Back to School! Are you a Smartypants?

It's back to school time around here, which reminded me of one of my favorite books about school, Smartypants (Pete in School), written and illustrated by Maira Kalman. Released in 2003, I've read it many times since and love the humor and absurdity. I also adore the snarky side comments Kalman includes in her illustrations.

This book is for everyone who has had that "don't call on me" moment. Avoid eye contact! But when Pete comes to school (forbidden, of course!), he can answer every single question! As a student, are you really going to let a dog get the better of you intellectually? I think not.

My library is featuring back-to-school books in their displays:

Another of my back-to-school favorites is First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. I won't go into details, but I will tell you that there's a surprise ending. Horn Book has a list of good back-to-school books here.

What's your favorite book about school? Make it a great school year, everyone!

It's Peach Season!

Yes! It is time to celebrate the season of abundant produce, and particularly peaches! We are so fortunate that a local hardware store trucks in lugs each year from Western Colorado. This year's load (or lode, as I think of it) comes from Black Bear Orchards in Palisade. Yes, we got a whole lug. No, that is not too much for two people--at least not the two people at our house. 

This year's poem for peach season is a haiku: 

slices of sunshine

slide gentle juice down my throat,

cozy taste of home.

See last year's peach season poem here.

What flavors do you savor this season? Here, everything's peachy!

(photos by Jane Heitman Healy, c 2014)