A Summer of Reading

As you know, I'm a school librarian, and I love my job. Just guess what I'm doing this summer - it's going to make you wish you were me! I'm reading lots and lots of books. Of course, I need to read as many as I can from my library, and also some "homework" shopping of books we don't have yet that I might want to get, right? One of the funniest questions I get at work is, "Mrs. Beckstrand, have you read all of the books in here?" ...Sure, of course!

So don't you think I can count all this reading as work time or parent volunteer time? Of course every couple of books or so I throw in an adult book that I'll never get for my library, but those are just for me, and actually lately most have been mind-altering books. (After one of those, I usually HAVE to read some light juvenile fiction!) The one genre I don't read a lot of is picture books...my kids don't demand them anymore.

We're particularly lucky that I have my whole library available to check out from all summer long! Frequently I make stops at my school to grab another stack of Beehive Nominees, or other titles in great demand during the school year. If it's not at the local library, chances are it might be in my library. My kids are LUCKY!

The kids are reading lots too, mostly. A voracious reader, Gregory has an awesome summer reading list from his school, but of course, since they're assigned he's having a hard time getting through that list. We have to tell him every other book - but it seems he's reading a LOT of others between every reading list attempt! Even with summer school taking up each morning just now. (Nels said it's time to take all his library books to our room and have him have to "check them out" from us.) Kimberly is reading LOTS, and occasionally gets visiting cousins mad because she's with a book instead of them. Samuel was working on The Hobbit, but got distracted over a week ago, and I haven't seen him with it since...the younger boys are outside just now, maybe I'll tell them it's time to come in and read - sun's too hot now. (Oh, I guess that will have to wait until the classmates leave in half an hour.)

My dear friend set me up on Goodreads a year or two ago, and I use it a LOT, both for personal use, and also for work now. Check my Goodreads account and see what I've been reading of late (including some reviews), and what's on my "to-read" list. I also use it at the library when I want to be sure to pick up something I have already decided I want to read - did that this morning and picked the one I'm reading right now. I even set up accounts for my older three kids - the youngest is using it most. :)

Anyway, I'm enjoying my reading, but it's not helping with the getting all the work done around here. I do have to be strict with myself to keep myself making progress with other things. But hey, reading doesn't aggrevate the carpal tunnel, right? I'm off to read some more, right after I throw another batch of laundry into the washer...bye!