A few days ago, I took a nostalgic trip walking down the halls of my elementary school. I peeked into the rooms where I spent my early years. The big clock in the hallway was still there, intimidating me like that first time when the teacher asked me to step out into the hall and find out what time it was. Too embarrassed to tell her I couldn’t yet tell time, I waited and waited staring up at clock’s round face looming before me. Finally a janitor came by and helped me out.
 |
| Same hallway – same clock |
The cafeteria is as I remember it although there is no longer a piano on the small stage. We used to have music in those days. Our piano teacher led us in song at least once a week. I always looked forward to that session.
 |
| Cafeteria/Auditorium |
Although the school is no longer an elementary, it is still a school – a Headstart school. Little people lined up and filled the hallways on their way to class. These tiny tots were exuberant and full of energy. It was a joy watching them get a head start on their education.
I browsed through a thick, heavy, embossed leather book – an archive of years past put together by one of my former teachers. No high tech stuff here, but merely pages and photos of teachers, students, school clubs and events that brought back memories of my school days.
 |
| Archives – Leather Book |
The library. Ah, yes. The library. That’s where I fell in love with words and books. No longer a library, it is now a storeroom. It looks a lot smaller than I remember, but hey, in those days everything seemed large to me. The new round library is awesome. It is cozy, warm, and inviting. Just like libraries should be. I’m glad I got a chance to revisit. I’m pleased that my old school is still there, although in a different capacity now. So many memories … the cafeteria, the playground, the friends, the teachers, the books. It was fun going back.
Here’s an interesting article on picture books. In a blog post, “Tip Sheet: Picture Books Are for All Ages,” published on the Publishers Weekly Shelf Talker, Elizabeth Bluemle writes: “A 32-page picture book may cost the same as a 350-page novel, but a picture book is read over and over again, and each time there may be something new to discover. The more reading a children does, especially of books with rich language, the more fluent he or she becomes as a reader.” Read the rest of the article.
Here’s a link to Latino/a Authors & Illustrators from across the nation on the Latinas4latinolit blog. Visit their websites to find out what they are all about.
Never try to chase trends. Write what you love, and write the best book you can, and worry about publication later. – Writer’s Digest Weekly Planner