Thing #6: Feeding the Monster, I Mean Reader

Happy 50th Birthday to MY FAVORITE BOOK. OF. ALL. TIME.
To Kill a Mockingbird was published on this date in 1960.

It's time to get serious. I'm finished teaching the Abydos/NJ Institute; my UNT class is semi-under control (for now); our short family vacation to Lake Travis has come and gone (and it was oh so good); now it's time to buckle down and get busy with my "things." I will be a blogging maniac over the next two weeks, but this is how I roll. So here we go...

Don't get me wrong; I love my Google Reader. In fact, I love it a bit too much. I am now the over-committed subscriber of 20 feeds, but I can't stop feeding the monster.

As I was surfing through the blogosphere, I got that same rush of adrenaline that washes over me when I shop at The Loft or Border's. But the cool thing about blogs is that they are FREE. I went into a clicking frenzy, feeding my Monster (i.e. Reader) with no fear of buyer's remorse. I used Vicki Davis' advice on creating my "circle of the wise." I stumbled upon some amazing voices who are considered rock stars in the librarian world, and I checked their blog rolls. It was interesting to find that most of them subscribed to the same blogs. So of course, I had to do the same. Some times it's okay to be a follower.

I check my Google Reader like I check my email; I check it daily and skim and scan for things of interest. Here are some gems that I found this week:

• Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my favorite YA writers. Mad Woman in the Forest is her online journal/blog. I got to read an advanced review of her newest book Forge, which will be released on October 19. If you enjoy YA historical fiction, then you need to read Chains. Forge is the sequel. I can't wait for its release!

• A Chair, A Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy is another popular blog among many esteemed book lovers. Through Elizabeth Burns' blog I discovered Laura's Life. This is the jaw-dropping blog of a 4th grade bibliophile from Indiana. When Laura was in 2nd grade, she decided that she would read all of the Newbery Award books by the time she was in 5th grade (middle school-age in Indiana). (The Newbery Award started in 1922--do the math--that's an ambitious goal for any reader, much less a 2nd grader!) Well, Laura accomplished her goal with time to spare, and she is now a rock star herself in librarian circles. In fact, she attended the ALA Conference in Washington D.C. just a few weeks ago. Her blog is inspiring, and I look forward to following her on her reading journey.
  

• Educating Alice is Monica Edinger's blog, and her entry "That Summer Reading Slump" really resonated with me. She validated my philosophy as a teacher of reading. I say AMEN to her thoughts about supporting a kids' desire to read ANYTHING over the summer--even if it's not the best "quality." Read, read, read--that's all that matters. There's nothing wrong with a little mind candy over the summer--at any age.
  

• The blog that I am most excited about finding is Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer. This woman is a goddess, and I LOVE The Book Whisperer, the actual book that she wrote that reveals all of her secrets of getting even the most reluctant kids to read. Donalyn writes that she has read 24 books in two weeks of her summer vacation. Holy cow. I've read 4 books so far this summer, and I was feeling pretty proud of myself. It's time to pick up the reading pace!