Soar Elinor!

Here is a wonderful new picture book, by Tami Lewis Brown celebrating Elinor Smith who, in 1927, became the youngest American pilot. Read the Washington Post review here.

Wild Play-a hit!

Hooray for everyone who attended the Parenting for Peace speaker event this evening. I was wowed when I arrived late and had a hard time finding a place to park. Every seat in Carter Hall was filled. And it was wonderful to see new faces in the audience.

I hope you enjoyed David Sobel's speech. That map of the decreasing space available to children was extremely powerful as was the video of preschool in the woods. He did a great job illustrating how developmental differences call for different kinds of play, problem solving, and risk taking in the natural world.

A huge thank you to the Parenting for Peace committee for all the work they did to prepare for David Sobel. We are all going to take a deep breath, process how things went, and then start planning for Alfie Kohn on May 3, 2011 at USM's Abromson Center.

David Sobel Tuesday Night

I know that it's tough. You leave work, you pick up your kiddo at FSP after-school care, you need to find something for everyone to eat and you look at the clock– 6:30pm. You had been planning to go to the Parenting for Peace event. You are interested in that place-based education stuff that Corie and Nicole talk about. You even told Kim you'd be there. But now there's dinner to make and you forgot to sign up for child care and who's going to miss you anyway?

I WILL!

Make a bunch of PBJ's, or grab a pizza from Ricetta's, get back in the car and come to Mackworth Island. Even though you forgot to sign up for childcare... we still have two trained adults that we're paying to watch your kiddos. The event is free. You will learn about great activities that you can use as you teach your kids about being a strong part of their communities and loving and taking care of the Earth. You will have a greater sense of ownership at FSP when you understand the philosophy of the teachers.

So where are you going to be at 7pm Tuesday night? Carter Hall! Thanks, I'll see you there. Anna

Book Talk Tuesdays & A Peaks Island Book Event!

On Tuesday, October 5th at lunch time I (Anna) will be hosting the first in a series of weekly "Book Talk Tuesdays" in my classroom for students in grades 5-8. The sessions will be informal. My thought is that folks can bring the books they are reading and give the group a quick review. If others in the group have had experience with the book, they are welcome to chime in as well. I'm hoping this will provide students with a place to chat about books they love and hate, get new book suggestions, and find out about book events and books that are just being published.

Speaking of book events...

The new poetry book NEST, NOOK, & CRANNY for children and adults illustrated by Peaks Island artist, Jamie Hogan will be celebrated with a series of nature walks on Peaks Island on Saturday October 16th from 10:00 AM ­ 3:00 PM.

The walks, led by the Peaks Island Land Preserve, will feature poems from the book dotted throughout the woods and along the shoreline. The walks will step off from the Gem Gallery at 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM.

Illustrator Jamie Hogan will be signing books at the Gem where the original illustrations from the book will be on exhibit and prints will be for sale. A portion of sales will benefit the Peaks Island Land Preserve.

NEST, NOOK, & CRANNY

Saturday, October 16th, 2010

10:00 AM ­ 3:00 PM

(Nature Walks at 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM)

Gem Gallery

62 Island Ave, Peaks Island, ME

(2 minute walk from the Ferry Terminal)

Info: Curious City, 207-699-2755

All Ages

Book News

As some of you know, in addition to my work at FSP as teacher and marketing coordinator, I'm also a writer and illustrator and an MFA candidate in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. My work and learning require me to be involved in the children's book industry and the kidlitosphere online. Therefore, when Kim sent me an invitation to post on the Friends School Blog I thought that I could write an occasional post about books for kids and how you can find great books for your children. For this blog, I'll be giving you some links to other bloggers and online resources for books that are new and newsworthy. Curious City Books: Close to home, in Portland Kirsten Cappy helps market great authors and illustrators around New England and around the country. See what events she's planning... Not Your Mothers Bookclub: If you have a teen and you don't know your Mocking bird from your Mockingjay you need to visit this site. Young Adult Books Central: View book trailers, book reviews, and book giveaways. Click on the "Children's Book Reviews" for info on more middle grade appropriate books. Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast: Do you have a kiddo who can't go to bed without a picture book? These bloggers introduce you to great PB's with a special emphasis on illustration. Here's a specific link to a day where they featured Mainer Melissa Sweet. The CYBILS: The CYBILS are an award given out by bloggers in the kidlitosphere. The nomination process is open to all and the judges are authors, illustrators, industry members, and friends. The nomination lists are a great place to look for good books, and the winners aren't to shabby either. Mitali Perkins' Blog: Mitali provides "a safe place to chat about books between cultures." Uma Krishnaswami: Uma is an amazing writer and a student of the picture book and all it has to teach us. She is thoughtful and brilliant. Read Roger: Roger Sutton is the long time editor of the Horn Book. He is opinionated but his opinion are based on a lifetime of love for children's literature. You can also choose to receive the Horn Book Newsletter which is a GREAT resource. Publishers Weekly "Children's": If you want to know the books featured in the upcoming publishing catalogs you should subscribe to the PW's Children's RSS. Okay. That's it for now. Comment if you have another great place to find info about kids and books! Comment if you followed any of these links! Share the post on facebook if you like what you see!