My morning routine was back on track and that meant my reading and writing life was back on track, too. This week, I’m sharing my sneaky reading life, an AMAZING 1-minute video that will spark your writing, more research on the power of bibliotherapy and lots of links to love, too.

What I'm Reading:

week and post a review here and on Goodreads. 

But starting this week, things are different.

Why? Because I do not want to spoil the podcast.

I find that I have two kinds of reading in my life now: my personal reading and the reading I do for Get Lit(erate). Now, both kinds of reading are great fun, but I’ve decided only to share my personal reading here on the blog so I have a few surprises left when I share titles on the podcast.

So, this week, I read two books for myself and one book for the podcast. You’ll find those two books below and as for the other…well…you’ll have to listen to find out!

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj

One of the reasons I read is to broaden my understanding of the world and how it works. I want to learn, to grow and allow reading to change me for the better. This book was the perfect catalyst for this. In it, we meet Minni, a 12-year old girl who lives in the poorest part of India where water is scarce and her family must go to great lengths to access it. When Minni and her brother witness the mafia stealing their water, their lives completely change. Her brother is sent away to live with family to ensure his safety and when her mother becomes ill again, Minni is left to work in her place while still maintaining her schoolwork. Through it all, Minni learns of the power of family, friendship and community…and the small acts of courage that can change a community. This book is an eye-opener for many, including myself, who take free access to clean water for granted. 

The Gift of Story by John Schu

This book lived up to its title. It was truly a gift. It’s a professional book written for educators to explore the affective side of the reading life. And that it did. I was mesmerized by every page. Schu gives us the research and rationale for this work along with countless book recommendations and inspiration from authors. My TBR stack is piled high and this is now required reading in the children’s literature course I teach at my University. If you love books and the power of reading, you must read this book.

What I'm Writing:

Oh. MY. GOODNESS. Please watch this. This is an absolutely amazing 1-minute video on the power of art, perspective and going deeper. Literally. If you loved the book Zoom by Istvan Banyai, you’ll LOVE this.

After watching, I went to my notebook to write about all the things I could zoom in on much more deeply in my life: those spaces I WANT to zoom in on and those I NEED to. 

What a great spark for reflection and writing! 

What I'm Learning:

As always, I always seem to come back to learning more about the power of books in our lives. After reading The Gift of Story by John Schu, I went deep into the literature on books as medicine and narrative as a form of health. Consider this:

Health, in its fullest definition, is a sense of wholeness- an ability to move through this world knowing you and yours are loved, valued and celebrated. Librarians (not to mention teachers, coaches, neighbors, friends,- anyone who has the opportunity to share stories and celebrate reading with young people) are then also in the business of health. Stocking, reading, sharing, recommending, and celebrating stories in which all our children can see themselves are practices of healing, a way to write a healthier future for our world into being. 

Read that again. 

Want to learn more? You’ll love this Scholastic post whether you’re an educator or not. It’s magic for the reading heart. 

 

What I'm Loving:

The Booker 2022 Long List is out. Will you add any of these to your TBR?

The Tombow August calendar is here! Download it now. 

I love Mel Robbin’s 5-second rule and use it often. But I might have to try her slithering technique, too! 

Look at these bookworm gifts from Joyful Moose! I LOVE the library card notecards!

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?