I began this blog back in library school as an assignment, and had thoughts of posting regular reviews in the downtime I imagined I'd have between story times, programming, and other library adventures. It's not that I didn't have some time. I'll be honest, it fell off my radar and I just didn't make the time.
And here we are now. Spring 2020, in the midst of a pandemic that has us all sheltering in place, stress baking with our sourdough starters, learning a new language, Manic Panicking our hair princess pinks and mermaid purples, taking several neighborhood walks a day, sewing masks, overspending online, living in our PJs. It was manageable, even kind of nice for the first couple of weeks, all the staying at home, safe and cozy, binge watching and baking. Until it wasn't. Until I realized my motivation was waning and the weirdness and uncertainty of everything was starting to loom larger before me. What does the future hold for us all? For the public libraries of the world? All the people-person, fun-loving children's librarians? Is in-library programming a thing of the past? What will the story times of the future look like? What will my job look like? Will I have a job in a year? In six months? And stepping outside my own personal struggle, I witness the ugliness and heartbreak of all the unutterable loss we are collectively experiencing as a world community. Strange times, No- the strangest time. Yet onward and upward we must go, for new stories await us.
Right...stories await.
Yes, stories! In the midst of all the flour sacks and shortbreads, face masks, Amazon packages and hair dye (and a dusty, untouched ukulele with a six-week old promise to pick it up and relearn Row, Row, Row Your Boat for the third time)- in the midst of it all- sits a stack of 25 beautiful, wonder-filled picture books that I had the foresight to grab on my last day of work in case I had the urge to conduct a virtual read aloud story time.
With all of this going on, I forgot that what I really need more than anything is a good picture book to lift me up (reading Little Women and Harry Potter has indeed helped, but there's nothing like some Jon Klassen, Rachel Bright, Kadir Nelson, or Mo Willems to give you a five minute high).
And that's what led me back here, before my laptop, with 25 beautiful, wonder-filled picture books that I had the foresight to grab on my way out of the library. I don't know about any virtual read alouds at this time, but I promise to share my good thoughts about these books and maybe some other things along the way. The picture book is my rock- my true love. Let me share them with you!
And here we are now. Spring 2020, in the midst of a pandemic that has us all sheltering in place, stress baking with our sourdough starters, learning a new language, Manic Panicking our hair princess pinks and mermaid purples, taking several neighborhood walks a day, sewing masks, overspending online, living in our PJs. It was manageable, even kind of nice for the first couple of weeks, all the staying at home, safe and cozy, binge watching and baking. Until it wasn't. Until I realized my motivation was waning and the weirdness and uncertainty of everything was starting to loom larger before me. What does the future hold for us all? For the public libraries of the world? All the people-person, fun-loving children's librarians? Is in-library programming a thing of the past? What will the story times of the future look like? What will my job look like? Will I have a job in a year? In six months? And stepping outside my own personal struggle, I witness the ugliness and heartbreak of all the unutterable loss we are collectively experiencing as a world community. Strange times, No- the strangest time. Yet onward and upward we must go, for new stories await us.
Right...stories await.
Yes, stories! In the midst of all the flour sacks and shortbreads, face masks, Amazon packages and hair dye (and a dusty, untouched ukulele with a six-week old promise to pick it up and relearn Row, Row, Row Your Boat for the third time)- in the midst of it all- sits a stack of 25 beautiful, wonder-filled picture books that I had the foresight to grab on my last day of work in case I had the urge to conduct a virtual read aloud story time.
With all of this going on, I forgot that what I really need more than anything is a good picture book to lift me up (reading Little Women and Harry Potter has indeed helped, but there's nothing like some Jon Klassen, Rachel Bright, Kadir Nelson, or Mo Willems to give you a five minute high).
And that's what led me back here, before my laptop, with 25 beautiful, wonder-filled picture books that I had the foresight to grab on my way out of the library. I don't know about any virtual read alouds at this time, but I promise to share my good thoughts about these books and maybe some other things along the way. The picture book is my rock- my true love. Let me share them with you!