It is Good to Be A School Librarian!

Patricia deWinter

I love my job for a variety of reasons, so here’s my top ten!

  1.  Sharing a favorite book with a class is magic.  Kate DiCamillo’s Tale of Despereaux, (or anything by Di’Camillo, LOVE Raymie Nightingale), There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom by Louis Sachar, For Every One by Jason Reynolds, Loser by Jerry Spinelli, From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks, Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson, Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Larger than Life Lara by Dandi Mackall are books I describe as life changing. Experiencing an exceptional book as a group creates a unique bond.  “When we read together, we connect. Together, we see the world. Together, we see one another” (Kate DiCamillo).
  1. I get to share really hilarious books with my students.   I Really Like Slop by Mo Willems, The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt, Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds, Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Humpty Dumpty Falls Again by Dave Horowitz, Pssst! by Adam Rex, and Seventeen Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore by Jenny Offill are guaranteed to fill your space with giggling students. That’s a pretty nice way to spend your day.
  1.  Books such as Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull, The Two Bobbies by Kibby Larson, Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse by Marcy Campbell, Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine,  The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of Denmark by Carmen Agra Deedy,  Love by Matt de la Pena, My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig, and Ida, Always by Caron Levis are some of many inspiring reads that foster empathy. And I’ve placed a few powerful read alouds in their own category- must reads.  This group includes:  Rumplestiltskin retold by Paul O. Zelinski, Flotsam by David Wiesner, The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee, Drawn Together by Minh Le, and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett. “When we read together – we are taken out of our aloneness. The story opens doors for us; and we, in turn, open the doors of our hearts to each other. When we read together, we welcome each other in” (Kate DiCamillo).
  1. I learn so much from our collection of books, and enjoy showing off my knowledge about sharks, giant squids, tsunamis, the Middle Ages, pirates, hero dogs, Greek mythology, and Bigfoot to my friends! This has definitely improved my skills at trivia games 🙂
  1.  Getting new books feels like your birthday, every time.
  1.  When working with Upper School English students, I revisit incredible novels such as Beloved, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Great Gatsby, The Poisonwood Bible, Fahrenheit 451, and The Joy Luck Club; this makes me happy!  It’s a joy to take this journey with them and connect over literature with really bright, invested students. 
  1.  I am the head librarian at a prek-12 grade school; the sole librarian for students age 3 to 18. I watch these students grow and hopefully support them along the way.
  1. Our school hosts incredible guest authors like Sarah Weeks,  Nathan Hale, Jerry Pallotta, Aaron Reynolds, and Chris Grabenstein.
  2. It’s a privilege to be the person students come to for book recommedations, because they trust me, my knowlege about literature, and my understanding of what they like. A good part of my week is helping students find the perfect read, and then finding out how they felt about the book.
  3. My homework is reading!

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