Creepiest #nErDcampMI Picture Ever

I had two incredible days at #nErDcampMI 2015. I met up with amazing friends, met wonderful new friends, and learned from some of the most inspiring educators in the country.

I met (and became reacquainted with) fabulous authors and illustrators like Josh Funk, Jess Keating, Debbie Ohi, Liesl Shurtliff, and Lisa Graff.

Then, Caldecott Honor-winner Lauren Castillo walked into the room. (It was a room in a high school normally used for the school's theater department.) 

Gulp. 

I adore her books, especially Nana in the City, and I couldn't wait to meet her.

After introducing myself, we took a picture together and I was embarrassingly excited. She's as cute as can be!

I'm an Amazon Woman next to her.

Later, as I zoomed into my glorious new picture, I noticed something above our heads.

Seriously?

What. Is. That? !!!!!

High school theater departments must be into horror shows or something? Of course it would happen to me that I get to take a picture with LAUREN CASTILLO and a creepy-nasty face is radiating a death glare at me.

So, I decided to make the most of it and recently I posted that creepy face to use as my profile picture on Voxer. 

Creepy Voxer Profile

I know my friends there are enjoying it daily!

Honestly, though, it was such a pleasure to meet Lauren. She's been a great sport about the 

#creepiestpictureever.

#mustreadin2015: July Reading Update

Dang.

I've read some really great books since April thanks to the #mustreadin2015 challenge.

I've also tried out some audiobooks in the past month. I've driven over 2,500 miles with two children in the past week, so I was able to "read" a few books along the way. (I've learned that I much prefer when the author reads their own writing.)

I am either stuck between these two goofballs, or they are stuck with me. Or both.

I also met my "June Reread Challenge" put forth by my Voxer friends. I read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman a few years back. But, I loved it even more as I listened to Mr. Gaiman reading it himself.

Anyway, here are some of the titles that have, for different reasons, rocked my world in the past few months:

MG (Middle Grade)
The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee by Barry Jonsberg
The Imaginary by A.F. Harrold
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky by Holly Schindler
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Circa Now by Amber McRee Turner
Jack by Liesl Shurtliff
Nnewts by Doug TenNapel
The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart
The Iron Trial (#1) by Holly Black 

YA (Young Adult)
**Winger by Andrew Smith
**The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith
The Selection by Kiera Cass
The Elite by Kiera Cass 

Adult (Not YA or MG)
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

I'm also currently reading Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

And thanks to some super generous friends, I'm also currently reading the ARC of Crenshaw (pub. September 2015) by Katherine Applegate. Thank you so much for sending this amazing book my way, KS and CD!

New from the author of The One and Only Ivan. 

Join us for the #mustreadin2015 challenge and see what others are reading here. You can also see my original list from January right here.

** Andrew Smith is one of my favorite authors. I will read anything he writes. He is so raw and funny and I can't seem to predict where his plots will take me. I like that. In one of his books, a Mennonite "stuck his middle finger up" and screamed some choice words at one of the characters. I'm Mennonite. And that is freaking FUNNY.