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Barb Odanaka
- Female
- Laguna Beach, CA
- United States
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Barb Odanaka's Groups
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Web 2.0 in the Library W…
121 members
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Authors in the Schools?
16 members
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Elementary School Librar…
347 members
Barb Odanaka's Discussions
AZ Literacy Groups?
Started Nov 6
Accelerated Reader??
Replied Oct 23
Barb Odanaka's Page
Latest Activity
My nonprofit group, Skateboard Moms, is planning a road trip to the Phoenix area (and possibly Sedona) in early December.
Part of our mission is to encourage children to read via our Rolling4Reading program. Wondering if any of you AZ folks might h…
I'm curious, from an author's standpoint, what teachers and librarians hope for when an author comes to visit the classroom.
Do you wish mostly for inspiration? Entertainment? Academic info?
I'm curious, from an author's standpoint, what teachers and librarians hope for when an author comes to visit the classroom.
Do you wish mostly for inspiration? Entertainment? Academic info?
I am not a librarian, but as a children's book author, I have been concerned about the ways AR seems to turn reading into another "do it for the reward and reward only" activity. Lara, those are really good points you made about how it can adversely…
As an author, I usually discuss the expectations with the teacher/librarian who coordinates my visit to the school. Generally I end up doing author presentations to all grades followed by writing workshops with each class. I offer writing workshops…
I'm curious, from an author's standpoint, what teachers and librarians hope for when an author comes to visit the classroom.
Do you wish mostly for inspiration? Entertainment? Academic info?
My book will be out this winter. School visits give us the opportunity to meet who we write for. I can't wait and would love to learn what does & doesn't work.
Blessings,
J. Aday Kennedy
The Differently-Abled Children's Author
www.jadaykennedy.com
h…
I'm curious, from an author's standpoint, what teachers and librarians hope for when an author comes to visit the classroom.
Do you wish mostly for inspiration? Entertainment? Academic info?
I'm curious, from an author's standpoint, what teachers and librarians hope for when an author comes to visit the classroom.
Do you wish mostly for inspiration? Entertainment? Academic info?
I'm curious, from an author's standpoint, what teachers and librarians hope for when an author comes to visit the classroom.
Do you wish mostly for inspiration? Entertainment? Academic info?
Profile Information
- Hometown:
- Newport Beach, CA, but now live in Laguna Beach, CA
- About Me:
- Hi,
I'm a children's book author and founder of the nonprofit Skateboard Moms and its community outreach program Rolling4Reading, a grassroots literacy program that delivers good books to kids in need--via skateboard.
I'm also an educator---a home educator. (This wasn't my plan, to say the least, but teachers and school administrators were telling me it was the best option for us due to my child's extreme asynchronous development.) I hope to learn from all of you!
Our homeschooling is almost entirely literature-based, even math. My book-loving 12-year-old son loves, loves, loves Mark Twain, and we are attempting Twain's complete works now (saving Huck Finn for last).
I'm always looking for suggestions for historical fiction as well as audiobooks as we listen to those for at least a couple hours each day. We spend gobs of time at the library!
My son started reading just before his 3rd birthday and has always enjoyed books that are well beyond the "suggested" age range, so it's always been a bit of a challenge for me to find books that challenge him but won't be "too adult." (After he read The Hobbit at age 5, my son immediately reached for the complete Lord of the Rings trilogy. I panicked over the dark content and hid it on a high shelf. We read it aloud as a family last year.)
We travel lots--for education, mostly, but also for me to do my author assemblies at schools, libraries, etc. My show combines my love of reading and writing with my love of skateboarding. As a finale, I give the school principal, librarian or other "authority" figure an introductory skateboard lesson. The students love that!
My latest book, A Crazy Day At the Critter Cafe, features a skateboarding cow, so I am now skateboarding in a cow costume.
Prior to becoming a children's author, I was a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. I left the LA Times to backpack around the world for a year with my husband on $30 a day. I've sipped cobra blood, dived with big, toothy sharks, and once outran a (small) avalanche in the Himalayas. But nothing gets my heart pumping like discovering a great book! :-]
I'm starting to do virtual author visits using Skype videoconferencing. But I'd much rather meet you and your students in person!
Thanks for having me!
Barb Odanaka
- Website:
- http://skateboardmom.com
Barb Odanaka's Photos
Comment Wall (11 comments)
- At 12:27pm on October 11, 2009,
Abida Merchant said…
- Thank you!!!! U r the first one to comment on my status....makes me feel welcomed!!!!
- At 6:26am on August 24, 2009,
DebH2U said…
- LOL! Nope, but I do a decent iai-tate-do kata ;-)
- At 5:31pm on August 22, 2009,
Debbie Kovesdy said… - I have 3 wii's and 2 X-BOX 360's and am on the MIT, Harvard EdGames, and ASU Applied Techs mailing lists for educational gaming! (There are masters degrees in Ed Gaming now!). I am exploring some very radical moves in my Library Media Center!!
More soon... :)
PS YES lets get some dialog going for sure with others out there!
- At 11:20am on August 2, 2009,
Barbara Katz said… - Hi! It was during my book fair, and I was harried. Where do you live? Barbara Katz
- At 5:59am on May 28, 2009,
Heeru Bhojwani said… - Dear Barbara,
Looking forward to taking you around Mumbai, whenever you do come. The world is small who knows when it could happen.
regards
heeru
- At 2:05am on May 27, 2009,
Mike McQueen said… - Hi Barb,
I'm a teacher librarian & recently started a community based blog for getting boys to read - http://GettingBoysToRead.com. Please send me a friend request if you'd like to network, share ideas, and learn more about getting boys to read.
Sincerely,
Mike McQueen
LET'S NETWORK HERE TOO (request me as a friend):
My FACEBOOK Profile
My TWITTER Profile</</body>
- At 3:25pm on March 29, 2009,
Rhonda A said… - Hi Barb--
I "second" the must-see Colorado bookstores as Bookies and Tattered Cover. Awesome selection. Plan to spend several hours browsing!
Rhonda
- At 11:05am on March 29, 2009,
Liz Keating said… - Oh my gosh-yes-maybe not Cildren book focused-but our state's favorie store-the Tattered Cover.....recently moved from its orignal spot in Cheery Creek's trendy shipping area to an old theqater on Colfax-ther is a brank in LoDo across from Union Station too.
- At 7:55am on March 17, 2009,
Amanda Gray said… - Hi, Barb
I always feel like a veritable homebody when I hear of people as adventurous as you. I am trying to get started on a writing career, so will probably keep checking out your page for hints and tips :). Pop over to my page some time...
Love the cow suits, by the way.
Amanda
- At 6:55pm on March 15, 2009,
Natalie Schiele said…
- Barb, There is a wonderful children's bookstore called Bookies. Their website is: www.netnewsdesk.com
Their address is:
4315 E Mississippi Ave
Denver, CO 80246
(303) 759-1117
If you use cash or write a check you can get a special teacher or librarian discount!
Tattered Cover Bookstore is also another one of my favorites.
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ALA Midwinter
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4th Congress for Information and Library
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Texas Library Association Annual Conference
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