Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Book Fair!

I just finished three hours worth of revisions and I should be going to bed but when I revise for three hours and thoughts of my story are running through my head, I can't sleep anyway. I tell you this only so that Anita does not give me a hard time.

Check the Followerwood Squares lately? Number 14, baby! Thanks to Debra for deciding to become one of the cool kids.

Update: It's now been one week and still no response from the veep. However, since he's spending his time telling awesome jokes like the ones below, I forgive him.

"[Obama] can't be here tonight because he's busy getting ready for Easter," Biden said. Speaking in a whisper, he added, "He thinks it's about him."

Turning to the suffering newspaper business, he disagreed with those who say they're obsolete. "I recently got a puppy, and you can't housebreak a puppy on the Internet," Biden said.

Source

And this guy's not going to weigh in on The Great Chocolate Milk Debate? Yeah, right.

The Scholastic Book Fair (otherwise known as Christmas for Teachers) wrapped up at school today and I was allocated $170 to spend on books for the classroom. Of course, in reality, what happens is I buy books I want to read, take them home and read them, and then return them to the classroom library at my convenience. I justify this somewhat questionable practice by claiming I can then more effectively give "book talks" to my students. Do I actually do this? Erm...sometimes.

Of the twenty books I purchased, I brought home seven. The first few I'll be reading are the third Wimpy Kid book, Violet Raines Almost Got Struck By Lightning, Every Soul a Star, and How to Steal a Dog. I also went to the library last night and came home with three books, so I'm set in the reading department for a while. This makes me very happy. And you want me happy. Otherwise, I might just sic Joyce Carol Oates on y'all again.

12 comments:

Kelly Polark said...

I love school book fairs! My son has the set of Wimpy Kid, so I will eventually get to them. I do really want to read Violet Raines! Great choices!

Ray Veen said...

You know who would fit neatly into your Follower-wood Squares box? Vivi Alden. Your collection shan't be complete until you have a Vivi Alden.

And I happen to know where to find one.

Angela Ackerman said...

I love the magazines that come home between book fairs the best (the book fair books are always a mob with lots of stuff I want taken). But the magazines...my kids pick a book, the I go through it like a kid cracked out on candy, snapping up books I simply must have.

Anita said...

I also looove book fairs (missed ours this year, though, due to illness). Our teachers can receive books as gifts, and the $ is allocated to the library. The book fair is our only fundraiser, because we've gone to a donation-only model. With only 40% of families contributing this year, we passed our goal of $12,000. My husband has been begging for a donation-only for years (husband does not like our kids selling things to every person we know...nor does he like kids being led away from valuable learning time with teachers similar to Mr. Murphy, so that they can attend a fundraising kick-off).

My prediction: Biden aide will respond by April's end. Aide will declare Biden enjoys store-bought chocolate milk. The loser.

Good to see Debra (Schube) here!

Debra Lynn Shelton said...

I remember walking through the aisles in the library at school book fairs and feeling like I was in heaven. Thanks for the warm welcome, btw. (Actually I decided to become one of the "cool kids" years ago. Unfortunately, most people thought I was an ass. But that didn't stop me from thinking I was cool! Now that I think about, not much has really changed...)

Beth Fehlbaum, Author said...

Oh, that would be SOOOO AWESOME to be given $ to spend on books for my classroom library!!! Wow, that's a cool school.
:)
Beth Fehlbaum, author
Courage in Patience, a story of HOPE..
http://courageinpatience.blogspot.com
Ch. 1 is online!

Unknown said...

Scholastic is awesome. I was in charge of the entire 4th Grade order and racked up thousands of bonus points, most of which I've spent.

Paul Michael Murphy said...

Kelly--I'm sneaking reading Violet aloud to one of my classes and so far I'm really liking it.

V--15 would be a nice, divisible by 5 (and 3 and 1 and 15) number. I may have to recruit this Vivi Alden. Would a link to her blog do the trick?

Angela--We get the magazines through our day care provider. Between my wife (also a teacher), myself, and books for our two-year old, the lady is making a killing on points.

Anita--If it makes you feel any better, most of the teachers I know hate the fundraising kick-off assemblies, too. They really cut into my games of Seven Up.

Debra--outstanding use of parentheses.

Beth--yes, it is awesome. And we have three book fairs each year, so altogether I'll spend about four hundred dollars on books for the classroom. Makes tossing those ragged copies of Goosebumps a little easier.

Tracy--your organization skills far exceed mine.

Debra Lynn Shelton said...

Thanks. You should see my comma work.

Monica said...

Not to bring controversy into your blog, Paul Michael Murphy, because i know that's not what you're about. But. have you read the conversations over at Bookninja about scholastic flyers and stuff. Here's the link.

http://www.bookninja.com/?p=4996

Paul Michael Murphy said...

Nothing wrong with controversy. I hadn't read that particular article, but I've heard similar complaints. I don't have the time right now (need to get some sleep)but I may offer a rebuttal in the coming days. In short, Scholastic does far more good than evil.

Monica said...

I'd love to hear your opinions on this one, Paul.