Banned Books Week 2008

Celebrating the Freedom to Read is the theme of Banned Books Week 2008. This is a National week-long event from Sept. 27- October 2, 2008. The American Booksellers Association and the American Library Association (ALA) Office of Intellectual Freedom work in partnership to sponser the event. "Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to not only choose what we read, but also to select from a full array of possibilities-a right that is firmly rooted in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press."(Judith Krug, ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom)
In 2007, 420 books were challenged or banned, according to the ALA, and those are just the ones that have been reported. Celebrate YOUR freedom and YOUR constitutional right and and check out a Banned Book-see what all the controversy is for yourself.

The Wheatley School Book Club

If you are interested in joining The Wheatley School book club, stop in to the IMC. We plan on reading, of course, as well as exploring activities that will tie into the reading selected. This is YOUR club- no homework, no tests, just reading for the sheer pleasure of it, while learning along the way. We will have a table at the 8th grade club fair on the 23rd..stop by and sign up! ALL ARE WELCOME!

Weezie Bat

Read Weezie Bat by Francesco Lia Block yesterday (it is a very short book) and it made such a huge impression on me. The characters were all quite unusual and the story bounced back and forth between fantasty and reality. A free spirit living in LA, searching for love, finding it in the most unexected places, and realizing that love is all around. The author used her unique free association writing style quite effectively... I could not put the book down until I had read it straight through in one sitting. There are sequels, which I will certainly read. We have all the books in the library, so come on in and check them out. You will not be disappointed!

First Impressions

I could not be any happier than I have been the first few days at The Wheatley School. Students ,faculty,and staff have extended themselves to make me feel so welcome. New books are arriving in the library momentarily (I just checked the order status online) and I cannot wait to share them with you. If you have any book recommendations for the library please let me know... chances are great that if YOU liked it, so will your peers. As for my reading list, I am listening to In The Wood by Tara French, a contemporary mystery set in Ireland. I look forward to driving around so I can find out what unfolds. I am reading The Lords of Discipline for the second time, and I am as immersed in Pat Conroy's writing as I was the first time I read it. I have read all of his books, and he is one of my favorite authors. I am so impressed with his ability to layer complex human relationships within a tense and gripping plot.