Whew! After a whirlwind week of hosting our school’s bookfair and rejoicing in the ALA Awards news (besides RULES, we were really excited FLOTSAM won the Caldecott), I’ve been gearing up for the Big Penny, the district-wide fundraiser for our public library’s extension of the children’s room that starts next week. We’re trying to collect a million pennies! Here’s a photo is of me and some of the fabulous youth services staff at the public library. It went out in a press release last week.
I’m in the photo because, besides being the guardian of the penny jug at my school, a chapter of my forthcoming Dr. Kate book has been distributed to all the participating schools as an accompanying read aloud. (Read along!) Yesterday I shared it with the 4th grade classes–it was the first time I’ve read my writing aloud to kids who aren’t related to me. Gulp. But–what fun! They didn’t get too squirmy, had great questions, and are now primed to dive into their couch cushions for extra coins.
Let me know if you want to send some coins our way. We’ll be mapping “exotic” postmarks.
