Jean Darnell: Awaken Librarian

Happy #ElectionDay ! These kids are w/their parents & all #Americans today in spirit as we exercise our civic duty to #VOTE ! #HISD @TXLA pic.twitter.com/oQVaRzv6wc — AwakenLibrarian (@awakenlibrarian) November 8, 2016 HAPPY ELECTION DAY!!! As the fervor stretches across America, we're celebrating our civic duty in the library! Here's a bit of our ELECTION DAY FUN! "Me" or "We" #VotingDay Challenge! @KidsVotingUSA #kidsvoting ! #Election2016 #PantherPride pic.twitter.com/G3sOYuSSLg — AwakenLibrarian (@awakenlibrarian) November 8, 2016 To find out more about using a "Me" or "We" Challenge, see Kids Voting USA lesson ! After supporting our nation, a few kids had a question about what they could do to support the election? We discussed writing to Senators and the President to voice their concerns. However, they wanted something more concrete. So we came up with a "mock election" idea to beat all ideas...U.S....

Recently, I came across an article where community libraries in Spain had a prep-kitchen for their patrons to use! I thought what an ingenious idea! So I put together a proposal slideshow and video. Please let me know what you think... Additionally, I came across this clever little tool for easy voting, VOTESY! It's like social media voting polls from your global community. I'm thinking you can use this a variety of ways...which book will we read next? Which new class rules are most important? Field day t-shirts? The sky's the limit. See more in the video: Check out this one I made for community kitchens... And this little jewel for favorite childhood fairytales... Please leave me a comment and check out how simple it is to use Votesy!

Today, I fell in love with one of my students! She sweetly shoved a handmade book in my hand and said, "It's for you. Please tell me what you think?" and then she turned and ran! Lol! She returned a few hours later and asked for my thoughts... ALEXIA, I LOVE YOUR BOOK!!!!! I wish I could clone you and have the BEST library classes ever! You're a brilliant illustrator and storyteller. One day, I will GLADLY purchase one of your books off the front shelf of my neighborhood bookstore! BRAVO! Here's her first book and it's reading. These are the days that I LOVE my job ABSOLUTELY! This is why you want a librarian on campus, because these inspiring moments, where a child has validation, are priceless!

As those of you that follow my blog know, I enjoy having book fairs ! There's nothing like seeing eyes light up like fire-crackers at the presentation of so many wonderfully colorful and diverse books! In fact, this fair is the first that I've been able showcase over thirty books with Black Americans on the cover: @diversebooks Never have I been able to showcase 30 books w/faces like mine in the #library ! #ReflectionsInBooks This is why #WeNeedDivLibs ! pic.twitter.com/3hA7bpmgaL — AwakenLibrarian (@awakenlibrarian) October 11, 2016 Bit by bit, we'll erase tweets like these... Dear #kidlit Writers of Color: The odds are not in your favor. #amwriting #amediting #diversity #YA #WritersLife https://t.co/cv7ydsskzn pic.twitter.com/0LdXfIChQD — MayraCuevas (@MayraECuevas) September 30, 2016 because it's all too important for children to see faces like theirs on the cover and in the content of books. #WeNeedDiverseBooks As Walter Dean Myers wrote in his N...

In case you haven't heard, GET EPIC is a wonderful resource for FREE E-BOOKS! I can't stress enough how much I enjoy it! In fact, I just created a quiz on there to use along with their fractured fairy tale* book, Snow White and the Seven Trolls! Be sure the use the quiz and let me what you think! To get the kids psyched about the story and "fun-perk quiz" (if the answer's correct you get a treat) , I began with the upcoming movie release of Trolls... Then, I turned to my friends at GoNoodle because they have the most awesomely, groovy dance videos to get the cardio pumping and their bodies exhausted and receptive to a wonderful story...(imagine an evil librarian laugh!) There's nothing I love more than watching my kiddos boogie! Instant stress relief for an over-worked educator! Lol! Here's a bonus...if you sign-up today, then you can receive a cute coloring sheet for the little ones! BONUS Star*: Here's a fractured fairy-tal...

In honor of the movie release of James Patterson's Middle School: The Worse Years of My Life , I gave away a copy of the book during the morning announcements. The students were to give me a "Top 10 List" of the BEST things about middle school. My winner, Prince W., not only answered the call, but gave me a graphic representation of his list! How's that for visual note-taking ? Check out his HUGE smile for winning the book...he even gave me 3 hugs! He's a 6th grade sweetheart! And, WAY different from Rafe Kkatchadorian! These are the days I LOVE my job!!! #MiddleSchoolMovie Here's my book giveaway winner! He had to give a Top 10 list of the BEST things about mid schl! @TLA #snapshot #HISD pic.twitter.com/3p0TimGYDF — AwakenLibrarian (@awakenlibrarian) October 7, 2016 Here are some pages from the book, that you really should go out and buy TODAY before you see the movie! What can I say? I'm a librarian To conclude, this tidbit below is ho...

Before I begin, I must caution you: This post is for those 12 and up, questioning societal issues!! I overheard some students discussing their rights to protest during their extracurricular events. I didn't reprimand them, because (1) I was eavesdropping and what I heard wasn't dangerous; (2) it's ingrained in my librarian soul for students to exercise their rights to "intellectual freedom," SAFELY; and (3) I was on my way home for the evening. My mind blocked me from educator role; it was focused on leftover, homemade Swedish meatballs! Lol! Nevertheless, I kept tossing and turning that night in bed because I wondered if those students acted on their feelings...and HOW! Before I knew it, I jumped out of my bed looking for resources. I had to teach them how to organize their thoughts and release their emotions in a productive way. In my midnight scurry, I pop outta bed and hurried then obsessively buried my thoughts in Teaching Tolerance's The Soun...