franki22

NCAA Bracket

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.

I prefer March Book Madness to March Madness but I do enjoy filling out brackets to see how I do. I know pretty much nothing about college basketball although I have had years where I watch neary every game in the tournament and those years, I do get to know a lot about teams, players, coaches, etc.

My husband takes the NCAA bracket choices VERY seriously. Data, Numbers, Decisions. etc. It might be his favorite time of year.

I fill out the bracket because it makes watching the games far more fun. And I’m not competitive so I could care less if I win and if I discover I love a team that is winning with some upsets, I would rather they win than get more points on my own bracket. But I have won once or twice(much to everyone’s surpise–especially my own!)

I like to have fun with it. And I did have a little fun with filling them out this year. So, for non-sports fans, I thought I’d share some new things I am trying this year. I filled out 4 brackets. 2 for a charity I care about and 2 with groups of people I know. For the last 2, I decided I needed to have some fun, so I tried 2 things. I filled out Round 1 games of the one bracket by comparing mascots. It took a little more time than I thought, looking up each mascot and choosing the one I liked best. It was kind of fun getting to learn about some of the more unique mascots (as well as some that need a redo..).

For my last bracket, for Round 1 games, I picked the team that had the most letters in common with my first name. When there was a tie, I just picked based on the order of the letters, etc. You’ll not be surprised to know that in that bracket, I have Florida for the win.

Feel free to use any of my strategies for your own bracket (you have until noon today I think). I have no expectation of winning but having the brackets does make watching the tournament a bit more fun. I enjoy the games and the upsets and the stories of the players etc. And this year, these were some fun ways to go about the brackets even though my husband (who takes this very seriously) was not as amused as I was.

Slice of Life-Not a Crafter

I am not a crafter. But I do like to craft. I have never found anything that I like to craft enough to keep at it or to get much better at it. Sure, a little crochet and a little weaving for a bit but nothing long term.

I’ve been trying to pay attention to times in the day where I feel calm and relaxed. I read a post the other day on paying attention to when in the day there is delight. And oddly enough, I noticed this feeling the other day when I was finishing up a craft project my daughter was working on.

In our new business, there is some prep into set up each week. We like to put out new materials, tools and props for children who come to our space. My wonderful, artistic daughter offered to make a few things that we need for some upcoming events. I watched for a while but couldn’t do much to contribute. However, I was able to help by putting the top coat on all of the wood pieces she painted. And while I was doing this, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the process. It was a clear coat so not much to it but I enjoyed the process.

I notice this often as I prep things for children (like collage paper that needed cut this week) or as I bake cookies (which I don’t do often enough).

I’ve learned and I am always reminded (as I was a few times this week) that I don’t have to be a crafter in order to create and enjoy the creative process. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll stick to something but for now I enjoy these small projects.

Slice of Life-Books that Stay with Me

It is very common for me to finish a book and then forget the details (and sometimes even the main plot) a few weeks after I’ve finished. I enjoy these books but nothing about them is powerful enough to stay with me. Then there are the books whose characters stay with me forever.

Lately, I find myself thinking back to a few picture books as I watch the news. Books that were so powerful, they have stuck with me for years. Sadly, I did not learn much history in school and did not love it as a young adult. But then as I collected books for my classroom library as an elementary teacher and school librarian, I learned so much from the picture books I read. It is interesting the ways picture books can build background knowledge, even at my age. I could learn just enough to learn what I didn’t know that I needed to learn and then I can move beyond that and dig deeper. Two picture books have been taking up lots of my thinking lately because they were powerful learning for me and they are very timeline today.

I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story by Martha Brockenbrough and Grace Lin is a story about the Supreme Court case that solidified birthright citizenship. This decision has guaranteed birthright citizenship since 1898.

All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel tells the story of Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins and her participation in the Capital Crawl when she was eight years old. This event was a critical step toward the American with Disabilities Act. Keelan-Chaffins has spent her life advocating for disability rights.

The third book that has been popping into my thoughts more often than usual is The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation by Anna Malaika Tubbs. It is not a picture book but it is one of the books that helped me understand so much history that I had not learned. I listened to the audio book and it was incredible. (I noticed that Anna Malaika Tubbs has a new book coming out in May–which I will sure preorder!)

So today, in the midst of all that is happening in our country, I am so grateful for these authors who write these important stories that have stuck with me over time. Each one helped me begin to understand history and how so many people have fought over centuries for things that we take for granted now.

Getting More Involved

I committed to a bit more involvement in local, state and national issues this year. It is so overwhelming–so many things I care about that I feel I should get involved in. So, I tried to narrow things down and one area I want to focus my work in is women’s issues. So, this week, I attended an event by the Matriots of Ohio. The website describes this group as “a nonprofit, values-based organization dedicated to advancing women’s equal participation in all aspects of political life.” The event was part of a speaker series and the topic of this panel was “Her Money Talks”.

It was interesting content and I learned a lot. But I also realized that being part of things in person also matters. You meet people, and even if it’s for a minute, it’s worthwhile.

I read Sharon Brous’s The Amen Effect last year (highly recommend) and she talks about the importance of showing up for people. I have been thinking about that a lot. Who do I show up for? What causes do I show up for? What organizations do I support by showing up.

Part of being more involved for me is to educate myself, support organizations and people I care about and do things in community. I want to show up more for community organizations that I align with. This panel was educational and I also got to meet a few local people because the setting was set up for that to happen. It was a good way to spend the first hour or two of my morning. I will try to be intentional to showing up, not just for people but for issues and organizations I care about.

A Little Tattoo

I turned 60 last year and I have never been anti-tattoo but I’ve never had an idea for a tattoo that I liked well enough to do it. But with the state of the world as it is and my need to remind myself of my grounding, I got my first little tattoo this week.

Testa Tosta–a name I was called often by my grandfather and my father. For as long as I can remember. Testa Tosta is Calabrese (Italian from Calabria) term for “hard head” but I checked it out and there is some depth to it. Someone who sticks to what they believe, etc. I don’t remember Testa Tosta being in any way a negative word–it was just a statement, about who I was, said with love (and maybe a bit of frustration now and then:-).

So I got a very small tattoo on my arm. It reminds me of a lot–my dad, my grandfather, my Italian immigrant roots, that I can be a person who stands up for things and stays true to them and that stubbornness can be an asset when used right. I need this reminder these days when I miss all of the family members who have died over the decade, when immigrants are being treated horribly, when there is so much to fight for.

So, here it is:-)

My Life as a Binge-Reader

I sat down to read a book I’d been excited about the other day but I couldn’t get into it and I didn’t have hours to read so I just quit. I do this often lately. I am not sure what’s happened but my reading habits have changed in a way that I don’t love. I have always loved being immersed in a book and living with the characters for a week or two. I’ve been reading books for as long as I can remember and I clearly remember living alongside Nancy Drew, Betsy, Harriet and others throughout my childhood. I loved reading a bit each night before bedtime so that the story lived with me until I could get back to it. And that continued until just a couple years ago.

Over the last few years, something has changed. I have become a kind of binge reader. I want to read for hours at a time–read a whole book on a weekend–or not start a book at all. And it makes no sense.

Over the last several years, I have read a lot-pretty much the same number of books as always-but I can’t say I am always reading something. It is something new I’ve just realized and I don’t like it. I like living my days in the midst of a story that I’ll get back to each day. I’m not sure what happened. It has been a slow process and I am just now realizing how much I miss always having a book and lingering with a book rather than rushing through.

I have started so many books over the last months, books I just didn’t have hours to read at one time. So, I just quit. That is not who I am (or who I want to be) as a reader. I am not sure when this speed-reading goal came about but I am going to work at getting back to it. It will probably mean putting down my phone at bedtime, finding different times during the day to read and being okay with reading a few pages at a time. I like a good binge read once in a while but I don’t want binge reading to be my whole reading life. We’ll see how it goes.

An Alternative to Doomscrolling

I admit that I am spending far too much time reading the news these days. I haven’t figured out if it’s better to keep up all day or waiting to then get a huge shock with all that’s happened later in the day. Regardless, I am spending lots of time on social media where I have found many great independent reporters.

But I have also discovered a new account that I am in love with. Tocarra Elise (@tocarraelise) is a writer, comedian and “Certified Kid Lit Enthusiast”. I am not sure how I happened upon her but I am so glad I did. Her reels are a great break from the miserable news I read all day. A little break of sunshine and joy.

Tocarra reviews books with a uniqueness I have not seen anywhere else. Her reviews are brilliant and fun and truly capture the essence of each book. Even though I know so many of the books she reviews, I love her take on them. And I am in love with her presentation style. I am so happy every time I see a new book review in my feed. (One of my favorite reviews is Chrysanthemum but there are so many I love!)

Her reviews are happy to watch but they’d also be great mentors for our students.

Find her on Instagram and enjoy!

Slice of Life: Goodbye Amazon

So, it’s been 43 days since I bought anything from Amazon, Target or Walmart. Target and Walmart have been easy. I don’t tend to rely on them. But, Amazon. That’s a diffeent story. If you know me, you know for the last lots of years, the Amazon truck came to our house at least once a day delivering things I had ordered. So, saying goodbye to Amazon has been a bit of a lifestyle change.

I decided to boycott Amazon (along with lots of the world) soon after the inauguration. I believe in the collective power of people and I knew that changing my shopping habits was a thing I could and should do.

Not buying books on Amazon has been easy. We are lucky in Columbus to have many, many independent bookstores and I visit those frequently anyway. I have learned that I can wait a few days for a book–who knew? And I enjoy the excuse of a book pick up to visit the local bookstores. We also have a fabulous library system in Columbus and I can get nearly any book I want to read.

But it was the other things that I realized I came to rely on Amazon for that have been a challenge. I think it was a slow process, my Amazon shopping—as it’s been for many of us. I bought some things, then during the pandemic, I started buying all the things. I stopped going to local stores because I could order things late at night and they’d arrive at my doorstep by 7 am the next day. Convenience was the draw.

Yes, it takes a bit more planning to get the things I buy. Like where did we ever get computer ink before we started getting it from Amazon? But over the last 43days, I’ve realized that I’ve missed going out and about, to local stores, on a regular basis. And I don’t really need something coming to the door every day. The number of boxes alone were overwhelming and I don’t miss that. I don’t mind paying a bit more for a book when I am supporting local bookstores that I love. It is almost less stressful to plan ahead than to have so many things at my fingertips. I am not sure how to explain it but it is a bit freeing—the inability to have the convenience that Amazon provides.

Yes, I got rid of Kindle Unlimited and Audible. (I have been an Audible subscriber since 2012…) I unsubscribed to Amazon emails. I moved from Goodreads to Storygraph. I have loved Goodreads over the years but it is a very easy sacrifice to make and I am happy to support Storygraph. Unfortunately, my Prime membership renewed in early January so I couldn’t cancel that–although I will not be using it.

Halting Amazon purchases was my first step to really thinking hard about how I spend my money, who I support and what I can do during these horrible times. Shopping local is great fun and apps like Goods Unite Us have helped me research larger companies so that I can decide which ones I want to support.

And if you need a little more support to say goodbye to Amazon, Emily Amick has a good piece on her Substack.

This is one small part of what I am doing these days. It is easier than I thought it would be. It has actually been a good thing, realizing how capitalism has such a hold on us all. If I can do it, you can do it. Highly recommend.

*I am no longer posting to Twitter but you can find me at Bluesky @frankisibberson.bsky.social–if you haven’t joined Bluesky, now is a good time!

Dear Bookstore by Emily Arrow

Some of our favorite family memories are visits to bookstores. It is something we’ve done together since my children were very little and it is something we still enjoy!

I seem to be a collector of books about books and reading. There are so many great books that capture our love of books and many of these help start great conversations with elementary readers as they begin to build their identity as readers.

Dear Bookstore by Emily Arrow and illustrated by Geneviève Godbout is a new favorite in my collection of books about books and reading! I am a long-time Emily Arrow fan so I was thrilled when I saw she had a new picture book out-the fact that it is about books and bookstores makes it even better.

The simple book does an incredible job of capturing the joy of bookstores as we follow a reader from her very first visit! I can only imagine the kinds of memories and conversations this book might ignite in classrooms.

The illustrations are unique and magical. I love the author’s note from Emily Arrow–about her visit ot Parnassus Books (a bookstore I am dying to visit because who doesn’t love Ann Patchett!?) . Both the author and the illustrator dedicated the book to bookstores and booksellers.

And of course, Emily Arrow has a “Dear Bookstore” song🙂 A great companion to the book!

In this time of reading mandates, book censorship and more, this book came at the perfect time. A reminder of the importance of our indie bookstores and the magic inside.

A Book to Pre-Order Today!

“Created by real-life rivals and #1 New York Times bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft this hilarious illustrated story features two talented fifth graders going head-to-head in a competition for the ages.” (From Hachette Book Group)

I have never been a fan of bloggers recommending books that I can’t buy yet! But I couldn’t wait to share this one with you and I know Barnes and Noble has their PREORDER25 code active now for ordering preorders. So I highly encourage you to go to your local independent bookstore or to Barnes and Noble to preorder this book today! (I could write a whole post on this being a great time to be very INTENTIONAL about where you are spending your money, but that is for another day.)

So, I finished J vs. K by Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft this week! I picked up an ARC at NCTE’s annual convention –it was the one book I really hoped I could get before the publication date because it looked so fabulous. It definitely met and exceeded all of my expectations and I can’t wait to share this one with kids and teachers.

I love everything about this book! First of all, the characters are both fabulous. Both main characters are 5th graders. K is an incredible writer and J is an incredible artist. Both use these skills for storytelling and their classmates love their stories (words and pictures.). As a literacy teacher, how could we not love characters whose passion is to tell stories!? The characters are also kind and funny and most of all, genuine. There are features throughout the story where the authors talk to us and where the healthy competition by the authors is mirrored by the actions/words of the characters.

I also love the plot. There is a big storytelling contest at the school and it is a BIG DEAL. The whole school is getting ready and even though no 5th grader has ever won, both J and K are certain they can win. Threaded through this is a theme of friendship.

The format of the book is great. Lots of text and lots of visuals throughout. There are some fun features that focus on vocabulary, some back-and-forth between the authors and font changes throughout.

Every detail of this book is intentional–from the Dear Reader to the Author/Illustrator(Not Illustrator) bios.

Kids are going to love this book. Teachers and parents will love it too. It is a great story full of humor and it seems like it might be the first in a series! For fans who already love Kwame Alexander or Jerry Kraft, they will be thrilled to see this author pair coming together to create something. For readers who have not yet discovered these authors, I am sure they will go on to read more of their books.

The book comes out May 6. But I recommend preordering it today!