Monday, December 31, 2012

Nonfiction Monday: City Critters: Wildlife in the urban jungle by Nicholas Read

This new book is by the co-author of The Salmon Bears and The Sea Wolves, both awesome nonfiction books about the amazing wildlife of the Great Bear Rainforest. As you can tell from the title, this book is a little more urban.

Each chapter looks at a different type of animal and shows which species have evolved to live in an urban setting. We see animals that everyone thinks of like rats, raccoons, pigeons, cockroaches, butterflies, and seagulls and some that might be surprising; cougars, moose, sea lions, alligators, and herons.

The final chapter discusses what people can do to help the wildlife in their urban area. There is also a glossary, resources, and index. Each chapter, in addition to the main text, includes lots of photographs and insets with additional information about the various animals, scientific information, and stories about animals in urban settings.

I found the final chapter to be somewhat disorganized. The author is obviously passionate about wildlife and concerned about humans encroaching on their environment, but the chapter seems to jump around a lot and some things, like feeding hummingbirds in the winter and not the spring, aren't explained.

Verdict: Other than my minor quibbles with the final chapter, this is a really good overview of urban wildlife in North America. It's a fascinating read for both children and adults and with the interesting, brisk pace of the text, lots of photographs, and clear, simple glossary this will be a favorite for animal lovers and kids looking for a subject for reports. I'm really kicking myself that I didn't get around to reading it until it was too late to nominate for Cybils!

ISBN: 9781554693948; Published 2012 by Orca; Borrowed from another library in our consortium; Added to the library's order list

Saturday, December 29, 2012

This week at the library; or, Goodbye 2012, I will not miss you

Random Commentary
  • End of year thoughts - 2012 was busy and I did a lot of good stuff, but ultimately it was a year I could have lived without. Not as horrible as 2011, but it could definitely have been improved. As I read back through the year for my yearly report, I remember how horribly busy the winter/spring was. Things are still busy, but I've scaled back a lot and gotten more realistic about what I have time to do.
  • Thinking over 2013, I have some things I'd like to do - winter reading program, after school science club, convince our director to hire a part-time marketing person (please, please, please), expand outreach (although that may not happen due to time constraints), and while I have a really good line-up for We Explore for the winter/spring, I will need to do a lot of work to keep the momentum going through the summer and fall, since that's when I'll need to start inviting people back for repeat visits. 
  • I have some grants I'd like to apply for, ALA Midwinter and Annual to attend, decisions to make on committee work in the future - do I really have time? and the excitement of seeing if any of my bulbs come up, or if the squirrels really did eat them all. I'll be working more with our cataloger to do some teen programming, maybe even try starting a TAB again (although she definitely needs to be full-time before we try to have her do anything like that) and several minor shifting projects as well as some little changes to make the children's area more early literacy and family-friendly.
  • I'm looking forward to seeing how the system changes, since our youth services coordinator is leaving and they will be hiring a contract person for 200 hours a year in her place. I have some connections with neighboring ys librarians and I'd like to see what collaborations we can come up with, although that's always a stretch for those who have even more limited time than myself (and..uh..challenging directors). I'm making a few minor changes to the summer reading program, mostly adding a super readers club for ages 6-12, and I'm planning to do a summer reading program for the daycares which will take a lot of organizing. I'd like to get our summer reading numbers up. Right now we're at about 500, which is approximately 1/3 of the elementary age population and I'd like to get that up to half at some point in the future. I can totally do it, I just have to find the right combination of incentives and marketing. I'll have a bigger budget next year, so more collection development, some serious weeding in the teen and juvenile nonfiction areas.
  • Blogging of course! and next fall there will be Cybils. I usually have posts written way ahead, but this fall has been so insanely busy that I only have a couple posts prepared for 2013, mostly nonfiction for Mondays. I'll be doing some intense reading to clear off my to be read shelves and fill up the schedule for the blog, plus there will be awesome new books at ALA to be excited about. I've thought a lot of about career choices in the past few weeks and while I would really love to end up in the Puget Sound area some day, for now I am really satisfied with my job here. As you can see, there is so much to do and try and I feel like I have a better handle on what I'm doing than in the past four years. There are still lots of changes to make and always ways to improve, but I am very optimistic about the future.
  • A short week, since we were only open Wed. - Sat. Of course, that means the shelving was crazy, people racing in to grab stuff before we closed for the next holiday, and the usual grumpy old men complaining about us getting holidays. Last year some jerk was ranting about us all getting 80K (which is ridiculous and our salaries are public so it's not like it's a secret) and going on Hawaii to vacation - to the staff member who came in on her own time over the holidays to empty the book drops and had been at work since 7am that morning. People. Sheesh.
  • More publicity and got a start on program planning. This is a pretty short break, so I don't expect to get everything planned until the next break, but I have to at least know what art projects and crafts I'm doing to I can order supplies and set the budget.
  • Sorrow and Despair - I reached the E's in the lexile suggestion list I am making for 1000+ levels and discovered that Scholastic doesn't let you browse more than 1500 titles. So I have to download the rest in an Excel file, then enter each title back into Reading Counts to get the points, into our library catalog to see if we have it, and add it to the list in the format I'm using. Hate and Rage.
Approximate hours this week
  • Wednesday, 8:45-5
  • Thursday, 9:30-5:00
  • Friday, 8:45-1:15
  • Saturday, 9:40-2

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Stripes and Spots by Dahlov Ipcar

I noticed a reprint of this title had been published and liked the cover, so I thought I'd look up the original. It's a really lovely book and one of those vintage titles that will still attract children today, even though it's a bit long for current picture book standards.

"Once there was a tiger, a little striped tiger. He was striped with stripes, beautiful black and gold stripes, from the top of his head to the tip of his tail." Thus begins the story of a tiger and a leopard cub and their adventures as they search for something striped and something spotted to eat. Happily, by the end of the story they both find something to eat - their mothers' warm, white milk. "Some things have stripes, and some things have spots, and some things are plain, but if they're good to eat, I don't care." says the little tiger, curling up for a lullaby.

The pictures are rich greens and browns, with the orange tiger and leopard stalking through the fantastic landscapes. There are thick black lines and touches of more orange in butterflies, flowers, and pools. The story reminded me of the cheerful briskness and satisfying rhythm of a classic Golden Book.

Verdict: Not many books, especially picture books, stand up to the passage of time but I think this one will make a fun storytime readaloud and be enjoyed by parents and children. Definitely purchasing the new edition.

(reprint edition) ISBN: 978-1934031704; Reprinted May 2012 by Islandport Press; Borrowed an original edition via inter-library loan; Purchased reprint edition.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Nonfiction Monday: Create with Maisy by Lucy Cousins

I've looked at a lot of craft books for preschoolers, but they're always directed towards adults. This is the first one - the first really excellent one - that speaks directly to small children and their delight in making things.

A brief note from Lucy Cousins reminds grown-ups to use safe materials and that it's ok to change the crafts a little and then the crafts begin. There are simple instructions to make a beaded butterfly, cardboard house, painted tree, seed collage, vegetable prints, pencil holder, painted rocks, mask, paper lanterns, tissue paper flowers, vegetable people, clay bowl, pasta necklace, crown, wax painting, collage tiger, and finally decorating cookies.

Each craft has a list of supplies and simple instructions in large, clear text. Brightly colored paintings and photography show the creations and Maisy's cheerful enthusiasm in creating them. A final spread has a picture of each craft. There aren't detailed pictures of how to create the projects, but these are so simple it's really not needed. It's easy to see from the picture and instructions how to do the project.

Verdict: This will be a favorite not only with preschoolers but also up to second grade, with children who want to do crafts all on their own. The projects are simple and easily duplicated and changed depending on the materials at hand and the child's imagination. Highly recommended, this will fill a gap in many collections.

ISBN: 9780763661229; Published 2012 by Candlewick; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Added to my order wishlist

Saturday, December 22, 2012

This week at the library; or, Careening towards a new year

Random Commentary
  • No programs this week. I am working on publicity, collection development, planning storytimes and programs, and my backlist of projects, including a lexile recommendation list, displays, series weeding, magazines, and additional marketing.
  • I am also having an existential crisis about my life and my job. Because life was not stressful enough. Hamster brain! Why are you asking me about tax forms when I am having an existential crisis? Why?
  • According to a dissatisfied patron, I live and work in "hillbilly hell." I find this hilarious.
  • Existential crisis mostly over and I am Zen Librarian again.
  • Pretty hefty snowstorm Thursday. We did not close of course - neither rain, nor snow, nor hail, nor sleet...but I send our cataloger home early and then our director sent me off early. Made it home through the first snowstorm of the year past many a ditched car...and then the library closed at 6:30 because they lost power!
  • Our total attendance for the year is 11,383. This is pretty good, considering that the first year I came it was about 3,000 and almost all of that was Pattie.
Approximate hours this week
  • Monday, 11:45 - 8:00
  • Tuesday, 8:30 - 4:30
  • Wednesday, 9-5
  • Thursday, 9:30-4:45
  • Friday, staff holiday breakfast at 7am, worked until closing at 6
The Year In Review!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Melonhead and the Vegalicious Disaster by Katy Kelly, illustrated by Gillian Johnson

This is the third Melonhead story, following Melonhead and Melonhead and the Big Stink. Melonhead (Adam) is getting ready for the fifth grade and there are a lot changes in the air. Lucy Rose and Jonique, Sam and Melonhead are still best friends, but Melonhead's mom has decided it's time for them all to eat a healthier diet and more vegetables. She's also decided that Lucy Rose is a bad influence on Melonhead and he should spend less time with her. The new friend she's chosen for him is Pip, a new girl at school. Pip has her own problems, especially with the tough new teacher who babies her because she's in a wheelchair. Then things get even worse when Melonhead accidentally hurts Lucy Rose's feelings and his "solution" for his mom's vegetable creations makes a big stink - literally.

I love Melonhead so much, but I can't help but think that this one missed the boat. Now, I may be jaded because it was only a few weeks ago that we had to call the police in to deal with some kids fighting, (the ones trying to strangle each other - literally - were 11 and 12, but half the kids watching (and taking pics on their cellphones) were 5th grade or younger), but Melonhead and the whole plot feels very young for fifth grade. I was also disappointed that a lot of Melonhead's personality and character; his love of inventions, his curiosity and interest in the world, is gone. This story is mostly about Melonhead trying to navigate more complicated friendships and family relationships, which would make for a more mature story, except the humor and main plot point, the vegetables, is so juvenile. On the other hand, kids that age do swing back and forth between behavior that would be infantile for a kindergartener and maturity that would make a 40 year old look naive.

Verdict: Well, in the final verdict I'm not totally happy with the book, but I'm not sorry I bought it. I think a lot of 3rd and 4th graders will still enjoy the story, but I don't see Melonhead moving on to an older audience and I would have preferred more stories specifically for the same younger age group that the previous titles aimed at.

ISBN: 9780385741644; Published 2012 by Delacorte/Random House; Review copy provided by publisher; Purchased for the library

Monday, December 17, 2012

Nonfiction Monday: Small and tall tales of extinct animals by Helene Rajcak and Damien Laverdunt

Twenty-seven extinct (or nearly so) animals are presented in this oversized book. They range from the prehistoric to the modern and across the map from the Americas to Oceania. Each full page spread presents a six-panel cartoon strip telling a legend, story, or conversation between the animals on the right and a large illustration of the animal and further information on the left.

Some of the animals include the Malagasy dwarf hippopotamus, which some scientists think is the basis for the legendary monster kilopilopitsofy, and which is accompanied by a fictional comic of  an encounter between a Malagasy native and the hippo. Then there's the elephant bird, thought to be the inspiration for Sinbad's Roc. The woolly mammoth spread includes a brief exchange between the scientists who disinterred an almost perfect specimen in 1997 and the Chinese river dolphin also includes a science expedition, this one in 2007 when scientists concluded the dolphin was extinct.

Additional information on each of the four land areas - the Americas, Africa, Eurasia and Oceania - is included at the beginning of each section. An in-depth glossary and further illustrations and timeline of the extinct animals is also included. I did think the introduction was a bit grandiose, especially when it says "Few books dare to touch on humanity's role in wildlife extinction." I can't think of a single wildlife title I've purchased for the library in the past few years that doesn't touch on this, but this is a French import, so maybe their children's books are different.

The art is very interesting and it took me a while to realize that it strongly reminded me of the botanical drawings of the 18th and 19th century, but with color. There are touches of humor in the cartoons, although they do all have a sameness about them. I did like the silhouettes of the extinct creature vs. a human, so you can see the relative sizes.

Verdict: This won't be for everyone, but the very different illustrations and the variety of information will interest some kids, especially those who have outgrown dinosaurs but are still interested in prehistoric creatures. I would have liked a little more background information and knowing how they decided how to picture some of the prehistoric creatures and more about the final sighting and how they were determined to be extinct, but it's a good introduction to extinction, biodiversity, and folktales.

ISBN: 9781877579066; Published 2012 by Gecko Press; Borrowed from another library in the consortium

Saturday, December 15, 2012

This week at the library; or, Zen Librarian is breathing her way through the last week of programming

Programs
  • Tiny Tots (Pattie)
  • Toddlers 'n' Books, 2 sessions (Pattie)
  • Preschool Interactive
  • Learning Curve, 3 sessions
  • Tibbets Kindergarten
  • Books 'n' Babies (Pattie)
  • Lego Club
  • We Explore Healthy Snacking (Pattie)
  • Santa's Kitchen
Random Commentary
  • This week's extra activities included a summer showcase at another library on Monday afternoon, Scholastic Warehouse sale, and a Youth Services committee meeting.
  • One staff member is recovering from surgery, I had a stiff neck that made it very painful to do storytime and work at the computer, somehow one of my boxes of books got left at the warehouse sale (an HOUR's drive away and could I get in contact with the warehouse? Noooo), and it's just been that kind of week. The middle schoolers can, of course, sense weakness and have produced their most obnoxious behavior, we had 3 police visits by Wednesday evening and...yeah, one of those weeks.
  • Scholastic sent my missing box! I take back all the things I said (except for the ones about Reading Counts). Encountered the WOMBAT SKEPTICS at the daycare, an entire class who refused to believe that such an animal as a wombat really existed. I was telling it as a funny story to a parent at Lego Cub later that afternoon and smart-aleck T (he's about 7) turned around and said "wombats don't exist!" Clearly, I need to booktalk Nic Bishop's Marsupials more.
  • Santa's Kitchen - this year I am keeping track of what I bought! About 50 wire stars from the local bead store to make ornaments (about $30 I think?), about $20 Christmas candy decorations plus holiday tablecloths, plates, and napkins from Walmart, 250 plain sugar cookies in various shapes, red white and green frosting (8 lbs?) a few more decorations, and waxed paper for $122 at Franks, the local grocery store.
  • Of COURSE nothing ever works the way I hope. I got there at 9:45 and it wasn't really enough time to set up. The tablecloths were too short and I hadn't bought enough, but I had some plain ones in the back. I grabbed a grandma who was waiting and used to be one of our volunteers and she helped dish out frosting. It was the right number of cookies, decorations (3 tubs of sprinkles, 3 tubes of sprinkles, 4 bags of M&Ms, 2 boxes of xmas Nerds). We didn't use the wax paper. I couldn't find my bead pliers and we needed LOTS more than just one pair of needlenose pliers for the craft, but the kids had fun with the pipe cleaners. Nobody really came for the cookie swap, but the high schoolers sang well and enjoyed having cookies afterwards. We also had popsicle sticks for spreading frosting, plastic spoons for scooping decorations, beads, lots and lots of paper plates, pipe cleaners. I think we had about 60 people!
Approximate Hours This Week
  • Monday - Showcase all afternoon, 5-8
  • Tuesday - Warehouse sale all afternoon, 5-8
  • Wednesday, 9-5:20
  • Thursday, 9:30-5:45
  • Friday - 10ish to 3:15
  • Saturday, 9:45-1:30

Friday, December 14, 2012

Tilly's Moonlight Garden by Julia Green, illustrated by Paul Howard

Everything is changing, and Tilly is worried. Mom is having a baby and it's not going well, she sleeps all the time and seems to be getting worse. Dad is worried about Mom and busy with his book. They've just moved to a new house, leaving Tilly's best friends behind. Lonely and unhappy, Tilly discovers that their new garden and the wilderness behind it hold special secrets; foxes and a magical girl named Helen. Slowly, things change and improve and by the time Helen leaves Tilly has found a new friend and all is well in her family again.

This is a slow-paced, magical story. Is Helen a ghost, a dream, or just Tilly's imagination? The story never says, gently hinting that Helen was the friend Tilly needed to help her through her worries. With the arrival of brisk, cheerful Grammy and her new friend Susila she doesn't need Helen any more. The story is full of lyrical descriptions of the garden, winter, Christmas, and the foxes. The black and white art that delicately brings out the magic of the story is perfect, capturing the delicate imagination of Tilly and the beauty of the garden.

It's a very British story, with words like "lorry" and "metre" as well as the gentle unfolding of magic and mystery, reminiscent of Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden. This won't deter reader who love gently mysterious stories and will appreciate the art and beauty of the story and illustrations.

Verdict: A perfect length, 220 pgs, for intermediate readers. Hand this one to kids who enjoy beautiful language and description and will sympathize with Tilly's shyness at school and her private worries.

ISBN: 9781402277306; Published October 2012 by Sourcebooks; ARC provided by the publisher, purchased for the library (ARC added to summer reading prizes)

Monday, December 10, 2012

Nonfiction Monday: Annie Sullivan and the trials of Helen Keller by Joseph Lambert

I recently reviewed a picture book biography of Helen and Annie and was bemoaning the fact that their relationship, and Helen's water epiphany, are so overdone - do we really need yet another biography?

If it's this title, we do. This graphic biography, produced by the Center for Cartoon Studies, chooses a different approach, focusing on the life of Annie Sullivan. Starting with her meeting with Helen, it intersperses her own tragic and difficult childhood with her work with Helen, letters home, and interactions with the Perkins Institute. Although the story deals with mature issues, from the abuses at the Tewksbury Almhouse to the inequalities suffered by women and the disabled, they're presented in a way that doesn't negate their impact but is still appropriate for middle grade readers.

The art is presented in a stream of small panels. It's easy to follow the jumps between Annie's childhood and Helen's, since both Annie's wear shades of blue and wear their hair in the same style. The text is written in a variety of fonts, from rough capitals for Helen's changing speech to simple cursive for Annie's letters home. One of the most moving aspects of the art, which gives fresh meaning to a familiar story is the depiction of Helen's world. It starts with her alone in the dark, a formless child figure. As Annie breaks through to her, her world slowly grows until the pivotal moment when it explodes with language and images.

This isn't a title to hand to reluctant readers, just because it's a graphic novel. The text and images are small and precise and the story is complex. To fully grasp the story, readers need to know a little of the historical context of the time, although this story might also inspire them to do some extra research. This is a title for middle school readers, especially those interested in stories of struggle and triumph, history and biography, or  relationships.

Verdict: This is different than any of the other Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan biographies glutting the market. Definitely add these for your more thoughtful middle school students and high school readers.

ISBN: 9781423113362; Published 2012 by Hyperion; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Saturday, December 8, 2012

This week at the library; or, The weather is messing up my storytimes

Programs
  • Walworth Homeschoolers (outside group)
  • Toddlers 'n' Books, 2 sessions (Miss Pattie)
  • Preschool Interactive
  • Books 'n' Babies (Miss Pattie)
  • Messy Art Club
  • We Explore Snow
Random Commentary
  • Had a very disappointed boy who just couldn't believe there were no more Ricky Ricotta books. He was sure there were "five thousand" because "it says so in the back of the book!" I got him to take Melvin Beederman instead, but I don't think he totally believed I was telling the truth and not just hiding those 4,993 books somewhere.
  • This week begins a round of various committee meetings and webinars. This week I had an ALSC committee meeting, beginnings of final Cybils discussions, and webinar for new titles from Lerner (I like the look of some of their graphic novels and nonfiction).
  • It's really hard to do all these snow-themed storytimes when it's 50 degrees outside! I need to move farther north!
  • This has not been a particularly good week. Zen Librarian is losing her Zen.
Approximate Hours This Week
  • Monday, 11:40-8:10
  • Tuesday, 9:10-5
  • Wednesday, 9-5
  • Thursday, 9:30-5:30
  • Friday, 9-5

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The Great Race by Nathan Kumar Scott and Jagdish Chitara

The familiar folktale of the Tortoise and the Hare is retold here with an all-new set of animals and stunning original illustrations.

Kanchil the mouse deer is the boaster, sure that he's faster than all the other animals in the forest. He decides to challenge all the creatures in the forest to The Great Race to show them all how he is the fastest. All the animals gather, but the only one willing to race Kanchil is Pelan the snail. Pelan the trickster wins the race not once but twice and Kanchil learns a lesson in humility.

The illustrations are created by Jagdish Chitara, a member of the Waghari community. They create a traditional sacred cloth called Mata Ni Pachedi, Cloth of the Mother. The art in this story is in stark red, white and black, with stylized versions of the animals and elaborate designs. The art swirls from page to page, recreating the circular designs of the traditional cloth while creating something new. While the style will be unfamiliar to most children, it's accessible and the different animals are easy to identify.

The end notes explaining the artist and his art were interesting, but I would have liked some additional information on the origins of the folktale. According to the back cover, it's an Indonesian folktale and Kanchil is a traditional trickster character, but that's all the information that is given.

Verdict: This is a new and interesting folktale; familiar enough in subject and art for children and adults unfamiliar with the culture to connect with, but different enough to be intriguing. It would make an excellent storytime choice as well.

ISBN: 9789380340159; Published June 2012 by Tara Books; Borrowed from the library; Added to the library's wishlist

Monday, December 3, 2012

Nonfiction Monday: Paiute Princess: The story of Sarah Winnemucca by Deborah Kogan Ray

I keep saying I'm not going to review any more picture book biographies, because they really don't circulate in my library, but then I come across another really awesome one...

I've read some other books about Sarah Winnemucca, or at least I assume I have since most of her story was familiar to me. However, there was quite a bit of new information in this biography.

The story begins with Sarah's grandfather, Chief Truckee, and moves through her early childhood, her movement back and forth between the world of the white people in California and her own people and her choice to use her language abilities to stand up for her people who were losing their lands, rights, and often their lives.

There's no happy ending to this story of course; although Sarah did manage to get her people returned to their Nevada homeland and also run a successful school for several years before a policy of forced assimilation and boarding schools was enacted.

Ray's illustrations have soft edges and glowing colors, showing the beauty of the land Sarah and her family loved and the suffering and trials of her people. There's extensive research included in the back matter, including explanations of the differences between the names and perceptions white people gave to Sarah's people and their own traditions - the position of "princess" didn't actually exist in her tribal structure for example. Photographs, information on Sarah's work with Senator Dawes, and the tragedy of the Indian schools are also included. A timeline and author's note are also included.

Verdict: Well-researched and a sensitive topic is handled well. There's nothing inappropriate for the age range, but the tragedies aren't glossed over. A very balanced portrait of a complex woman. Sadly, again, my library patrons really don't like picture book biographies. I can see this doing very well in a school library or a much larger library perhaps.

ISBN: 9780374398972; Published 2011 by Frances Foster Books/Farrar Straus Giroux; Borrowed from another library

Saturday, December 1, 2012

This week at the library; or, Going down the home stretch

Programs
  • Tiny Tots with Miss Pattie
  • Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) with Miss Pattie
  • Preschool Interactive
  • Books 'n' Babies with Miss Pattie
  • Lego Club
  • We Explore Shapes
Random Commentary
  • Refilled the bean bags with the help of another staff member. Always a proceeding fraught with interest and coughing. 
  • Acquired a hamster! I was throwing around random ideas for a new pet (since all the fish died) and my aide asked if she could get us a hamster and be in charge of it. I am very cool with this idea. A patron donated an aquarium with top and we have lots of suggested names (not particularly good suggestions, but there are a lot).
  • High points of Monday - kicking out all the middle schoolers who were discussing the finer points of their planned obscene drawing, apparently under the illusion that the study room walls are soundproof. I've told them a gazillion times they aren't, but they're still shocked when I can hear them. And one of the preschool teachers happened to drop by so I could save myself a trip to the school Tuesday morning. One less thing to do!
  • Tuesday was enlivened by the unexpected advent of a huge group of teachers, college students, and children doing some kind of testing? tutoring? I think there were really only about 20, but it felt like more. At one point in the afternoon I had
    • Middle schoolers in the storyroom
    • Homeschoolers in the big study room
    • More middle schoolers and a special study group in the two small study rooms
    • Two different groups of 8th graders in the silent study area
    • A large group of teens in the teen room (previous groups were broken off this one b/c they were too noisy)
    • And the group of teachers etc. in small groups at every study table downstairs, doing their math testing or whatever it was.
    • Plus the usual wave of families dropping by after school, crashing computers, complaints about noise, requests for study rooms (they're full! really!) and someone banging on the piano (you're not supposed to, but it happens)
  • Wednesday - wondered where all my Preschool Interactive families were. Realized it was sunny and warm and they were probably at a play group at the park that's held every month.
  • Thursday - wondered where all my Lego Club groupies were. Started counting mentally and realized that at least half the population of the town is sick, including most of my Lego kids. I did have three or four new families, which was nice.
Approximate hours this week
  • Monday, 12-8
  • Tuesday, 9-5
  • Wednesday, 9-5
  • Thursday, 9:45-5:30
  • Friday, 9-4 (left early to run errands)