Take two!

I recently posted my standing/walking/reading desk. Well, I took it all apart and redesigned it to stand completely free of the treadmill. When I walked, the treadmill jiggled and made reading the bouncing words on the page too hard. Look! Now with my new design, it’s easier to see the numbers on the control panel.

Why go through all this trouble? I want to read more, but I’m sitting too much. And, I need to exercise more, but exercise is boring. The desk for this treadmill is below my waistline and makes reading down there impossible. So, I made the desk really tall so I could read with my type of glasses without looking down.

I repurposed plumbing traps as feet to keep my reading tower from tipping over. I love it!

Read-Walk & Repeat!

I want to read more and I want to walk more. But the desk on my treadmill is too low and causes neck strain. So, I made an elevated stand. Even better I can move it and use it elsewhere. Exercise is so boring, but I hope this will make it more fun.

Reading Wednesdays

I’m reading for research. Look at the #libraryloot I’ve been hauling to the studio! Can you guess which one of these books is a biography?

I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).

THE QUICKEST KID IN CLARKSVILLE, by Pat Zietlow Miller; illustrated by Frank Morrison
SHY WILLOW, by Cat Min
DINOSAURS DON’T HAVE BEDTIMES!, by Timothy Knapman; illustrated by Nikki Dyson
GO TO SCHOOL, LITTLE MONSTER, by Helen Kettleman; illustrated Bonnie Leick

Reading Wednesdays

FAIRY TALES

It’s March and I’ve been reading for research. Look at the #libraryloot I’ve been hauling to the studio!

I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).

CINDERELLA SKELETON, by Robert D. San Souci; illustrated by David Catrow
ELEPHANT IN THE DARK, by Mina Javaherbin;illustrated by Eugene Yelchin
PRINCESA AND THE PEA, by Susan Middleton Elya; illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
FIONA’S LUCK, by Teresa Bateman; illustrated by Kelly Murphy

Reading Wednesdays

Neuro Diversity and acceptance:

Here are two books about acceptance. We all have differences, embrace them. I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).

Benny Doesn’t Like To Be Hugged, by Zetta Elliott and illus. by Purple Wong.

Nobody’s Perfect by David Elliot and illustrated by Sam Zuppardi.

I’m reading for research and I love #libraryloot !

NOBODY’S PERFECT, by David Elliot; illus. by Sam Zuppardi
Benny Doesn’t Like To Be Hugged, by Zetta Elliott (Author), illustrated by Purple Wong

Reading Wednesdays

Another big stack of #libraryloot I’ve been hauled to the studio! I’m reading for research. I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).

Fallingwater: The Building of Frank Lloyd Wright's Masterpiece, by Marc Harshman, Anna Egan Smucker, and LeUyen Pham
Sunday Funday in Koreatown, by Aram Kim
Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party, by James Dean and Kimberly Dean
Aliens Love DinoPants, by Claire Freedman and Ben Cortisones
The Fox on the Swing, by Evelina Daciutè and Aušra Kiudulaite
Eraser, by Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant
Brave Girl, by Michelle Markel and Melissa Sweet
XO, OX, by Adam Rex and Scott Campbell
The Knight Who Said “NO!”, by Lucy Rowland and Kate Hindley
Have You Seen my Trumpet? by Michaël Escoffier and Kris Di Giacomo
Keat’s Neighborhood: An Ezra Jack Keats Treasury, by Ezra Jack Keats
The Whatifs, by Emily Kilgore and Zoe Perisco
A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin, by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet
Sleep Tight, Charlie, by Michaël Escoffier and Kris Di Giacomo

Reading Wednesdays

February is Black History Month. The theme this year is “Black Health and Wellness”. What are you reading? This beautifully written and illustrated book is very inspiring. I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles and illustrated by Bryan Collier. “In a beautiful ode to generations of Black sacrifice, happiness, and love, a family tells the story that brought a young boy into being and emphasizes his inherent worth.”

American Library Association Notable Children’s Book of 2021 https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb

All Because You Matter, by Tami Charles and Bryan Collier

Reading Wednesdays

Merry Christmas and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I love learning about different cultures. There are many holidays at this time of year.

I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).

Our Favorite Day of the Year, by A. E. Ali and Rahele Jomepour Bell. “In this charming story of friendship and celebrating differences, young readers can discover how entering a new friendship with an open mind and sharing parts of yourself brings people together. And the calendar of holidays at the end of the book will delight children as they identify special events they can celebrate with friends throughout the year.”

Every year, my mom sends me a Jan Brett book for Christmas. We love her books. And Jan loves Christmas!

Here are some of Jan Brett’s author-illustrator books:

Home for Christmas
Gingerbread Friends
The Animal’s Santa
The Nutcracker
Gingerbread Christmas

Happy Hanukkah, Little Dreidel (Finger Puppet Board Book) by Brick Puffinton, Cottage Door Press and Juliana Motzko. “Mazel tov! It’s time to spin the dreidel! Hebrew school is in session for little dreidels everywhere, and they’re hard at work learning all the game rules and practicing their biggest and best spin moves.”

My Family Celebrates Kwanzaa by Lisa Bullard and Constanza Basaluzzo. “Kwanzaa traces its origins to the American Civil Rights era. Critical thinking questions and fast facts prompt young readers to engage with this fun narrative and learn all about Kwanzaa.”

Jaheem’s First Kwanza, by Zephaniah Martin and Bilal Karaca. “Jaheem learns the importance of honoring his cultural roots. He is introduced to Kwanzaa as a family tradition. African American families gather together to celebrate their culture and heritage.” Martin is just ten years old. His book was featured on the local news segment about the Midtown Global Market holiday event in December 2021. https://midtownglobalmarket.org/new-events/2021/12/26/first-day-of-kwanzaa-live-music-by-elliot-crafts-and-black-entrepreneurial-vendors

Under the Bodhi Tree: Story of Buddha, by Deborah Hopkinson and Kailey Whitman. “Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni) is said to have experienced enlightenment.”

Reading Wednesdays

Here is a link to librarians, Betsy Bird @fuseeight and Brian Wilson’s picks for their favorite books of 2021. Betsy and Brian work at the Evanston Public Libraries in Evanston, IL. Betsy also produces the A Fuse #8 Production blog for the School Library Journal.

https://www.epl.org/booklist/2021-favorite-picture-books-presentation-titles-from-betsy-and-brian/

My favorite from the list, so far is, MY FIRST DAY by Phúng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên. I love the sweeping landscape views. Huỳnh Kim Liên loves painting environments as much as I do. I love how the water is portrayed as a character in the book. Beautiful!

Reading Wednesdays

HOME IS IN BETWEEN, by Mitali Perkins; illustrated by Lavanya Naidu. What are you reading? I took a class from @vanessabrantleynewton and she recommended this book. I found this book touching and relatable. I used to be an ExPat (I lived overseas for a few years). I am also married to an ExPat/first-generation American. Homesickness is a very real thing. And feeling like you’re living in between two places is also very true. Though I’ve never been to Shanti’s homeland I felt much the same way when I lived abroad.

This is part of my reading-for-research series. Look at the #libraryloot I’ve been hauling to the studio!

I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).

Reading Wednesdays

HOW TO READ A BOOK by Kwame Alexander; illustrated by Melissa Sweet is one of the books I’m reading for research. Look at the #libraryloot I’ve been hauling to the studio!

I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).