105 Ways to Give a Book

Looking Forward

It’s most definitely wrong to do a post looking forward when this week is all about wrapping up. But maybe it’s because I’m so submerged in wrapping-up activities that I can’t stand to write about it too. The school year is closing out... or dragging out, as seems a more appropriate phrasing. The last day is Thursday, and the teen has her big Geometry final tomorrow and the tween has her last day of literature circle on Wednesday. Wednesday! Nothing like squeezing in the last bits of learning into the overworked, summer-ready brains of these kids. Both girls are exhausted and more than ready for the summer break. Me, too.

I’m wrapping up the Girl Scout troop finances for the year — or would be if I could just get in the last registration checks from parents. I’m ready to send out 48 Hour Book Challenge prizes, if I can just find the packing tape. I’ve finished my mom’s surgical consultation, to find out how much can’t be done now. Closing the book on anything is frustrating today, so let’s talk about the future.

Not far in the future, mind you, but to the next weekend of American Library Association festivities. Ah, I can’t wait. I won’t be there for everything, but I have some great events marked off on my schedule. And the book signings! I can’t wait to bring my copies along and meet some of these fabulous authors and illustrators.

The high point for me will be the presentation I’m doing on Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. on Chidlren’s and Young Adult Book Blogs, with the idea being to share our incredible community with librarians. I’m working with Liz Burns and Travis Jonkers for a presentation that is going to be most excellent. Here’s the description:
Enhance collection development, keep current on trends and titles, and provide better readers’ advisory using the collective, valuable resource of book reviews, industry news, and author interviews of children’s and young adult literature blogs. Learn how to utilize this dynamic, online world of fiction and nonfiction, poetry and prose, picture books and teen titles, authors and illustrators, writing and reading, publishing insight and programming ideas.
Doesn’t that sound like something you’d want to attend? You betcha! Then I’ll probably hit the variety of book signings, spaced out with publisher booth visits. I have a list of the ones I’m going to try to make, but here are some highlights: (The ** mark denotes books I own; the * shows books that are being given away as ARCs.)
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
It’s difficult for me to even spend so much time on these book signings with the sessions I’ll be missing. I’m interested in the 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. session Notable Books for a Global Society Awards AASL and positively fascinated by the 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. session Not So Extreme Makeovers, which plans to “take a positive spin on those oft-depicted items in the library staff member’s closet — focusing on enhancement rather than change.” Love it. Of course there’s always the Sixth Annual Book Cart Drill Team Championship, as emceed by Jon Scieszka and Mo Willems.

That evening, I’ll be attending the Newbery/Caldecott Awards Banquet in the table-hopping vicinity of seventy KidLitosphere folk — bloggers and authors I’ve known online forever. Like all of the Blue Rose Girls, for example. So awesome.

I’m thinking that I’ll be bunking with someone on Sunday night so that I can make a day of it on Monday as well. There are some book signings to attend, but a lazier schedule which may allow me more time to visit. I would like to go to the ALSC Awards Presentation and Membership Meeting where they present the Batchelder, Carnegie, Geisel, and Sibert Awards. I don’t have a full pass that day, but can someone slip me in?

So who’s going? What are you most looking forward to? And most importantly, where will I find you?

Links to material on Amazon.com contained within this post may be affiliate links for the Amazon Associates program, for which this site may receive a referral fee.
Category: 7 comments

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

If an overly excited children's librarian rushes up to meet you at the end of your session, please don't be alarmed! I share a love of all things Mo, I have no idea how to go about blogging (shame on me), and I'm known on here as Pat from Ohio.

tanita✿davis said...

I so very much wanted to go to your presentation, but I'm booked that hour at a YALSA thing. Speed-dating, of all things (!?). I hope I see you, I have something for you. I'm at least going to try and be at Liz and Marla's signing, but I have a feeling I'm going to be lost nine-tenths of the time. Conventions and large buildings full of people are not good for the directionally dyslexic!

MotherReader said...

Pat, please rush up at the end of the session because it will make me seem Important. ;^) Looking forward to meeting you.

Tanita, we'll be sharing the Newbery/Caldecott KidLitosphere section. Save me (and Liz) a seat with you!

tanita✿davis said...

Oh, cool! Forgot about that. All right then. See you there!

Kristin said...

I'm glad that I'm not the only other one who has a schedule complete with booth numbers for ALA. I know that I'm planning on stopping by the Jessica Day George and Mitali Perkins signing that I see on your schedule. Hope to see you there!

Elaine Magliaro said...

Pam,

I hope I'll finally get to meet you at the Newbery/Caldecott Banquet. I'll probably be sporting a blue rose.

Barbara O'Connor said...

I was so glad to meet you at ALA! It's so funny to think that I want to call you MotherReader and not Pam. Thanks for coming by the booth!