Welcome to Word Savvy Weekly(ish) I've got an update on that pile of to-reads that you advised me on! Plus a new, short Book Stack. Also, Super Lin

         
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Welcome to Word Savvy Weekly(ish)

I've got an update on that pile of to-reads that you advised me on!

Plus a new, short Book Stack.
Also, Super Links!
Finally, Tween Teacher Tips on finishing the school year strong. I'll be straight-up honest and tell you I actually have no foolproof advice on how to finish strong. Basically, we're all hanging on by our teeth in Middle School in May. But, I'll try tomake it sound good.

Let's go!

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Book Stack 4

I wrote about Kenneth Ginsberg's Building Resilience in Children and Teens and Ruta Sepetys' Between Shades of Gray in last week's Writerly Wednesday. In a nutshell, I'm engaged in both learning about empowering kids and about Stalin's mass deportations of Lithuanians. Although I had some idea about the former, it turns out I still have a lack of historical knowledge about Stalin, despite years of teaching Animal Farm to seventh and eighth graders.

And The Paris Review? This is basically a subscription to guilt. I mean, really. I've read a couple of poems. I wish I could call it a win. Anyone else out there with an embarrassing recycle-to-read rate with their New Yorker? I've got to be among the worst, and now I've added another publication to the mix. I'm choosing to believe that it's the intention that matters most.

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Links 1

On the Blog

I finished up the month of lists and began a Story-a-Day in May. First, I wrote a story about what happened when I asked for help choosing from my pile of night-stand regulars. The verdict: I got multiple plugs for Some Luck by Jane Smiley. Click through to see which book was put out to the Little Free Library due to a negative review from a trusted pal.

On the Internet

You're not going to believe this, but my notoriously carnivorous husband, Dan, has gone mostly, sort-of, 80% vegan. He's hilarious, and he's being all smug about his cheeslessness on his own blog.

In the Literary World

I'm super pumped to be a new contributor on a fab book blog, Literary Quicksand. I auditioned with this review of The Taliban Shuffle, and now I'm a regular contributor. I can't even tell you how cool I felt telling Dan I was "having coffee with my editor" last weekend.

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Tween 1

Making It Through May

Middle schools in May tend to get a little wild. Here are some tips to help your tween finish the school year strong. I'm not sure if they'll work, but I'm trying them from both sides of the teacher's desk this spring.
* Set Measurable Goals. "Why don't you see your math teacher twice before the test, so she can help you review?" "Finish two more books before the end of the quarter!" I don't recommend a goal like, "Raise your grade in math!" In the end, the kid isn't the one who puts the grade on the report card. Stick to something, like seeing his teacher two times, that he can definitely control.
*Remind Them That the End is Near. When the latest friend drama or teacher trauma inevitably arises, listen with empathy and then remind them: You've only got 19 school days left. Keep a count and celebrate with them. You've got this.
* Delay Clock Checking. This seems to contradict Tip #2, but it comes straight from my Resident Tween's mouth: "Don't check the clock every second," he says. "Instead, wait for what you're sure is five minutes, and it'll usually be more." The adult spin: teach patience and self-restraint. Breathe deeply. Look for opportunities (traffic!) to model mindfulness.

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That's It!

Thanks for reading and replying! I love hearing from you! Next week, I'm hoping for a thicker book stack and a link to my next review on LQ!

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