Stepping up by stepping forward. The work is rekindled. . .it must be.

My One Little Word (with a long lesson).

This abecedarian title just keeps giving and giving by way of design and lyricism and interactive music and video and meta—oh my! The meta. Ordered TWO copies and sent one—right off—to Ms. Maddie Hankins‘s Kindergarten class at Lodge Community School in Evansville! The kids are going to LOVE this!

New to my DYNAMITE collection. How’s THIS for a Gen X intersection?

Located within our subdivision. And the neighbor is dropping them off this afternoon. I already know how I’ll situate these shelves in #stuDio119 for maximum aesthetic effect and utility. Even on break, we’re planning and designing.

What the cool kids (or at least “Mister”) will be rocking this winter. Love the little heart on the cuff.

Research consistently shows a link between test scores and pleasure reading. Kids who read the most typically score higher than kids who don’t read that much.

Unpopular opinion of the day. I think that a lot of young people don’t enjoy pleasure reading because a lot of adults don’t want them to enjoy pleasure reading.

Happy holidays from Fletcher the Hound Dog (and his “Mister”).

I hate that the product is called Clean FREAK, but it is the best dry erase board cleaner. I’m transferring into plain spray bottles and charging colleagues for my Miracle Solution. BTW: No colleagues were charged. I’m keeping my find a secret so there isn’t a surge on this product.

LIKE STARS ON EARTH was an end-of-semester tradition for thirteen years. The film features this week in advance of the break for its first year in #stuDio119schs.

New to Bluesky? Here's a starter pack of picture book authors & illustrators to follow! go.bsky.app/G6pUCB

This lamp I bought from a neighbor is going to look sharp in #stuDio119schs. I want our classroom to be the premier of the new addition.

When I don’t feel well in my head, I watch old Red Skelton shows. It seems to help. It’s helping today.

In addition to recommitting to the local, I think we are going to develop all kinds of coping mechanisms for this unfolding horror. I’ve never been into pens & paper beyond function. But I’m scribbling in notebooks these days. And in the spring, God willing, I will garden. Serenity prayer applies.

#edtech #edchat #edreform #edpolicy #edcolo #suptchat #edadmin #k12 #deeperlearning #futureready #studentagency #stuvoice #4shifts #whatschoolcouldbe #edleaders #edleadership #principals

The Prison of I #EducationalEquity www.alberryconsultin...

"Picture books are often quite undervalued, and sometimes seen as a stepping stone to 'proper reading'. But picture books can be transgressive and beautiful and complex." - @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social. ALL OF THIS! www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-fea...

An Inside Toy (taken outside as our day sitter lets Fletcher do about anything he wants). #dogsofuesky

Goober.

@peterhreynolss.bsky.social moves into the Studio today. I don’t have all of the titles, but I’m proud to offer this curation to my students. #stuDio119schs

Be a Mister Rogers. Wear comfy shoes. Celebrate kindness. Sow affirmations. Save time for make-believe. Sing silly little songs. Testify before a senate subcommittee about the importance of quality public broadcasting. Feed fish. Love sweaters.

When I was teaching 7th grade a student’s dad came up to me in the grocery store once & told me he was worried about his son. “He keeps…” He paused here, and sighed. “…reading graphic novels all the time. What should I do?” My answer? “Get him more graphic novels.” #LetKidsReadWhatTheyLove

Winter Break Project. These will be collaged in Black, White, and Gray scale for outside of the studio (d119). Upon entering the room—color and shape and complexity. Attempting to create a visual “threshold.”

We need to keep talking about how weird it is for people to think they should have a say in reading choices for anyone's kids but their own. You're not in charge of what other people's children eat or wear or when they go to bed. Why on earth would you get to choose what they read?

Fletcher: A Handsome (good) Boy. #dogsofbluesky

Prior to the big night, he rides around in a reindeer-styled car. Batman has his Batmobile. . .

Fletcher says Wednesday’s got him like. . .

Our students in #Studio119schs are working through the LIVE YOUR VALUES decks this week in advance of our final speech for the semester. Narratives tying our values to objects. A nod to Jan Stassen’s THE MUSEUM OF VALUES, 200+ narratives curated presenting values and stories as a/THE “social glue.”

Our Fletcher (27 months). #dogsofbluesky

Find those who understand you. Find one who will under stand you. Liz Climo is the artist.

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Middle Grade: January-June 2025 lgbtqreads.com/2024/12/02/m... 🌈📚

IYKYK.

Things to look forward to in 2025: WISH by Barbara O’Connor is one of the most beloved middle grade novels of all time. Well, next summer, get ready for DREAM, the companion novel.

One of the greatest children’s books ever created.

A SIDE?! Wait. This seems spot-on.

Thank you, Indiana librarians! I'm tickled pink that THE SCARIEST KITTEN IN THE WORLD (illus. by Mackenzie Haley) is a Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee for 2025-2026! @macmillankidsuk.bsky.social And alongside so many great colleagues, too - here's the full list! www.ilfonline.org/assets/2025Y...

The first time I took a sweet from a Felix Gonzalez-Torres candy pile was at "HIDE/ SEEK: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture" at the Tacoma Art Museum. I watched David Wojnarowicz's "Fire in My Belly" as the sugar dissolved on my tongue, sweet for a moment and then gone. #WorldAIDSDay

After tumblr died but before it was declared dead*, the site became mostly a Pig Wrestling** platform. * Tumblr is actually very much alive and quite cool now. ** As in the old adage, Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty and the pig likes it. Anyway, twitter has entered its Pig Wrestling Era.

Teachers & librarians! Want an author to Zoom into your classroom for World Read Aloud Day February 5th? I'll be sending out this year's list of author/illustrator volunteers in my email newsletter next week! If you'd like access, sign up here: katemessner.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

Dr. Goldy Muhammad has me thinking this morning about “buttress roots” and stabilizing in areas where growth happens—many times against the odds—in the shallows. If these shallows are requisite skills needed to enter and navigate a new course/year, what are the “roots” which must anchor? Quickly.

SNOW!

Christmas KitKat.

I want to get back into the literature for young and teen readers in 2025. What better way to step back in with intention—and excitement— than Amy Sarig King’s PICK THE LOCK. Multiform mind warp with a punk rock musical bed.

My twenty-two year old Maddie (who marries this summer) is not here at B-sky to fight me on this share of “Popular” from when she was nine. Some of us have been singing along to WICKED for a very long time.

New mentor image in visual treatment of “goddesses.” This window is darkened prior to Glinda’s centering as she sings the line from “What Is This Feeling?”: “These things are sent to try us!” I owe what I think I see/analyze to the work of John Golden in his NCTE publication, READING IN THE DARK.

28 Degrees in Floyd Knobs, Indiana. Fletcher negotiated a quick walk with the understanding that “business” would mean “turnaround to home.” Fletcher kept his end of the deal. And I kept mine.

Looking for picture books that center sadness and grief? Two beautiful ones from this past year are “No More Señora Mimí” by Meg Medina (illus. by Brittany Cicchese) and “Just What to Do” by Kyle Lukoff (illus. by Hala Tahboub). Thank you to @alizawerner.bsky.social for sharing these at #NCTE24