Rainy Wednesdays

All it's done this week is rain. I'm busy reading, reading, reading, reading for this presentation next week. I'm probably throwing 180 books at my audience (not literally, and seriously, if you're going to the Maryland Library Association next week, please come!) I've read most of the titles, but am trying to get through as many as possible. Read Read Read Read Read!

Keena Ford and the Second Grade Mix-up Melissa Thomson

Here are 2.5 reasons to love this book off the bat:

Keena is African American, but the book has nothing to do with race. Sadly, this is rare in children's literature.

Also, her parents are divorced and, once again, it has nothing to do with the story, except that she has to wait until the weekend to get her dad's input on things.

And .5, if you work where I do. This book takes place on the Maryland/DC border, which is right where my library is. My kids *love* books that take place locally (I assume most do) and I'm really lucky that there are quite a few that take place in DC. But, to get one that takes place in Maryland, just outside DC? EVEN BETTER.

Keena's excited to be starting a new school year, but disappointed to learn that boys will be in one class and girls in another! She won't be with her best friend Eric! Luckily, Keena has the best second-grade teacher ever. On everyone's birthday, they'll get a special crown and a cake! When she has to write down her birthday on the first day of school, Keena decides to try the new numbers only method that her brother taught her. Only... Keena messes up. She says her birthday is on 9/2 instead of 2/9, so her teacher is planning her special day for TOMORROW. Keena knows she should say that her birthday's in February, but she just... can't.

Big complications and hilarity ensue. A great book at the early reading level about friendship, lying, parents, and school.