‘Reading Rangers’ at Copperfield’s Bookstore

Over the summer, I like to highlight activities and resources that promote reading. Copperfield’s Books is offering young people the chance to become “Reading Rangers.” From now through Aug. 1, pick up a Trail Map at any Copperfields location. Earn badges by reading books from each of 12 categories and get a sticker “badge” for each category completed. Readers who complete all 12 categories will receive a special prize.

‘Cats vs. Robots,’ free giveaway copy arrives

Readers may recall that I won a Goodreads Giveaway of Cats vs. Robots #1, This Is War. It arrived this week, and my verdict is that the book is a delightful and entertaining read.

It’s the first book in a new children’s book series by Margaret Stohl and Lewis Peterson.

The story centers around two galactic empires that consist of seemingly polar opposites — the Robots, or “Binars,” who are obsessed with order and rules, and the Cats, for whom rules are “generally meant to be followed — but only if you felt like it.”

These civilizations’ epic battle is now coming to Earth — specifically, to the home of a human family, where husband-and-wife scientists have invented a “Singularity Chip” that can enable cats to live past their nine lives or grant robots eternal battery life. Each side of the conflict is determined that the chip must not fall into the enemy’s paws — or grasping appendages.

‘Let’s Pretend We Never Met’ by Melissa Walker

I could intensely relate to the drama that is central to Let’ s Pretend We Never Met, seeing parallels from my own life with circumstances for the character of Agnes.

At Calistoga Elementery School and at Calistoga Junior/Senior High School, I was the weird girl, the person ostracized and shunned by the school population. There was no understanding for an autism spectrum when I was going to school, so my differences went unexplained.

Learning that the character of Agnes in this book is possibly autistic, made me interested in reading it. I’m interested in the ways that authors portray characters who are on the autism spectrum.

SRCS summer school: tracking students’ use of books

Made use of my experience as an IMT/Library Tech this week, on behalf of Santa Rosa City Schools’ “summer school.” I logged students’ checking out English-lit books as well as the books’ movement between classrooms.

‘Cats vs. Robots’ by Margaret Stohl

Learned this morning in an email that I’d won a Goodreads Giveaway of Margaret Stohl and Lewis Peterson’s Cats vs. Robots #1, This is War.

My initial impression of this book, when I enrolled in the giveaway, was that it combined my favorite animal, the cat, with an application of STEAM principles (That’s Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. As I understand it, educators incorporate STEAM in education to prepare children to live and work in an increasingly technological society.)

Well, my intention with any children’s book giveaway that I won was to place the book, once I'd read it, into my school library. And for its emphasis on STEAM, plus seeming a really fun read, I thought this book would be an especially good fit. I’m looking forward to receiving this book and, most especially, to reading it.

‘Little Free Library’ at Montgomery High School

I encountered this Little Free Library on Thursday, while at Montgomery High School. (I’m working there this summer for high-school credit recovery, offered by Santa Rosa City Schools.)

I love the community book-exchanges that little boxes like this facilitate — and seeing this little library brought an article to mind, which I’d read in the Press Democrat: several lending libraries are “sprouting up” in the area as part of recovery from last October's wildfires.

Students from MHS and other local high schools were involved in building the libraries. Construction was financed by United Way Women United and the Career Technical Education (CTE) Foundation Sonoma County, along with help from sponsors.

The PD article states, the project gave students “real-world experience working with clients,” and quotes Jared McGee, an MHS sophomore who aspires to be an architect:

“‘It’s the light at the end of the tunnel. … All the kids affected (by the fires) and the people affected can give back to the community and give books to the library and take books out if they need it. It was a really good feeling to give something to a community that was hurt.’”