After a day of sunshine and waves, make certain to stop by Cabanas Ice Cream and indulge your sweet tooth. Cabanas serves up the ultimate ice cream; pastries; pies; cakes; milkshakes & smoothies; coffees and candies. Warm temperatures are no match for the family friendly seating and service.
Hours: Monday thru Friday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Location: 512 Broad St, St Joseph, Michigan 49085
Sunday, February 18, 2024
On the way to the theatre, we took a detour and stumbled across a charming independent bookshop. Opening the door was a magical experience. It was as though we fell down a rabbit hole with Alice. The aisles were narrow and the shelves were never ending. As I scanned the titles, there was a sense of familiarity. There were new and gently beloved copies of every genre imaginable. While strolling up and down the aisles, you could hear the rattling of the L. It was then that I realized I was home.
Open Books also had an amazing children’s literature section. There were nooks and crannies with comfortable seating and a reading stage. Sadly, our visit would be cut short. We had theatre tickets and needed to scurry. I look forward to returning to Open Books in the near future.
A heartfelt thank you to Open Books for providing a respite from technology and a peaceful safe haven from the noise of the world.
—Jenn
Open Books
651 W. Lake St.
Chicago, IL 60661
Hours:
10:30am-6pm Monday through Thursday
11:30am-7pm Friday through Sunday
Climate of H.O.P.E. Conference
(How Our Planet is Evolving)
March 1, 2024 at 8:00 – 2:30 pm
The 2024 Climate of HOPE Conference is designed to bring a combination of cutting edge climate research and engaging classroom-ready activities to Middle School & High School Illinois Science Teachers and Administrators.
The conference will explore the confluence of inquiry, climate science, and evolution as they relate to our rapidly changing planet. Open to all science educators to discuss the latest research and how we can bring it into our classrooms.
Keynote Speakers:
Sponsors: National Science Foundation-funded US Ice Drilling Program (IDP), National Center for Science Education (NCSE), DuPage County Regional Office of Education (DROE), and the Illinois Science Teachers Association (ISTA)
5 Continuing Education hours are available through the DuPage ROE for attending this event.
Registration Fee: $30.00/Person
Location: Downers Grove North High School
Anderson’s Bookshops
22nd Annual Children’s Literature Breakfast
February 24 at 8AM
Located at: Bobak’s Signature Events, 6440 Double Eagle Drive, Woodridge, IL
Join Anderson’s Bookshop for a morning of Children’s Literature, Keynote Speakers and Breakfast fare. Local authors will be seated at every table.
Keynote Speakers include: Kate DiCamillo, Kazu Kibuishi, and Andrea Beaty
22nd Annual Children’s Literature Breakfast offers:
*100% of proceeds raised from our raffles will be donated to charity.
Check-in opens at 7:00 am! Come early, as the event will begin promptly at 8:00 am. Author signings will follow at 12:00 pm.
See you there!
—Jenn
December 29, 2023
Armed with coffee, road trip snacks and an eclectic Spotify playlist we began 2023 traveling the midwest in search of Indie Bookshops. Most of our destinations were day trips excluding The Drama Book Shop in New York. Each bookshop was welcoming and offered a carefully curated selection of literature, author events, and sometimes coffee. For your next Indie Bookshop adventure, please consider visiting the following bookshops. They will graciously welcome and assist in securing your next read and/or addition to your TBR.
—-Jenn
**Please note: At this time, I am not affiliated with the bookshops linked above (wink, wink I would love the opportunity). Direct links are included for your convenience.
*Please include Bookshop Name & Location.
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Coffee brewed. Rae Dunn mug selected. Make It Happen. It’s my third cup of dark roast coffee. No cream. No sugar. Bitter and dark. It’s a day for ambitious endeavors. I am sorting through books for the first week of school. There are a plethora of picture and chapter books to choose from. Kindness; classroom expectations; growth mindset, and social emotional learning are only a handful of topics that will be covered the initial weeks of school.
First pass through the bookcase complete. Will this list change? Oh, yes! We have a couple more weeks before returning. There is just enough time to finish reading one more chapter book. In the meantime, coffee is brewing and pages are turning.
Breakfast & A Book organically developed last school year. While eating breakfast in the classroom, students listen to a chapter book read aloud. As a class, we “sample” three chapter books and take a class vote. The winning chapter book is then read and discussed over breakfast. It’s also an incentive to arrive at school on time. If you’re tardy, then you miss the story. Do I leave the story on a cliffhanger? You betcha!
One of these lovelies will be selected as the first chapter book read aloud of the school year. It is always a challenging decision. Last year, my students had a wicked sense of humor. They were comedians. Loved to giggle and laugh. Second graders are ridiculously silly.
*Please note that bookshop links will be shared at a later time.
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