Sara: a sad sort of ALA post, lacking photos.

When I assigned myself this blog date, I should have had the foresight to take photos at ALA, so that I could do an ALA wrap up post showing you, for instance, the unbelievably yummy gelato I had first with John Ford and then again with Kristen Tracy and Nina LaCour, and then again by myself on my way to the train station. I thought about adding drawings, but I am not an artist.

ALA started for me with Kristen's tour event at Books of Wonder in New York on Thursday night, and then I was lucky to ride to DC with all of the fabulous authors of the Disney-Hyperion UnRequired Reading tour including Kristen Friday AM. I should have taken video of them as they are a funny group and should consider sketch comedy. But there are lots of videos of them on the tour website, including Kristen's off limits tour of Alcatraz. Friday evening was the Morris dinner with Nina, where we ate amazingly good Italian food, and got to meet all of the other finalists and the winner, L.K. Madigan. Nina's signing was Saturday AM, and then Karen Kincy's was Saturday afternoon. Heidi Kling's signing was on Monday AM, and we were supposed to have breakfast first, but she was on CA time and did not want to eat. I was sad to miss a meal. I had lots of meals at ALA. I visited Busboys and Poets near the convention center 3 times- with Nina, Karen and then Holly Hoxter. And as I have said, lots of gelato. My overeating gelato was obviously a response to the heat.

I may not have shared pictures of the Courtney Love concert Sunday night as this is a children's books blog. Libby Koponen and I went to a thrift store on U Street on Sunday, because she was feeling a little unsure about her Newbery Banquet outfit (which I saw photos of later and which was gorgeous), except I did not go in, because I was just too hot to look at clothes, which is saying a lot. DC, you attempted to broil me, but you have made NYC summer seem like spring. August no longer frightens me.

Other highlights were meeting a librarian from my home town of Dedham, MA, and drinking a thing 1 at the Random House Dr. Seuss party, which was held at the Newseum. As a newish mom, I really do not get out much, and so having three nights out in a row, four counting the night at Kristen's event in NYC, is pretty much the most exciting thing that has happened to me for awhile. And I am still exhausted. But my first ALA annual was awesome, and I cannot wait to read the pile of arcs and books I collected.