Fascinating Librarian Blogs

I recently received an email saying that my blog was nominated for a Fascinating Librarian Blog award based on my posts about the Caldecott Reading Challenge.

What I find fascinating are the many other wonderful blogs in this list of nominees, like:

• MrSchuReads.blogspot.com
• MsYinglingReads.blogspot.com
• VanmeterLibraryVoice.blogspot.com

and so many others...


Voting for the most fascinating blog happens here until March 06, 2012 (11:59 PM EST).
I copied and pasted a list of all the nominees (from the online voting form) into a spreadsheet with links here. 


I hope you will find perusing this list of blogs as fascinating as I have.

Toby Martin Mystery Series by Barbara Grengs

Let me introduce Barbara Grengs, English teacher extraordinaire (at my school!)...

Barbara at last week's school book fair.

... and the author of the Toby Martin middle grade mystery series.

Barbara reading from the first chapter of Toby Martin Pet Detective at Red Balloon Bookshop (May, 2010)

We are so lucky we get to call Barbara our "Resident Author", and I am excited for the next installment of Toby Martin's sleuthing to be set at the Minnesota State Fair.

Find out more about Barbara and the Toby Martin series here:
http://www.barbaragrengs.com/

6 things I love about Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett

Some of you know my alter ego, the knitter Orinda5.

So it probably comes as no surprise that Extra Yarn, a picture book about knitting, is a new favorite of mine.

Extra Yarn

Written by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Jon Klassen

6 things that make me absolutely giddy about Extra Yarn 

(Why 6 and not 5? I just had to say one of the things twice!)

1. Extra Yarn is an awesome picture book about knitting!

2. Annabelle, the main character, has a magical box that never runs out of yarn.

3. Annabelle is never discouraged when others mock her love of knitting or knitted items, in fact she just considers it an invitation to knit for them.

4. Annabelle "yarn bombs" pretty much everything she sees.

5. The cameo appearances by Bear and Rabbit from I Want My Hat Back.

6. Ummm.... did I mention it's an awesome picture book about KNITTING!!!

The only thing that could make it any better, would be a cute book trailer to close this post. 

Instead I will leave you with another favorite, a music video from U900 with a crocheted bear and rabbit (see the connections!).