The Daring Librarian

The Summer Reading List is Here! Where does the time fly? I can't believe it's that time of year again! Time to share our Summer Reading List with you! It's my 27th year in HCPSS and 22nd year here at Murray Hill Middle School! W00t! A lot of things have changed but some thing stay the same. Like still LOVING to read. Every day. Especially, in the Summer time! There's nothing better to sit outside, on the beach, under an umbrella, or in a screened in porch and just read. For hours and hours! Where do you like to read? Any verified official Murray Hill kid who answers that in the comments will get a surprise next year! Sorry, Svetlana in Vladivostok, you are not eligible to win, but I still appreciate you reading this blog!   We Invite you to view & download the Middle School Summer Reading List Jpeg Page 1 and Page 2 or 2019SR_MSfinal- PDF  Thanks to our our A+ partner Librarians at the Howard County Library and two of our local HCPSS Middle S...

This is not something new. Our School Library has always been a safe space for kiddos of all kinds. Our wonderful Middle School community is a rich tapestry of many woven threads, rich colors, diverse backgrounds, orientations, expressions, many abilities and kids from many lands speaking many languages. Laurel, Maryland is right smack dab between Washington DC and Baltimore - it's like our school has always been a mini United Nations. I love that about us! And our School Library has always enjoyed being a draw and a safe landing spot for kids who are quirky, nerdy, bookish, geeky, techie, queer, gay, trans, wordy, dramatic, creative, alternative, and cool. That's why I thought it was important and reassuring to have a sign that proclaimed that we are a Safe Space or a Safe Zone right on our front doors and right by our check out desk! What is a Safe Space? According to the Safe Space Network, “A Safe Space is a place where anyone can relax and be able to fully express...

The Summer Reading List is Here!  I can't believe it's that time of year again! Time to share our Summer Reading List with you. View & Download the  Middle School Summer Reading List Slideshare PDF or the original PDF (please forgive their use of Comic Sans, they know not what they do! See my shameful confession at the very end if you're curious)   Here's my PDF without Comic Sans - you can Download it on Slideshare.  Thanks to two of our HCPSS Middle School Librarians @ hcpsslibmed and our A+ partner  @ HoCo_Library   Librarians who have joined together to create this Super Fun Reading List for all the kiddos in our district! (or the world!) Recommended Summer Reading Lists for the Whole Family! Kindergarten – Grade 1 2018 2017 2016 Grade 2 – 3 2018 2017 2016 Grade 4 – 5 2018 2017 2016 Middle School 2018 2017 2016 High School 2018 2017 2016 Black Eyed Susan Nominees 2018 201...

This post is a jam-packed mélange of summer reading and literacy ideas, my hometown library of the year, big thanks, and a few shared guilty pleasures! I'm checking the Kindle Daily deals ...well, daily and loading up my Kindle App with books! That's right it's #SummerReading time!   Every year our Howard County school district summer reading list is compiled by Teacher Librarians and HoCo public librarians, and is jam packed with great recommendations! You can download the PDF below & and check out the Middle School List:  “Groundbreaking Reads!” 2013 MS Summer Reading List Final_with graphics Here’s the Grownup Summer Reading List for Parents & Teachers! 2013 Adult Summer Reading ListFINAL You can also visit my Summer Reading Wiki to see the lists from years past. For more #SummerReading sharing follow the Twitter hashtag, check out the Google Doc , and discover the Nerdy Book Club ! Top 10 Literacy Activities for the Summer   Check out these ...

You're looking at the proud smiling faces of a middle school Game App designer. Howard County Middle School students Tekye (and family friend to MHMS) and our own MHMS 8th grader Lasya, participated in an exciting program called HiTech - wherein they helped to create a super cool APP Game called Escape from Detention . And by the way, it's NOT EASY! It somehow reminds me of Frogger Get a peek at the game with this YouTube video! Here's a few screenshots I grabbed off my iPad to give you an idea what it looks like! From an email from Tekye's proud mom, friend Catina (and former MHMS English teacher!) "The new game offers a variety of break out scenarios at escalating levels of complexity. Download the (free) game and try your hand at “springing” the student from captivity while avoiding myriad pitfalls. Escape is available for iPhones , iPads , and Android systems. I am so very proud of the work completed by the teenagers and the HiTech team that I ...

Mirrored & adapted from my MHMS Daring School Library Blog Keep Reading: Summer Reading for Kids, Librarians, & GAMERS! I love loaning my adorable kids (my students) over to my local public library for the summer. We're A+ partners and they love my kids, too! Of course not as much as *I* do but pretty close! We just had a representative from our Howard County Savage Branch Library come out to talk to our 6th graders - I set her up in our MHTV Studio & videotaped it (yes, w/a VHS! Our distribution center is still analog) We did the first show LIVE, with a presentation of the HoCo Summer Reading game and 2 booktalks with my 2 amazing media helpers Desiree & Chyna! And then we put the tape into the distribution center so that the English Teachers could call up & start the video at any time to show their classes! Every year I promote to our kids the Summer Reading Lists to the kids in several way. What is cool is that the lists are created collaboratively between...