Let's say I wanted to gain expertise in a certain area of children's/YA lit.  Say, I don't know, modern books about the ancient world - especially Greece and Rome.  Mythology and history both.  How would I go about staying abreast of new releases that would fall into my area of expertise?  Catalogs?  Reviews in the Horn Book?  Something else?  All suggestions are welcome!  Also suggestions of older books that fall into this domain are GREATLY appreciated.  (Already know Percy Jackson etc, plus Nobody's Princess and related books.  Oh, and Iris, Messenger.)

I just finished reading The Lightning Thief.  I won’t be reviewing it here, as I’m saving it for my new project in media res (more to come on that later), but I love it.  Rick Riordan is my hero.  I want to write books like THAT.  Also, I think I maybe would like to work with middle school students.

I knew I would love The Lightning Thief, because of the premise, and then because of the first page, but I really truly loved it on page 2, when Percy Jackson declared his Latin teacher cool and confessed that Latin was the only class in which he could stay awake.  As a “cool” Latin teacher of students with ADHD, I was so there.

Also, I like to pretend I’m a descendant of Athena.

Also also, it made me immensely happy that Rick Riordan’s description of Hades sounded just like my boyfriend, except  with long hair.

So, yeah.  That is my PERSONAL response to The Lightning Thief.  You can expect my professional response mid-July, when I launch in media res.  At that point I’m hoping to have some lesson ideas - not full on plans, but ideas - related to the book, as well as my in depth “How useful is this for teaching kids ancient culture?” review.

Tomorrow is March 15, which on the Roman calendar was known as the Ides of March. Now, the Ides are only on the 15th in March, May, July and October. The rest of the year, they are on the 13th. But in March, they are the 15, and it was on March 15, 44 B. C. (709 AUC, for those of you using the Roman calendar) that Gaius Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times at the foot of the statue of Pompey, his rival in the Civil War.

William Shakespeare was a Latin teacher before he was an actor or playwright, and as such he was no doubt well-educated in Roman history. So he had a lot of knowledge to draw on when he wrote his play, Julius Caesar. Today, in honor/mourning of the death of a man who was at least very smart, if not very nice, I give you selections from Shakespeare’s play.

Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear; * * Seeing that death, a necessary end,

Will come when it will come.

• Act II, Scene 2.

  I could be well mov’d if I were as you; If I could pray to move, prayers would move me; But I am constant as the northern star, * * Of whose true-fix’d and resting quality There is no fellow in the firmament. The skies are painted with unnumber’d sparks, They are all fire and every one doth shine, * * But there’s but one in all doth hold his place: So, in the world; ’tis furnish’d well with men, And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive; Yet in the number I do know but one * * That unassailable holds on his rank, Unshak’d of motion: and that I am he, Let me a little show it, even in this, That I was constant Cimber should be banish’d, * *

And constant do remain to keep him so.

• Act III, Scene 1

If you haven’t been watching it, you should check out the LiveJournal community . This is a community for writers of urban fantasy/horror. Recently they’ve focused their discussion on the topic of why they write about the creatures they do. I’ve really enjoyed reading their responses.

Last week I tried to have a kick a day.  I’m going to go for the same thing this week.  We’ll see how it works out.

1. On Sunday, I got out of rehearsal an hour early.
2. On Monday, I did really well in dance class and my parents brought me hushpuppies.
3. On Tuesday, I had no meetings.
4. On Wednesday, we only had students for half a day. And when you’re used to a 90 minute class, 55 minutes flies by.
5. On Thursday, I gave a test in two of my classes, which is always nice because it makes for a low-energy day.
6. On Friday, I saw The Princess Bride on the big screen at the Carolina Theatre.  And found out they will have Space Balls, The Secret of NIMH, and Terminator showing in the near future.  Also a friend was working the concessions stand.
7. Yesterday, I spent $4 and got a whole pizza for it, because Will’s dad gave him a gift card and we ordered 3 pizzas and I only had to pay the difference on the order between the gift card amount and the total.

That is all.

1. Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, Karen Kingston
   2. Craft, Inc., Meg Mateo Ilasco
   3. Indigara, Tanith Lee
   4. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
   5. Jessie’s Mountain, Kerry Madden
   6. Finding Serenity, Jane Espenson and Glenn Yeffeth, ed.
   7. Valiant, Holly Black [Audio CD] 

Seven good things this week:

1. At last week’s music rehearsal for my current production, I was ready to put down my score and sing from memory.  This meant I was ahead of the game, as we didn’t have to be able to do that until just today.

2. I got to rehearse my half a line on Monday night.

3. On Tuesday, I relaxed in the afternoon.

4. On Wednesday, I had a very productive meeting with some colleagues from across the whole school system.

5. Also on Wednesday at a curriculum fair, I talked to several potential new students and their parents, as well as meeting some parents of former/current students.  What was especially nice was being able to talk to a parent of a student who struggled in classes with me last year who is doing very well with the other Latin teacher this year.  It was nice to be able to tell her how genuinely pleased I am that he’s doing so well.

6. On Friday I had some amazingly delicious vegetarian pot pie.

7. Last night I went to the theatre and it was phenomenal. 

I could actually list more: standing up for myself in a situation I wouldn’t have a year ago, the fact that my roommate and his colleagues had an article published which meant they celebrated which meant he brought home cake…  Lots more.  Yay for good weeks, especially when it looked like it was going to be a stressful week.

My first published book review is up at this month's The Edge of the Forest.

US Airways and Reading Is Fundamental Put Children’s Books on Planes; Launch “Read with Kids Challenge.”

TEMPE, Ariz., — Feb. 29, 2008—US Airways (LCC) has joined with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) to launch a new early childhood literacy campaign, “Fly with US. Read with Kids,” which features a free children’s book for passengers traveling domestically during March, the online “Read with Kids Challenge,” and support of RIF programs serving young children across the nation.

During the month of March, US Airways, the official airline of RIF, will distribute copies of best-selling author/illustrator Lucy’s Cousins’ children’s book Come Fly with Maisy to passengers on domestic, mainline flights to take and share with a child. The organizations’ “Read with Kids Challenge” encourages Americans to read with young children during March, April, and May in an effort to log one million minutes reading. All entrants who log their time will qualify for a grand prize drawing of a family vacation to Walt Disney World(R) Resort in Orlando as well as other prizes. Participants can enter their time online at RIF.org.

“Reading, much like travel, is an adventure and a way to explore new worlds,” said Doug Parker, US Airways Chairman and CEO. “By teaming up with RIF on this first-of-its kind campaign, US Airways is helping foster literacy skills and a lifelong love of reading in children throughout the country – a key foundation for future academic and economic success.”

US Airways’ new campaign with RIF, the nation’s oldest and largest children and families’ literacy nonprofit organization, also includes donating 80,000 books to 25,000 children in RIF programs. US Airways' 3,300-member employee volunteer corps, the Do Crew, will participate in RIF book distributions and reading rallies in communities where the airline has large employee concentrations: Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Las Vegas; New York City; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.; and Winston-Salem, N.C.

“Reading and interacting with children is fun and valuable whether at 30,000 feet or at ground level,” said Carol H. Rasco, president and CEO of RIF. “Thanks to US Airways, RIF can provide more books to children and their families and promote the value of adults reading with young children. Research has shown that reading to young children helps them build vocabulary, develop skills for reading, and better prepare for success in school.” qubo, a TV and online entertainment service for children that champions literacy, has agreed to help promote the Read with Kids Challenge. qubo is currently broadcast on NBC Saturday mornings, ION TV network Friday afternoons and Telemundo weekend mornings and airs as a 24/7 digital broadcast channel and website.

About RIF Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), founded in 1966, is the nation’s oldest and largest children and families’ literacy nonprofit organization. RIF’s programs work to improve literacy by providing children with free new books, promoting reading for fun, and involving caring adults—all proven to support academic achievement. Because research has shown the importance of early childhood language development, RIF’s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. In 2007, RIF distributed 16 million books to 4.6 million children at nearly 20,000 locations, including schools, clinics, Head Start centers, and other sites throughout the U.S. RIF’s website offers educators, parents, and children advice and activities that support literacy. Visit www.RIF.org

About US Airways US Airways is the fifth largest domestic airline employing more than 36,000 aviation professionals worldwide. US Airways, US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express operate approximately 3,800 flights per day and serve more than 230 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. US Airways is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers our customers 17,000 daily flights to 897 destinations in 160 countries worldwide. This press release and additional information on US Airways can be found at www.usairways.com (LCCG)

FROM CAROL H. RASCO, President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental

Please ACT NOW capwiz.com/rif/go/de… and help RIF build support for our funding by sending an e-mail to your members of Congress asking them to sign the RIF Dear Colleague letter.

Since we first shared the disappointing news of President Bush’s proposed elimination of funding for RIF in his fiscal year 2009 budget less than two weeks ago, more than 30,000 messages have been sent to Congress urging legislators to reinstate RIF’s funding.

This initial outpouring of support has prompted RIF’s congressional champions to capitalize on the momentum by circulating in Congress a Dear Colleague letter on behalf of RIF. The Dear Colleague letter asks members of Congress to sign-on in support of RIF’s funding. This is an important next step in the campaign to protect RIF’s FY09 funding.

We are asking Congress to appropriate $26 million to fund RIF’s book distribution program for some 4.6 million underserved children and families in fiscal year 2009. The funding is critical to support our reading motivational programs at nearly 20,000 locations nationwide.

We hope you will share this message with six or more friends who will also contact their members of Congress. Thank you in advance for your support!