Tiff4Tat

Annnnd, we have a winner!  The Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children Committee, which focuses on children’s and middle grade fiction, named an award-winning book for 2025! If you're in Boston, plan to attend the Children’s Book Award Luncheon on Saturday at 12:30 to hear the news or look for an announcement on this blog.  The 2024 winner , The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett ( Clarion Books ), is a middle grade novel. Kemi, an 11-year-old aspiring scientist who loves facts and stats, navigates grief and loss. Follow the link to see Honor and Recommended books to read or use in your classroom.  There are countless benefits to serve on a national book committee: camaraderie, shared passions, critical thinking, and (of course!) free books. As we dialogued and discussed our final 40 books (we read more than 1,000 over the course of the year), I was reminded of the qualities of a text and of the decisions teachers, librarians, and other educati...

I walked into the Westin Seaport in Boston on Wednesday and saw author Ruta Sepytys who was stepping off the elevator (I fangirled). At the bottom of the escalator, educator Penny Kittle was talking with a teacher.  Ruta Sepytys and me (NCTE, 2023) Columbus, Ohio These sightings are just an example of the humanity that exists within the National Council of Teachers of English ( NCTE ) organization. This year’s theme, Heart, Hope, and Humanity, is sure to capture all the greatness among English teachers.  Can’t be with us at the annual convention? Missed a session because you are double- triple- quadruple-booked (because there are so many amazing sessions?). Follow along this weekend for a recap of the sessions and events I will attend.  This is my 17th NCTE conference (and the second in Boston!). NCTE does many things for its members. The annual convention reminds me about three of those things: it opens doors, provides access, and makes available great minds and heart...