The Daring Librarian

Sometimes I just want a trashy summer read.  Something light. Something sassy. A cozy coastal mystery. A true Beach Read. Nothing heavy. Not WWII. No cancer, no conflict, no causes.  No political or social commentary. Growing up outside DC I've had a lifetime of political. Don't get me wrong. I have passionate beliefs but when you have lived your life both inside and outside the beltway, see scandals and politicians come and go, and both parties sling mud -- AND you also teach Middle School? Enough..... You sometimes just want some mind candy. Something sweet. Summer reading is made for this. And since I've read almost all of Elin Hildebrand (some hits and some misses there), the Low Country boil series, Rosamunde Pilcher, Crazy Rich Asian series, all Charlaine Harris (natch), and of course my beloved Inspector Gamache (though he's more my winter binge) So, I needed some new suggestions. NOT YA. Love YA. I'm a YA Librarian for goodness sake! I al...

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...

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...

The Summer Reading List is Here! ( as seen on our MHMS Daring School Edublog ) View & Download the Middle School Summer Reading List   Thanks to our our A+ partner Librarians at the Howard County Library and two of our local HCPSS Middle School Teacher-Librarians we have created this Super Fun Reading List for all the kiddos in our district! (or the world!)  Visit our Howard County local Savage Branch Library & Hi Tech STEM Education Center this summer and FLIP over summer reading or flip over some amazing tech learning opportunities! Recommended Summer Reading Lists Middle School - #1 Most Awesome Teens 2017 2016 2015 Kindergarten – Grade 1 - Baby Squirts 2017 2016 2015 Grade 2 – 3 - Little Kiddos 2017 2016 2015 Grade 4 – 5 - Minions 2017 2016 2015 High School - Cool Kids 2017 2016 2015 Great Books for Grown-Ups! 2016 Black Eyed Susan Nominees 2017 2016 I Mustache You To Consider This Challeng...

(Warning: This blog post may load slowly because of all the embedded videos.  To hear the audio, click on the tiny speaker in the top left of each video) Every year I get excited to share with my kiddos our district & local library Summer Reading List (more about that below!) and to try and generate new ways to catch their interest in reading over the break. This year we decided to create video book trailers using the Vine App! Six second videos that loop with sound. No editing needed, just creativity! You Gotta ASK For It! When I originally had this idea, I got permission from my principal and then I emailed & called my district tech leaders Julie Wray @jwwray and Robert Cole @racolej  to see if I could actually do it. Unfortunately, the Vine App wasn't approved yet -sooooo I asked if it COULD be and then I had to scramble to adapt the idea using a flip camera. Luckily, Bob Cole pushed the Vine App through in about a week, and BAM!  We were back ...

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 ...

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...