Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, totally worn out and screaming,
"WOO HOO, what a ride!"

Thursday, September 17, 2009

BBAW Giveaway: Back to school - two books!


It's time for a BBAW Giveaway! Thank you to Hatchette Books for these great titles! I just received mine in the mail today so I haven't read them yet but I did peek through them and they were good already. I can't wait to read these books!


Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind
by Phillip Done


A twenty-year veteran of the classroom, elementary school teacher Phillip Done takes readers through a lively and hilarious year in the classroom. Starting with the relative calm before the storm of buying school supplies and posting class lists, he shares the distinct personalities of grades K-4, what he learned from two professional trick or treating 8-year-old boys, the art of learning cursive and letter-writing, how kindergartners try to trap leprechauns, and what every child should experience before he or she grows up.

These charming, sweet, and funny tales of Mr. Done's trials and triumphs as an award-winning schoolteacher will touch readers' hearts and remind them of the true joys of childhood. We all have that one special, favorite grade school teacher whom we fondly remember throughout our adult lives - and every teacher also has students whom they will never forget. This is the perfect book for teachers, parents, and anyone else who is looking for a lighthearted, nostalgic read.


The Gift of an Ordinary Day
by Katrina Kenison

The Gift of an Ordinary Day is an intimate memoir of a family in transition-boys becoming teenagers, careers ending and new ones opening up, an attempt to find a deeper sense of place, and a slower pace, in a small New England town. It is a story of mid-life longings and discoveries, of lessons learned in the search for home and a new sense of purpose, and the bittersweet intensity of life with teenagers--holding on, letting go.

Poised on the threshold between family life as she's always known it and her older son's departure for college, Kenison is surprised to find that the times she treasures most are the ordinary, unremarkable moments of everyday life, the very moments that she once took for granted, or rushed right through without noticing at all.

The relationships, hopes, and dreams that Kenison illuminates will touch women's hearts, and her words will inspire mothers everywhere as they try to make peace with the inevitable changes in store.

Contest:
Five copies of each book will be given away.

Rules:
- Leave a comment telling about a favorite teacher or school experience.
- Don't forget your email address!
- Tell me which book you would like, or enter for both.
- Contest ends September 30th at 11:59 p.m. EST
- U.S. and Canada only (sorry!)
-Ten winners will be drawn by Random.org

Extra entries: (can be put into one comment)
+1 new follower
+2 already follow
+2 extra entries if you promote this contest and leave a link.

58 comments:

  1. Please enter me. Thanks for the chance.
    My eight grade math teacher, Ms. C was such an inspiration, she made algebra fun.

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. My favourite teacher was my grade 12 English teacher - he was tough but openminded and encouraging. He challenged each of us to be better.

    melacan at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sorry - can I enter for both?

    I'm already following you too.

    melacan at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  4. My favorite teacher taught me different subjects all through high school and she alos was head of some of my extra-curriculars. She has a way of being your friend while still being an authority figure.
    Please enter me for both books, they both look interesting.
    dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. My favorite teacher was my 6th grade teacher. She was such a kind and gentle person. She moved away to Holland with her family some years back. I really miss her.

    imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I already follow your blog!

    entry 1

    imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I already follow your blog!

    entry 2

    imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I forgot to mention that I would like to enter for both books please.

    I tweeted!

    http://twitter.com/Sparkleglow/status/4070423323

    entry 1

    imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I tweeted!

    http://twitter.com/Sparkleglow/status/4070423323

    entry 2

    imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mrs. Jordan was kind to a lonely girl who moved to a new town. I follow, I blogged: http://rannthisthat.blogspot.com/2009/09/bbaw-contests-galore.html ruthjoec at aoldotcom

    ReplyDelete
  11. I would love to enter for both. Miss Borruso in High School English was an awesome English teacher. She made literature come to life for me.

    cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

    I am now a follower.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Assuming that university doesn't count, my favourite school experience was probably field trips with my high school band. Our teacher gave us a lot of freedom to explore the towns we visited.

    I'd like to enter for Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind, please.

    ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ms. Matthews was the best elementary school librarian ever. For two summers, she let me take home newly procured books to read and give her my opinion about!

    Please count me in for either.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sr. Mary Catherine - my high school study hall and librarian. She inspired me to become a librarian and helped me get a full scholarship to college! (Hope she's enjoying her well deserved stroll thru the library stacks of heaven!)

    +1 - just became a follower (found you on LT!)
    +2 - your're on the contest sidebar of my blog Tutu's Two Cents

    Thanks for hosting this.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oops...forgot, would prefer Ordinary Days..

    tbranco (at)hughes(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  16. thanks for this great giveaway. It would be wonderful to read Ordinary Days. A teacher whose dedication and patience I experienced was Miss Wilkinson in grade 6. She helped me to understand and appreciate many subjects. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  17. My 10th Grade English teacher made me love reading!
    I would love to be entered for both.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am a follower
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  19. My favorite teacher was my high school English teacher who showed me how much fun Shakespeare could be!

    I am a new follower.

    marielay@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. My favorite teacher was my high school history teacher. He really had a passion for teaching and loved/cared about all his students. You could go to him for anything and everything, I email him occasionally still. I'd like to be entered for The Gift of an Ordinary Day.
    andie.v107(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  21. My favourite teacher was my grade one teacher, Mrs. Stoneman. She was always so kind and patient and made a shy girl like me feel special.

    simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I would love to win either of these books. Neither is one I would prefer more so if I get drawn either is fine as I have both on my "wants" list.

    +1 extra entry: New follower (thought I already had done that)

    rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

    Thanks, Ally

    ReplyDelete
  23. Please enter me for both.

    My favorite school experience was actually one that happened this year. I'm a doctoral school psych student and I'm doing my practicum out in the schools. I'd observed a class earlier in the day and was spending some time in the cafeteria just checking things out. One of the little girls in the class that I'd just observed came up behind me and whispered hello, reminded me of her name and asked me when I'd be "back to visit her." It was so sweet it took my breath away.

    It was then that I realized how much I love working in the schools.

    jillian@blueshelled.com

    +2 I'm already a follower. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. I remember having a 10 th grade history teacher who told us to read-even if it was playboy-just read.

    please enter me for gift of an ordinary day.

    chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I had a third grade teacher who was really into dinosaurs. One day, we all went to the playground and measured out the actual size of a dinosaur.

    Please enter me for either one!
    amanda
    catss99@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'm a new follower!
    amanda
    catss99@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. I tweeted:

    http://twitter.com/catss99/status/4097080663

    amanda
    catss99@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. I'd like to read Close Encounters of the Third Grade Kind. My best experience was in high school acting in the school play. I loved everything about it.

    ReplyDelete
  29. There are so many teachers that had a postitive influence on me.
    Here is one story that transformed my life, I was horrible in math and one of my math teachers showed me I could do it. I even got an A in algebra.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I follow.. I will enter for both. (greedy?) I was behind and struggling in first grade and I could have been held back. My first grade teacher was confident if she took me in her second grade class the next year that she could catch me up .. AND she did.. and I never struggled in school again. She was an wonderful sweet woman. tonigomez (at) surewest (dot) net
    Thank you for the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  31. No need to enter me; just posted about this contest on Win A Book.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Best high school memories were being taught by the nuns and hanging out with them!

    delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  33. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Already follow ... and I would like to be entered for both books!

    delilah1080(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I am a new follower. My sixth grade teacher was my favorite and inspired me to be a Middle School teacher. I try to remember the way she taught and how she made things interesting and try to be that type of teacher. I am interested in being entered for the book:
    Close Encounters of a Third Grade Kind. Thank you so much
    skstiles612@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. My favorite teacher was Mrs. Evans, my ninth grade science teacher. She taught that is no such thing as a good excuse for not doing your best.

    care020@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  37. Great contest! Please enter me for both books, please!

    My favorite teacher memory....there are so many! First one that comes to mind is my 8th grade teacher...she was a nun and yet for all her "holy" ways, she would use any excuse to have a party! Thanksgiving...party! End of school...party! New topic in geography class...party! At one, some kids brought in movies to watch and one was "My Father the Hero". If you've seen it you know there's some stuff a little questionable for the members of ourviewing party, but she LOVED it! Thought it was a blast!

    grgenius(at)go(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  38. I would love The Gift of an Ordinary Day!

    In college I had a fantastic professor for a class on Shakespeare, Professor O'Brian. He was a rather short, chubby man, with a very pleasant & happy face. He made Shakespeare fun, enjoyable & so interesting - not really hard to do but Shakespeare can be tedious, dry & difficult in the wrong hands.

    Aimala127@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  39. +2 I'm already a follower!

    Thanks for a great giveaway!

    Aimala127@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  40. My favourite school experience was my first week or two of school because everything was so new and exciting. I would prefer to win The Gift of an Ordinary Day but you can enter me for either book. I love reading!!! wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  41. I am already a follower of your blog.
    wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  42. I've been following your blog forever!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Hm, my favorite teacher would have to be Mr Ferris in high school. He was an awesome english lit teachers and really brought a new interest to the students about reading and old literature. We had a BLAST in every class and, all these years later, I still remember so much that he taught us.

    I would love...can you guess which one...Close encounters of the third-grade kind.

    thepreschooltest at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  44. I would like to enter for BOTH!
    My favorite teacher was my 10th Grade English Teacher, Mr. Foster! He was amazing. Taught me everything I know about English, and He made it fun!!

    hmahan_0529 @yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  45. My favorite teacher was Mr. Hosack in my sophomore History class in Largo High School in Largo, Florida. He saw something in me that no one else did. He is the reason I graduated!

    I would like to enter for Ordinary Day because I have two boys!

    I am a NEW follower

    ralphandtara at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  46. My 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Pillman was my favorite.
    Enter me for borh please!

    ReplyDelete
  47. I had a grade 10 English teacher who encouraged my writing. And today I am an author! Please enter me for both books.
    +1 I am now a follower.
    +2 I have posted a link found on the right sidebar on my Web site:
    http://www.nouveauwriter.com
    laura(at)laurafabiani(dot)com
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  48. My 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Smith was my all time favorite teacher. She made learning so much fun. She always turned learning new things into a game and left us wanting to learn more. Please enter me for Ordinary Days. Thanks for the giveaway.
    eswright18 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  49. My first grade teacher was an amazing person - I still remember fondly everything about her! Enter me for The Gift of an Ordinary Day, please.

    ReplyDelete
  50. already follow aitmama {at} gmail{dot} com

    ReplyDelete
  51. follow 2 aitmama {at} gmail{dot} com

    ReplyDelete
  52. http://twitter.com/aitmama/status/4381417622

    ReplyDelete
  53. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  54. My favorite teacher was my world civ teacher from last year. He was so funny and liked the same things I liked.

    +2 already follow
    +2 sidebar:
    http://hookedonyabooks.blogspot.com/

    lovinfitch(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  55. My fave teacher was Mr.Hobbs ..he was a great teacher!!

    thanks

    +2 already a follower

    wadesherry@hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  56. +1 My favorite teacher was my 4th grade teacher Sister Lottie. Boy, I loved her!!!

    +1 I would like to win: "The Gift of an Ordinary Day"

    +2 Already a follower

    +1 Tweet! Tweet!
    http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/4504179751

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  57. My favorite teach was my gr.8 french teacher, she was awesome.
    I would like to be entered for both books, thanks
    +1 new follower

    reneetaylor at sympatico dot ca

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. I hope you keep coming back!