On Saturday I attended the National Book Festival in Washington, DC. This festival, now in its twelfth year, is a special way the Library of Congress celebrates the power of the written word. The event showcased over 125 authors, poets, and illustrators and their work. It was the first time I attended, but it definitely won’t be my last.

The energy and enthusiasm that surrounded the tents was electrifying and awe-inspiring. I started the day listening to John Green, author of the young adult novel, The Fault in Our Stars. I must admit that as I listened to him speak I felt a little like Mr. Slinger in Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse because all I could say was “Wow!” Green made the statement, “The relationship between the reader and the writer is one of mutual generosity.” These words resonated with me throughout the day as I heard other authors speak - readers and writers together making experiences that help shape lives.

I was thrilled to be able to hear the incredible Lois Lowry. She spoke of how the correspondences from her young readers about the characters she created in The Giver led her to write more about them in Messenger, Gathering Blue, and her newest novel, Son. Again, I was reminded of the relationship between reader and writer, and as Lowry’s books illustrate, the interdependence of all of us on each other. 

Since I love children’s and young adult books, I spent most of my time in those tents. It was heartwarming to see all of the young adults who clapped and cheered as if these authors are rock stars. I suppose to these young readers, the authors are heroes of sorts, helping them to discover themselves through the words, ideas, and characters they share in their work.

It was a wonderfully exhausting day and I felt privileged to be among so many lovers of literature, young and old, well-known and not-so-well-known.  Of course, I now have quite a long list of books on my “need to read” list. I’ve decided to start by rereading The Giver and then working my way through the other books in that quartet.

             After each author spoke or read, they took questions from the audience. Some of the questions were about characters, motivations, or process. My favorite question that I heard asked of more than one author was, “What are you reading?”  The reading/writing, reader/writer relationship – so important.

September brings everything new: new teaching ideas waiting to be implemented, new goals for personal and professional development, new students with eager faces ready to learn.  

Last week I spent three days preparing for the new school year, getting reacquainted with teachers I hadn’t seen all summer, and getting to know new members of our community. It’s always great when teachers from other schools join our team. They bring a fresh perspective to curriculum and new ideas to share. As we started digging in to the new standards and how they will help us enhance the learning of all of our students, I was thankful for colleagues who are energized by shared thinking.

Over the summer I had the opportunity to participate in a Twitter chat around Peter Johnston’s new book, Opening Minds. Not only was it a wonderful professional development experience, but I felt connected to so much good thinking from teachers across the country. One of my goals for this school year is to continue to use technology to connect and learn.

The students arrive on Tuesday, and I am anxious to see their eager faces as the buses pull up for drop off. It’s always amazing to see how much they’ve grown over the summer, what books they are anxious to talk about, and what special outfits they have picked out for that important first day. The kindergarteners will be shy and perhaps a little confused, but we will be ready to help them feel comfortable. And I expect that even the fifth graders who may appear confident on the outside may need a little reassurance that this year will be their best year ever.

I hope all of you have a fantastic, rewarding year full of learning! I’m ready!