Welcome back to school, Colorado Academy community! The CA Library Team is excited to begin the year with all of you. What follows is a short introduction to each Library Team member to help us all get to know each other. We can’t wait to meet our new CA families and reconnect with returning families.
Allison Peters Jensen
Director of Libraries and Lower School Librarian
What was the best book you read this summer and why?
Over the summer I listened to Viola Davis’s memoir, Finding Me. First of all, she is an amazing narrator! I was captivated by her struggles and successes as a child and young adult, inspired by her ability to forgive and her ongoing commitment to her family, and amazed by the years of work she put in before achieving the success that has made her a household name.
Who is your literary hero and why?
Well, I have two! There is no doubt in my mind that the author Beverly Cleary is my hero. Her Ramona and Beezus books planted the seed for me to read and read and read. Children still love her stories. My other literary hero is my childhood librarian, Mrs. Neth, who handed me, and so many of my friends, our first Beverly Cleary books.
Growing up, what were your favorite subjects in school?
Besides lunch and recess, I loved language arts, French, and Spanish.
What are you looking forward to in your first trimester this school year?
I am looking forward to the first Lower School Town Meeting. It will be so wonderful to see all of the students gathered together for the first time.
Lindsay Beatty
Upper School Librarian
What was the best book you read this summer and why?
With two little humans at home this past summer, most of my days were spent reading books about bugs, dogs, and lots of trucks. A few favorite read-alouds include: A Good Place, Don’t Worry, Murray, and So Much.
Who is your literary hero and why?
After thinking about this question, one author whom I admire is Ruta Sepetys. I love that she writes about forgotten histories. An added bonus is that I got to meet her a few years ago when she came to speak to the Upper School about her novel, Salt to the Sea.
Growing up, what were your favorite subjects in school?
I loved my language arts and English classes. I loved writing poetry and reading.
What are you looking forward to in your first trimester this school year?
I love the first day of school when the Seniors welcome the Ninth Graders. It’s such a wonderful tradition, and I know this year will be extra-special since my advisees are Twelfth Graders.
Allie Bronston
Middle School Librarian
What was the best book you read this summer and why?
I’ll share an important lesson I learned this summer that I believe will serve me well as a librarian: our reading lives will ebb and flow, in concert with the other facets of our lives. I’m the mother of a two-and-a-half-year-old and twin nine-month-olds, so my summer led me to titles like The Family Firm by Emily Oster, Raising Good Humans by Hunter Clarke-Fields, and a healthy side of blog posts about feeding babies and sleep training. I’m looking forward to reimmersing myself in the world of middle grade and young adult literature this fall alongside my students!
Who is your literary hero and why?
Again, this changes with the seasons of my life, but right now I couldn’t be a bigger fan of Oliver Jeffers, the children’s book author and illustrator. Almost every night my toddler requests we read Here We Are, and every night we notice a new, beautiful detail in his illustrations and the message of the book. Jeffers’s website bio says, “Curiosity and humor are underlying themes throughout Oliver’s practice as an artist and storyteller.” Curiosity and humor! What could be more worthy themes in work or life?!
Growing up, what were your favorite subjects in school?
I loved English, of course, and also history and science. I wish I had enjoyed math more as a kid, as I find it really fascinating as an adult!
What are you looking forward to in your first trimester this school year?
It will be such a delight to be back in our libraries after some time away last year! I can’t wait to reconnect with students about books, teach my Seventh Grade Innovations class, and stamp bingo cards again!
Mary Leyva
Lower School Library Assistant
What was the best book you read this summer and why?
I enjoyed Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs from National Geographic, edited by Ann Williams. The book highlights 100 influential archaeological discoveries and their impact on our understanding of human history. I loved reading the “behind-the-scenes” stories of each discovery and the scientists involved. With a busy summer schedule, it was great to have a book that I could set aside and come back to every now and then.
Who is your literary hero and why?
Francie Nolan is my literary hero. She is the main character from A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, written by Betty Smith. She is imaginative and determined to improve her life, and she loves to read!
Growing up, what were your favorite subjects in school?
My favorite subjects were art and cooking in middle school home ec.
What are you looking forward to in your first trimester this school year?
I am looking forward to the Lower School Halloween Parade and all the fun costumes!
Becci Marzonie
Raether Library Assistant
What was the best book you read this summer and why?
The best book that I read this summer was actually a little bit older: it came out in 2015 and is called The Soul of an Octopus, by Sy Montgomery. I chose this book because I go on a scuba diving trip every summer with my husband and his family, and I knew we would be doing some night dives to see octopi. I have always been fascinated by these creatures and wanted to learn a little bit more about them. Sy writes about a great friendship that she had with a sweet-natured and sensitive giant Pacific octopus named Athena at the aquarium she volunteered at in her town and the grief she experienced after Athena’s death (don’t worry, that’s not where the book ends). This book is perfect for anyone who has felt like they’ve had a deep connection with an animal. It’s also perfect for fans of the Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher.
Who is your literary hero and why?
My literary hero is Miranda July. There is nothing that this woman can’t do, and her books/movies/art came along in the early 2000s during a very pivotal time for me. She made being an awkward young female who questioned everything, ok!
Growing up, what were your favorite subjects in school?
My favorite subjects in school were English, science, and any art class I could squeeze into my schedule!
What are you looking forward to in your first trimester this school year?
I am looking forward to seeing all of the new Ninth Graders in their new roles in Upper School! I started at CA with the (now) Ninth Graders who were then starting Sixth Grade in Middle School. I watched them go through so many different phases and am going to miss them so much, but luckily for me, Raether Library is still the coolest place in town for Upper School students to visit!