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 […]
Places
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 […]
N is for Nicaragua and the library we built #atozblogchallenge
Welcome to today’s A to Z Blog Challenge Post. This year I am writing about Library Love and today I’d like to share a library near and dear to my heart. When you step away from your normal routine, amazing things can happen. Last year a friend invited me to go on a woman’s retreat […]
K is for Knowing #atozchallenge
Did you know that this is National Library Week? And, since today’s A to Z Blog Challenge letter is K and libraries are great depositories of knowledge, I’d like to share 10 facts about libraries and librarians you should know. 1. You can check out seeds from the seed collection at the Pima […]
I is for Iraq #atozchallenge
I is for Iraq One of the saddest things imaginable to bibliophiles, is the destruction of a library. Librarians fearlessly defend the right of their patrons to have access to information and they care for the collections entrusted to them so that they will be available for future generations. Alia Muhammad Baker was the chief […]
H is for the Huntington Library and the Hearst Castle Library
It seems that a number of libraries were built by wealthy men. I grew up near the Huntington Library and went there often. My mother took me to look through windows as scholars in white gloves turned the pages of old manuscripts. She was in awe and so was I even though, at the time, […]
E is for Egypt #atozchallenge
Welcome to Day 5 of the #AtoZchallenge where I am exploring the library world in alphabetical order. E is for Egypt One of the mysteries of the ancient world centers around the Royal Library in the port city of Alexandria, Egypt. It is believed that scholar Demetrious of Phalerum, convinced Ptolemy I Soter (a […]
Field Trip Friday – book review and a visit to the jail
I normally read and review kid lit but at least once a month I enjoy reading and sharing an adult book with my book club. Carmen, my November co-hostess, and I decided to include a field trip with our selection: Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2015) Based on a […]
Field Trip – Feeling Fallish
It doesn’t seem possible that October is over. I have been traveling most of the month and I am happy to announce that I experienced my first real fall. Fall in Southern California is marked by high temperatures and hot winds known as the Santa Anas. This increases the risk of fire so we pray […]
The Heart of the Library
Many of us take libraries for granted. So much so, that we forget the important role of libraries and the librarians who provide resources to everyone. But, not everyone has access to the treasures libraries have to offer. In September, I attended the first meeting of the Fresno area chapter of REFORMA, the National Association […]
A Reading Field Trip- Destination: Brazil
One of the main purposes of A Field Trip Life blog is to highlight children’s books set in locations around the world. One of the best ways to learn and understand other cultures is by traveling. The other is by reading diverse books. Although the Rio Olympics are over, I continue to think about Brazil. The suggested […]
Notes from the Field – The Olympic Edition
I admit it. I am an Olympic junkie. As a child, our family gathered around the television every four years and binge watched the Olympics. I rarely watch television these days but always make an exception for the Olympics. Now that the 2016 games in Rio are over, I’ve decided to revisit and share some […]
Field Trip Notes: Staycation Edition
Looking back over my calendar I realized that I didn’t travel at all during the month of June. I am always going somewhere so this seemed really odd. I guess you could call it a stay-cation. First of all, the Kings River water was released from the dam. Since we have been in a drought […]