I love weeks that feel like they’re going according to plan, don’t you?!

I found extra time to read, was gifted a book that set my notebook on fire, found a new purpose for social media and even managed to cook a new dish for dinner, too. And it actually tasted good. =)

This week, I’ve got three books to share, some new writing ideas, a social media task I’m really excited about and lots of links to love, too!

What I'm Reading:

I have a very eclectic mix of books this week: one Pulitzer prize winner, two books that bend time and one young adult book that I’m keeping a secret until next week’s podcast episode. =)

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

This book was not the longest book I’ve read, but it took me the longest to finish. Whitehead loosely captures the real life story of the Dozier School for Boys in this fictionalized account of Nickel Academy, a reform school for boys needing its own kind of reform. Readers come to know Elwood Curtis, a black high-school senior who is arrested for car theft while hitching a ride to his advanced college classes. We learn about his background, the boys he meets at the horrific reform school and how Dr. King’s words are keeping his spirit alive. This book will require time, thinking and deep reflection. 

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

I’ve learned that I love books that bend time because it makes me examine my own life in a new way, too. And this book certainly did that. If we could go back in time, when would we choose to return? What would we change and why? And if we could, would we return again and again? Those are the questions that Alice struggles with as she finds herself back in time on the day of her 16th birthday. Small changes could have a big impact on her actual life: she could go from single to married, get the promotion she deserves, save her father from an unknown sickness and more. But will she? Would you? I devoured this book.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Oh, my. This book. This book needs to be read. In a single sitting. With comfy pants. And a beverage. And some kleenex. Maybe a life coach on stand-by, too. It’s incredible. In it, we meet Dannie, a high-powered young woman set to achieve all of her dreams in her 5 year plan: the job, the apartment, the man. But when she falls asleep after a dreamy night of getting engaged, she wakes up next to a different man in a different apartment 5 years into the future. And nothing is as planned. After one shocking hour, she awakes in her real life right on schedule. Except that nothing is on schedule anymore and she’s questioning every decision she thought she’d make for herself. This is a must read.

What I'm Writing:

I have many writing mentors, but one of my favorites is Ruth Ayres, the leader of Choice Literacy and author of Enticing Hard-to-Reach Writers. If you do not yet know Ruth, I highly recommend you head to her website to learn more about her and her work. 

She gifted me this book in good old-fashioned snail mail: Lifelong Writing Habit: The Secret to Writing Everyday.

It’s a small book with big ideas about writing and I read it in a single sitting. 

I especially loved the list of writing exercises to bring our writing habits to life. Here’s the first one listed and the first one I tried:

Write out your daily routines as a list of habits. Next to each of those habits, put a (G) or a (B) for good or bad. Once you’ve completed the list, pick a habit you’d like to flip.

Now, there is more to this prompt, but I LOVED the idea of noting our daily habits, assigning a value and then simply flipping them to better serve us. 

Anyone can do this in a notebook for any aspect of our lives and I highly recommend you do!

What I'm Learning:

It always amazes me how one little tidbit of information can make a large difference in my thinking. It might be a meme on social media, overheard conversation in line for my coffee, an article I read online or in this case, an email I received in my Inbox. 

Random House sent me an email reminding teachers and librarians to celebrate illustrators by paying careful attention to illustration in our picture books. 

Here’s the line that made me think: Don’t just read picture books, explore the gorgeous art in these picture books by acclaimed and award winning illustrators.

Here’s the thing: I feel like I know my beloved picture book authors quite well and can usually rattle off their backstory and a list of their published titles. 

But I cannot always do the same for their illustrators. 

I always tag the authors of the books I am reading on social media so they know I see them and celebrate their work. 

But I do not always do the same for their illustrators. 

And this email made me stop to reflect on why that is. I mean, the illustrations MAKE the book! They set the tone and mood, influence the images I imagine in my mind and basically enlarge the reading experience as a whole. 

And I need to give them more credit for that. 

So, I’m on a mission to learn more about the illustrators I enjoy, tag them in my social posts to let them know I appreciate them and start paying more attention to their work in general. 

Let the illustrator and illustration love begin.

What I'm Loving:

You know I love all things miniature. That’s why I LOVED this calendar of miniature things. It reminds me of my bibliotherapy book calendars and I love it!

Yoga with Adriene offered a new-to-me video in my Inbox this week: Yoga Tips for the Hands. I know I need this and with all of us out there on Zoom screens and typing, I think you might, too.

I made this No Fry Eggplant Parmesan this past week. And I actually nailed it. =) So easy and delicious!

The new Tombow wallpaper is here. Grab yours today!

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?