It was an amazing week! I lead a think tank of amazing educators on the power of teacher learning, went to my happy place in reading and enjoyed pockets of sunshine here in upstate New York. Here’s what I’m reading, writing, learning and loving!

What I’m Reading:

Have you read The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani? I read it a couple of years ago and was forever changed, as I usually am by powerful books. So when I had a chance to read How to Find What You’re Not Looking For, I jumped at it. This book checked all the boxes for me. Relatable characters? Check. Real-life events to connect to? Check. Beautiful themes of friendship, family and growing forward? Check, check, check. And while this book gave me a window into another family’s way of living, of being and of loving, it also gave me a mirror into my own family-is-complicated heart, a pretty impressive feat for a single book to accomplish. Hiranandani introduces readers to Ari, her family and the swirl of events they are enveloped in: the difficulties of being one religion while surrounded by another, the challenges of running a family-owned business, the heartache of a family divided, the frustration of the school system and how it supports (or doesn’t) students who might learn differently, the complications of friendship and more. I entangled myself with the characters immediately and am not quite ready to let them go, even after I turned the last page. 

I also read Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun. This was the perfect middle grade novel with relatable characters surrounded by complications in family, school, friendship and even crushes. Yun invites us into Pippa’s life as a new scholarship student at the posh Lakeview Private school. A basketball player at heart, Pippa strives to fit into her new surroundings while staying true to herself in the process, a feat that was harder than originally planned. Readers will get swept up in Pippa’s life and walk away with a few life lessons to tuck away for later use. Even adults. 

What I’m Writing:

Are you ready for this question? I was listening to a podcast episode and it stopped me in my tracks: If you had 5 years left to live, what would you stop doing? Powerful right?! So often, we focus on what we want to DO with the time we have rather than what we want to STOP doing and I find that to be a rather powerful shift. Me? I’d stop worrying about what other people think, stop putting my to-do list before my joy list and stop multi-tasking and just breathe. What would you stop doing? Start notebooking about it!

What I’m Learning:

Camryn Garrett wrote a beautiful essay on why she wrote her most recent book titled Off the Record: She never saw herself in books, so she wrote the girl she’s always needed to see. The essay was touching and made me think: What story do each of us need to write so other little girls and adult women can see themselves, too? We each have a story to tell and I’m now obsessed with how all of us can do just that. You’ll want to read this. 

What I’m Loving:

Anne Bogel asked fellow readers this question on Instagram: What are your reading dealbreakers? What’s one reader’s deal-breaker is one reader’s jam and I really enjoyed reading about these!

Do you need a summer reading printable? I love this one from The Happy Planner!

Rob Walker reminds us to look for the unexpected and the collection he has curated is such inspirational eye candy!

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?