We had a fantastic time with Ben Mikaelsen on Friday! The students from Elysian, Canyon Creek and Elder Grove where respectful and excellent listeners. Kudos to you all! I will try to put the video of the Kindergarden, First and Second grader's story on the website. The teachers are curious to know how you liked his presentation and what you learned. Add a comment please. Remember to use your first name only .

We are so excited that author Ben Mikaelsen will be at Elder Grove School on Februrary 19 for three presentations. If you would like to learn more about him and his books, visit his website here. If you wish to preorder any of his books click here to download the form. Please have the form and your money to Mrs. Gunderson by February 16th so that he can bring the books on the 19th. Make sure to fill out the name you wish to be included in his autographing. If you already own a book by him, you may bring it on the 19th to have it signed.

Many of you responded with interest to J.K. Rowlings too. Did you know that she wrote the first book on paper while sitting in the Elephant House Restaurant with her baby sleeping next to her? The restaurant sits above the graveyard that contains the tombstones with Tom Riddle and McGonagall's names. This is the view from the window. That is Edinburgh Castle in the background. We went on two tours in Edinburgh: one in the daytime through both the old and new parts of the city, and one at night through some graveyards and up to a hill overlooking the water. Most of the buildings are stone and the streets are cobblestone. We stayed in a Hostel and had Starbucks for breakfast.

Tombstones

Here are some photos of the headstones. Hope you enjoy!

I am so excited for I love to Read Month!
To begin, I will be working on my own personal environmental footprint. The habit that I will be trying to form is to always use my reusable bags in the grocery store. I will be thinking of ways to help others to remember their bags, as I have had many people say that they have difficulty remembering to bring in their bags too.

What did you read over the summer?

I hope you all had a wonderful summer. I sure did! My daughter Emily, my mother Byrd, and I went to England and Scotland for 2 weeks. One of the highlights was on July 15th (the day the 6th Harry Potter Movie came out) we were in Edinburgh and had dinner at The Elephant House, the cafe where J.K. Rowlings wrote Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. That day we also found Tom Riddle's and Mogonigal's headstones in the graveyard near The Elephant House. Did you know she used names from that graveyard for her characters?

A few days later we came back from the Isle of Skye on the "Hogwart's Express". It is the steamtrain that goes once a day from Maillae to Fort Williams. It takes you over the big viaduct too. All the men who shovel the coal during the two hour journey are volunteers. The very friendly Supervisor even let us on the steam engine at the end of the trip to see (and feel the heat of) the fire. I will try to put some photos and videos on this blog as well.

My question for you: What is the best book you read this summer?