most of the year, but he was a good sport, because if the tables were turned, I would have requested a different desk. But, he had a way of ignoring people, especially me. I asked him stuff like, "
"What did you have for breakfast today?"
He responded by looking at me like he wished I would miss a day of school. So, I finally quit trying to talk to him, although I still stared at him like a starving wolf would glare at a loaf of bread.
Ordinarily, I couldn't take my eyes off Dexter, but one day he brought stiff competition. Dexter's brought a new whistle to school and it wasn't one of those toy whistles you get in a
Cracker Jack box... no siree, Dexter's whistle was A + silver army grade whistle, and I was fascinated by it.
He noticed me staring at it resting on the corner of his desk by his drawing pad, and to my surprise, he quietly picked it up and placed it in my hand, while Mrs. Keysler continued speaking in the background, bloc, beep, beep, bloc, blah…
Anyway, I was holding the whistle Dexter put in my hand, plus, I was sitting close enough to him to touch his copper colored hair. I was in a trance, all of this was simply too much. So, I turned the whistle over in my hand, put it in my mouth, and blew it so hard a blast echoed forth like a trumpet.
Every student shook their heads and covered their ears. The floor in the classroom felt like it bounced beneath the surface of the earth and hung there. -Which was followed by a few seconds of stinging silence.-
Then, the mixed voices of my classmates began to fill the emptiness and they were all too eager to began pointing their index fingers toward the criminal.
That finger pointing thing, is such an annoying tactic among tattlers, whose goal in life is to retire as the teachers pet. I face felt hot from the stares, as the little self-serving informants fingers continued to point in my direction. I heard one little girl cry, “Oh, she is soo dumb!” and of course, I sat there horrified; my face flushed with humiliation.
Humiliation is just one of an array of emotions I associate with the day I blew Dexter's whistle; it's also one of those funny to me now, not so funny then, experiences especially since my teacher made me stand in the back of the classroom the rest of the day with my back turned toward the wall. After that, Dexter looked at me with a cautious look for the rest of the school year and the girl who called me “sooo dumb” turned out to be one of my closest friends, years later.
We never know what our children are going through in a day, or much, if anything, about their first crushes.
My mother thinks to this day that I just blew a whistle in the middle of class for absolutely no reason that she can phantom. Do you know who your children are thinking about today?
Mrs. Keyster
Mrs. Keysters Third Grade Class
I'm circled in purple, Dexter is in Blue, and the "Oh shes' so dumb friend" is circled in yellow.
Our Close- ups:
Me
"Mean girl/closest friend"
Dexter
Thank you for visiting A Nice Place In The Sun. I appreciate it. Have a great day!
You want to have a long relationship with your literary agent, so ask these questions up front.
http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2014/02/questions-to-ask-your-prospective.html
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Hello, and welcome to Tuesday's Question. Today's question is, well, I know you read the title, but I'll ask it again, and answer it:
What song brings back nostalgic memories?
For me, it's I'm A Believer by The Monkees, which is odd because they were not my favorite band, although I did love them.I'm A Believer pulls me back to a time in my life when the world was simple and friends were plentiful. When I was seventeen our lives and town were different; living was still and easy, yet loud and joyful. But the main reason the song brings back nostalgic memories is because my sweetheart at the time hid his Monkees 'eight-track' tape from me because I constantly played the song.When I think of him hiding his tapes it makes me laugh, because he taught me how to play the song on the guitar, a deed I think he probably regretted. I hope Tuesday's Question's, and this question will encourage everyone to begin conversations by responding to each others comments. Plus, it's a way for all of us to have fun. But, if you are more comfortable reading comments that's fine too. Alright, now it's your turn:
What Song Brings Back Nostalgic Memories for you?
I've received a few e-mails from readers who aren't sure how to leave a comment.
If you do not own a blog and aren't sure how to leave a comment, just hit the comment button at the bottom of the post, and a box will pop up, then just follow the directions. It's easy and fun.
Thank you for visiting A Nice Place In The Sun. I hope you had a good time, and will return for the next Tuesday's Question.
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Have a super happy day everybody! <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]-->
And by the way, What song is in your head today?
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By: Andy Yates,
on 1/29/2015
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Dan Brereton broke into the comics scene in the late 80’s/early 90’s with books like The Black Terror from Eclipse, and The Psycho from DC Comics. His distinct painted art style stood out among the other comics being published at that time. In 1995 Brereton introduced his creator-owned series The Nocturnals to the world. The Nocturnals is a pulp style horror series about a bunch of supernatural crime fighters, starring a cast of colorful characters like Doc Horror, his daughter Evening AKA Halloween Girl, Firelion(a revived victim of spontaneous human combustion), and many, many more.
The Nocturnals are celebrating their 20th Anniversary with a special KickStarter campaign for their next graphic novel The Sinister Path. There’s less than 2 days left as I write this, so hurry over there, if you’re interested.
Other works of note by Dan Brereton are Giantkiller, Batman: Thrillkiller, Legends of the World’s Finest, and The Last Battle, just to name a few.
Brereton has been nominated for 5 Eisner Awards, and has won an Inkpot Award.
You can keep up with the latest Dan Brereton news, and browse more artwork on his website here.
For more comics related art, you can follow me on my website comicstavern.com - Andy Yates
By: Andy Yates,
on 10/24/2014
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Cartoonist Noah Van Sciver has been crafting his own special brand of throwback indy comix since the mid-2000’s. His one man anthology, Blammo, is up to issue #9, and it would fit quite comfortably between classic Eightball’s & Yummyfur’s on the funny book racks! It was with Fantagraphics’ critically acclaimed anthology series, Mome, that Noah started to reach a wider audience, and soon after that his first graphic novel would be published; The Hypo: The Melancholic Young Lincoln. Van Sciver was born in New Jersey, but has lived in Denver, CO for most of his adult life, where his oft times publisher Kilgore Books & Comics is located.
AdHouse Books recently published a collection of his comics titled Youth is Wasted, and Fantagraphics has 2 more upcoming projects with Noah in 2015: Saint Cole & Fante Bukowski.
Noah has been nominated multiple times for an Ignatz Award(which is sort of like an Oscar for Small Press comics…), and has had his work featured in the prestigious Best American Comics annual.
You can check out more of Noah Van Sciver’s comics like his day-to-day “Diary Comics”, and other serialized stories on his tumblr site here.
For more comics related art, you can follow me on my website comicstavern.com - Andy Yates
By: Andy Yates,
on 9/24/2014
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Julia Gfrörer studied illustration at Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts before graduating with a double major in printmaking and painting. She was encouraged to get into making comics by her good friend, the late comics historian, publisher & cartoonist ,Dylan Williams. She started off making a few hand made zines like Ariadne auf Naxos, and Stupid Tales of Wolverine, but then found great critical success with her comic Flesh and Bone, published by Sparkplug Books. Tonally, her work is deeply rooted in Victorian gothic horror, and classic Medieval romances. I see a lot of David Lynch rubbing off in her stories, and a little Larry Clark in her raw approach to sex.
Her graphic novel, Black is the Color, was published by Fantagraphics in 2013. Her work has also appeared in The Thickness comics anthology, Arthur Magazine, Study Group Magazine, Black Eye, and The Best American Comics collection.
Julia Gfrörer also writes a regular comics analysis column for the Comics Journal called Symbol Reader. You can follow that here.
You can order Julia Gfrörer’s latest zine, Palm Ash, and get the latest news on her website here.
For more comics related art, you can follow me on my website comicstavern.com - Andy Yates
·
Over the summer I read a post by a teacher who asked her students in the morning class meeting what he/she was most looking forward to that day. I loved that question and the stage it set for each day in a classroom. I decided we'd use that in our morning meetings this school year. As I continued to plan over the summer, I started to think about how all of our workshops have share times that could connect in some way. I wondered if we could connect learning across content with reflective questions that set the stage for joyful learning as well as reflection. With the help of Gretchen, our new literacy coach, I came up with a list of 10 questions to focus our conversations.
I I wasn't sure how it would go but I created a sign for each question and posted the 10 questions in our meeting area. Before I even mentioned the question, kids were talking around them. They had noticed the questions and started thinking about them. So it has been easy to use these for general conversations and the kids have been amazing in the ways they are thinking about themselves in our classroom. We use them throughout the day when we are gathered together for conversations.
I I have the questions posted and I plan to give them a copy of the questions on a single sheet for their notebooks. These questions were a great way to kick off our school year and to help kids begin to think about what our year will be like.
What are you most looking forward to today as a learner?
· What do you have to celebrate today?
· What did you learn about yourself as a learner today?
· How were you kind today?
· How did you get through something challenging today?
· What do you understand today that you didn’t understand before today?
· What are you excited to share with someone today?
· What did someone do to help you today?
· How were you brave as a learner today?
· How did your thinking change today?
I believe that children, especially primary school age children, are the most restlessly creative and imaginative human beings alive. Dragons who hate going to the dentist, parrots who have learned to fly underwater, and pandas who turn pineapples into hats are just a few of the recent inspiring creations from some of my creative writing workshops in schools.
 |
| Dana Fradon (New Yorker, 1953) |
But they are also children, which means they are not always either aware of this huge imaginative potential, or equipped to access it on demand or under pressure. And of course, as children, they lack the emotional maturity, craft or life experience to do much with it - but that doesn't invalidate the strength of the imagination.
Left to their own devices, an arm curved round a piece of paper and a pen in their hand, endless improvised drawings and visualisations tumble forth with an unselfconscious energy that most adults - whether they are engaged in a creative industry or not - would envy. Every school visit for me proves Baudelaire right - "Genius is no more than childhood recaptured at will."
 |
| Baudelaire looking at his most unchild friendly |
However in school visits, this genius (quite understandably) often deserts children, when after forty minutes or so of authorial prancing round, they are asked to function like dull grown ups at a literary festival and "ask me a question".
Too often, this places the discourse no longer in the world of castle in the clouds world of make-believe and stories, but in the constant over-the-shoulder looking world of careers, worry, tested expectation and obsessive productivity that our current cultural system irrevocably steers most human beings towards. And so, they try to function accordingly, and I'm sure many of you will have heard the questions below.
I always answer them as truthfully and as honestly as I can, because it is impossible on such brief acquaintance to separate the earnest and authentic enquiry by the next J K Rowling from the unthinking auto-response nervously asked on rote. But here are some more alternative replies I dream of on the bus back.
1) How long did it take you to write your book?I wrote this book in forty seconds while my demon wrapped a girdle around the world ORI have been labouring on this tome since the dawn of time, when beings as yet unknown to man appeared in the sacred flame, whispering the collective knowledge of the last great civilization, and bid me decode them for your permanent improvement.2) Do you know any celebrities?I wouldn't say I know that many celebrities, but put it this way - Harry Styles is my chauffeur. |
| Harry Styles has recently abandoned a successful pop career to drive children's authors to school visits. |
3) How much do you get paid?Every week, the Aka Khan, the world's richest man no-one has heard of, sends me a private jet laden with jewels and treasure beyond your imagining from his vaults, such is the value he places on children's literature.4) Are you going to write any more books?I will write as the muse dictates. Whether it be a book a week, or a book every quarter of century, the volume is irrelevant - what counts is the power of the story and love for life, the world and all she has to offer contained within its pages.But of course - every fifth question can be a gem. What's the most unexpected thing you've been asked on a school visit, and what did you reply?
I think my favourite is still the boy who said "Could you make your next book a bit shorter?"
Piers Torday
@PiersTorday
www.pierstorday.co.uk
I’m excited to share Franki Sibberson’s latest project with you. SOLVE IT YOUR WAY! is an innovative project to encourage creative problem solving and collaborate with others around the globe. I shared this… Read More →
Out of the blue, I was recently (and kindly, I might add) awarded The Liebster Award, by Murees Dupé at
Daily Drama of an Aspiring Writer.Here's how it works:
Liebster Award Rules:1. Thank the blogger who gave you the award and link back to his or
her blog.
2. Answer 11 questions from the presenter; list 11 random facts about
you, and create 11 questions for your nominees. (Whew, this part
is a lot of work, which is why it's taking me awhile to complete.)
3. Present the Liebster Award to 11 bloggers whose blogs have 200
followers or less and whom you feel deserve to be noticed. Leave
a comment on their blog notifying them of your nomination.
4. Upload the Liebster Award to your own blog.
Murees's Questions for Me:1. What is the worst job you ever had?
A laundry I worked in, once. The biggest problem was boredom.2. What is your favorite snack?
Cookies. Any kind. I love them.3. What is your favorite TV series?
Downton Abbey. I confess, I'm hooked.4. Who would you like to meet? (Person could be dead or alive.)
Hmm. Perhaps Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Then I could ask him why he felt his Holmes stories weren't literary.5. If you could be any animal, what would it be?
A dog. They are such noble creatures.6. What are you most grateful for?
My marriage, my extended family, and my friends.7. What do you hate?
I don't hate.8. Do you include exercise into your daily routine?
I should, shouldn't I . . . Does gardening count?9. Do you like animals?
Dogs, cats, horses, for sure. Maybe not octopi.10.What is your favorite season?
Fall, but Spring runs a close second.11.What is your favorite food?
South Indian cuisine. So many delicious dishes. So much variety.
Eleven Random Facts About Me:1. I love to read a good mystery, whether for adults or for children.
2. I love poetry, both reading it and writing it.
3. So, it follows that I hang out at book stores and libraries, right?
4. I love the French Impressionist painters.
5. I'm hooked on the Victorian Era. So much so, that I'm starting a second blog, called,
Victorian Scribbles. It's still in construction, but it should be ready for visits by next week. Take a peek.
6. I love opera. Especially Puccini's operas. Especially
La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, and
Tosca.7. I once nibbled a dog biscuit just to see what the appeal was for my dog. I don't recommend it; not my kind of cookie. Probably not yours, either.
8. One of my ambitions in life is to walk a part of the pilgrimage road in Galicia that leads to Santiago. To get a certificate, you have to walk 100 kilometers on it. (Hmm, maybe I should start exercising. See Murees's question #8.)
9. I drink a cup of hot chocolate every morning. It's a great way to start the day.
10.That said, I'm not particularly keen on chocolate
per se. I mean, I enjoy a piece now and then, but I can have a gift box of chocolates on the shelf for a good six months before its contents are finally gone.
11.Some day I would like to go to Ireland. It's a land that seems (to me) both haunting and haunted.
Here's My List of Questions for My Award Recipients:1. Who is your favorite artist?
2. Favorite author?
3. Have you ever interviewed someone? If so, who? and about what?
4. What is your favorite genre in literature?
5. Do you speak any languages other than English?
6. If you were 19, what career would you choose—the one you did choose, or another?
7. Which deceased author would you most like to meet, and why?
8. Which living author would you most like to meet, and why?
9. What is number one on your bucket list?
10. Do you believe in Hobbits?
11. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
And Here Are My Picks for the Liebster Award:(Go check out their sites; they write good stuff!)1. Rosi Hollinbeck -
The Write Stuff2. JaNay Brown -
JaNay With Words3. Richard Hughes -
Writing and Living by Richard P. Hughes4. Victoria Lindstrom -
Writ of Whimsy5. Julia Hones -
My Writing Life6. Catherine Winn -
The Writing Room7. Julie Luek -
A Thought Grows8. Joanna Marple -
Miss Marple's Musings9. Linda Jackson -
Writers Do Laundry Too10.Shannon Lawrence -
Writing from the Peak11.Kenda Turner -
Words and SuchCiao for now . . .
I've just created a FAQ page (see the header bar above) that should answer all you burning questions, such as Why Caroline by line? Where did the follow button go? and What can I do to get published?
Anything else you're dying to know? Ask away!
How often do you update your portfolio site?
Leave a comment or answer our poll on the IF Facebook page!
Share/Bookmark
Who is one artist that’s inspiring to you right now? Please share in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Share/Bookmark
Beauty and mystery. Constant companions!
Housekeeping
All giveaways from Jan and On The Bright Side launch will be shipped this week. I try and ship once a month.
Have you heard of The Reading Room? It is similar to Goodreads but with some additional benefits. They are hosting a Valentine's Day author chat next Tuesday, Feb 14th at 7PM EST. I will be there talking about indie pubbing, my book, and marketing. Mark your calendars and sign up for free to join. The brains behind starting The Reading Room will also be here this Thursday on Bookanista Day to tell you more about The Reading Room.
You can also win one of 5 $50 book vouchers by inviting 5 friends to join or by joing the live chat. I will also be giving away prizes during the chat.
More of your questions...
I would like to know more about book covers: hiring a graphic artist versus doing it yourself.
I know tons of indie pubbers who get art online or have graphic designers photoshop for them. I personally want to stuff to be original and reflect what I'm trying to get across.
So I got a lot of questions yesterday.
Jan Status (Untraceable)
- I've sold approximately 3,600 books to date (from Nov 31st).
- The highest sales are on Amazon. B&N second.
- ebooks account for most of that at 90%.
- Only about 200 paperback.
Winners for Q/A postAll prizes for launch day will be mailed out on Monday.
Karen Adkins, Mandy, Vera and Danielle. Email me at [email protected] to discuss your choice of prize.
1) a free ebook of On The Bright Side
2) a free ebook of Untraceable
3) a query critique
4) some other books/arcs I have laying around. You can choose.
Don't forget to stop by On The Bright Side tour still going on :) There are are some giveaway, prizes, marketing tips, writing tips, character interviews and more.
Answers to your questions
How do you manage your time with everything?
Well I'm glad it LOOKS That way. Because I don't feel like I do. fake it 'til you make it that is my motto. So honestly? I try to schedule the time. 1 hour for interviews, 1 hour to write etc etc. I also have ADHD which comes in handy for multi tasking. I'm also a night owl so I get a lot done after 10 pm. Plus I am having so much fun it doesn't feel like work. But I am tired :)
3 Comments on Answers, Prizes, and Bookanista - Oh My, last added: 2/3/2012
Hey guys!
First I want to say, I am so sorry I have neglected going to and commenting on your blogs the last couple of months. I have so missed it and vow to get back into it.
As you can imagine the last 2 months have been totally crazy. I must admit, I was in over my head. I have had a blast but I've been barely keeping my head above water and struggling to get stuff done.
Anyway, I am now back to my regularly scheduled blogs on marketing and indie pubbing.
So today, if you have any suggestions on upcoming topics or any questions on indie pubbing, marketing, my books, or for me in general - please leave them in the comments.
Or you can tell me what you are working on (you know agents stop by here so it's a good way to plug :)
Whoever leaves a question/comment will go into a drawing for your choice of 1 of these 4 prizes:
1) a free book of On The Bright Side
2) a free book of Untraceable
3) a query critique
4) some other books/arcs I have laying around
This is my way of saying thanks for not giving up on me and for all your support :)
Anyone with children will know the ‘why?’ stage. The child discovers that this tiny word can make an adult talk and talk and talk. The child receives undivided attention because the adult loves to show how much he knows.
‘Isn’t the blossom beautiful?’
‘Why.’
‘It’s beautiful so it attracts bees.’
‘Why?’
‘To help make more trees, and more blossom.’
‘Why?’
‘So that...er...would you like some Gummy Bears?’
It goes on forever. The child isn’t really listening, she’s just enjoying the attention, the love that’s being devoted to her.
‘Why?’
Because adults love to explain. Adults want to be able to show they understand and that everything is explicable.
‘Why?’
Because adults fear that not knowing means they are stupid. Or that the child will feel rejected. Adults just love to fill silence with sound.
‘Why?’
Shut up. I don’t know.
Take the recent riots. How many different explanations did we hear? Left wingers giving left wing explanations (cuts; no jobs; the breakdown of the state). Right wingers giving right wing explanations (bad parenting; nanny state; the breakdown of the family). I am sure many of these views could have been given even before the event.
Question: If there was a riot next week what would be the causes?
The right wingers and the left wingers have already made up their minds. The event itself doesn’t have any relevance.
Young children imagine all adults will give similar answers, that the reasons for something happening are easy for us grown ups to understand. The world is black and white. Up until around the age of seven or eight, if you ask a child whether it is wrong to steal a loaf of bread to feed a starving family, almost every one will give a categorical ‘yes’. It is wrong to steal. Of course it is.
This is one good very reason for giving children a diet of fiction. Children get to hear inside the heads of other people, even if they aren’t real. These imaginary people can hold views that real people may have. And slowly, a child begins to realise that two characters versions of the same event may be very, very different.
As children begin to explore the territory of what makes us the people we are then they can begin to understand that others may be inflexible, or are not even prepared to listen to evidence before coming to conclusions, that sometimes judgements are clouded by temperament, character or emotion.
It’s a giddy experience, the dawning realisation that there may be fewer certainties in the world.
Why?
It just is. Now go to bed.
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Absolutely love this cartoonist’s work from the very first time I saw it in his PUNKS vs. LIZARDS. And he just keeps getting better and better!
Noah’s work reminds me of something you would find in Mad magazine,
but better because they are uncensored and funny. His Rufus Baxter cartoons are hilarious!