MotherReader

To ease my highly disorganized mind, I’m always sure that I’ll establish a set pattern for posting that will actually make my life easier. You know, like Middle Grade Monday, Teen Tuesday, Wee Ones Wednesday (okay, I just made that one up this very second), and so on. It seems like it would be so much easier to be organized that way. With that system in place, I’d have a Shout-Out Sunday.

But I’m a free spirit and ultimately disorganized. I post about what I want, when I want. I forget stuff. I let books slip through the cracks. I don’t always follow through on things. I commented on a few posts that linked to this month’s Carnival, thanking them for the links. But I never got around to them all. So thanks to all who linked to the 11th Carnival of Children’s Literature, as well as to those who participated.

I made some changes to my blogroll, but I didn’t elaborate on a few changes that could have used a little elaboration. So let me say now that I’ve enjoyed Miss Erin’s blog for a while, but her interview with Yellow Star author Jennifer Roy really impressed me. Boom! On the blogroll. Robin Brande is the one author that I have neither met nor seen here as a frequent commenter, but she is on my blogroll now, based almost entirely on this comment to the Seven Impossible Things self-interview:

Thanks for interviewing yourselves! You’re right, it is nice to learn a little about the people behind the blogs. For example, I was convinced Eisha was a short, black woman. Don’t even ask me why. I had this whole wardrobe and hairstyle picked out for you and everything. Now I’ll have to recut all the paper dolls.

At the “recut all the paper dolls” line, I knew that Robin must be a best friend I just didn’t know yet. Kiddosphere has been running a nice blog actually affiliated with her public library in a system very close to my own. She fuels my dream that one day, not only will my library system acknowledge my existence, but will tap into my knowledge and let me blog for them.

I’d also like to draw attention to a blog that’s been on my blogroll for quite a while. If you haven’t visited A Wrung Sponge recently, I’d have you take a look. What makes her blog stand out is that she writes mostly about books with African and African-American themes and books featuring children of color. As a white mother having adopted two black boys, she is conscious of finding books that reflect their experience, educate them as to their history, and celebrate them in their culture. She’s separated out her adoption/family-type posts to another blog and has focused A Wrung Sponge on books and original poetry and photos. While I liked hearing about her family, I think focusing her blog makes her a stronger voice of diversity in the kidlitosphere.

To change the subject entirely, I’ll give a little personal update. My kitty cat who was so sick is doing fine. Very pleased about that. My kids had snow days from school that ended up rivaling their Christmas break for days spent home. Today we’re looking at a surprise snow that has a fair chance of closing school tomorrow. I’ve got to come up with something for these kids to do, because I’ve run out of ideas and stamina. Don’t be surprised if I let them run the blog tomorrow.