Four Kids in 5B and 1 Crazy Year

I participated in San Pasqual School’s Teachers As Readers (TAR) group on Thursday. We read FOUR KIDS IN 5B & 1 CRAZY YEAR by Virginia Frances Schwartz. It's about students and their writing quest. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“I wish I could sit in my own grandmother's kitchen like the author Cynthia Rylant. No wonder these authors can write. Their grandmothers’ stories fill them up like fresh baked bread.”

“I love how you tell your story You use specific words that make pictures in a reader's head. you write what you know That’s what all good writers do.”

“September is a fresh start. You are like poems still unwritten.”

“I wonder again—how did those words come to me? Will they come again another time?”

“She worked in a hurry as if her pencil was leaking memories about to evaporate.”

“Writing makes you drift and dream and say things you don’t even plan on.”

“I just have to show up with my pencil.”

“Ms hill says writers write about what’s in front of them.”

Book Info:
Holiday House Publisher Hardcover 0-8234-1946-3
Scholastic Canada Ltd. (available only in Canada) -
Paperback 0-439-93568-5
Also available Scholastic Book Clubs US

A Visit With San Pasqual’s Second Graders

Hooray for the second graders at San Pasqual School!

The picture is of the school library. It has a fire place and a “reading silo.” How cool is that?

I had a great day talking about writing (and telling camping knock-knock jokes) with the second grade students at San Pasqual School. Many thanks to the school’s librarian, Teri MacDonald, and the second grade teachers.

By the way, if you know a camping knock-knock joke, I’d love to hear from you. I need to add some more jokes to my repertoire!

California, Here I Come

I’m excited to report that I’m working on a book about California for Sleeping Bear Press. The details are being worked out right now, but it’s for their “The Reader Series.” This series is patterned after the popular nineteenth century McGuffey Readers which were traditionally used to teach life lessons and reading skills to young children.

I started collecting early readers or primers when I started teaching first grade. I’ve found McGuffey Readers in California antique malls and at old Vermont barn estate sales. I really love it when I find an old Dick and Jane reader, but that’s a whole other topic.

THE PENNSYLVANIA READER by Trinka Hakes Noble is one of the books in the series. You can learn more about this book and the series at www.sleepingbearpress.com.

I’ll take this opportunity to tell you that you can find outstanding teachers’ guides for Sleeping Bear Press books at their website. They are available free-of-charge and downloadable from their website. This a fabulous resource for teachers and librarians.

As for me, I’m taking a little break from my writing for a few days. Yesterday I enjoyed lunch with six friends and today I’m visiting San Pasqual School’s second graders.

San Pasqual School Library

Last night I was at the San Pasqual School library as part of a fundraiser. The school had previously auctioned me off to the Stanley family! A big thank you to the Stanley family for their support of their school library.

My friend, Teri MacDonald, is the school’s librarian. Teri and I worked on FINDING THE WONDERS OF OUR WORLD, an article for BOOKLINKS. You can find a link to the article on my website. It was inspired by THE SEVEN WONDERS OF SASSAFRAS SPRINGS by Betty Birney. (www.bettybirney.com) It’s one of my favorite books.