Time Passes

When too much time elapses between things...like a blog post...knowing how to get going again is a challenge. It just feels awkward, and impossible, and only gets worse with each minute past the time you noticed it has been a while. Playing off the absence with a book review seems flippant (I don't think I have ever used that word in print before). Unloading the 101 reasons why the last year has been inches from impossible seems to personal. So, let me just say, I am back. I am also...(insert drum roll here)...going back to teaching kindergarten next year!!! My favorite grade to teach. Just took 5 years, several grade levels, a short stint out of school, a reduction in force, a call back, and a massive retirement year giving me seniority (not last one hired)to be going back into my old kindergarten classroom. I guess I'll run with positive. Lots more soon. Two weeks left of school (someone messed up the snow day calendar) and then the reset button is being pressed and a new me is promised to emerge, some how, some way.

A Snicker of Magic

Folklore, magic, and a little but of hope are some of the ingredients Felicity will need to prove to her nomadic mom, that Midnight Gulch is indeed home. If Felicity, who sees words everywhere she looks (words that express feelings, knowledge, and wonderings) can break the spell that looms over Midnight Gulch and heal the heart of her mom at the same time, a snicker of magic will be just what it takes to make everything just the way it really should be. A sweet little story with likable characters and interesting magical folklore sprinkled throughout. I think the book could have been written with about 30 less pages, but over all I think it is a quality book that readers in 5th-8th grade would enjoy.