I am obsessed with Oak Island.
Much like Rick Lagina of the now hit show on History Channel, I read an article about the island as a child, and I've been hooked since. Just after I started teaching, the first History documentary came out. Using it and articles, I had my 7th graders draft research proposals to investigate the island. Now in their 30s, some of them are my Facebook friends. I was amazed how many of them watch the show and are now crazy obsessed like me!
I visited Nova Scotia last in 1997. We were researching family history (my family name Eagles originates in NS; we're somehow related to Charles Barkhouse too). At the time, the island was closed to visitors, so I was only able to view it from afar. I tried to get tickets to the tours this summer, BUT THEY SOLD OUT IN FOUR MINUTES! Being the person I am, we are now chartering a boat to sail around the island with the one and only Tony Sampson of the show!
Randall Sullivan has appeared on a few episodes lately. At first I was skeptical, like could this guy really write a book with anything I didn't already know about the island? I was really surprised how in depth his research into the very early history (the McGinnis/Vaughn/Smith or Ball stories) and the more modern feud between Fred Nolan and Dan Blankenship. Both Nolan and Blankenship appeared in that first documentary, where Nolan's cross was what convinced me something was really special about this island. I also believe Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare's plays and the Knights Templar were in North America. Infer what you will.
I am excited to donate this to our library and keep one to bring with me to hopefully get signed by cast members!
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
Monday, March 11, 2019
The Top 50 Chrome Extensions for the Classroom by Christopher Craft
Christopher Craft aka Crafty is a MASTER of the Google. I have had the pleasure of hearing him speak and attending his sessions at Google Summits and also bantering with him via Twitter about barbecue.
Crafty is a wizard with Google for Education and his latest book is pretty sweet. It's a very compact book, but it's loaded with all sorts of nifty extensions for Chrome, including some of his own making.
This will be shelved in our professional section, but students may check it out as well.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
Crafty is a wizard with Google for Education and his latest book is pretty sweet. It's a very compact book, but it's loaded with all sorts of nifty extensions for Chrome, including some of his own making.
This will be shelved in our professional section, but students may check it out as well.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
Yes, today is a twofer review day (because yesterday was marathon errand day--long story short we finally have access to our own money again!).
This was also on display during my recent trip to WHPL. I liked it but not enough to put it on our wish list, so if you'd like to read it, it'll be returned tomorrow.
Erin and Mark are on their honeymoon when they find a ton of money and diamonds while snorkeling in a plane wreckage site. Their lives have turned upside down by the financial crash (Mark is a banker) and they really can't even afford the trip they're on. So one would imagine they'd quietly pay off debt and live happily ever after.
Money changes people. And usually not in a good way.
I honestly hated Mark from the very beginning of the book. I could tell he was going to be a jerk pretty early on. He doesn't prove me wrong either.
Like I said, readable, but not the thriller promised.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
This was also on display during my recent trip to WHPL. I liked it but not enough to put it on our wish list, so if you'd like to read it, it'll be returned tomorrow.
Erin and Mark are on their honeymoon when they find a ton of money and diamonds while snorkeling in a plane wreckage site. Their lives have turned upside down by the financial crash (Mark is a banker) and they really can't even afford the trip they're on. So one would imagine they'd quietly pay off debt and live happily ever after.
Money changes people. And usually not in a good way.
I honestly hated Mark from the very beginning of the book. I could tell he was going to be a jerk pretty early on. He doesn't prove me wrong either.
Like I said, readable, but not the thriller promised.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
This was on display at the West Haven Public Library when I stopped in to drop off some things to Ms. Kym.
It was really good and is now on our wish list.
This was a really interesting premise--a man will wake up daily in a different body among the guests at a weekend affair hosted by the Hardcastle family. The family's youngest son was murdered while he was supposed to have been watched by their daughter Evelyn. On the anniversary of the murder, they are hosting this "party". Our main character has been chosen by a strange masked figure who explains the game.
Imagine a The Westing Game style puzzle mystery meets Caraval or Night Circus combined with one of those whodunit dinner cruises while locked in an escape room with a psychopath serial killer.
I'll be returning this to WHPL as soon as I get the video review of this uploaded to Classroom tomorrow.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
It was really good and is now on our wish list.
This was a really interesting premise--a man will wake up daily in a different body among the guests at a weekend affair hosted by the Hardcastle family. The family's youngest son was murdered while he was supposed to have been watched by their daughter Evelyn. On the anniversary of the murder, they are hosting this "party". Our main character has been chosen by a strange masked figure who explains the game.
Imagine a The Westing Game style puzzle mystery meets Caraval or Night Circus combined with one of those whodunit dinner cruises while locked in an escape room with a psychopath serial killer.
I'll be returning this to WHPL as soon as I get the video review of this uploaded to Classroom tomorrow.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Just a little update
I know I've gone radio silent over the past few weeks and wanted to give a quick update.
First, I had a minor health scare that need to be dealt with. You may have noticed I wasn't staying after school at all at the start of February. That's because I was jetting to doctor appointments. I refuse to schedule such during school hours, and my physicians know that. I am happy to report all is good.
Literally the next darn day, $7000 was taken out of my savings account. I had to close all my bank accounts, switch the account every automatic payment comes out of, be without a debit card or checks for two weeks, file a police report, call the credit reporting agencies....it was an absolute nightmare. FINALLY, YESTERDAY I got access to my own money again.
While those two events stunk, something really awesome happened. I met virtually with my fellow librarians on the Joint Committee for School and Public Library Cooperation. I represent the American Association of School Librarians, along with two others. I received several compliments on my part of the Standards Crosswalk we are developing. Unfortunately, we've lost a few members, so the remaining members have to pick up the slack and write some more! That is a big thing I need to focus on. In addition, one of our future AASL/YALSA/ALSC blog posts will again feature....me! Along with Ms. Kym at WHPL, I'll be writing about serving on a state book award committee. I'm super excited to be writing with Kym!
Fear not, I am still reading (in fact, I just went to WHPL yesterday and took out 3 new books). Look for a new review very soon. Promise!
Love y'all.
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
First, I had a minor health scare that need to be dealt with. You may have noticed I wasn't staying after school at all at the start of February. That's because I was jetting to doctor appointments. I refuse to schedule such during school hours, and my physicians know that. I am happy to report all is good.
Literally the next darn day, $7000 was taken out of my savings account. I had to close all my bank accounts, switch the account every automatic payment comes out of, be without a debit card or checks for two weeks, file a police report, call the credit reporting agencies....it was an absolute nightmare. FINALLY, YESTERDAY I got access to my own money again.
While those two events stunk, something really awesome happened. I met virtually with my fellow librarians on the Joint Committee for School and Public Library Cooperation. I represent the American Association of School Librarians, along with two others. I received several compliments on my part of the Standards Crosswalk we are developing. Unfortunately, we've lost a few members, so the remaining members have to pick up the slack and write some more! That is a big thing I need to focus on. In addition, one of our future AASL/YALSA/ALSC blog posts will again feature....me! Along with Ms. Kym at WHPL, I'll be writing about serving on a state book award committee. I'm super excited to be writing with Kym!
Fear not, I am still reading (in fact, I just went to WHPL yesterday and took out 3 new books). Look for a new review very soon. Promise!
Love y'all.
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
Friday, February 1, 2019
The Official Dictionary of Sarcasm by James Napoli
My husband bought this for me as a gag gift:
"Anniversary: Try forgetting it, and you'll see what the hell it means."
It's one of the best gifts ever.
I could use some coffee:
"Barista: A person highly skilled in writing your first name in Sharpie on the side of a heat-treated paper cup."
And I have to go to the doctor after school today:
"Health: A type of insurance plan that covers everything but the rare conditions you managed to come down with."
I knew this would be the last book I was going to read for Book a Day January. I read 30 books in 31 days, although I did not finish 2 of them, so 28 if you want to be technical.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
"Anniversary: Try forgetting it, and you'll see what the hell it means."
It's one of the best gifts ever.
I could use some coffee:
"Barista: A person highly skilled in writing your first name in Sharpie on the side of a heat-treated paper cup."
And I have to go to the doctor after school today:
"Health: A type of insurance plan that covers everything but the rare conditions you managed to come down with."
I knew this would be the last book I was going to read for Book a Day January. I read 30 books in 31 days, although I did not finish 2 of them, so 28 if you want to be technical.
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Fierce by Aly Raisman
As my attempt to read a book a day in January comes to a close, I knew 100% I wanted this to be one of the books I read.
I fr*^$#!g love Aly Raisman. I have since the 2012 Olympics. She is a body-positive athlete and amazing role model for girls and young women. A native New Englander (near Boston--she's friends with Big Papi!), she represented our country twice in the Olympics, bringing home several team and individual medals. She competed on Dancing with the Stars, with a personal routine that moved me to tears. She also appeared in the Body and Swim editions of Sports Illustrated, a personal challenge in "showing" her body. Aly Raisman is a rape survivor.
Her speeches at the trial and sentencing of the former gymnastics doctor (I refuse to write his name) required extraordinary courage. Her victim statement, no, survivor statement helped put the nail in that scumbag's coffin. Later, Raisman would be the voice of the survivors in accepting the Espy for courage on their behalf.
Aly is fierce.
I'm happy to say we have her teammates Laurie and Simone's memoirs too!
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
I fr*^$#!g love Aly Raisman. I have since the 2012 Olympics. She is a body-positive athlete and amazing role model for girls and young women. A native New Englander (near Boston--she's friends with Big Papi!), she represented our country twice in the Olympics, bringing home several team and individual medals. She competed on Dancing with the Stars, with a personal routine that moved me to tears. She also appeared in the Body and Swim editions of Sports Illustrated, a personal challenge in "showing" her body. Aly Raisman is a rape survivor.
Her speeches at the trial and sentencing of the former gymnastics doctor (I refuse to write his name) required extraordinary courage. Her victim statement, no, survivor statement helped put the nail in that scumbag's coffin. Later, Raisman would be the voice of the survivors in accepting the Espy for courage on their behalf.
Aly is fierce.
I'm happy to say we have her teammates Laurie and Simone's memoirs too!
Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
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