#Inspire_TIBF Reminded me of the excitement of books!

In my role as instructional resource teacher I get to learn various teaching strategies and think of ways to integrate new technology to enhance learning.  I was able to do that in my previous role as a teacher-librarian but my recent trip to the Inspire! Toronto International Book Fair reminded me that I do more.  As teacher-librarians we have the opportunity to inspire students and guide them in their choices.  The point isn't to guide them to our preferences but rather to listen and observe. We must take the time to learn students' interests and then find the "perfect" book for them.  I always loved it when I could find just the right book for an avid or struggling reader.
I got to feel that excitement again as I spoke with publishers, authors and illustrators about their newly published books and I got excited when I heard about their next projects. I was excited for students as there are many talented writers who are interested in what our students have to say. Thanks to social media, kids can connect to their favourite authors almost instantly which can influence the author's work.  It can also make an impact on what students' choose to read and write too.  I hope to get more students blogging for publishers to create authentic reading and writing opportunities for them.
I want to create more real life opportunities for students and publishers to connect so that they can learn from each other. Although the traditional publishing houses are changing and at times feel the industry is threatened I think the love of reading has continued to grow.  Who knows what the publishing world will look like in a few years??
As we were leaving the Book Fair we saw Jeff Kinney's bus drive by.  It is awesome to see a children's author has tour bus!  I love the fact that Dav Pilkey and Jeff Kinney are celebrities!
It means that students will continue to get the chance to read for fun, no matter the format of the "book." Who knows one day the readers of Captain Underpants and the Diary of the Wimpy Kid might aspire to be like Jeff and Dav too!