Books
š Reading Notes: A Quaker Book of Wisdom by Robert Lawrence Smith, Chapter 9, āEducationā
ā¦a good school is one that is constantly engaged in self-examination, in improving itself, in becoming wiser in its ability to both teach and inspire.
Smith returns to this idea many times in this chapter. Every school Iāve worked at had some sort of process for this, but Smith says that in a Quaker school, everyone in the school is involved in this process. In the public schools where Iāve worked, there was always a School Improvement Team (PDF). This is basically a committee and it consists entirely of adults. Students arenāt on the SIT. Further, as you might expect in a public school, the success of the School Improvement Team and the School Improvement Plan is evaluated based almost entirely on studentsā scores on standardized tests, which to my mind is an incomplete measure of learning.
Itās a school that is intent on turning out good people who will help make a better world.
At the beginning of every school year, Mās teachers have us complete a survey and one of the questions is always about our hopes for the school year. We always answer that we want him to grow into himself and to continue to learn how to be a caring member of our community. I love this idea. While I suspect most teachers in most schools have this in mind as their intention, the systems and structures of compulsory public education, at least in North Carolina when I was working in public schools, tended to focus on performance in a few academic subject areas and compliance with school policies. I like the idea of a whole school taking this approach, rather than only individual teachers.
Itās the soul of a schoolāits intangible persona, its character, its principles, its daily life over time, the impressions it makes, the efforts it inspires, and the moral authority it possessesāthat helps mold a child into an educated, assured, humane, and caring adult.
Yes! Especially the daily life over time: how we spend our moments is how we spend our days is how we spend our years is how we spend our life. The life of a school is in the day-to-day.
At a good school teachers and students are jointly engaged in a search for truthā¦
This jibes well with a school librarianās focus on inquiry-driven learning.
Teachersā¦ work to provide a climate of sensitivity to the human condition.
This is so critical. When I was a student teacher and first set foot in my mentor teacherās classroom, I was appalled by what seemed to me to be an out-of-control class with absolutely no attention paid to Latin, the classās subject matter. (I was 22 and I like to think Iām less judgy now.) By the end of my four months in student teaching, my perspective had totally transformed: I saw that my mentor teacher was more concerned with supporting her students than with a laser focus on their academic achievement, and that her love and support was a critical foundation before they could have academic success.
Without input from people of differing life experiences and cultures, a school quickly becomes insular and intellectually stagnant.
It seems obvious but itās absolutely necessary to say.
ā¦moments of silence help students center themselves amidst the hubbub of the school day.
To quote the Carolina Friends School website:
Settling In and Out
We use this Quaker practice of shared silence as a meaningful way to make oneself present in the moment, focus or redirect attention, and create a shared energy and sense of intention with a community.
Back to the bookā¦
Another characteristic of Quaker schools is that they have involved students in community service at all grade levels.
Experimental education is the name of the game in Quaker schools, and they are constantly cooking up new ways of doing things.
And whatās probably my favorite quote from the chapter:
There is no formula for imparting love of learning. Despite new methodologies, there must always be reliance on the old virtues of skills, care, love, patience, and time.
Care, love, patience, and time are all things that the structures of public schools make it hard for teachers to prioritize, though I bet most teachers would love to be able to prioritize them.
šØļøš “Take the time to take time because nobody else will do it for you.” Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Margaret, and Sophie Mas, How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits
Finished reading: New Adult by Timothy Janovsky š
Like if 13 Going on 30 was instead 23 Going on 30. Timothy Janovsky’s characters make me so happy, they’re so heart-full. Also lots of good stuff about keeping comedy in its proper place in your life rather than letting it become an all-consuming obsession.
<img src=“https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/17595/2024/1000002085-01.jpeg" width=“600” height=“600” alt=“A book titled ‘New Adult’ by Timothy Janovsky is centrally placed on a textured fabric surface, surrounded by colorful tarot cards and small heart-shaped stones. The book cover is adorned with illustrations of young adults engaged in various activities and has stars scattered around. The image features a quote from the New York Times praising the novel as “witty, playful, heartbreaking, and intensely poetic”. The overall mood of the image is whimsical and colorful, evoking a sense of curiosity.">
Finished reading: A Dish Best Served Hot by Natalie CaƱa š
A lovely, slightly spicy romance. This one resonates a lot because one of the main characters is an oldest sibling who feels responsible for everything.
Finished reading: A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie CaƱa š
Super sweet and a little steamy romance.
Want to read: Grove Hollow Metamorphosis: A 1980s Gothic Paranormal Romance Novel by Shelby Nicole McFadden š
Probably going to buy this one but I’ve told myself I have to finish one of the books I own before I may.
Finished reading: In the Case of Heartbreak by Courtney Kae š
Highest of recommendations here. This book is a cute romance but it’s also healing to read.
ššØļø
You are not a burden… You are a blessing.
Just Courtney Kae still wrecking me with In the Case of Heartbreak, that’s all.
ššØļø
Your feelings are valid and important no matter how they make me feel… you aren’t responsible for my response.
Read this in Courtney Kae’s In the Case of Heartbreak last night and then wept uncontrollably for a while. Is this what a trauma response feels like?
Finished reading: Love Requires Chocolate by Ravynn K. Stringfield š
Full review coming later, but I loved this confection of a YA romance from Ravynn K. Stringfield, my creative nonfiction for academics teacher. A Francophile Black American girl falling in love with Paris and a cute Parisian. Highly recommend.
Book Review: The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond
The thing about Gwenda Bond is that sheāll take your favorite microgenre or trope, mix some magic in, and give you a whole new story to enjoy. Which is exactly what she does with The Frame-Up. She takes an art heist story and adds in magic powers that make people good at their roles: mastermind, hacker, and more.
But Gwendaās website tagline for a while was āHigh Concept with Heart,ā and even more than the magic, the heart is what really makes The Frame-Up shine. This is a story about a daughter dealing with the fallout of betraying her mother and learning how to be right with herself whether or not her mother ever forgives her.
Hereās the publisherās description:
A magically gifted con artist must gather her estranged motherās old crew for a once-in-a-lifetime heist, from the author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds.
Dani Poissant is the daughter and former accomplice of the worldās most famous art thief, as well as being an expert forger in her own right. The secret to their success? A little thing called magic, kept rigorously secret from the non-magical world. Daniās mother possesses the power of persuasion, able to bend people to her will, whereas Dani has the ability to make any forgery she undertakes feel like the genuine article.
At seventeen, concerned about the corrupting influence of her motherās shadowy partner, Archer, Dani impulsively sold her mother out to the FBIāan act she has always regretted. Ten years later, Archer seeks her out, asking her to steal a particular painting for him, since her motherās still in jail. In return, he will reconcile her with her mother and reunite her with her motherās old gangāincluding her former best friend, Mia, and Elliott, the love of her life.
The problem is, itās a nearly impossible jobāeven with the magical talents of the people she once considered family backing her up. The painting is in the never-before-viewed private collection of deceased billionaire William Hackworthāotherwise known as the Fortress of Art. Itās a job that needs a year to plan, and Dani has just over one week. Worse, sheās not exactly gotten a warm welcome from her former colleaguesāespecially not from Elliott, who has grown from a weedy teen to a smoking-hot adult. And then there is the biggest puzzle of all: why Archer wants her to steal a portrait of himself, which clearly dates from the 1890s, instead of the much more valuable works by Vermeer or Rothko. Who is her motherās partner, really, and what does he want?
What I loved
The art, honestly. Great descriptions of art and art periods. Dani is a character with a clear love and respect for the art she forges. The heist crew vibes: everybodyās got their role and while Dani is working with her momās estranged team, there is still love there between herself and Mia and Elliott, the two other members of the team close to her age. The intense interiority: always seeing inside Daniās heart, her desire for her motherās approval, her regret about her past actions. Most of all, Daniās sweet dog Sunflower.
What I need to warn you about
Not much here, except there are some really garbage parents and their adult kids are dealing with the repercussions of having been raised by such rotten people.
What I wanted more of
I mean, I would read a lot more heists with this crew, soā¦ Sequels?
Who should read this
People who like fantasy set in our world. People who like heists and secrets. People who like paintings. People who like reading about fancy rich folks. People who like reading about Kentucky. People who like border collies.
Book: The Frame-Up
Author: Gwenda Bond
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: February 13, 2024
Pages: 352
Age Range: Adult
Source of Book: ARC via NetGalley
Finished reading: The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond š
I thought this was going to be a romance book with a heist, but I was mistaken. It’s a heist book with a romance! It’s beautifully done. Full review coming soon. The Frame-Up releases February 13. Pre-order it now!
Finished reading: Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky š
Another delightful romance given to us by Timothy Janovsky, whose little details feel so calculated to please me. This time: The Great Movie Ride (RIP) figures in a key scene.
Finished reading: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert š
I’m late to this party but happy to finally be here. As sweet and hot as the romance here is, it’s the portrayal of fibromyalgia that makes my heart sing.
Finished reading: For Never & Always by Helena Greer š
I love it so much. Finished it in under 48 hours. Helena Greer has given us a lovely place in Carrigan’s Christmasland and a host of delightful people to populate it. I keep seeing different bits of myself in each of her characters and it makes me happy. Highly recommend.
Me: I started this book last night and read only one chapter before bed. Now I’m on page 214.
W: Sounds like my wife.
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Finished reading: How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow š
Lovely and sweet. Made me cry when the main character’s mom really shows up for her. Also kinda makes me want to travel to DC.
ššØļø “I want to live my life being irrationally hopeful. Loving people and fish and cities with my whole heart.” Jake Maia Arlow, How to Excavate a Heart
Finished reading: Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun š
This one was so lovely it made me cry. I can’t even sum up. Go read the description if it sounds good to you, try it out. Highly recommend.
How I talk about books online š
In today’s issue of Happy Dancing, Charlie Jane Anders writes about how to fix GoodReads to avoid people review-bombing books to lower their ratings.
I haven’t used GoodReads in a long time but Anders brings up a point that has me wanting to share how I write about books online. Anders shares an anecdote about losing a bunch of star ratings on songs in iTunes and then switching to a simple love/don’t love system, then says:
And I feel like with books, it’s pretty similar. Did you like this book or not? Would you recommend it to your friends? Would you look out for more books by this author in future? The important questions are all yes or no.
And this is how I tend to share books when I’m writing about them quickly.
If I loved a book, I’ll end my short post with “Highly recommend.” If I like it, I’ll just share that I finished it and maybe a brief description. If I don’t like it, I probably didn’t finish it, and I probably won’t post about it at all.
When I write a full review, I share a summary, what I loved, what I wanted more of, what I need to warn you about, and who should read the book. I only write this kind of review about books I would recommend.
Since 2007 I’ve had a policy of only publishing positive reviews on my website and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Finished reading: You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky š
Oh my goodness I love it. Matthew Prince starts out as a spoiled party boy but Janovsky slowly pulled the onion layers back until I loved him. And his love interest Hector is wonderful. Highly recommend.
š Listening to Patrick Stewart read A Christmas Carol and it’s just feels like having Jean-Luc Picard read it to you. š
Finished reading: In the Event of Love by Courtney Kae š
A lovely place-based friends-to-lovers second chance. As often happens, the third act breakup made me want to yell at the main character but the book had me happy-teary by the end.
Finished reading: Eight Kisses by Mindy Klasky š
Eight Hanukkah romance stories. I read one each night. My favorites are the one with the Frisky Bean coffee shop and the one with empty nesters reconnecting.