I am so excited to see the library come together! The building is not officially open until tomorrow, but I went in on Monday to check out the shelving arrangements. I needed to formulate a plan BEFORE I start unpacking! 

The space is so inviting! I love the light and the green color on the north wall -- it matches our library website!

My favorite part of the library is the story corner! The carpeting is being laid as I type! I can't wait to see it filled with children! 

Welcome to the Carrie Busey Elementary School Library Blog! This is a place where we can share news, books, or anything!

When I am not teaching, you will find me reading books, sewing, spinning yarn, knitting, listening to music, walking, or enjoying life with my husband, MIchael, and our two cats.

Please feel free to comment on whatever you see here. Comments are moderated (I have to review the comments before they are posted), so there may be a delay in your comments being posted. I will usually check the site daily.

Have you read any good books lately? I certainly have! I read all Monarchs, Bluestems, and Caudills (the Illinois Children's Choice award books) every year. This year I started with the Rebecca Caudill nominee Countdown by Deborah Wiles. I have liked all of her other books (Freedom Summer, Each Little Bird that Sings, The Aurora County All-Stars and Love, Ruby Lavender) and was looking forward to another great read.

When I "have" to read a book, I have the habit of not reading anything about it beforehand. I don't read reviews, I don't even read the jacket flaps. So when I picked up Countdown with it's picture of an old 45 rpm record on the cover, I figured that I would go back to the 50's for some music-themed fun. Boy was I wrong! Countdown is an amazing book about a very scary time in history -- the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. 

Ms. Wiles tells a incredible story and intersperses the narrative with quotes, pictures, and news articles from the time period. Countdown is the first book in The Sixties Trilogy. I can't wait for the next two installments!

Countdown is from the Rebecca Caudill list and is appropriate for most 4th and 5th grade students. If you have a child who is a worry-wart, I would recommend that they read this when they are a little older.