This Little Free Library was at the community beach we stayed at for a few days. A small pond had a HUGE community of multiple generations. A hidden gem and just what my family needed!

I did not read this, rather I inhaled it. And then talked to a stranger about it on the beach this morning before 9am. This is going to stay with me for a while.

I couldn’t stop listening about 3/4 of the way through! . #kidlit

In a very coincidental series of events, these books landed in my hands/ears within a two week period. A picture book, graphic novel, YA, and adult title about various aspects of World War II weaved stories about humanity during terrible trials through their pages and my heart.

I learned about “library hand” not from grad school, but from the Providence Athenæum! This was a handwriting style taught in library school to develop uniformity & legibility in card catalogs. Brilliant! Beautiful!

I spent a glorious afternoon at the Providence Athenæum. The SMELL of the books was like coming home. ❤️📖

What does a dancing librarian mom bring to a national dance competition? A book about the first African American Rockette, of course!

This took me back to my childhood summers, visiting the library with my mother & sister. My mother insisted we read a nonfiction, biography, classic, and two free choices. I loved this outline & immersed myself in it. I fell in love with biographies because of it.

This graphic novel is going to resonate with so many students! It is a story about culture and identity through the lens of language.

I found this over-sized Little Free Library in my town - there is room for bins to organize books!

Kicking off my first full week of summer with a book that sets the stage for summer adventures.

Opportunities & space to grow! My first 24 hours of vacation involved a new dance class, meeting my mentor for my new side gig, and training for a volunteer opportunity. Bring on summer!.

Yep. Yep. Yep. No surprises here.

That’s a LOT of graphic novels! Evidence that we do indeed have these things, despite the fact that many of these bins spend the year empty.

I like ordering new books in June and having them ready so there is “new blood” in the collection come the fall.

The shirt says it all. It was a hard year. It could have broken my heart and soul, but I chose to grow from it. My colleague and I overhauled a library and wrote a curriculum while running our “other” libraries. I am proud. I am tired. I can do 1 more day.

I wasn’t planning on doing this (top photo) this year. It was my “when I get a few more things ironed out” goal. However, these shelves just couldn’t stay like this (bottom photo). Kids deserve better!

Oh, hello Dog Man! I haven’t seen the bins like this since September! I am keeping this photo to prove to students next year that we truly DO have lots of these (our bins are usually empty even after I buy additional copies). 😂

This year I learned… a new tool for classroom management. Limit the number of students at an activity. It keeps productivity and engagement high while reducing unwanted behaviors. # of chairs = number of students.

Update: I got an email from the public library 45 minutes after school was dismissed that he went straight from school to the library to acquire these books. They thanked me for his "list." #GrowingReaders.