As promised, here's the resource list we handed out at our NCTE talk. Rosanne Parry, Suzanne Morgan Williams and I all contributed to the list, but it was Suzanne who did the heavy lifting of putting all the links in one cohesive document.
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By: Sara Lewis Holmes,
on 5/31/2010
Blog: Read Write Believe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: military children, military, Add a tag
I'm at the TeensReadToo Book Club Blog today, talking about military families for Memorial Day. My post is the third of the weekend. On Saturday, Rosanne Parry (Heart of a Shepherd) gracefully and purposefully addressed the challenging topic of Patriotism and Military Fiction. On Sunday, Suzanne Morgan Williams (Bull Rider) wrote movingly about Traumatic Brain Injury and how war affects communities. Today, it's my turn, and I tell a personal story that begins with four words: Your dad is okay.
If you comment on Suzanne's post, you have a chance to win a copy of her excellent Bull Rider, and if you comment on mine, you could win a copy of the Operation Yes audio book (as a digital download from Audible.com)
Come join us!
I'm also excited to announce that Rosanne, Suzy, and I will be presenting a panel on Military Fiction at the National Council of Teachers of English conference in Orlando this November. More details to come.
By: Sara Lewis Holmes,
on 5/19/2010
Blog: Read Write Believe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Books, Reading, military, military children, Add a tag
For Memorial Day, Kidsmomo is calling for kid reviews of war stories: "books about war — stories of those who fought and also those whose lives at home were affected." Anyone interested? Operation Yes is on the list of suggested books, but you can submit a review for any book on the theme you like.
One book I would add to that list is HOMEFRONT, by my friend, Doris Gwaltney, which is set during World War II. It received starred reviews from both School Library Journal and Booklist, and I adore the frank, funny voice of its main character, Margaret Ann Motley. It also has that deep connection to physical place that I loved so much in Hattie Big Sky.
By: Sara Lewis Holmes,
on 1/19/2010
Blog: Read Write Believe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: military children, MLK Day of Service, Add a tag
To my friends who were recognized at the ALA Awards yesterday: I've sent you emails. You *know* how I feel about you and your work and how richly you deserve the cascade of love and attention pouring over you now.
By: Sara Lewis Holmes,
on 9/28/2009
Blog: Read Write Believe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Books, military children, YES Interview, Add a tag
There aren’t that many books about military families. Author Rosanne Parry has written a beautiful one.
Heart of a Shepherd tells the story of Brother, who is left to run his family’s ranch when his dad gets shipped to Iraq. It’s funny and quietly moving in a Where the Red Fern Grows kind of way. My favorite scene is when Brother gets in a fight with his older brothers (he has four of them!) and then has to stitch up his older brother’s scalp.
Rosanne was brave enough to be the first to answer my new "five question" YES interview. I'm grateful to her for saying yes.
NOTE: I also posted a mini-version of this interview over at www.operationyesbook.com, where I hope to feature more interviews with creative people who come from military families. (Laini Taylor, I'm looking at you!)
1) How are you connected to the U.S. military?
Every day I get up in my tree house and sit down to write is its own victory. Many other things in my life seem more urgent than writing, and sometimes I’m not at all sure I’ll have anything valuable to write down, but I’ve learned that saying yes to writing time nearly every day leads to finished stories and eventually published books.My parents helped me get in touch with some theologians and the chancellor of the archdiocese. These people helped me look at the documents my teacher was looking at that supported his beliefs. They also showed me the primary source documents that I could use to refute my teacher’s misunderstandings. It was an important lesson for me in the use of primary and secondary sources, something my history teacher overlooked but I’ve been mindful of ever since. These mentors also helped me understand the history of anit-Catholic sentiment in Oregon. The first priests to come here in the mid 1800s spoke French and came to serve the French trappers and their Native American wives and children. So the bigotry is as much about racism as it is about religion. In the end, I doubt I changed my teachers mind, but I did learn a lot about addressing injustice with facts and persistence and good manners.
By: Sara Lewis Holmes,
on 7/1/2009
Blog: Read Write Believe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Books, military children, Operation Yes, Add a tag
By: Sara Lewis Holmes,
on 2/27/2008
Blog: Read Write Believe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: MCEC, military children, military children, MCEC, deployment advice, deployment advice, Add a tag
I received this email yesterday. If any of you know military teens, please encourage them to share their wisdom with other teens.
_________________________________________________________
Military Child Education Coalition’s
CALL FOR TEEN DEPLOYMENT ADVICE
The Military Child Education Coalition is excited to announce its plans to print a publication about teenagers’ experiences during the deployment of a loved one. Tens of thousands of teenagers have watched their loved ones deploy for extended periods of time since September 11, 2001 and yet there are few resources in print focused on the experiences of teenagers during these challenging times. We at the MCEC know that teens are most likely to listen to the wisdom and advice of other teens, and there is no one better qualified to offer advice about deployment than the teens that have experienced it. We would like to gather their insights, ideas and wisdom in a publication that can be shared with other teens and the adults who support them. This publication will be by teens for teens!
Our intention is to gather information (via the attached questionnaire) from the full spectrum of teenagers, who come from all military dependent backgrounds: Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy - Active Duty, National Guard, and Reservists. We urge you to share the attached form with any and all teens you know who have weathered the deployment(s) of parents, siblings and other loved ones. The greater the number of responses we receive from military-connected teenagers, the better this publication will be.
The MCEC wants to give military-connected teenagers a great publication about deployment. Help us make this goal a success!
Please direct any questions regarding the Call for Teen Deployment Advice to Joan Barrett.
WHO: Teenagers who were between the ages of 12-20 when
their loved one deployed (deployments since 9-11-01)
WHAT: Advice and Experience regarding their experiences
during the deployment of a loved one
HOW: Fill out attached questionnaire and return to
Joan Barrett
DEADLINE: MARCH 31, 2008
POC: JOAN BARRETT
Director of Research and Evaluation
(816) 746-7966
[email protected]
Warmly,
The MCEC™ Staff
You can email Joan at the address above for a copy of the questionnaire, or if you'd rather go through me, I downloaded a copy from the original email and can send it to you myself.
Posted on 6/20/2007
Blog: The Leaky Cauldron (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Yates Interviews, Add a tag
In an extensive new article from on FilmJournal.com, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix director David Yates discusses taking the lead in a production as massive as OotP and gives his thoughts on the process, actors and result.... Read the rest of this post
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Great post, Sarah. Thanks! I remember you talking about your son's lead on his college essay just after he wrote it. I'm off to thank some families!