Book-Talk: Shapes of Love by L. V. Peñalba

My latest Book-Talk is about Shapes of Love by L. V. Peñalba. With its centering of an autistic and queer main character, this Young Adult romantic comedy helps to expand which orientations and which types of relationships can be viewed as “normal” in society.
https://youtu.be/GUXweFbikH8

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‘Filo’s Butterflies’ by Litea Fuata

My read-aloud of Filo’s Butterflies, written by Litea Fuata and illustrated by Myo Yum, centered an experience that I think a lot of people can relate to.

‘Lead from the Outside’ by Stacey Abrams

As part of my studies in library leadership, I’ve been reading Lead from the Outside by Stacey Abrams, a book intended for people from minority backgrounds who may have concluded that “our inherent qualities render us less than others” (p. 108). Published in March 2019 by Picador, this is an updated paperback edition of Abrams’ Minority Leader, which was published in 2018 by Henry Holt and Company.

‘More than Peach’ by Bellen Woodard

When reading aloud during library storytime, I especially like sharing stories about children who are making a positive difference in the world around them. A great example of this is More than Peach, written by “crayon activist” Bellen Woodard and illustrated by Fanny Liem.

Read-aloud recommendation for Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week takes place from Oct. 4 to 10, and I’m recommending Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson as a timely classroom read-aloud during Banned Books Week. Brown Girl Dreaming is this year’s featured selection for “Right to Read Night,” which is being promoted by the National Coalition Against Censorship.

‘Shapes of Love’ by L. V. Peñalba

Among books I’ve recently completed: Shapes of Love by L. V. Peñalba has the capacity to expand which orientations and which types of relationships are perceived as “normal.”

International Crochet Day

International Crochet Day is observed on Sept. 12 each year. To commemorate this fun observance, here is a video celebrating some of the things that I made with crochet.
https://youtu.be/kxHr3Jfq-5Q

Library-sponsored programs versus third-party events

My studies this week concerned library meeting-room policies, an important — and particularly timely — aspect of library administrative practices. And when I thought about library meeting-room policies, especially when I contemplated the difference between library-sponsored programing and third-party use of library space, the example that came to my mind was Scarsdale Public Library (SPL) in New York.

Marketing essential for reaching library stakeholders

My focus this week was thinking about best practices when connecting with library stakeholders. One best practice that stood out for me was the importance of marketing a library’s programs and services. “If the public does not know about the programming and services, how can they use them?” (Velasquez, 2019-a, p. 166).

‘I Want My Hat Back’ by Jon Klassen

One of the pleasures of reading aloud to students is being able to share stories that have been recognized as exceptional works of children’s literature. One example is Jon Klassen’s picture book, I Want My Hat Back. Klassen was honored this past April as the 2026 Laureate for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

Welcoming school year ’26-’27 in SRCSA library

At the beginning of a new school year in SRCSA library: Highlights of the new school year so far include class read-alouds in the library’s group-reading area and the arrival of new books.
https://youtu.be/1tqAecPkEtw