Mrs. O'Toole
After her very first day of kindergarten, Mrs. O'Toole decided she would become a teacher when she grew up. And she did. Mrs. O'Toole was a high school English teacher before adapting her love of literature and her tech-knowledgy (get it?) to the school library. She is thrilled to have the chance to get kids hooked on reading all sorts of books and to make classroom teachers' lives a little easier whenever possible. Above all, she loves to help students learn how to learn. (Does that make your head spin?) Let's say it a different way: Mrs. O'Toole loves to help students learn critical thinking skills that they will be able to use throughout their lives. She hopes her students never stop learning.
Mrs. O'Toole is married to her wonderful husband and college sweetheart, Mr. O'Toole (who also loves reading and learning), and they have a very lovable mutt named Gus who graciously donated his photos to the making of this website. (Thanks, Gus!!) Gus also helped provide the name for our Lunch Bunch Booktalks/Book Club. Once in a rare moment of misbehavior, Gus chewed up the corners of a paperback book. Instead of getting upset, Mrs. O'Toole just said, "Well, Gus is a book lover, too. He devours them." See the photo below for evidence. (Thanks Barnes and Noble for providing the book for Gus to nibble on, which led to one of Mrs. O'Toole's more brilliant ideas.)
Mrs. O'Toole is married to her wonderful husband and college sweetheart, Mr. O'Toole (who also loves reading and learning), and they have a very lovable mutt named Gus who graciously donated his photos to the making of this website. (Thanks, Gus!!) Gus also helped provide the name for our Lunch Bunch Booktalks/Book Club. Once in a rare moment of misbehavior, Gus chewed up the corners of a paperback book. Instead of getting upset, Mrs. O'Toole just said, "Well, Gus is a book lover, too. He devours them." See the photo below for evidence. (Thanks Barnes and Noble for providing the book for Gus to nibble on, which led to one of Mrs. O'Toole's more brilliant ideas.)
Mrs. O'Toole is currently reading . . .
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
Yes, yes, I know what you're all saying: "Mrs. O'Toole, you are so behind the times." And I usually do try to stay very up-to-date with my YA reading, but every time I heard someone talk about this book, student or adult, all I ever heard was how it was impossible to put down. Not up for reliving the type of agony I experienced as the Harry Potter series was being released, I opted to wait to read The Hunger Games until I could read the entire trilogy in close succession. So, naturally, next on my list are Catching Fire and Mockingjay, which is being released on August 24th!
I'm about half way through the book and loving every minute of it. (More details to follow.) This is a great example of a dystopian science fiction novel. (There I go using big words again.) A utopia is an idealistic, perfectly envisioned world; whereas, a dystopia is an envisioned world in which things are very much not perfect, though perhaps they are supposed to be. If you haven't already started the trilogy get on the bandwagon, and if you are impatiently awaiting Mockingjay, here are a two other dystopian trilogies you might enjoy:
The Giver, Gathering Blue, and The Messenger
by Lois Lowry
The Uglies, The Pretties, and The Specials
by Scott Westerfeld
