Tidbits!

Books: I'm almost done with Hush by Jacqueline Woodson. If you liked Zach's Lie, you'll find a lot of similarities. This is the story of a family who goes into the witness protection program because the father witnessed a murder. It really lets you feel what it would be like to wipe out your whole past when you didn't want to do that.

Next on my list - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

On the nonfiction side - Still meandering through Life is a Verb (with my kindred spirit friend Patti Digh); reading several parenting books about how to raise creative, caring, thinking children (a lot of it applies to our classroom too).

Painting: I know this isn't part of my reading/writing life, but I love to transform spaces, so I thought I'd let you know that I have painted my kitchen, familyroom and bedroom. As daughter #1 said, "No more desert! Now we're living in the sky!" Yes, the tan is gone, replaced by an airy light blue. I'd show you pictures, but Sally Princess Hagen chewed up my camera cord, so I have to get a new one.

All this transformation at home (and the book Journal Bliss) has me thinking about transforming our classroom. What if I took down all those store-bought posters and we used your art / writing instead? You made beautiful poems last spring. I think it would be better. More us.

I hope you're all having a fabulous vacation. Seven days left of summer school and then freedom for all! Enjoy!
Ms. Hagen