Did you know that students, and teachers can nominate books for the Washington State Evergreen Teen Book Award as well as librarians? We want to hear from you! What books from copyright year 2019 do you think should be nominated? 

The Evergreen Committee is currently accepting nominations for the Middle School and High School Lists for 2022. The books need to have a copyright year of 2019. Copyright year means the year that it was first published. Did you read an awesome Middle Grade or Young Adult book that was published last year that you want to nominate? 

I have created a document that shows how to nominate a book and where to find the information you need to fill out the Google Form. The Evergreen Committee will be accepting nominations until September 1, 2020. 

Jason Reynolds is the author of many middle grade and young adult novels including the Track series and Long Way Down. He is also the current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. 

"The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature raises national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education and the development and betterment of the lives of young people" according to the Library of Congress site.

Jason has created his platform of Grab the Mic: Tell your Story, and will be interacting with readers both on a cross country tour (when conditions are better) and online through his Write, Right, Rite video series. You can check out the first one below. Sign up too for his newsletter which comes out tomorrow April 14th on the LOC website. 

​You can learn more about Jason Reynolds on his site. 

Due to schools being closed before the completion of the Evergreen Teen Book Award voting completion, the commitee has extended voting until June 5th. Here are the links for students to vote for their favorite book for the Middle School and High School lists. You can only choose one!

Evergreen Teen Book Award HS List Voting https://sites.google.com/view/2020-evergreen-voting-template/2020-voting-hs?authuser=0

Evergreen Teen Book Award MS List Voting https://sites.google.com/view/2020-evergreen-voting-template/2020-voting-ms?authuser=0

I hope everyone is healthy and safe as we start Week 3 of our home learning. Keep up with what your teachers are sending home, and build time in to self-care as well.  Take breaks between classwork and make sure to be reading a great book!

One of the things you could do this week is write a letter to an author. The hashtag #BooksConnectus has been making its rounds, and many children's authors are sharing their addresses, so that students may write to them. A number of them have been collected at Reading Connects Us so check out the list of authors there. 

Another way to connect with authors is through Teachingbooks.net who are offering their content for free until September. They have lots of videos of authors taking about their books or their craft and even have some read alouds. 

Hope these websites are helpful and fun.

Here are some authors reading their books online. Check them out.

​K.A. Holt reading House Arrest

R.J. Palacio reading Wonder (this will be happening on Twitter live starting March 25th from 9-9:45 every day. You do not need a Twitter account. 

Happy Monday morning everyone! I hope you are settling into your new routine. Remember, that it is important to still have some structure during your day so give yourself a schedule of sorts (one that can be flexible) Make sure to take breaks and definitely get in some movement. 

Now is also a great time to learn about something you have always wanted to learn (but didn't have the time). Always wanted to know more about black holes, or perhaps discover what a veterinarian does all day. Find a topic that will really interest you, and take this time to learn more about it. Use our Renton Databases, or read an article or book online. If you need help finding resources - email me and I will help you find some. 

Remember to practice your social distancing

There are a lot of amazing individuals and groups out there trying to make the social distancing closures a little more bearable. Here are some resources that may be of interest:

Google Arts & Culture - take virtual field trips of iconic locations and museums
Virtual field trips - another great resource for closed museums etc
Writing tips from Kate DiCamillo - the author will share weekly writing tips for aspiring authors
Think Indigienous - Indigenous teacher sharing online lessons  across the grade levels
Brightly has put together a list of age appropriate activities to do at home 


Mark your calendars now - two authors, Ellen Oh and Christina Soontornvat are putting together the first ever Virtual Book Festival called Everywhere Book Fest that will happen online on May 1st and 2nd.

​That's all for today!

With schools out in most of the United States and many other countries and St. Patricks' festivities cancelled, here are some things you can do today at home to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

Food
You could go for the traditional American meal, and make some Irish Soda Bread or Corned Beef & Cabbage with an Apple Crumble (just skip the whiskey sauce) for dessert, or make something with a twist, like a Peppermint Shake or Green Trifles. Whatever you decide to make, cook as a family. Not only is that a fun activity to do together, but it also involves math and science!

Entertainment
Have a dance party of play some Irish music during lunch or dinner. IrishCentral has created two great Spotify playlists for you to listen to. Ever wanted to learn to Irish Dance? YouTube is fill of tutorials that will get you jigging in no time! Listen to some Irish poetry by W.B. Yeats or watch the movie The Secret of Roan Inish, which takes place in an Irish fishing village. (Parents you could watch Waking Ned Divine after the kids go to bed!). 

Crafts
Have younger children? Make a leprechaun trap or a leprechaun stick puppet. Older kids can make shamrock book corners or this beautiful quilled card. 

Want to dig a little deeper. You could learn about the history or Ireland or more about St. Patrick or St. Patrick's Day. 

Finally, during this time of crisis, I feel fortunate to have my family home with me, but that also means that we are not able to go out and help those who need it most due to the need to practice social distancing, and keeping those more vulnerable populations safe. So instead we are going to make a donation to both Concern.org, which is a worldwide organization helping eliminate poverty worldwide and to Seattle Foundation which has set up a fund specifically for Seattle area families hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Reading List:
For wee ones
Fiona's Lace by Patricia Polacco
The Irish Cinderlad by Shirley Climo
Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola
Jamie O"Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola
How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace
O"Sullivan Stew by Hudson Talbott

For older kids
Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley
The Call by Peadar O'Guilin
Hush: An Irish Princess Tale by Donna Jo Napoli
Now a Major Motion Picture by Cori McCarthy
A Swift Pure Cry by Siobahn O'Dowd
Bog Child by Siobahn O'Dowd

For adults
Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French
How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill
Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy
The Princes of Ireland by Frank Delaney
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
Milkman by Anna Burns

With school closed until April 24th due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and with everyone practicing social distancing, students are stuck at home wondering what they can do. Well here are some resources that may help out. 

Educational Resources that are free during the closure - many of these resources have not been reviewed by the Renton School District so make sure to look carefully at the privacy policy before allowing your child to use it.

Seattle area resources put together by Ms. Kurspahic

I will be adding more resources as the week continues so stay tuned...