A Bit o’ NCTE

This was the first convention that I’ve been to since I got my Iphone and I went a little wild using the camera for tweeting purposes.  For those not following me on twitter— what is wrong with you?  (just kidding) —- here are those photos.  By no means a good overview of what I did, but a few things nonetheless.

So on Friday after the general session with Julie Andrews and her daughter, I stopped in to the celebration for Lee Bennett Hopkins — lots of fun to hear such distinguished poets as Jane Yolen, J. Patrick Lewis, and Walter Dean Myers roast Lee.  Sadly, I couldn’t stay for more of them as I wanted to catch a graphic novel session taking place across the hall.  I came in in time to be part of a draw-off between Matt Holm and Jarrett J. Krosoczka. The idea was for Matt to draw Lunch Lady and  Jarrett to do Babymouse, each with an audience member coaching them.  Well, I sure ran right up to coach Matt so he did Lunch Lady serving in my NYC classroom.

Here’s me coaching Matt (with chair Joan Kindig in the background)

Here’s Jarrett with his which had something to do with Babymouse in Canada.

Afterwards  a bunch of us went for coffee. That’s Shana Corey, Jenni (in pink, natch), Matt (in his Babymouse tee-shirt-thingie), and Joan Kindig.

Jan Greenberg (my lunch partner and who then did our Notables session)

Friday afternoon was our Notables session. The room was too small and hot, someone in the back of the room stepped on a cord shutting down the projector and the mikes causing a slightly nervous moment, but otherwise all went well.  It was my third and final time doing this so I’m glad it was successful and hope it happens again next year.   In addition to Jan, we had Barry Denenberg, Philip Dray, Scott Reynolds Nelson, Marc Aronson, and the following whose pictures I managed to snap while also timing and overseeing the rotations.

Here’s Laura Vaccaro Seeger.

Jen Bryant

Stephen T. Johnson

While strolling through the exhibits  I ran into G. Neri, Lisa Yee, and Peepy

And at the Scholastic Brunch on Sunday was the very tall Patrick Carman (doing something to make himself shorter here).

And last, but not least, here is Sarah of thereadingzone!

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Jack Langstaff, Wild Mountain Thyme, and Other Specialnesses

One of the iconic members of the CLNE group was the marvelous imp, Jack Langstaff.  He led us in song and dance and was such a wonderful part of the experience that it was very hard when he was gone.  I do have to say Gregory Maguire has a lovely singing voice, but as anyone who was around for Jack at CLNE knows, no one can replace him.  After mentioning (and first mispelling) “Wild Mountain Thyme” in my previous post I went searching for a video of it. Didn’t find one with Jack, but did find this one of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez singing it.

And then here is Jack in one of his beloved Revels.

Kinda cool and Thanksgivingy, I think.  Enjoy the videos and the holiday for those who celebrate it.