My husband and I have dreamed for years of visiting Cuba. High on our list of things to see are the classic 1950’s automobiles that continue to rule the roads. So, I was thrilled to read All the Way to Havana by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Mike Curato. The story begins as […]
Pen the Tale, Oogie
Most of us have stories to share but struggle when trying to write them down. Writing isn’t easy. And, if you have dealt with writer’s block, ideas that turn out to not be original, and rejection, then I have a book for you written, illustrated, and published here in Central California. Pen the […]
Twelve ways to make summer last
According to my calendar (and Google), summer began on June 20th and will end on September 22nd. This means, by my calculations, that today should be considered midsummer. When I was a child, school always began after Labor Day. Around here, many schools will be starting this week with temperatures in the 100’s! It just […]
Celebrate National Sisters Day with Books!
When I was nearly ten years old, my mother was pregnant with her fifth child. She went into labor when my father was out of town so his secretary whisked her to the hospital. My older brother, Bob, was left in charge. His way of caring for us was to lock us in our […]
Little Free Library – a great place to meet the neighbors
Our Little Free Library in Cayucos is finally up and open for business! For any of you unfamiliar with the Little Free Libraries, they are shelters for books where people can take a book and leave a book for others to read. This remarkable concept was begun in Wisconsin by Todd Bol who set up […]
#A-Zchallenge Reflections Post 2017 Edition
I love the alphabet and throughout my careers as a reading specialist, kindergarten teacher, children’s librarian, and mother of 4, I have read my fair share of alphabet books. I think alphabetical order is a wonderful way to organize information which is what drew me to the A-to-Z Blog Challenge 3 years ago. […]
Z is for Zzzzzzz
Welcome to the Z edition of the A to Z Blog Challenge featuring Library Love. Z is for Zzzzzz. People always seem to catch a few zzzzz’s in the library. Perhaps it is because libraries are calm and quiet. Perhaps it is because a boring text is being read. I know that I fell asleep […]
Y is for Young Adult and Y is for You
We’ve arrived at the letter Y on our Library Love journey through the alphabet. Y is for Young Adult Library Services Did you know that many libraries have young adult sections? Young adult patrons are defined as teens between the ages of 12 and 18. Many libraries hire librarians and staff who are specially trained […]
X in the Library #atozblogchallenge
Welcome to today’s edition of the A to Z Blog Challenge featuring Library Love. I must admit, I had a hard time coming up with a library something featuring the letter X. Then, I remembered that “X marks the spot” for Indiana Jones in the Library of Alexandria. (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) […]
Who, What, and Where in the World of Libraries
Welcome to today’s A to Z Blog Challenge post featuring the letter W. I’d like to share a who, a what, and some wheres in the library world. WHO The World’s Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne (Gotham Books:2013) This book was given to me as a birthday present by one of my dearest friends who […]
V is for Vigilante
Librarians are not shy and meek characters. They are on the forefront of protecting our rights. They fight against censorship and work to make sure that everybody has access to the books and materials they need. Librarians face challenges here but they are nothing like those faced in some other parts of the world. One […]
U is for Unique, Unusual, and Unconventional
A Field Trip Life blog is all about books and travel so come along and check out these Unique and Unusual libraries on this U edition of the A to Z Blog Challenge. The Kansas City Public Library, Central Branch, in Kansas City, Missouri features a “Community Bookshelf” that runs along the length of […]
Thomas times three #atozblogchallenge
We are heading into the final week of the A to Z Blog Challenge where I’ve returned to my librarian roots and have been sharing Library Love. Today is dedicated to the Letter T and I’d like to share two books and the little guy Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora (author) and […]
S is for Stereotypes
S is for Stereotypes in today’s A to Z Blog Challenge. Librarians are usually described as: A dowdy white woman with mousey hair who wears frumpy clothes. Or as a stern and unapproachable woman who holds guard over her library realm. Librarians belong to a profession with mostly negative stereotypes. The librarians I […]
R is for Reference Librarians
My first job after graduating with my Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science was that of a Reference Librarian. Most people don’t realize the skill and training that reference librarians have. All the librarians I know love to learn and to help others find what they need. Shifts at the Reference Desk gave […]