In my next life . . .

In my next life, I want to come back as a librarian. Oops, sorry, that is library media specialist now, huh? At least I think I do after reading all kinds of cool stuff the librarians and others on #titletalk on Twitter discussed August 28. Their whole job (well, not exactly, but. . .) is to get the “right” books in the hands of the kids and teachers they serve. They have students come to library the first (yes, really they do) or the second day of school to CHECK OUT books! Yay! These amazing 21st century reading leaders are the key to having kids engaged in reading BEYOND the grades, the AR points, and the worksheets.

Thus, these awesome librarians and reading teachers have to read all the new picture books, the new graphic novels, the new series like Franny K. Stein, and all the new YA novels just for their job! What a great job that must be!(I do realize the many other jobs/duties that librarians and media specialists have to do are not always so fun.)

And these cool folks otherwise known as librarians and media specialists get to do Book Talks and make their own book trailers and do this activity called a Book Pass. They have been on cross country book journeys and made videos for their students. They have downloaded the cool new tunes from Pete the Cat. They have made colorful book marks and posters and shelf talkers. These folks are ALL about books that are for kids.

In reading just about a third of this Twitter archive (http://titletalk.wikispaces.com/file/view/TitleTalk+aug+2011.pdf) done in twapperkeeper.com, I have a whole new list of books I want for my personal and professional bookshelf. Here is my wish list--

1. Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin
2. The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Palacco
3. Legend by Marie Lu
4. Crossed by Ally Condie
5. A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech
6. The Dot by Peter Reynolds
7. It’s a Book by Lane Smith
8. Dude: Fun with Dude and Betty by Lisa Pliscou
9. The Bedspread by Sylvia Fair
10. Emily’s Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. I’m Here by Peter Reynolds
12. Zoom by Istvan Banyai
13. My Name is Sangoel by Karen Lynn Williams
14. We Are In a Book! by Mo Willems
15. Don’t Laugh at Me by Steve Seskin
16. Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
17. Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher
18. Crash by Jerry Spinelli
19. Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet
20. The Little Red Pen by Susan Stevens Crummel and Janet Stevens

Thank you all the participants on #titletalk from August! I really enjoyed reading the archive and I hope to join you live in September. I learned so much and have tons of new, wonderful things to read. Looking forward to learning more from you soon!