tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62226245622308912672024-03-13T16:22:08.490-05:00BOOK LOGFor Readers of Books for ChildrenJoanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.comBlogger290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-64773595318080578472022-05-20T13:42:00.000-05:002022-05-20T13:42:47.632-05:00ALL ABOUT HAIR<p>Hair is important. Ads
featuring hair products for growing hair, coloring hair, erasing hair, compete for a buyer's attention on TV and wherever else space is open and for sale. Everyone knows what a bad hair day is. The person proclaiming it will be avoided. Usually. Of course, kids need their own book
about hair. It’s important to them, too.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilDgggNHobP76FwcMnqRPLJYg_KYdpOmMwuvmhRq1rfVs-tUeEKEmtl7f2RNGy72GuxJGjSICShOUNxPn2097PYFLrYgX2oMtKQGdSxTc92BNBoT4djZWHZQCKVjd2Pq1wxphr_WAtn3FCZz3fygcCJhSKvvhKC98TNsFlAu_wm3yL1rvF4x_qd297" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2477" data-original-width="2466" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilDgggNHobP76FwcMnqRPLJYg_KYdpOmMwuvmhRq1rfVs-tUeEKEmtl7f2RNGy72GuxJGjSICShOUNxPn2097PYFLrYgX2oMtKQGdSxTc92BNBoT4djZWHZQCKVjd2Pq1wxphr_WAtn3FCZz3fygcCJhSKvvhKC98TNsFlAu_wm3yL1rvF4x_qd297" width="239" /></a></div><o:p> </o:p>THE HAIR BOOK by Latonya Yvette,
illustrated by Amanda Jane Jones, Sterling Children’s Books, 2022.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Children notice hair at a very
early age. They cut the dog’s hair, their dolls’ hair, little brother’s hair…and
their own. Sometimes this urge to cut hair extends into adulthood.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">I remember when I was four, my mother was shopping, and my dad decided to surprise her by trimming my bangs. It turned out to be more difficult than
he thought. I was draped in a towel and held my mother’s hand mirror in front
of my face. I watched as Dad trimmed a little here, evened up a little there.
By the time my mom came home, the bangs I had been brushing out of my eyes edged my forehead in a light brown fringe.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">It took a few weeks for Mom’s surprise
to fade and my fringe to become bangs again. She and Dad talked about it. A lot. With so much interest focused on hair, I decided to cut my doll’s
hair. Her bangs did not grow back. I won't tell you about my little brother's hair. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">What do you suppose inspired the author and illustrator to create this book? Both were little girls once upon a time. And probably still girls at heart. Both are moms. The rest we can guess.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">THE HAIR BOOK just launched as a
board book and a picture book this month. In bold primary colors and spare text
your young listeners and early readers will see themselves or someone they know. They might discover someone new.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Party hair. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Poufy hair.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">All gone hair.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Beard hair (Santa?)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Monster hair (is that you in the
morning?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p> What's your hair story?</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">THE HAIR BOOK is an eclectic mix, but the message is clear: No matter
what style or type of hair you have, YOU are welcome everywhere.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijzv0gcRrP7vbA_0Okz4LcWIu3RwE1bqkF-gbHm_dDwKo-QTKhTD3FQduhLg9LOiSUrIjAQje7ad4pVDpV6hvK6Oy_1QRCzDqdnybchEO-K7NKd4g_hy2Ua-DtnVipCsHqmRRIY33glcwcW1BcPIIHKeGFWkdSyd7hv2X-6j32G2d2p2GFIvjDwVb9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="2077" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijzv0gcRrP7vbA_0Okz4LcWIu3RwE1bqkF-gbHm_dDwKo-QTKhTD3FQduhLg9LOiSUrIjAQje7ad4pVDpV6hvK6Oy_1QRCzDqdnybchEO-K7NKd4g_hy2Ua-DtnVipCsHqmRRIY33glcwcW1BcPIIHKeGFWkdSyd7hv2X-6j32G2d2p2GFIvjDwVb9" width="237" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><br /></p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-33371366175922269642021-08-22T16:52:00.027-05:002021-08-22T17:38:20.647-05:00RAISINS TASTE LIKE MUD!<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Do third graders have strong opinions? Ask one!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">AVEN GREEN SERIES by Dusti Bowling, Sterling
Children’s Books, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">AVEN GREEN SLEUTHING MACHINE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">AVEN GREEN BAKING MACHINE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Chapter book readers love series because they make
friends with the main character and want to follow her from book to book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Meet Aven Green. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wTU_9wv0ABIpnZyJeZ-Usp_reJjCv_7avGmTipUvPv8pimjhI4J7p5wXscehRSW54QUkqMa84qx5tTmW59FvihaHZ0Un8bLbosV14PhBYWQQxeTrEI2N-eI-fDeMnvjxVdYxo6hWZ9Y/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wTU_9wv0ABIpnZyJeZ-Usp_reJjCv_7avGmTipUvPv8pimjhI4J7p5wXscehRSW54QUkqMa84qx5tTmW59FvihaHZ0Un8bLbosV14PhBYWQQxeTrEI2N-eI-fDeMnvjxVdYxo6hWZ9Y/" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Feisty. Fun. Filled with energy. She bounces from
being a sleuthing machine to becoming a competitive baker. Next on her list is
to be a musician. But which instrument will she choose?</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Aven was born without arms. She tells the reader that up
front. The rest of her is a solidly built third-grade girl. She has a curious mind
and a vocabulary that plays havoc with word choices. Employing her feet, she meets
daily challenges with courage and humor while she learns new skills and adapts
to surroundings that didn’t plan for her. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Parents will want to follow Aven’s adventures, too. How
else will they understand why their children are trying to use their feet
instead of their hands to get dressed, brush their teeth, and turn the pages of
a book? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Best-selling author <a href="http://www.dustibowling.com">Dusti Bowling</a> </span><a href="http://www.dustibowling.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">www.dustibowling.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> clearly
knows and understands her readers as well as her lively characters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Aided by easy to read facial expressions and body language sprinkled throughout the pages by illustrator Gina Perry, </span>Aven and her friends fairly skip off the page
to meet readers where they are, learning to navigate the choppy seas of growing
up. Aven’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mom and dad and the parents
of her friends are kind and supportive with a dash of good humor and strength. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The author spent years writing and researching Aven. </span>Jessica Cox was one of her inspirations. Cox
is a Motivational Speaker and Life Coach, the world’s first licensed armless
pilot and the first armless black belt in the American Taekwando
Association.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Covid has caused the author to miss the school visits
she loves, and that has been a downer. However, she has enjoyed slowing down
and spending more time with her family and more time outdoors in the desert many
of her characters explore. She’s grateful for zoom technology, virtual school
visits, and Tuesdays. Those are the days – Tuesdays -- when Dusti Bowling regularly
schedules classroom visits. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She derives “joy
and happiness” from talking with kids. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In classrooms virtual and in person, Dusti encourages children
to make reading a part of their lives. Her advice to those dreaming of becoming
a writer: “Reading is the best thing you can do.” Her message to parents is to
allow kids to choose what they want to read. Their tastes will grow and develop
as they do.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJ8G3a2UjuBHiHlpXgIHzWHI_nMrH4_wLC5KgLGfEhcU1VXssdcS4GWYvjQE_S-fdRZT3YhicLgU-gZ4SwV6Gf5Q5mnHAsgfj-S-MfmiVfqf_MYJyAqiPwbA97s4ksXPsTj7ovfZVbko/s2400/Aven+Green+Baking+Machine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJ8G3a2UjuBHiHlpXgIHzWHI_nMrH4_wLC5KgLGfEhcU1VXssdcS4GWYvjQE_S-fdRZT3YhicLgU-gZ4SwV6Gf5Q5mnHAsgfj-S-MfmiVfqf_MYJyAqiPwbA97s4ksXPsTj7ovfZVbko/s320/Aven+Green+Baking+Machine.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In her own home, Dusti reads with and to her children
whom she homeschools. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the
day, they listen to audio books together.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In the meantime, Aven, the sleuth, baker and soon to
be musician, is pondering her next life’s work. She will inspire the young
readers at your house, and YOU, too.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEDHLrLqAi3hDJIBezTLjSJUTuwfYBcFLhQ87cKfy4VFZHEmkSyw0XYZVgyOmMuPPuRGEvWXwsQnXebFBKVlWP72CInbBXT2H12A2Pt_zsm3ze7PQelH2I0UXlFO14BKBQr7WJXs9_tY/s2400/Aven+Green+Music+Machine+9781454942221.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEDHLrLqAi3hDJIBezTLjSJUTuwfYBcFLhQ87cKfy4VFZHEmkSyw0XYZVgyOmMuPPuRGEvWXwsQnXebFBKVlWP72CInbBXT2H12A2Pt_zsm3ze7PQelH2I0UXlFO14BKBQr7WJXs9_tY/s320/Aven+Green+Music+Machine+9781454942221.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-24269424896129141532021-05-31T14:54:00.000-05:002021-05-31T14:55:40.235-05:00Building Someday<p> How Do You Build the Future? </p><p>What
is your picture of “someday?” </p><p>How do you get there? </p><p>Where do you start? </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">BRICK BY BRICK by Heidi Woodward
Sheffield, Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJ3m6JdX5CZKFRMgUFfXemUoXPzdZfHP65H85QyLuj1Tuv4KQVPOj9A_3lWBoI0UGgBjoqxjA6n1ViJ_Z3DGH_HvmHadSrw0YivkntzGXTvu838g6jj2cCF3D658WPYspxUegR03r5Io/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="384" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJ3m6JdX5CZKFRMgUFfXemUoXPzdZfHP65H85QyLuj1Tuv4KQVPOj9A_3lWBoI0UGgBjoqxjA6n1ViJ_Z3DGH_HvmHadSrw0YivkntzGXTvu838g6jj2cCF3D658WPYspxUegR03r5Io/" width="185" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Luis is proud of his Papi who builds
big city buildings, brick by brick. His Papi works hard. </p><p class="MsoNormal">At school, Luis works
hard, too, book by book, especially books about dogs. While he makes tiny bricks
with clay and builds a tiny house the right size for a tiny dog, Luis dreams of
living in a house and asks his Papi, “When?” </p><p class="MsoNormal">His Papi says, “Someday.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">If you’ve missed old fashioned
values of love for family and pride in a job well done, then this is a book to
read to your kids over and over again. The surprise ending is a happy one, the
way the best stories leave you feeling warm inside.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Heidi Woodward Sheffield, the author/illustrator,
has won awards for her illustrations from the Society of Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators, but this is her first picture book. You will
understand why it won the prestigious Ezra Jack Keats Award. </p><p class="MsoNormal">This is a book to enjoy. Page by page. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-60070547484378333872021-03-04T16:43:00.000-06:002021-03-04T16:43:27.659-06:00POWERFUL WORDS<p>This middle grade novel is well deserving of the awards it has
received so far this year, including Golden Kite and Newbury honors. A bridge
building book, this one will lead to discussions about difficult subjects. Parents
will want to read it before and with their daughters and their sons.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>FIGHTING WORDS by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Dial Books for
Young Readers, 2020.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">10 year old Della is nearly killed when the meth her mom and
her boyfriend are cooking in the bathroom of a sleazy motel blows up. Her mom is
incarcerated and another of her mom’s boyfriends takes custody of Della and her
older sister Suki. He says he is the girls’ father. Nobody bothers to check. </span><span style="text-align: left;">Both girls </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">suffer
failures of a system designed to protect them but not getting the job done.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This could have been a hard hitting YA told from Suki’s
point of view. The author chose, and I think rightly so, to make Della the main
character and show how and where gender disrespect and sex abuse can be called
out at an age earlier than most adults would think.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>V</o:p>ictimized by the boyfriend claiming to be the girls’ dad,
Suki was Della’s protector. Always. Through Suki’s actions, the girls escape
the fake father and are placed with Francine, a tough as nails foster mom. She
has been down a few rough roads herself and knows how to call things what they
are. She tells both girls about their experiences, “It is not your fault.” and
“You need to have a childhood. I am here to take care of you.” And most
importantly, “You can be kids.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s a triumph when Della reacts to bra strap snapping bully
Trevor by standing up to him and saying, “Never touch me or any girl in this class
without permission <i>ever again</i>.” The 4<sup>th</sup> grade class is
shocked into silence. Instead of getting herself in trouble by calling Trevor bad
names or trying to get even other ways which always ended in getting Della in
trouble—thanks to lots of therapy here—Della emboldens other girls to stand up
and say, “He did this to me, too.” Adults realize they had not been paying
attention. They had missed this problem. At the same time, Della feels a
flicker of empathy for Trevor. What made him the way he is?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The book ends before the girls face the offending pseudo dad
in court, but the reader is left with hope that the girls have begun to heal.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley creates memorable characters
strong enough to overcome unbelievable odds and convince readers that life can
be hard but kids can be stronger. Like <i>Fighting
Words</i>, her novel <i>The War That Saved My Life</i> also won a Newbery
honor. Both novels deserve a thorough reading by adults who care what happens
in the lives of the children around them. <span>For helpful resources
see the author’s <a href="http://kimberlybrubakerbradley.com">web page</a>, </span><span>kimberlybrubakerbradley.com</span><span> as well as her Author’s Note in </span><span><i>Fighting Words</i></span><i>.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <a href="http://kimberlybrubakerbradley.com" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="93" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ugEcFJaCK-pXDBKD9FNDuUiW4n85eNzBk23sL9zba1uh35nqOiATqDXgxH74CGrvtfGe4mZZSRU6SkE-is1_BERdBmC9wXT3JmFhn2rAxLdlH8TN0Qdl17lH04MOaK1rOhMTHGQ58Yk/" width="159" /></a></p><br /><p></p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-62639620961522381442020-12-11T16:55:00.003-06:002020-12-11T17:03:11.155-06:00SERIOUS ABOUT SERIES<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;"><br /></i></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Did you have an invisible friend when you were a child? She belonged to you alone. Do you remember when your friend went away? Maybe it happened when you learned to read, and your secret friend was replaced by a new friend who lived inside a book. That could be why series are so popular. Kids today are the same as we were as kids. They love having a friend that belongs to them and, they think, them alone</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="text-align: left;">Mermaid Tales, The Winter Princess </i><span style="text-align: left;">by Debbie Dadey, Aladdin, Simon &Schuster, 2020</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomCnGADKbPG2-LOzBsQgHOVBC-qldCfkgxsUPPVI_Me_BsABr7yVXddS8l03gqNeVOhDMC7z8v10YVfo7luXXLSlCcncY9x9FYJnLkY7gJ9lfU8oml1SjEZD3xREmG6tWpZNS7q-yZAQ/s4032/20201211_092808.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomCnGADKbPG2-LOzBsQgHOVBC-qldCfkgxsUPPVI_Me_BsABr7yVXddS8l03gqNeVOhDMC7z8v10YVfo7luXXLSlCcncY9x9FYJnLkY7gJ9lfU8oml1SjEZD3xREmG6tWpZNS7q-yZAQ/s320/20201211_092808.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Pearl Swamp learns
that of all the third graders at Trident Academy, her name has been drawn to be
the Princess at the Winter Festival. She is ecstatic. But before she can share this wonderful news,
her parents tell her they have decided to adopt a baby brother, a merbaby. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">What? Pearl’s amazing, fantastic, unbelievable announcement doesn't get announced. Instead, she learns her life, her home, her PARENTS are going to be shared. Raise
your hand if you’ve ever heard of this surprising development in an only
child’s life. (I’m waving mine!)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p>T</o:p></span>he story moves
along from cliff hanger to cliff hanger and Pearl makes all kinds of
discoveries about herself and others. If you read this before or with your
daughter, you will find lots to talk about and probably learn something about
your daughter, too.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Author Debbie Dadey
has written more than 160 books, many in series for ages 6-9. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Winter Princess</i> is # 20 in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mermaid Tales</i>. You can find other series
and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>titles as well as the forthcoming <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mermaid Tales</i> #21, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sleepover at the Haunted Museum</i>, at <a href="http://debbiedadey.com">debbiedadey.com</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: medium; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-64223027976188174732020-11-12T16:34:00.002-06:002020-11-12T16:41:17.146-06:00Time for R-E-S-P-E-C-T<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">A word too long missing from our
daily practices is now coming forward to be heard. How timely that a book for
young people bears the title and brings forth a story that illustrates it.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUody1T0Hl8cG-W-B6AumlrCSnZrcxFnHV_o8QwsGdFaV2rbYNQIm9SCVRa3n7m1-7yQJomWi0_b37rqhxFySKlbIGHcgJk8F9ei10vqSK0QCmiUJ5tFvPBAGLr2gS0YhyphenhyphenoMMI9xGbnik/s1400/Respect.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1399" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUody1T0Hl8cG-W-B6AumlrCSnZrcxFnHV_o8QwsGdFaV2rbYNQIm9SCVRa3n7m1-7yQJomWi0_b37rqhxFySKlbIGHcgJk8F9ei10vqSK0QCmiUJ5tFvPBAGLr2gS0YhyphenhyphenoMMI9xGbnik/s320/Respect.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin,
the Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison, Atheneum
BFYR, 2020</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">This is a biography in verse about
the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Award winning author Carole Boston Weatherford follows this musical
prodigy from her birth to gospel singing parents in Memphis, TN to her young
days singing in the church her father pastored in Detroit to singing “My
Country ‘Tis of Thee” at the
presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Aretha Franklin recorded her first
album at age 14 and went on to win 18 Grammy Awards, the National Medal of
Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and induction into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. <i> “</i>Respect”<i> </i>is one of her many rhythm and blues hits.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">It will be tempting for the lucky
adult who reads this to a young listener to get lost in the opening scene of
children playing. Hide and seek? It’s reminiscent of a peaceful worry-free time
in childhood. Why turn the page just
yet? Your young listener will wake you from your reverie with a gentle tug and
sweet command, “Read!”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Words spelled out in the text headings of R-E-S-P-E-C-T, like B-L-E-S-S-E-D,
G-I-F-T-E-D, G-R-O-O-V-E, R-I-G-H-T,
P-R-O-U-D, and H-U-M-B-L-E- lead readers to meet the beloved “Ree Ree”, the
person behind the legend.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This skilled blend of art and
words comes from an award winning pair.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Illustrator Frank Morrison is a
children’s book illustrator and fine artist who has won Coretta Scott King
Illustrator honors and the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New
Talent.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Author Carole Boston Weatherford’s lengthy list of books has
received 3 Caldecott honors, 2 NAACP Image awards, the Golden Kite, and a
Coretta Scott King author honor.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A college professor, Weatherford also loves to interact with
her readers K-12. Before the pandemic, she traveled a lot. Through E-mail she
nurtures other writers, no matter their ages. And in spite of Covid, she has
been able to write.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the challenging year of 2020, this is how the author is
coping.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Work is my refuge and has been for many years. If I can
write, the world is not totally on its head.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A self-described “foodie”, she finds joy in gardening and
eating what she grows. “I honor my emotions and feelings in small things.” Even
in small things, she stays “in the now."</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“If the spirit moves us, we have to pray, believe in
something greater than ourselves. What is important is that we survive.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She encourages others to, “Engage in self-care and keep
things in perspective.” In her own life, she has come up with a new day:
Tomorrow’sday. “We don’t have to do some things today. Save it for Tomorrow’sday.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Happily for us, Tomorrow'sday will also bring us more books from her busy pen.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-7236539820279058232020-10-24T13:18:00.010-05:002020-10-24T13:25:29.272-05:00Tricks, Treats, and Treasured Titles<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">When you were a kid,
did you read some books over and over? I had a whole closet of books like that.
Summertime was my favorite time of the year because I could pull out these old
friends, head for the closest climbing tree, and read hidden in the branches until
I was missed. And that always happened too soon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aCN_ZZLsiXELVgH1aOWduKH5jBqcc0OSkTSaukyxs8g2hHWbzpSt1vn3DnUGYlHhgdlEbbvgIfZvTY1RG2QQJ2os8oq8CFsSL9l4PFa9ebwxQ9iAtNRDgaLiyKJC1nvDvq-QdWuLtVk/s4032/20201020_135420.jpg" style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aCN_ZZLsiXELVgH1aOWduKH5jBqcc0OSkTSaukyxs8g2hHWbzpSt1vn3DnUGYlHhgdlEbbvgIfZvTY1RG2QQJ2os8oq8CFsSL9l4PFa9ebwxQ9iAtNRDgaLiyKJC1nvDvq-QdWuLtVk/s320/20201020_135420.jpg" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b>THE SHERLOCK FILES
by Tracy Barrett</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p>T</o:p></span>HE 100-YEAR-OLD
SECRET, by Tracy Barrett, Henry Holt & Co., 2008 A Junior Library Guild
Selection</p><p class="MsoNormal">THE BEAST OF
BLACKSLOPE, by Tracy Barrett, Henry Holt & Co., 2009</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">THE CASE THAT TIME
FORGOT, by Tracy Barrett, Henry Holt & Co., 2010</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">THE MISSING HEIR by
Tracy Barrett, Henry Holt & Co., 2011</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Armed with the
casebook of their famous ancestor, 12 year old Xena and her younger brother Xander
set out to solve cases their great-great-great-grandfather, Sherlock Holmes, did not. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span>Author Tracy Barrett
weaves a tantalizing tale about this brother and sister detective team with
cliff hangers dropped in all the right places. While they set about discovering
London during the family’s year of residence there, the kids are normal enough
to be curious and risk nail biting adventures, but smart enough and respectful
enough to keep themselves out of the greatest danger to their freedom, parental
interference (aka grounded.) Sherlock Holmes would be proud of these smart sleuths. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> One of the nicest
parts of this series is that all four are already available in libraries and book
stores. Your enthusiastic young readers won’t <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>have to wait until the next one is published. They can indulge themselves during this spooky Halloween season and store them away for summer reading. Climbing tree recommended.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>In keeping with the
new feature on Book Log, I asked Tracy Barrett how she is keeping her spirits
up during this year of Covid.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span>Her response:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> "</o:p></b>I’m having a hard time with any
sustained activity. That pretty much leaves writing out of my daily routine,
but I itch to be creative. So what am I doing?</p>
<p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="color: black;">I’ve delved deep into my “recipes to try” file and have
found some winners (some real losers, too!).</span><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="color: black;">My one packet of elastic turned out to have about only a
yard of elastic in it. This was before stores had figured out curbside pickup,
so I found a pattern for face masks without elastic (</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIKJe03ecos&t=218s" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIKJe03ecos&t=218s</a><span style="color: black;">) and sewed about 50 to distribute to friends and family. I
used up a lot of scraps of fabric that were too nice to throw out but too small
to do much of anything with!</span><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="color: black;">I spent many happy hours creating a felt “Quiet Book” for
my toddler granddaughter.</span><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="color: black;">I’ve been knitting, knitting, knitting. I buy yarn online
from my local yarn shop and pick it up from a rack outside their door.</span><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="color: black;">And I haven’t neglected the writing world, either. I’m
revising a manuscript I wrote a few years ago, and critiquing other people’s
work. I’ve attended some of SCBWI’s* excellent webinars and learned a lot in
areas I haven’t delved into before.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"> I hope these activities are keeping
my creative side alive until I’m ready to sit down at my computer and plot a
new book!"</p>
<p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: black;">*Society of children’s Book Writers and Illustrators<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></p><p class="gmail-msolistparagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: black;"> </span>🌳 📚</p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-34112814448859660262020-10-06T11:03:00.000-05:002020-10-06T11:03:30.225-05:00How Creative Are Your Kids? <p> My favorite part of Halloween has
always been the creative costumes kids make on their own. Halloween 2020 is a
little different, but not in the costume department.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p>EENIE MEENIE HALLOWEENIE by Susan
Eaddy, illustrated by Lucy Fleming, Harper, 2020</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p>What to wear? What to wear? A
little girl with a dress up trunk full of inspiration has important decisions
to make. Her imagination is off and waddling like a penguin or running like a pink polar bear. Could she be an
ocelot? Giraffe or kangaroo? Eenie Meenie—at last, she knows what to do. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Your little trick or treaters will
love turning pages. Then turn them loose with “finds” around the house. Old
curtains or sheets? Scraps of trim and fabric from your last burst of sewing?
Don’t forget the kitchen. My daughter used a roll of aluminum foil to turn her
7 year old self into the Tin Man from <i>The</i> <i>Wizard of Oz.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;">Susan Eaddy is an author and
illustrator who sculpts in clay. For her young readers and their moms, she has
thoughtfully provided crafts on her web page to help extend this book’s fun way
beyond Halloween. Keep scrolling down until you find out how to make a tree for
a smiling little <a href="http://www.susaneaddy.com/teachers-kids ">monkey</a>. <a href="http://www.susaneaddy.com/teachers-kids" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">http://www.susaneaddy.com/teachers-kids</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></span>Illustrator Lucy Fleming has
peppered the pages of this charming book with surprises for sharp eyed readers.
Tissue boxes? A bow tie? Lots and lots of tape and glue.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p>Let’s get going!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p>Switching gears, I’ve added a new
feature to Book Log. How do creative folks keep their spirits up in this time
when school visits, book launches, and book store gatherings have been reduced or
cancelled?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p>So I asked Susan Eaddy, how are
you and what lifts your spirits these days? </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">A tip from Susan Eaddy for lifting one’s spirits:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">One of the things I have been thinking about is how the
inability to travel has led me to discoveries in my own neighborhood. I have
always been a walker for exercise, but usually limited my walks to 30 minutes
in the blocks nearby. By necessity this led me to a predictable loop so I could
be back home in 30 minutes. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">But now... I set out my front door and have no plan
other than seeing up close a street that I've never explored. I've lived in the
same neighborhood for 25 years and surprised myself by realizing that I'd never
actually WALKED on the streets that are a less than a mile from my house. My
curiosity keeps me walking further, and my 30 minute walks have become an hour
or more as I indulge that curiosity to see what is around each corner. Every
day is a new discovery of homes, tidy or unkempt, manicured gardens, or lawns
bare with kids’ foot traffic.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">Every home has a story I had never stopped to consider. And I
make a point of making eye contact & saying hello with a big smile to every
neighbor, walker or runner I encounter. It surprises people, and more often
than not, they smile back. With genuine warmth.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3X42xqH-KE0VlP0CSavqmVBH36F7YZ48MU025yEq_hsYc1kpC_R6tXeJIDLcu0QuenkH281XlagbE4uAiZT4UuGRHNyKKDSXpnH-zjd0aWI6nAPinJqVT7sFi2ySexkiObObK2tcLTs0/s4032/20200924_142731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3X42xqH-KE0VlP0CSavqmVBH36F7YZ48MU025yEq_hsYc1kpC_R6tXeJIDLcu0QuenkH281XlagbE4uAiZT4UuGRHNyKKDSXpnH-zjd0aWI6nAPinJqVT7sFi2ySexkiObObK2tcLTs0/s320/20200924_142731.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 210.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-65976380990419618702020-09-13T15:46:00.005-05:002020-09-13T17:44:47.967-05:00Mirror? Window? Sliding Glass Doors?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQsaQRFdt0hNO2V6LOw8KGLzZMePdvAXPkzxncw69R86gaB4zrrxWLhcxADmPM60IMfJ3SpXm5T7lGyGd2VeH67wwkMqLDck9OeqFSgfglA6Q9XiaTDK6nRUW3imABPpXvyMIblplfaA/s4032/20200902_150515.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQsaQRFdt0hNO2V6LOw8KGLzZMePdvAXPkzxncw69R86gaB4zrrxWLhcxADmPM60IMfJ3SpXm5T7lGyGd2VeH67wwkMqLDck9OeqFSgfglA6Q9XiaTDK6nRUW3imABPpXvyMIblplfaA/s320/20200902_150515.jpg" /></a></div><br />EVERYTHING SAD IS
UNTRUE: (a true story) BY Daniel Nayeri, Levine Querida, 2020<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How do you want the
readers you care about to benefit from the books they read?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is my take-away
from “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors.” By Rudine Sims Bishop, from
READING IS FUNDAMENTAL 1/3/2015, Multicultural Literacy</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you give children
books that are mirrors, they see themselves, the readers. When you were a young reader, did you see yourself
in books? Do you want your children to identify with characters in the books
they read? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Books that are
windows give readers a glimpse of the world that is different from theirs.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">What is it like to
live in another country? Do families whose language is different from ours love
each other like our families do? Do siblings fight and make up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do kids want to make friends in their
classrooms whether the classroom is on an island or in a mountain community or
inside a city building? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sliding glass door
books invite readers to step outside. What kind of world will they enter? Who
will be their friends? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel (birth name
Khosrou), the main character in EVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE: (a true story)
escapes from Iran with his mother and sister, running for their lives because
their mother is a new Christian who meets in secret with other Christians. Her
identity is uncovered, and the secret police give her a week to reveal the
names of her Christian group members or she and her children will be killed. She finds a way to escape, taking her daughter
and young son with her.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel recalls how
they are treated and how they respond to each sometimes life threatening and
sometimes long, boring, and wearying stop on the way from the UAE to Italy to
being granted asylum in the USA in Oklahoma.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In a manner that
evokes Scheherazade, Daniel tells his classmates about his family, his country,
and Persian culture. His classmates are
skeptical and derisive. The reader learns about Daniel’s humiliating trips on bus
209, his Oklahoma neighborhood, and his family’s loneliness. Like his
classmates, the reader may or may not believe this foreigner’s tall tales. (Not
my description of Daniel who sometimes made me cry.)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mirror? Window?
Sliding Glass Doors?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Author Daniel Nayeri
was born in Iran, spent two years as a refugee, and emigrated to Oklahoma when
he was eight. This autobiographical middle grade novel is a tribute to his
mother, a dedicated practicing physician before her escape from Iran, whom he
says is “unstoppable.” You can meet her, and Daniel, the author, too. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.levinequerido.com/everything-sad-is-untrue" target="_blank">Go to</a> https://www.levinequerido.com/everything-sad-is-untrue</p><p class="MsoNormal">Scroll all the way
down to the full document short.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You will wish you
could open a sliding glass door into Daniel’s mother’s kitchen to sample a cream puff. Have you ever tasted a pastry
flavored with rosewater?</p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-78834206592469695382020-07-01T10:22:00.001-05:002020-07-01T11:14:12.579-05:00RIDING A ROLLER COASTER<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Today begins the second half
of a year riding on a roller coaster we can’t seem to exit. Just when we think
the thing has stopped, it takes off again, and we haven’t had time to re-buckle
our seat belts. I’ve been looking for something to hang on to, and I’ve found something
to share.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"> <img class="k_w en_0 M_A gg_1fx0Xo" height="300" src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-itCrPN0kQNlnRlgdF9yx_WbcZ--LOHygmO5vc9-pAsAPuJZ3GsRhtcRi3ayzHp4e4QS589m2ULn4HOf3kMCF_g/messages/@.id==AGb_mrsjgyDYXuKAHA0jSFv4PVg/content/parts/@.id==2/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrinLaunch" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1d2228; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: YahooSans,Helvetica Neue,Segoe UI,Helvetica,Arial,Lucida Grande,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" width="225" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD
Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z, by Irene Latham and Charles Waters,
Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini, Carolrhoda Books, 2020. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">If every home had a copy of this
book and used it in conversation often enough to make it “theirs”, we would
definitely have a better world. One alphabet letter can start everyone in the
family thinking until the next chance to sit and talk or stir dinner together
or whatever you are doing to ward off your own brand of cabin fever. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Each alphabet letter has its
own quote, its own poem about the topic title of the letter; and each poem is
written in a different poetic form. Insights from “Irene Says” or “Charles
says” are followed by “Try It” encouraging readers to get out of their comfort
zones.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">One of my favorite quotes is
from Mother Teresa, paired with B for “belonging”: “If we have no peace, it is
because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Irene, who lives her poem, is
the winner of the 2016 Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award. Enjoy her
<a href="http://irenelatham.com/">warmth and wisdom</a> at </span><a href="http://www.irenelatham.com/"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">www.irenelatham.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Charles co-authored <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Can I touch Your Hair? Poems of Race,
Mistakes, and Friendship</i> with Irene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is a poet and professional actor. Find out more about <a href="http://www.charleswaterspoetry.com/">Charles</a> at <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.charleswaterspoetry.com/"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">www.charleswaterspoetry.com</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Mehrdokht Amini, an Iranian British </span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><u><span style="color: #000120;"><a href="http://www.myart2c.com/">children’s book illustrator,</a> </span></u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><u></u><span style="color: #000120;"></span> </span></span><a href="http://www.myart2c.com/"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">www.myart2c.com</span></a> <span style="font-family: inherit;">lives in London. She created the illustrations in this book with collage, photography, acrylic, and digital painting. They work together and separately to create an emotional range and <span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">set the tone for each new conversation.</span> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Irene’s thoughts inspire me. Charles gives me reasons to persevere. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Mehrdokht's artwork is an invitation to explore.</span></span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Their book speaks to all
ages.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-74466827759159973522019-12-12T15:20:00.000-06:002019-12-12T16:41:29.232-06:00FOR READERS ON SANTA’S LIST<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A rollicking cat
detective solving a mystery while managing to get in naps and plenty of snacks
is one of the most engaging characters I’ve discovered recently. </span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">RA THE MIGHTY CAT
DETECTIVE by A.B. Greenfield, illustrated by Sarah Horne, Holiday House, 2018</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Set in ancient
Egypt, this action packed tale is peopled with sulkers and skulkers, members of
the Pharaoh’s royal extended family whose motives are not so royal. Or maybe
they are. I guess it depends upon whose opinion you seek. </span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">If you ask Miu,
another cat, no one is playing fair. Miu seeks Ra’s help when a treasured amulet
goes missing and a child servant could lose her life because of this dastardly
deed. Miu insists the young girl, who has gone into hiding, is innocent. The dung
beetle that whispers sage advice into Ra’s ear (although Ra wouldn’t admit that
the beetle is sage), joins with Miu to convince Ra that because he is a mighty cat
detective he must find the jewel and save the girl.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Illustrator Sarah
Horne has created ominous looking adults to roam among these pages. The reader will shiver while rooting for the mighty detectives. I use the
plural because by the end of the story, there are more than one. Ra discovers a
willingness to share glory, although maybe not his snacks.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.amybutlergreenfield.com/">Author</a> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A. B.
Greenfield </span><a href="http://www.amybutlergreenfield.com/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">www.amybutlergreenfield.com</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">didn’t stop with
only one book featuring the mighty Ra. #2: RA THE MIGHTY, THE GREAT TOMB
ROBBERY is available now and #3: RA THE MIGHTY, THE CROCODILE CAPER, is coming
out in 2020. </span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">This book is marked
as 4<sup>th</sup> grade reading level, but reading it to a first grader or
second grader gives an adult a chance to enjoy it, too. Third graders will
figure it out and advance their reading skills at the same time. </span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">All will enjoy
saying aloud names like Nefrubity and Yuyu. I leave it to you to research their
roles in the royal palace.</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-30970761549091685532019-10-25T09:52:00.002-05:002019-10-25T10:04:52.831-05:00THIS BOOK SAYS, “BOO!”<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A scary book could soften
the parental explanation that the resident pre-teen is too old to dress up and
ring the neighbors’ door bells for trick or treat this year. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Or worse, the
almost grown-up is still not quite old enough to look out for younger siblings
as they travel door to door. You might hint a little that you've found a book with spooky neighbors and some undead folk in the woods.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Note: a scary book lasts longer than candy and
doesn’t get tangled up in braces.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">THE HAUNTED SERPENT
by Dora M. Mitchell, Sterling Children’s Books, 2018</span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Spaulding Meriwether
has a problem every middle school student will recognize and I’m not talking
about being the new student at Thedgeroot Middle School. Spaulding is the son
of questionable (questionable? Is that a hint of more to come?) television
ghost hunters, and no, I’m not talking about that either. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spaulding is weird. What middle school student
thinks he might be weird and tries to hide it? Or is already thought to be
weird by the rest of the school? Does the student talk to dead people? Yes.
That kind of weird. And yes, there is a haunted serpent. Why else would the
book have such an enticing title?</span><br />
<br />
Durin<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">g the Halloween ghosting season, this tale could keep your Halloween helper from answering the doorbell when the smallest gremlins pay a call. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Author Dora Mitchell is a
writer, illustrator, and children’s librarian living in Quincy, a small
northern CA mining town that was built during the Gold Rush. Her <a href="http://doramitchell.com/">web site</a> is
pretty spooky, too. Doramitichell.com</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-36396505199995956942018-03-28T10:51:00.000-05:002018-03-28T11:17:49.731-05:00MICE ON ICE!<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Breaking news: Winter is not reading the calendar! It keeps
on snowing across the upper swath of our country and is not the least bit
apologetic about dropping cold temperatures across the south. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Enter Lucy who loves snow and ice. If only her friends would
join her.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">MICE SKATING by Annie Silvestro, illustrated by Teagan
White, Sterling Children’s Books, 2017</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Lucy is a mouse. And so, of course, her friends are mice.
Like any self-respecting and traditional mouse, each one has burrowed in to
spend the cheerless days of winter below ground, snoozing, perhaps, or maybe
reading books about humans while I am reading a book about them. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Not Lucy. She dons her fluffy wool cap with a pink pom-pom
on top and goes adventuring. She catches snowflakes on her tongue, makes mice
angels in the snow, and misses her friends. Her attempts to bring snow fun into
her friends’ cozy napping spaces fail. Snow cones?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>They aren’t cheese. An indoor snow fight? A
soggy mess. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Then Lucy figures out how to skate.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Adding to the reader’s enjoyment, the author sprinkles wordplays
on cheese throughout the sprightly text. Art shimmers. Winter re-gains its
first snow of the season excitement.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you, Lucy. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">ABOUT THE CREATORS:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://teaganwhite.com/">Teagan White</a>, whose art brings Lucy and her field mouse
friends to life, has illustrated greeting cards and textiles as well as
children’s books and received a BFA in illustration from the Minneapolis
College of Art & Design. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Author<a href="http://anniesilvestro.com/"> Annie Silvestro</a> is the author of
Bunny’s Book Club (Doubleday), another Bunny book coming out this summer, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains</i>
(HarperCollins, September 2018). </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">After considering opening a children’s book store, Silvestro
decided to create books instead, beginning her writing career with
determination in 2009. She joined the Society of Children’s </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Book Writers and Illustrators and “kept working and
learning.” </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Author Silvestro shares this journey with young authors in
schools – a part of being a children’s author that she discovered she
loves.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“It (author visits) was something
I was nervous about doing at first, but now I’ve found it to be the very best
part of my job. Engaging with children about books and reading is such a gift.”
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Silvestro says she loves to tell young readers “how
important it is to keep reading! You have to be a good reader to be a good
writer. I also like to tell them to persevere and that it’s ok to make
mistakes.”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Returning to Lucy, readers will see that Lucy perseveres,
makes mistakes, and yes! succeeds. Set out the snacks of cheese and crackers.
While younger readers enjoy turning pages, older readers will be chuckling over
the wordplay. And a few more days of winter will be OK.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-87596818172735007632017-11-07T09:02:00.000-06:002017-11-07T09:02:04.091-06:00A Path of Pebbles
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Have you ever followed a trail of shiny stones, one
more lovely than the other, until you found yourself deep in the woods of
wondering…? </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">STEPPING STONES: A Refugee Family’s Journey by
Margriet Ruurs, artwork by Nizar Ali Badr, Orca Book Publishers, 2016</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">First I read an article in <i>Bookbird</i>, A <a href="http://ibby.org/">Journal</a> of International Children’s Literature. The article was
written by Margriet Ruurs, an award winning author of more than 30 books for
children.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>She, too, was following a path
of pebbles, first showing up on Facebook. She saw the artwork of a Syrian
sculptor from Ugarit, now living and working in Lattakia, Syria. He simply
arranges rocks on the ground or on a rectangle of plywood – except it’s not so
simple. His images tell deeply emotional stories. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Author Ruurs had to find this artist, had to ask him
about his life and work. Her article in <i>Bookbird</i> details her determination to
find him and her inspiration to write a book about a refugee family’s journey
to find a peaceful life. She wanted Nizar Ali Badr to tell this eloquent story
in stones undergirded by his own intriguing story: a gifted artist managing to
create in spite of a multitude of deprivations. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">I had to follow the trail to her book, too, as
reader. I had to know how her search ended, as well as more about the artist
himself.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Ruurs’ story follows a young girl who is forced to
flee her home when war comes to her Syrian village and “Life in our village
changed. Nothing was as it had been.” The pebble people who are her family say
good-bye to the rooster and the goat and go to the end of the earth where they
must cross a vast sea. The physical burdens of the pebble family’s belongings
bow the adults’ bodies, but the weight of loss is a burden the sculptor conveys
in all the bodies, young and elderly. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">This family created by author Ruurs survives the
sea, but other refugees do not. On land once more, the family stops. “Mama and
Papa planted seeds to grow flowers to remember those who did not reach
freedom.” It’s a tender scene. Love, care, hope. All told in stones that have become
real people to the reader. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Badr has not left his homeland. In the foreword, author
Ruurs notes that sometimes the artist does not have money to buy the glue that
would make his art permanent. It becomes one of those “meant to be” moments
that made it possible for the artist and author to create this book for a
publisher willing to consider challenging circumstances. Badr says his
ancestors left “a signature in my genes to create and share my work with
honesty and modesty.” Ruurs hopes she can raise awareness of the plight of
those who must flee the horrors of war. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">This is a beautiful book. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-61426680186429721992017-10-12T11:00:00.000-05:002017-10-12T11:21:56.323-05:00A Bull Named Ugly<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;">What happens when
the older brother you idolize, the one all the girls in the small town of
Salt Lick, Nevada fall for, the bull riding champion everybody brags about,
goes to Iraq and steps on an IED?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>(An Improvised
Explosive Device also known as a street bomb.)</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;">BULL RIDER by Suzanne Morgan Williams, Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2009</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;">It may be his
brother Ben struggling with a traumatic brain injury and life-altering physical
injuries but 14 year old Cam who prefers riding a skateboard to clinging to a
grouchy fire snorting bull also crashes headlong into change. Author Williams
brings the world’s problems to Cam’s ranch and everyone in this warm, loving
family must adjust to roles outside their expectations. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;">The other members of
Cam’s family are well thought out to provide just enough poignancy with a good
balance of family fun. The adults have adult challenges, but the author keeps
the focus on Cam and how he relates to his brother’s shifting moods contrasted
with the unsettling discussion about patriotism, love of country and the
willingness to sacrifice. A bull named Ugly plays a major part, too, but that’s
all I’m going to tell you. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;">Suzanne Morgan
Williams has a solid background in nonfiction for young people. She researches
deeply with extensive acknowledgements. Through her craft <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bull Rider</i> comes to life, receiving the
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Award for Outstanding Juvenile Book of
2009. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;">If you missed this
novel when it first came out, read it now. It’s timely today. Movies are being
made about our war vets, but do any of them get inside the heads of their
younger brothers and sisters? This book will motivate you to thank a veteran
for his or her service -- and the vet's family, too.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;">Visit the <a href="http://suzannemorganwilliams.com/">author</a> at
suzannemorganwilliams.com</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-89106654466583279442017-09-25T12:15:00.000-05:002017-09-25T12:20:11.106-05:00Read This Book!We are in the midst of the 35th annual Banned Books Week which began on September 24th.<br />
I read banned books. Do you?<br />
<br />
BAN THIS BOOK by Alan Gratz, Tor/Starscape, 2017<br />
<br />
"How can you put into words how a book slips inside of you and becomes a part of you so much that your life feels empty without it?" These are the words of 4th grader Amy Anne Ollinger when she finds out her favorite book, <i>From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler</i>, has been removed from her school library book shelves. Note: "not banned, but removed" is the explanation when Amy Anne asks. To Amy Anne it's all the same. <br />
<br />
How did this happen? An influential parent has protested the book -- and several others -- as inappropriate.<br />
<br />
Amy Anne does a lot of protesting inside her head until the injustice of it all empowers her. A leader, an organizer, an advocate, a champion. All of these are unleashed as one little girl digs in and learns what our country and our rights are all about. <br />
<br />
This is a PPR book. Parents, Please Read! You need to know what is going on inside your child's head that isn't being said out loud. Thanks to Alan Gratz for making this topic accessible to all ages.<br />
<br />
A Reader's Guide is included in the book. All curriculum guidelines are met.<b></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
Any mistakes in this review are mine. The book was due at my library and had to be returned because there is a waiting list. I could not double check and re-read and write more as I usually do. The copies I buy will probably not stay in my house long because I will give them away to someone who gets as energized by the topic as I do.<br />
<br />
Every title mentioned in BAN THIS BOOK has been banned somewhere sometime. Can you find your favorites? I discovered I've been reading banned books my whole life -- I just didn't know it.<br />
<br />
<br />Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-17433560318710364152016-11-28T15:56:00.000-06:002016-11-28T16:08:04.879-06:00Can a Story Save the Kingdom? <br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If your kids are into saving kingdoms this year, here is a
holiday book to give them some options.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">THE STORY BOOK KNIGHT by Helen Docherty and Thomas Docherty,
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2016</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Leo was a gentle knight. So begins this gentle tale. He
likes to read. However, his parents succumb to the way it is always done, and
when they pronounce, “Knights must FIGHT,” Leo is puzzled.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">However, not only is Leo a gentle knight, he is a dutiful
son. And so he sets off to tame a dragon, armed with gifts from his parents, a
new shield and sword. (He also packs sandwiches and a stack of books.) </span><span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Along the way to find the elusive dragon, Leo encounters a
griffin, (he knows it is a griffin because he has read about one), a troll, and
finally, in a village where the people are in hiding, an ENORMOUS and cranky
from a nap, DRAGON.</span><span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The cover copy asks, “…can a story be as mighty as a sword?”
Read this to your four year old and discover a happy ending and a delightful
answer. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This book’s creators live in Wales with their two daughters.
I’m guessing lots of stories are told in their home. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My suggestion: after you have read this to your young
listener half a dozen times or so, suggest he or she read it to the baby or a
doll, or even the dog or cat.</span><span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Like Leo, you
will be left in peace to read.</span><span style="font-size: large; margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">It’s your
turn to read to YOU.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-87108482527642098512016-10-01T15:40:00.000-05:002016-10-01T15:46:12.405-05:00Happy Launch Day!<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">When the debut novel
of a dear friend is released and available for book shelves in libraries,
bookstores, and your house, it's a cause for celebration. Drum roll, please!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">THE LAZY DRAGON AND
THE BUMBLESPELLS<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>WIZARD<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>by Kath Boyd Marsh, CBAY Books, 2016</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">With a twin sister
like Hazel, Cl’rnce doesn’t need any enemies. On the other hand, he’s done a
pretty good job of making enemies all by himself.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Cl’rnce is a prankster. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Hazel is a spoiler.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">A spoiler is a role
I do not wish to play, so I will say as little as possible about what really
happens in this delightful fantasy about dragons and wizards (which you could
figure out from the title, yes?) and a race to see who will be Primus, ruler of
all the Dr’gon Nations.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">First, Cl’rence
needs a Wizard Partner. He doesn’t want one.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">Meanwhile, back at
her desk, <a href="http://kathboydmarshauthor.com/">the author</a> is creating Moire Ain, a perfect WP, except first she has
to escape from the Hedge-Witch.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">And then, there is
the Whisper Stone. It’s a treasure sought by lots of evil-doers, or evil doer
wannabes. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">Those who have
endured sibling torment will gravitate to Cl’rnce’s corner even as they giggle
at Hazel’s insults. He has been suffering from Hazel’s rants for 420 years. No
wonder all Cl’rnce wants to do is nap. That alone would make a dr’gon tired,
wouldn’t it? On the other hand, thinking up mischief is tiring, too. And Cl’rnce
is gifted at that. It’s carrying out all those great chuckle-worthy plans that
lands him in trouble.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">The readers won’t
nap. From giggling 3<sup>rd</sup> graders to page turning 4<sup>th</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup>
graders, this tale is filled with magick and kindness, heroes and villains,
witches and dragons and ….well there’s no end to the enchantment. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">And I can’t leave out
Raspberries! He’s a guard bird. At least that’s what I’d call him. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;">Another drum roll,
please.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-81531515548276535632016-09-28T09:22:00.003-05:002016-09-28T09:26:12.739-05:00Building Confidence<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Is there anything more endearing--especially for parents--than watching happy kids rush
toward school, eager to learn?<br />
<br />
THIS IS NOT A CAT! By David Larochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, Sterling Children’s Books, 2016<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
At the Sunny Hills Mice School, the first lesson will be about DANGER. Or CATS. <br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Note: on the first page, one little mouse doesn’t look all that
happy and the “something” peering around the tree at two skipping mice and
one mouse dragging his feet is licking its lips. That creature does not look
like a cat. Hmmm. Anyhow, turn the page to see the teacher introducing the
lesson of the day: How to recognize danger.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Glowering from the easel is a large picture of a CAT.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
To the mice kids’ delight, the teacher shows them pictures
of a bunny, a butterfly, an ice cream cone—none of these is a cat. And then, a
huge cat appears. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
After that, the action is wild, zany, and chaotic. The child on your lap or
in the reading circle in pre-K, is laughing so hard, you might need to take a
breathing break. I will not spoil the ending.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://davidlarochelle.com/">David Larochelle</a><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>is a
former teacher, and <a href="http://mikewohnoutka.com/">Mike Wohnoutka</a><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>has illustrated over 20 children’s books and written and
illustrated 3 picture books. The pair also collaborated on an award winning
book, <i>Moo!</i><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I can imagine them in a brain
storming session. Again, there must be a time-out to breathe. Oh, do visit their websites.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Now, why did I call this book a confidence builder? All the
words in the book are written using only the words in the title. Young children
will be reading this one on their own before you can say, "SCAT!"</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-15135638866507063222016-09-03T09:42:00.001-05:002016-09-03T09:42:33.565-05:00Time To Talk
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My first child valued
her library card. When the time came that the books she checked out were of her
own choosing, not mine or a teacher’s, I discovered that books open doors to
discussion. That’s especially helpful when the discussion is not easy. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Bullying is always a
concern, but as school bells announced the end of summer this year, at least
one news source reported that the group most vulnerable to bullies in academic
settings is the LGBTQ community. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
want to begin a discussion with your kids, here are a couple of books that
might open a door. One is for parents, the other for teens.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">PLAYING A PART by
Daria Wilke, Translated by Marian Schwartz, Arthur Levine Books, imprint of
Scholastic, 2012.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Grishka’s mother and
father are actors in a puppet theatre in Russia. This is Grishka’s whole world.
His friend, Sam, a talented young adult actor and puppeteer, has announced he
will leave the theatre soon and go to Holland to escape the risks of homophobic
persecution in Russia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A number of
subplots involving family and friends lend themselves to the coming of age
moments Grishka experiences, including standing up to his grandfather who is
homophobic. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I saw the Jester
puppet as a metaphor for Grishka’s personality and growth. How and why do
people play the part of the Jester? What made them be that way? What happens
when the role of Jester doesn’t work?</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Author Daria Wilke was
born in Moscow and grew up surrounded by the art and craft of puppetry. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marian Schwartz is an award-winning translator
of Russian literature. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">This is a
beautifully written thought-provoking book, and the translation preserves its
quality.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">CROOKED LETTER i:
Coming Out in the South, edited by Connie Griffin, NewSouth Books, 2015</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The contributors to
this enlightening collection of first-person narratives are professional
writers who are Southerners. They are also gay, lesbian, or transgendered. Readers
will applaud their courage to share some of their most painful growing up
experiences. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The thread that
caught this children’s writer’s eye was not the Southern connection, but the
childhood experiences of each writer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Parents who simply didn’t understand what they were doing tried to do
the right thing. In most cases this turned out to be the very worst thing to do
to their much loved children. The same thing could be said for the community,
teachers, pastors, many who thought their actions were helpful when in fact,
they were hurtful and their impact destructive. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">In reading this book
a second and third time, which I often do before I review a book here, I kept
returning to the essay by Merril Mushroom, “The Gay Kids and the Johns
Committee” for a sense of history in the late 1950’s and 1960’s. Were others
being persecuted? Yes, the McCarthy hearings were in progress. And then there
was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brown vs. Board of Education</i>.
Whatever the term “civil rights” means to you, capitalized or not, the circle
of those who should have them and don’t is wide. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The essays can be
read out of order. If you are looking for a shorter essay that ends with hope
and acceptance, “Coming Home,” by Logan Knight is a good choice. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the second essay in the book, but it
would also be a good one to read last as a way to remember the book. Hope and
acceptance between generations is always a positive sign. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">May you find doors
to walk through to discussions that will keep leading you and yours forward
together.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-16220616440221150552016-07-30T14:04:00.000-05:002016-07-30T14:08:39.334-05:00Lessons from a JunkyardSadie Kingston is a teenaged girl who visits a wrecked car
in a junkyard several times a week. Why in the world would anyone do that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
THE LIES ABOUT TRUTH by Courtney C. Stevens, Harper Teen,
2015.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The car is a total wreck. How could anyone come out of that
wreck alive? Sadie did. Her best friend, Trent, the driver, did not. The
driver’s brother, Max, a passenger in the back seat, also lived.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Two other teens, Sadie’s boyfriend, Gray, and her best
girlfriend, Gina, were riding in the car in front of Sadie, Trent, and Max at
the time of the accident. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were not
injured physically. Sadie, however, is badly scarred, both physically and
emotionally. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The secrets of all five teens snarl and tangle as the
author teases them out. Sadie could confront these secrets, but she walls herself off as she struggles to heal. Why did she live? What direction is
her life taking? Is this what she is pondering when she visits the car in the
junkyard?</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Sadie’s family and the boys’ family have been next door
neighbors in Florida since before the kids were born. Both families are solid
and their friendships are healthy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> They are g</span>ood
people, kind, caring, trying hard to overcome the great loss to both families. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Max and his parents leave for another country for his dad’s
job shortly after the accident, but he and Sadie become close through daily
emails. When the family returns, Max and Sadie make it clear that they are
“together” even though it’s hard for Gray and Gina to accept. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Author <a href="http://courtneycstevens.com/">Courtney C. Stevens</a> is an adjunct
professor and former youth minister. Her debut novel is <i>Faking Normal</i>. </div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Although not your typical beach read, this would be an excellent book for youth groups to discuss at a summer retreat. Our church group goes to the beach. The members are independent thinkers with deep convictions. I can imagine them discussing this one around a campfire. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-71379372032187492492016-07-08T11:11:00.001-05:002016-07-08T11:11:17.702-05:00Feeding the FutureGive your young sleuths a mystery of a different sort to
puzzle over this summer.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
THE STORY OF SEEDS by Nancy F. Castaldo, Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt, 2016</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Author Nancy Castaldo has a passion for saving the world in
a way our super heroes never considered. Her first book, <i>Sniffer Dogs: How They
and Their Noses Save the World</i> gave the reading world a glimpse into her tenacious
research. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Now she takes note of this shocking fact: one in five plants
on earth are threatened with extinction.</div>
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She asks, “Who is protecting our seeds?” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
To find answers, author Castaldo crossed the country from
her hometown in the Hudson Valley of New York to California and traveled the
globe, all the way to Russia in the dead of winter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What she found becomes a reader’s introduction
to quiet heroes who work behind the scenes, sometimes risking their lives,
sometimes giving their lives up entirely, all in their mission to save seeds
for future generations. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
This is a book for everyone to read and ponder before and
after a trip to the corner grocery. Who knew going to the market--any fruit and vegetable market--with Mom or
Dad could be so intriguing?</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
THE STORY OF SEEDS paired with <i>Fresh Delicious</i> by <a href="http://joan-booklog.blogspot.com/2016/04/pick-peck-of-poems.html">Irene Latham</a>, would make a great set of books for those who set up those
wonderful farmers’ markets to sell right alongside the tomatoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-74743851132993024622016-06-25T15:35:00.003-05:002016-06-25T15:42:57.518-05:00Words in Work BootsIf you’ve ever thought of poetry<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
as formal<br />
stiff<br />
not for you<br />
<br />
this is
the book<br />
that will change your mind. <br />
<br />
we are talking about concrete
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/910GJGDwEqL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/910GJGDwEqL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="image-stretch-vertical" height="320" id="igImage" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/910GJGDwEqL.jpg" style="left: auto; max-height: 1992px; max-width: 1400px; top: auto;" width="224" /></a></div>
<a href="http://images.macmillan.com/folio-assets/macmillan_us_frontbookcovers_186W/9781626722361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<br />
Don’t judge a book by its title.<br />
<br />
<br />
WET CEMENT: A MIX OF CONCRETE POEMS by Bob Raczka, Roaring Book Press, 2016<br />
<br />
<br />
No matter what your age or your relationship with words,
this sliver of a book will entertain you and keep you thinking long after you turn
out the lights. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Sorry I can’t tell you my favorite poem. Every time I page
through, I find another that has to be first.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The author has written several collections of children’s
poetry including one titled <i>Presidential Misadventures: Poems that Poke Fun at
the Man in Charge</i>. I’ve got to read that one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><br />
<br />
Visit the author's <a href="http://bobraczka.com/">website</a> and make a shopping list.</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222624562230891267.post-78141207081128730782016-06-01T11:37:00.000-05:002016-06-01T11:38:23.073-05:00TRAVEL TIMEThis summer say thank you to the inventor of
the wheel and set off on an adventure—even if it’s only to the neighborhood park. <br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
WHEREVER YOU GO by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Eliza
Wheeler, Little Brown and Co., 2015. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiQtb3st4pJrd101izJJD9jca_nDF3Fh2q7Oj_d-qc2IBxvat4tI9AAtIhjasZHVlTX7t-RQuczDcqnAZKHUXF1y06USGIksQ9ccEB3wTh5eYfuu2Ruw-4FjaKVjkDkk6dY-pql7c2WmZsMJHqWOLiLIebC24LiZHa1OyRY1Yl98U-lHCF1BBSApTj-6JBGsiWByd8ehkTTLnf9484=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wherever You Go" border="0" src="http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/_b2c/media/cache/98/79/9879a23b0955d9bf445e4859c22d6f7b.jpg" height="320" title="Wherever You Go" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Where does the road go?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Over, under</div>
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zoom and race</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
zig and zag</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
left and right</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Choices are made, plans change.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Share this book with your toddlers and young listeners as
you pack your bags for a family trip—and be sure the book goes with you. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Illustrator <a href="http://wheelerstudio.com/">Eliza Wheeler</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>delights sharp
little eyes following a dapper bunny guide on a bike. He leads through<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>towns, villages, the bright lights of the
cities, even along a quiet winter trail through a forest dotted with cozy
cabins demonstrating that all vacation trips are not made in summer. A wise looking owl flits along to provide company, a tranquil touch.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
When he
crosses a bridge and roads converge, the amiable bunny makes new friends. Does
the family in the van resemble yours? That monkey waving from the top of the
luggage carrier reminds me of my little brother on our family vacations. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
A comforting thought for all travelers: the same road you
travel away from home takes you home again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://patzietlowmiller.com/">Pat Miller</a> will be remembered for her award winning picture
book, <i>Sophie's Squash</i>.</div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><i>Wherever You Go</i> </span>will join <i>Sophie's Squash</i> in your children’s basket of lovingly thumbed books. <br />
If you visit her website, you'll find other books including another book about Sophie. <br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Follow your road to delightful discoveries.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Bring home happy memories.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Safe travels. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Always.</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">What better way to celebrate spring than a poetic foray into a farmer’s market? </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">FRESH DELICIOUS, Poems from the Farmers’ Market, by Irene Latham, Illustrated by Mique Moriuchi, Wordsong, 2016</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51l8Hc6L0UL._SY479_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="305" width="320" /><b><i><u><sub><sup><strike><br /></strike></sup></sub></u></i></b></span></div>
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51l8Hc6L0UL._SY479_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span>
<span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "calibri"; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Poet</span><a href="http://www.irenelatham.com/"><span style="font-size: large;"> Irene Latham's</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> fanciful wordplay and illustrator </span><a href="http://www.miquemoriuchi.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Mique Moriuchi's</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> gift with paint, paper, scissors, and glue turn a trip to the outdoor market into a hunt for fun. Who could resist a puzzle of squash or a battle with okra swords? Not I!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Engaging recipes close this adventure among the stalls of beans and peas (did one of those just wink at me?) and young readers will be eager to help, sample and devour the finished version. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">In the meantime, you will be reading this to the child on your lap over...and over...and over.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Good thing you have a healthy snack of fruit kebabs to nibble on while you turn the pages.</span></div>
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</div>
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<br />Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074034324816239191noreply@blogger.com3