Eleven young ladies fill my room for Battle of the Books club.
Brimming with the exuberance of middle school
they spend the next hour laughing and talking books.
After our competition in early May, they insisted that we continue
this weekly celebration of books and reading for a bit longer.
Two weeks ago we celebrated outside.
They flipped for books and sunshine and sheer joy!
One week ago Katherine Schlick Noe visited us.
My winning Skype visit from the Middle Grade Authors blog
turned into a terrific personal author visit
through Katherine's generosity and proximity!
Her writing journey held us spellbound
as she shared Warm Springs, Anyone Sick at Your House?
and Danger at Fort Bloodstone. All part of her writer's journey
to publication of Something to Hold.
She nudged us as writers and showed us that
good books have to have things that are hard.
Today we take a walking field trip to
celebrate our final meeting of this inaugural year,
share a sweet yogurt treat to mark this bittersweet moment,
and inspire each other for our summer reading journeys!
