Reading on the Stoop, Last Day Blues

Last Day Blues

by Julie Danneberg

Illustrated by Judy Love

After work this past June, I decided to head out to the Irving Schwartz Library in East El Paso to look for another book for the Reading on the Stoop session with E-Man, our 8-year old nephew.  The goal was to find any children's story that had something to do with what was going on, what was current.  Scanning the shelves, the word blues caught my attention on the book's cover.  At first, I thought about looking for something else until the idea came up to connect the theme of this book to our nephew's last day of school, which was coming up at the time.  2014 also marks the prelude to 12th grade for our youngest brother who's public school education is in its last chapter, "Senior Year".

Last Day Blues by Julie Danneberg is a fun book.  A great story with amazing illustration by Judy Love.  We'd often pause during our reading to scan the pictures, the expressions on faces, the activity of a school ground, and the resemblance of teachers we all knew at some point in our lives.  

Following up on Julie Danneberg's website I learned of other texts illustrated by Judy Love such as The Big Test, First Year Letters, and First Day Jitters.  It's a neat site for learning more about Julie Danneberg and other titles for future reading sessions.  Fans will also learn about what inspires her to write, when she writes, and responses to some commonly asked questions she's received.  One question I'd have is the connection between her writing and the illustrator and whether this collaboration inspires new stories when she finds time to write.  Also how much of her future writing is inspired by re-reading her own books?

I found Last Day Blues at Irving Schwartz Library in El Paso, and it is also available at the Main Library downtown, which if you haven't visited already, I'd highly recommend taking your younger siblings to pick out a book.  It's a great place for them (and you!) to discover new and random books to read for the summer.

To view the text on the El Paso Public Library online catalogue, here is the link: click here.

To view Julie Danneberg's website visit www.juliedanneberg.com.

You can also view some other illustrations by Judy Love at www.judyloveillustration.com.  

Keywords + Tag = Last Day Blues | Julie Danneberg | Judy Love | Illustrator Judy Love | children reading | Reading on the Stoop | El Paso Public Library | Irving Schwartz Library | El Paso | El Paso Texas | Texas | The Big Test | First Day Jitters | First Year Letters | last day of school | elementary school | Charlesbridge | ISBN 9781580891042 | www.charlesbridge.com | Mrs. Hartwell