A Trip to Anderson's Bookshop to see Dav Pilkey

Man alive, today is one of those days I need to remember. So apologies up front, my friends, because I’m recording it here so I can remember it AND share it with my students on Monday. J

My mom joined Luke, Liam, and me in a six hour round trip drive to Naperville, Illinois today – home of the amazing Anderson’s Bookshop. Dav Pilkey was there for a signing and my friend, John Schu, was meeting us for lunch. I wish we could have stayed even longer and seen more friends, but we were on a tight schedule.

We arrived in Naperville in time for lunch and before even reaching Lou Malnati’s we had to stop for a literary moment – a photo with Cat in the Hat.

After our photo shoot we quickly did a bit of pre-signing shopping at Anderson’s Bookshop. Can I just comment on what an amazing store this is? The staff is unbelievably kind and helpful. The selection is amazing. What a place. When my son, Luke, wanted to locate the Goosebumps series, a staff member helped him find it and had a great conversation with him. My mom was looking for a certain type of book for my dad and someone else helped her with several suggestions. Everyone is so knowledgeable. Highly recommend a visit here!

 
Then we trekked over for some delicious pizza and met up with John. I think all of you that know him will agree, John is the nicest person on earth. I was grateful he got to meet my boys and my mom. We talked books, school, and more.

Then we headed over to be part of the underwear contest. Anderson’s was attempting to assemble the largest group of folks with underwear on their heads. While waiting for the photo op we filmed a #nerdbery video. You can view it on HERE on John’s blog. (My son Luke and I give a few book talks on it.)

Then we met up with Donna and jumped in line to get our books signed. Dav Pilkey could not have been kinder. He talked to both Luke and Liam about what they enjoyed reading. Upon finding out that I taught fifth grade, he asked what that age of kids think of Captain Underpants. (Answer – they love it) Then I shared how bummed my students were that they couldn’t come with me, so he gave me a high five to pass on to them.

We left with hugs to our friends and hopped back in the car to head home. The entire ride home the boys alternated between buzzing with excitement about our quick trip and reading their new purchases. We ended our evening with a fabulous dinner at my parents’ house where we recapped the day with my dad. I ended the night by coming home where both of my boys hugged me and thanked me for an amazing day. Awesome indeed.

So many things to be grateful today – including friends who bring books as gifts and friends who call ahead to bookstores and leave you gift cards. Thank you John and Margie! To pay it forward I’d love to giveaway a copy of Dav Pilkey’s newest book.

Giveaway Rules

1. This giveaway will run from September 8^th until 11:59 pm September 13^th. (Central time zone)

2. This contest is open to people living in the continental United States.

3. You must be at least 13 years to enter.

4. If you can, please pay it forward. Thanks!

Slice of Life - Happy Birthday, Luke!

 Slice of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Stacey and Ruth from Two Writing Teachers.

Ten years ago today Chris and I became parents and this guy was responsible.

I don’t know how to adequately express how amazing that is, but if you are a parent you already know. I know that after becoming one I truly understand the saying,

Being a parent is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.

So if it is Luke’s tenth birthday that means ten years ago I began to function on much less sleep. Ten years ago I realized I was not the center of the universe (maybe learned that one a little earlier). Ten years ago I got to see pure innocence. Ten years ago I became a mom. Best thing I’ve ever done.

In honor of Luke’s tenth birthday, ten things I love about him.

1.      What a good brother he is.

2.    His slow smile when he’s entertained by some goofy thing I’ve done.

3.    What a conscientious student he has become.

4.   How he feels like it is his responsibility to champion the underdog, even when it drives me crazy at times.

5.    That he can get drawn into a book just like me.

6.    How hard he works at things he likes.

7.    That he will try something new.

8.    How devoted he is to our dog.

9.    How smart he is and wise in his decision-making.

10. That he will still kiss me goodnight and goodbye.

Happy Birthday, Lukey! We sure adore you.

9th birthday. Will get our 10th b-day shot tonight. 

Thoughts on reading

This summer I have been giving a lot of thought to readers. How do we become readers? What conditions create readers? Are you born more likely to be a reader?

This line of thought began at the start of summer when I wrote this post: Raising Readers. My sons do like to read, some days more than others. But this picture of them was in the back of my mind.

Then I began my summer reading camp. Twelve kids, various ages and reading abilities meeting at my house. I’d watch them like an observer at the zoo. What was different child to child? Fascinating stuff.

The end of June came rushing up and with it an amazing conference that I have already written about – All Write. Donalyn Miller spoke there about the habits of readers and how we can teach these habits to our students to help them all become readers. Hmm. More food for thought.

Just in time, my family road trip arrived. 15 hours in the car and then eight days on an island. Bliss. I packed, my boys and Chris packed, and we were off.

Some things I noticed about the preparation for the vacation and the vacation itself, in relation to reading (and many of these were from Donalyn’s presentation – her words and my actions made them even more concrete):

·      Readers plan. (Donalyn talks about avoiding reading emergencies.) First thing I actually packed was books. I knew I needed to get caught up on my #nerdbery challenge so I picked those first. Luke and Liam both packed books they thought they might read on the trip, extras in case they finished. Chris packed two he had been meaning to get to along with all of the magazines he has been meaning to read.

Chris reading The Water is Wide

·      Reading role models are important. I think I’m a pretty obvious role model for my boys (and my students). Talk to me for more than ten minutes and we will have discussed books at least once. But I love that Chris is a role model. He doesn’t read as much as I do, but does read. His reading varies from books to magazines to comic books. My parents are also with us and ask the boys often what they are reading. In the afternoon or evening you might find them with a book. And sometimes your role models are more random. At a dinner with my cousin on the way down, Luke discussed the Harry Potter series with him.

Outside Little shop of Stories

·      Reading pervades your life. Books were part of our packing for the trip but also part of the trip itself. We drove to Atlanta to see Ivan from Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan. (Unfortunately it was too hot for Ivan to venture out that day!) We went to an independent bookstore in Decatur, Georgia because friends had told me how wonderful it was. I wore my Wonder t-shirt and had many discussions about that amazing book with the people in the bookstore.

Liam with his new best friend,
Pete the Cat.

Liam reading in the car. 

·      Part of being a reader is a desire to read. Liam is seven. He was a late reader and it had been a struggle. But he wants to be a reader. Sometimes I think he picks up a book because he wants to be seen reading, he knows I will comment. I will happily reinforce this habit. He is sad when he realizes a book Luke has just finished is too hard for him, but we talk about finding the right books at the right times. Liam is a reader because he reads, the fact that he has a desire to be one helps even more.

Luke reading in the hotel

·      Readers make time to read. I read daily. I’ve tried to read a book a day over the entire summer. Some days I fall short, but I still read. My boys read almost every day. There are some days they forget but I am here to remind them. When they are hooked on a book it isn’t difficult to get them to read. But when they are busy or just beginning a book, I have to be their reminder. It amazes me the amount of parents that lament their child’s struggle in reading. But when I see these kids at the pool and ask them what they are reading their answer is zip. Left to their own devices my boys would eat McDonalds daily, watch TV and play video games until they became zombies, and never sleep. As their parents we help steer them in the right direction. Reading is part of that.

Boys reading in hotel room with Pete the Cat

·      Finally, readers need to talk about reading. I lost track of the amount of people on the way down I recommended books to. I talked to my cousins, random shoppers in the bookstore, a stranger who asked about my Wonder t-shirt, my aunt and uncle, my parents. But what stopped me in my tracks was walking in the kitchen one day to hear Liam telling my mom, whom he calls “Mumsie”, that she just had to read Babymouse. I heard him say, “Mumsie, you will just love her.” The next day my mom handed him Babymouse Mad Scientist over breakfast and asked what else he had and told him how much she loved Babymouse. As I listened to them discuss the book I had one thought, awesome. 

As we prepare to pack and head back to the Midwest I am grateful I was raised in a way that reading became such a part of me. I know that helped shape who I am. Looking over my summer with the boys and my reading camp kids, I think I will continue to share what makes me a reader with my students this year. Maybe they will have conditions they need to succeed that I haven’t thought of yet? I know that the discussion will be enlightening. 

Slice of Life - Brothers

 Slice of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Stacey and Ruth from Two Writing Teachers.

My boys just got back from a weekend with my sister. They bounded into the house, told me stories of the fun things they did. My favorite might have been when Luke said they had gone to Golden Corral for dinner and when he saw all of the food, he was sure he was dreaming. J

When they returned home I noticed Liam was a bit teary. Chris picked him up and at first we thought he was sad after leaving his aunt and niece. But then he really started sobbing. I sat by him and talked, finally narrowing down what was upsetting him so much. Luke is leaving for summer camp on Tuesday and gone through Saturday. This is only the second time they have been separated for more than a day since Liam was born, seven years ago. He cried and talked about missing “his Lukey.” Finally Luke came in, took him by the arm, and they went to our bedroom to watch TV together.

Chris and I talked about how sad it was but how nice it is that they care so much about each other. They are close but also fight just like brothers do. On a regular day they get along and also disagree at different times. Deep down I hope they care a lot about each other. And, as I watched them decided to sleep in the same room last night for Luke’s “last night” at home before camp, I think they do. 

Raising Readers

Each summer I look forward to the uninterrupted days that stretch before me. When I first began teaching I would spend my summers in solitude, picking the things I wanted to do. My summers were shaped by times of leisure, working on my classrooms, reading, and more. Then I had Luke, followed by Liam. Summers became less about me, more about them. I had to change my routine to fit the needs of growing children.

Fast forward to the beginnings of summer 2012. Luke is nine, soon to be ten, and will be entering fourth grade in the fall. Liam has just turned seven this spring and is entering second grade in the fall. When we’ve talked about this summer together we’ve discussed little league practices and games. Swim lessons, swim team practices and meets. Vacations, play dates, and sleepovers.

Throughout all of our conversations about summer, one item has remained consistent, reading. We’ve talked about the summer camp I am running on Tuesdays that they will both be a part of. We’ve talked about my summer reading goals – #bookaday. We’ve talked about what books they are eagerly waiting to purchase and add to their collections.

I think this is one of the things I have most look forward to in being a parent - helping my children love reading. Developing that addiction could be tough. Looking back at my own life, where did it come from? I had parents who love reading. Both have books on their bedside tables. Both read before bedtime each night. Books were always given freely and were frequent gifts at Christmas. The library was a place of worship. While my sister and brother aren’t as obsessed with reading as I am, I would still consider them readers. (Even though my brother is not enjoying Hunger Games – how is that even possible?)

So with my own children I’ve read to them constantly. Their rooms are overflowing with books. We discuss books, attend author events, make frequent trips to the bookstore. More importantly, I think, Chris and I are reading role models for them. I expect them to read but also support them where they are. Luke has always been a good reader. Liam had to work hard at it, but that work has paid off. 

So, as I sit here and type this morning the house is filled with silence. At 7:30 on a Sunday morning, four of the five of us (counting the dog) are up. I’ve been reading The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. (Wow, an intense book that I’m adoring.) Liam is sitting next to me on his fourth Babymouse book since yesterday afternoon. Luke is stretched out in the living room reading Babymouse as well. And Bally (our dog), well she’s just being lazy on the floor. To me, this is the perfect picture of summer. Endless reading days stretched ahead of us.