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| Read more slices TWO WRITING TEACHERS |
This past week I watched the ALA Youth Media Awards for the first time. I cannot put into words my excitement and my feelings from that morning.
Since then, I have reflected on how my reading life has changed. I have always been a reader, but I don't think I was an "engaged" reader until I started blogging and reading about books. The books I read were usually not ones that were recently published, but ones found in the Scholastic Book order or on the shelves in our library...and they certainly were hardly ever hardback. It wasn't until the past six months when I started listening in on the buzz about the Newbery Award contenders or bought newly published books - yes in hardback - that my reading life changed - for the better! I became a different kind of reader.
I have struggled writing this post. I have revised and revised, but it just wasn't turning out the way I wanted.
How do you put into words the profound way my reading life has changed in such a short amount of time?
How do you remember all the people in the blogging world that have influenced my reading life since I started reading blogs and writing on my own?
So, I will use Cindy Minnich's words from a tweet on #titletalk the night before the awards.
It is because of those celebrations all year long that my reading life has become so much richer.
Yes, that's what they do! And I am so thankful for it! I can't wait to see what you share in 2014! My credit card is ready!
Your radar is heightened by reading blogs as they introduce books into lives. I, too, am grateful for all the bloggers who share titles all year.
ReplyDeleteLove Cindy's sentiment - so true! We are enriched by the reading lives we encourage in our kids!
ReplyDeleteLeigh Anne, I never thought about being an engaged reader. Thanks for the food for thought.
ReplyDeleteBernadette
I feel as you do. I never knew about these great books until they were in stores or on the Scholastic book orders. And as a result very few were hardback. Blogging and reading blogs has made a huge difference in my awareness of books and my engagement in the community of books. Thanks for expressing this for me! You did it well.
ReplyDeleteThis slice is a great one for students to hear, to show that adults grow as readers too, also to show how much others can help and encourage us to reach out to new books and reading challenges. I'd like to mention that for the past three years (since I started blogging) many books on our library orders have come from the recommendations of bloggers. I also bought my first kindle book One and Only Ivan because I couldn't wait for shipping after reading recommendations from blogs. I am very sad that I can't simply walk to a bookstore to buy great books when they are out. Or maybe it is a good thing, who knows what it would do to my wallet.
ReplyDeleteCindy's words are perfect. Hooray for you, Leigh Anne, for sharing your passion for reading and writing!
ReplyDeleteYou said it perfectly, Leigh Anne. Our community is all the wiser because of each other, in our lives, too, and that includes our reading lives.
ReplyDeleteI love reading blogs about books and reading. I just wish that publishers would make middle and high school interest level books with lower reading level. My ESL students love great books as well! You have realized the importance of being an engaged reader! I look forward reading more about your reading journey this year!
ReplyDeleteWe completely agree! and we love that you shared your writing struggles on the page --we all need to do that more often. Thanks for sticking with it --love the post.
ReplyDeleteClare and Tammy
Yes! My reading life has gotten deeper and richer (and my wallet thinner) since I started blogging and connecting with other readers.
ReplyDeleteI totally get it. I never knew about the great books until they were in stores or until I got a glimpse of the NYTimes best sellers list!! I too used to depend on Scholastic as my reference! This ONLINE PLN is the best! Thanks for expressing what so many of us have been thinking!
ReplyDeleteGlad I could be part of your post! I know that Twitter completely changed my life as a reader. I definitely read and read and read before, but the celebration factor increased exponentially when I made friends with the reading rock stars I met there. Glad to see it's done the same for you. :)
ReplyDeleteHuzzah, huzzah!
ReplyDeleteVery thought provoking...engaged reader...I like that. I have always loved reading and writing. Yet I wish I could turn back time so that I could have had mentors who were real readers and writers to encourage me toward a richer life of reading. I don't recall being aware of Caldecott or Newberry when I was in school, or having any real guidance in finding books I would love that would enrich my reading life. I feel like so much time went by before I really tried to write. I am just glad that the books will always be there, so even now I can expand my horizons and keep growing.
ReplyDeleteWe joke at my house that we should own stock in Amazon. Like you, I get so many good ideas from reading blogs and Twitter and being on Goodreads. I wish I could read everything I want to read. That's one of the nice things about getting book ideas from others. I feel like I never read a bad book anymore. I watched the ALAs for the first time this year too. We had a 2 hour delay, so I was free to watch. It was very exciting!
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