This is my life right now. I’m wrapping books for the library with protective covers. I’ve done 100+ so far since Tuesday but, as you can see, I have a long way to go. There may be radio silence around here as I spend the next two weeks wrapping, organizing, and decorating the library for the school year. I’m taking pictures because I’m calling it a William Morris Project.
It’s very hard to sit on your duff for hours at a time wrapping books. I like a monotonous task as much as the next obsessive thinker, but even I need a break from monotony and hours of Netflix crime shows. When I need a mental break I read a Newbery. God knows I have enough of them at my feet!
I wasn’t going to post today, but I just finished Dear Mr. Henshaw and I’m so excited I had to tell someone. What an amazing book! Epistolary novels are some of my favorites! I had no idea Dear Mr. Henshaw was an epistolary novel! Exclamation points!
This is why I’m reading Newbery winners and this is why I’m trying to read more elementary/middle school books. I tried to get the kids to read this book last year, but because I didn’t know what it was about I couldn’t sell it very well. I’m not a salesperson. If I don’t like something or can’t tell you much about it, I won’t push it on you.
Now that I I’ve read Dear Mr. Henshaw, you can bet I’ll be encouraging the kids to give it a try. It’s an excellent book.
Epistolary! Thanks for the new vocab word!
You are reading all my favorites from when I was a kid!! If you read Jacob Have I Loved (I think I might have harped on this with you already), Bridge to Terabithia, or The Giver you’ll have hit all the ones I remember best!!
Jacob Have I Loved was the first Newbery I read! I need to change the format of that post so it pops up in the tags and all my reviews are in one spot.
Oh, Jules, please check out how much it would cost to just send the covers to Staples (or somewhere like that) and have them laminated. Then give a few grade 8 kids some bone folders, tape and scissors and they will be stoked to have the responsibility of putting the covers back on the books. And it gives them some ownership of the books, as well. Those old school cover protectors are just so labour intensive.
No way do we have the budget to do that, but if we do, I will check it out. I had the 7th graders helping me last year, but the laminate I have from Demco is unforgiving. Contact paper, sure, I’ll let them do it. :)
That was my second grade favorite. Wouldn’t he sign his name as Leigh, not a girl.
No, just Leigh Botts. But he did write a letter to him telling him why he hated his name. Everyone thought it was a girl’s name. :)
I loved this book when I read in grade school – I read all the Beverly Cleary’s … such good memories.
Speaking of Netflix, I just finished 7 seasons of The West Wing. How did I not watch this before??? I was afraid it would be dated, 15 years later, but honestly it must have been way ahead of its time when it aired. It was amazing!
Yes. I’m experiencing this now. Still so relevant!
That show was ahead of its time. The dialogue alone was amazing.
have not read this one myself!! even though i think i own it… duly noted!
Off topic but Beverly Cleary wrote back to me when I was in grade school (!!!!!) saying ‘I hope you become an author.’ I treasure my letter (and have a book published by McGraw Hill). I haven’t read Mr. Henshaw but I’m afraid I may be Ramona in the flesh!
I remember this book from when I was a kid! Oh, it was a favorite.