It's Monday! What are you reading?

I FINALLY finished Atomic Habits by James Clear!  If you are struggling with forming good habits or getting rid of bad ones, I highly recommend this book.  It is so apropos for educators who are trying to build effective classroom routines and helping their students establish good learning habits.  I lost a lot of focus during the pandemic, and I'm looking forward to applying Clear's methods this summer, both for personal goals and while planning for the next school year.  Habits and routines free up our "mental space" to allow for growth and creativity!

Speaking of creativity...the "new" books I picked up had that common theme! I didn't consciously choose to read them together, which makes the text-to-text connections even more meaningful.  I was supposed to read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert over spring break, but...that didn't happen, so I'm diving in this month.  Gilbert's premise is that we all have a need for creative expression; the key is discovering and unlocking it for the purpose of bringing joy to our lives.

The next book I picked up this weekend was Bluebonnet Award nominee Unbound: The Life + Art of Judith Scott.  I found my former life as a special education teacher get pulled into the present as I read about Scott, who had Down's Syndrome.  Born in an era that institutionalized children with disabilities, Scott wasn't able to realize her creative potential until her sister brought her home and connected her with the Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland.  Judith Scott's work was displayed in art galleries around the world.  Unbound reinforces the belief that we all have the ability--and right-- to creative expression.

Blue, another Bluebonnet Award nominee, wrapped up my reading this weekend.  

Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond takes us on a journey through history in pursuit of recreating the color of the sky, the ocean--the beautiful shades of blue.  The dyes have come from different sources, and many people toiled as slaves to provide the resources.  It's a reminder to be aware of what we value and the lengths to which we have gone to procure those treasures.

It's Monday, and I'm reading about creativity and making a lot of text-to-text connections.  What connections have you made between the books you've read?