Thursday, November 20, 2008


Heard today in the Seabury Library:


While gathering research materials for a report on a Revolutionary War figure and discovering the two Betsy Ross books were checked out by another classroom's teacher:
Student: "Can I go ask Ms. H if I can do Annie Oakley instead?"
Me: "But she wasn't in the Revolutionary War."
Student: "Can I ask anyway?"
Me: "I promise you, she'll say no."
Later, when Ms. H does (surprise) say, "No. Annie Oakley wasn't in the Revolutionary War."
Student: "But she used guns and guns were in the Revolutionary War."
Ms. H: "Go ask Mrs. G for the Betsy Ross books."
****
I read a book today to preschool through second-graders called "In November," by Cynthia Rylant, pictures by Jill Kastner. Lovely, evocative. Beautiful pictures.
It had this description of trees: "Without their leaves, how lovely they are, spreading their arms like dancers."
As the preschoolers were lining up to go back to class, a 4-year-old boy looked out at the nearly bare apple tree outside of the library and said: "It looks like it's dancing."
****
It was a happy day for the first graders. A mom (the Book Fair*y) funded a book for each of them from our latest book fair and I presented them in library today.
They were over the moon with excitement. Some were books that had been on their "wish lists." Some were not, when I couldn't find something suitable. (Some wish lists were computer-game, or gadget heavy.)
Here are some comments:
"You mean we can take these home?!"
"I had this book from the Pierce County Library! Now I don't have to check it out again because I own it!!"
"I love this book!"
"This is the one that I wanted!"
"I've been needing books about rain forests!"
That much excitement over books makes a librarian's heart happy!"
***
Talk to you soon,