Library Update - Part 3

Taking the atelier apart in preparation for the renovation. Sinks have been removed!

Library Update - Part 2

At the end of the school year, the Head of School gathered a bunch of volunteers to pack up the library. That was good and bad. The good was I had a lot of volunteers. The bad was I couldn't control HOW things were packed nor where they were placed nor how they were LABELED! Also, since our update has been delayed, I've had to dig through boxes time and time again to try to find books. Students also only had access to books on a cart.

Book Box Surprise!

Books to be weeded

Finding books to checkout

Library Update - Part 1

Fall of 2014, I moved to The Stanley Clark School in South Bend. It's a small private school serving students from PreK-8.  I would oversee 4 small libraries: Main (all ages but mostly 1-4), Fannin (PreK-K,) The Tigers Den (5-8 fiction only) and The HPL (professional library).  The one thing I knew going in was the main library and the Fannin Hall library would be combining into a remodeled space.

Here is what the space, known as the atelier, looked like:

Downstairs - kdg lunchroom

Stairs

Upstairs - 4/5 Lunchroom

Here's the original Main Library:

Here's the original Fannin Hall - I don't have many pictures inside. It was so small, we would sit in the hall and rotate inside!

 So we will see how we will combine the two libraries and also include space for making and legos. Stay tuned!

Fable Comcs Blog Tour - 5 Questions with Ulises Farinas

Various authors. Fable Comics. Macmillan (First Second Books). 2015. 128 pg. 978-1626721074. $19.99

From the publisher:

From classics like “The Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Grasshopper and the Ants” to obscure gems like “The Frogs Who Desired a King,” Fable Comics has something to offer every reader. Twenty-eight fables from different cultures and traditions are wonderfully adapted and illustrated in comics format by twenty-six different cartoonists. Edited by New York Times bestselling Fairy Tale Comics’ Chris Duffy, this jacketed hardcover is a beautiful gift and an instant classic.

What a great way to study fables in the classroom. These interpretatins are not only graphic but may provide a twist teachrs and students hadn't expected! Read on as Ulises Farinas answers 5 Questions on The Great Weasel War - his interpretation of The Mice and the Weasel.

1. When researching The Mice and The Weasel - I came across several versions. Which did you use and how did you choose it?
We didn't stick to any single version, we tried to distill the moral into a fun new concept, while still maintaining the essence of the original fable. 

2. Greatness carries its own penalties is one moral of this fable. Agree or disagree? How did you translate this to your version?

When the moral is placed within the context of war, its warning is much more against foolhardy endeavors than greatness in itself. Recognizing your own limitations and preparing properly is something too many people fail to do when confronting their obstacles. When they are defeated, only then it is obvious which mistakes they've maken.

3. Am I detecting a sense of the absurd/humor in your version?

Of course, War is absurd, it is a hysteria that overwhelms people and rids them of their common sense. The original fable had them wearing ornate head-dresses, on mice. I think the absurdity is intended in the original fable as well.

4. I see you are working with Freitas on this story and also on a recently released Godzilla title. How do you two know each other and what’s your working process?

Erick Freitas and I work together on all our titles that we write. Usually we go over an idea together on the phone, afterwards he or I write an outline of what should happen, and Erick writes a script based on that. Then we go back and forth finessing it til it's where we want it.

We've known each other since we were 11 years old. 

5. So, what’s next for you?
Erick and I are currently writing Judge Dredd for IDW, and our anthology series Amazing Forest is being published by IDW as well. 

You will find many of your favorite authors and illustrators in Fable Comics:

Fable Comics is:

James Kochalka and ‘The Fox and the Grapes’
Tom Gauld and ‘The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse’
George O’Connor and the ‘Hermes’ fables
Sophie Goldstein and ‘Leopard Drums Up Dinner’
Charise Harper and ‘The Belly and the Body Members’
R. Sikoryak and ‘Lion + Mouse’
Jennifer L. Meyer and ‘Fox and Crow’
Eleanor Davis and ‘The Old Man and Death’
Jaime Hernandez and ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’
Simone Lia and ‘The Crow and the Pitcher’
Graham Chaffee and ‘The Dog and His Reflection’
Maris Wicks and ‘The Dolphins, The Whales, and The Sprat’
Vera Brosgol and ‘The Hare and the Pig’
Kenny Widjaja and ‘The Demon, The Thief, and the Hermit’
Corinne Mucha and ‘The Elephant in Favor’
Liniers and ‘The Mouse Council’
Mark Newgarten and ‘Man and Wart’
Israel Sanchez and ‘The Milkmaid and Her Pail’
Ulises Farinas and ‘The Great Weasel War’
R.O. Blechman and ‘The Sun and the Wind’
Graham Annable and ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’
John Kerschbaum and ‘The Grasshopper and the Ants’
Braden Lamb and Shelli Paroline and ‘The Thief and the Watchdog’
Gregory Benton and ‘The Hen and the Mountain Turtle’
Roger Langridge and ‘Demades and His Fable’

SLJ Good Comics for Kids features Fable Comics editor Chris Duffy, 9/21http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/

Charlotte’s Library features James Kochalka and ‘The Fox and the Grapes,’ 9/22http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com/

Musings of a Librarian features Tom Gauld and ‘The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse,’ 9/23 http://musingsoflibrarian.blogspot.com/

Sharp Reads features George O’Connor and the ‘Hermes’ fables, 9/24https://sharpread.wordpress.com/

Fly to Fiction features Sophie Goldstein an ‘Leopard Drums Up Dinner,’ 9/25http://flytofiction.blogspot.com/

Supernatural Snark features Charise Harper and ‘The Belly and the Body Members,’ 9/26 http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com/

It’s All Comic to Me features R. Sikoryak and ‘Lion + Mouse,’ 9/27 http://itsallcomictome.blogspot.com/

Ex Libris Kate features Jennifer L. Meyer and ‘Fox and Crow,’ 9/28http://exlibriskate.com/

The Roarbots features Eleanor Davis and ‘The Old Man and Death,’ 9/29http://theroarbots.com/

Fleen features Jaime Hernandez and ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf,’ 9/30 http://fleen.com/

The Book Monsters features Simone Lia and ‘The Crow and the Pitcher,’ 10/1http://thebookmonsters.com/

The Brain Lair features Graham Chaffee and ‘The Dog and His Reflection,’ 10/2http://www.thebrainlair.com/

Librarian in Cute Shoes features Maris Wicks and ‘The Dolphins, The Whales, and The Sprat,’ 10/3 http://librarianincuteshoes.blogspot.com/

Women Write About Comics features Vera Brosgol and ‘The Hare and the Pig,’ 10/4http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/

The Busy Librarian features Kenny Widjaja and ‘The Demon, The Thief, and the Hermit,’ 10/5 http://www.busylibrarian.com/

The Book Rat features Corinne Mucha and ‘The Elephant in Favor,’ 10/6http://www.thebookrat.com/

Read. Watch. Connect features Liniers and ‘The Mouse Council,’ 10/7http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/

Cherry Blossoms and Maple Syrup features Mark Newgarten and ‘Man and Wart,’ 10/8https://innocencewalker.wordpress.com/

Jenuine Cupcakes features Israel Sanchez and ‘The Milkmaid and Her Pail,’ 10/9http://jenuinecupcakes.blogspot.com/

Bumbles & Fairy Tales features Ulises Farinas and ‘The Great Weasel War,’ 10/10http://bumblesandfairytales.blogspot.com/

Graphic Policy features R.O. Blechman and ‘The Sun and the Wind,’ 10/11http://graphicpolicy.com/

The Book Wars features Graham Annable and ‘The Hare and the Tortoise,’ 10/12https://thebookwars.wordpress.com/

Sturdy for Common Things features John Kerschbaum and ‘The Grasshopper and the Ants,’ 10/13 http://www.sturdyforcommonthings.com/

Kid Lit Frenzy features Braden Lamb and Shelli Paroline and ‘The Thief and the Watchdog,’ 10/14 http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/

Maria’s Melange features Gregory Benton and ‘The Hen and the Mountain Turtle,’ 10/15http://www.mariaselke.com/

Read Write Reflect features Roger Langridge and ‘Demades and His Fable,’ 10/16http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com/