Thoughts, experiences and adventures from a resident of DelSo aka Delaware Avenue South in Albany, N.Y.
When I first encountered the book Free Lunch, I never imagined the slim volume relating the author’s experiences as a sixth grade student in Texas would revive so many of my own elementary feelings, if not experiences. In the work, published in 2019 and awarded the ALA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction medal, Ogle shares … Continue reading Rex Ogle is my spirit animal
How about this weather? I’m not one to wish winter away, but I miss admit that I sucked my teeth in disbelief Wednesday morning when I looked out the sliding glass door to my snow dusted deck. Are you kidding me? I think Spring 2020 has felt exceptionally pokey in arriving and I’m convinced it’s … Continue reading A False Spring
When I was in sixth grade, I had the coolest teacher ever. I now suspect that Mr. Warbrick, the first male teacher I ever had, was fairly new to the field. Teachers who so enthusiastically do their own thing, I’ve come to learn, are either fresh and green or comfortable veterans. The memories that stand … Continue reading For the love of sixth grade
Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, originally published in 1999, is one of those books that has stayed with me since I first read it many years ago. This YA novel relates the story of a high school freshman, Melinda, who is ostracized by her peers because she calls the police while at a party during the … Continue reading Finding your voice to Speak and Shout
Last spring I ran a half marathon in NYC, kind of a bucket list item if I were to have such a thing. I originally registered for the race because a childhood friend brought it to my attention and it sounded fun. Anything to go to NYC, you know? It wasn’t the cheapest half I’ve … Continue reading The miseducation of Megyn Kelly
Last week, author Adam Gidwitz visited my school and spent the day doing presentations and hanging out with kids, and it was incredible. I haven’t read everything he’s written, but last year’s The Inquisitor’s Tale was one of my favorite recent reads. It’s a book that is difficult to sort into a definitive genre, but … Continue reading Telling stories – Adam Gidwitz
As a young adult librarian I read a lot of books. I have to - it's my job. When I'm not reading books, often I'm talking about them as I try to get kids excited about different titles. In recent years, some of the most popular fiction books have been kind of dark and usually … Continue reading Living the dystopian dream
