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Opening Sessions- National Council of Teachers of English

By Donalyn Miller — November 20, 2009 1 min read
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Julie Andrews, revered entertainer and a children’s book author, kicked off the National Council of Teachers of English Convention this morning. She described the power that “words, wisdom, and wonder” have in our lives. Her new book, Julie Andrews’ Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies, co-written with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, includes over 100 magical reading moments.

My friend Audrey Wilson and I dashed off after the keynote session to hear Teri Lesesne, literature expert, author, and fellow Texan. Lesesne, known affectionately as Professor Nana, as well as teachers Jennifer Buehler, Daria Plumb, and Jennifer Walsh, shared notable book awards, websites, and lists that help teachers find the best Young Adult books. I must read Life Sucks by Jessica Abel, Gabriel Sorba, and Warren Pleece--a vampire graphic novel that session presenter, Jennifer Beuhler, compares to Clerks and Reality Bites. I know I promised to back off the new books for awhile in a recent post, but I can’t go totally cold turkey!

Visit the presenters’ outstanding blogs for more resources and the booklists from this session:

Teri Lesesne: The Goddess of YA Literature
Jennifer Beuhler: YA Lit is for Everyone
Daria Plumb: Get ‘Em Reading
Jennifer Walsh: Eclectic Reader

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