A little over a year ago, someone I care about called to tell me they had to terminate their pregnancy. My heart skipped a beat. I'd been her biggest cheerleader concerning the pregnancy. Her first child died at a few months old. This friend had an illness that prevented healthy pregnancies. Was afraid to try again. So she'd adopted a newborn girl.
She'd finally been able to have another pregnancy. Everyone was so excited. What in the world would make her choose termination? It just wasn't like her. Then she told me it was an ectopic pregnancy. My heart broke.
I had no idea what to say. There are never good words when a person faces such tragedy.
Sometimes life termination just has to be. Not because of inconvenience. But because the child was growing in her tubes. So I told her.
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Blog: I Am Still A Princess (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: finding peace, #loveonpurpose, #lovethyneighbor, always a mom, #beyekindtooneanother, forgiveness, abundance, depression, embrace, Add a tag
Blog: Teaching Authors (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Sydney Taylor Book Award, Rosh Hashanah, children's poems, April Halprin Wayland, Back-to-School Activities, New Year at the Pier, Jewish Holidays, Forgiveness, Poetry Friday, New Year's resolutions, Add a tag
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Howdy, Campers--happy Poetry Friday (link at the bottom) and happy home grown veggies to all! (Did you know that August 2-8th was National Farmers Market Week? Or that August 22nd is National Honey Bee Day and September 7th is National Acorn Squash Day?)
We're blogging about going back to school this round. Esther starts us off with a review of Kate Messner's book on revision, a useful and inspiring book; JoAnn writes about using repetition and how to Write a Poem Step by Step, and you can win her book of that very title by entering the latest TeachingAuthors' book giveaway (which ends tonight at midnight) Then Carla shows how to approach the familiar How I Spent My Summer Vacation essay as a non-fiction writer, and Mary Ann tells us the story behind her wonderful book, First Grade Stinks!
Now it's my turn. I'm here to suggest two very different books for this time of year. One about food, one about forgiveness...and the new year.
Any of these would be a wonderful topic for student poems, stories or a class discussion about food and farming. And the remarkable Renee LaTulippe, at No Water River, has created what she calls "poet-a-palooza" about Dear Tomato. which includes videos of some of the poets reading their poems from this book. Many of the poems are by friends from the Kidlitosphere, including B.J.Lee, Mary Lee Hahn, Charles Waters, Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Bridget Magee, Buffy Silverman, Stephen Withrow, J. Patrick Lewis, Elizabeth Steinglass, and I'm sure I've missed some others. This is the book I've been giving my neighborhood gardeners with whom I trade homegrown veggies.
Here's one of my poems from the book:
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The Jewish New Year--Rosh Hashanah--is on September 13-15th this year, so now is a good time to read my picture book, New Year at the Pier--a Rosh Hashanah Story illustrated by Stephane Jorisch. Here's Dial Books for Young Readers' summary:
Izzy's favorite part of Rosh Hashanah is Tashlich, a joyous ceremony in which people apologize for the mistakes they made in the previous year and thus clean the slate as the new year begins. But there is one mistake on Izzy's I m sorry list that he's finding especially hard to say out loud.
Here are four ways to use New Year at the Pier with kids--and adults:
1) Use it to explain to students where absent schoolmates may be during the Jewish New Year.
2) Use it to open discussions about how to apologize and forgive.
3) Use it to show how other cultures celebrate New Year.
4) Give it to someone you’ve wanted to apologize to for a long time
Click here for more activities,and for New Year rituals around the world.
Blog: From the land of Empyrean (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: movie, psychology, self-help, self-improvement, Mark Miller, movie adaptation, MillerWords, Lazarus Filmworks, forgiveness, inspirational, Christian, healing, Christianity, Lazarus, De Miller, Christian teaching, Add a tag
Here we go - the cover reveal and some exciting information about my newest book!
Gratitude Renewed is a personal journal of faith and healing. By journal, I mean that you, the reader, are going to be doing some of the writing. This book is meant as a tool to start your own journey of renewal. The idea for this book came from the Lazarus Filmworks motion picture God, Where Are You?, staring Wade Wilson and Kibwe Dorsey. My co-author on this book and father, De Miller, also wrote and directed the movie. In this movie, the main character feels that God has abandoned him. He then receives Gratitude Renewed as a gift with instructions to fill the pages with his life.
Gratitude Renewed will be available in paperback for you to do the same. If you know someone having troubles in their life, this book could be the blessing on which they are waiting.
Synopsis: This is not a traditional self-help book. It is a life plan designed to renew gratitude and strengthen faith. The authors of this book are not trained psychologists or ordained clergy (although they got lots of input from the pros). They are a father and son with a combined one hundred years (plus) experience of Life. They have faced challenges, experienced failure and explored their faith.
There are several journal pages included at the end of each chapter. They are intentionally left blank for you, the reader, to fill.
Gratitude Renewed is already garnering praise through reviews and endorsements:
“It is well written and easy to understand and is prospectively a great self-help tool.”
“Mark and De have a great gift in writing given to them by God. What a blessing...from God.”
“Putting the principles from the book into action will renew the gratitude and help you discover the blessings in your life. I recommend this book to any individual that wants to live on the other side of why in a land called peace.”
“...an interactive challenge to their readers that will have them reexamining their lives and turning those lives around.” 5 Stars
“...a very motivational and positive read.” 5 Stars
“...you really feel like you’re learning something without a lot of extra noise...definitely a book I will hold onto for a long time.” 4 Stars
Blog: (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Chiming in with Humility and Grace, Forgiveness, Peace, Humility, Grace, Unity, Add a tag
Chiming in with humility and grace |
Blog: Write What Inspires You (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: forgiveness, gratitude, Happy New Year, Donna McDine, laugh more often, less judgment, love more often, Add a tag
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Multi Award-winning Children's Author
Ignite curiosity in your child through reading!
Connect with Donna McDine on Google+
A Sandy Grave ~ January 2014 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2014 Purple Dragonfly 1st Place Picture Books 6+, Story Monster Approved, Beach Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014, Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
Powder Monkey ~ May 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
Hockey Agony ~ January 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist
Blog: I Am Still A Princess (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: #loveonpurpose, #jesusisagentleman, #teachingtheNextGen, forgiveness, unconditional love, true love, Add a tag
Blog: WORDS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: children, life, forgiveness, poetry, politics, writing for children, world, revolution, Add a tag
REVOLUTION HAS COME which side do you choose? our world moans and groans under the weight of “progress” while our trees die from acid rain and our rivers, once teeming with wildlife, are suffocated by our excess The future of our world, our children, are abused, silenced and tossed aside like pieces of trash with…
Blog: (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Parenting in the 21 st century, all things new., generational curses., set free, forgiveness, broken, healing, Add a tag
Generational curses are sneaking up on families and many don’t even see it coming! Separation and resentfulness are creeping up on those who aren’t aware of the enemy’s tactics. The tools of the devil are devious. The word of God is powerful. Speak the Word over our family’s and claim healing and reconciliation where needed.
I have seen generational issues show up as families struggle with forgiveness and restoration. In a century of drug and alcohol addiction outpouring, families are experiencing trauma and heartbreaking issues.
Young people carelessly step into the world’s view on many Biblical issues and allow the enemy to blind their eyes to God’s view on issues such as sex before marriage, substance abuse, anger, violence, lack of forgiveness, thievery, and don’t follow the golden rule of doing to others what we would want them to do unto us.
How can we break these generational curses and have freedom in our family’s lives. Freedom in Christ is freedom that no man can steal from us. As Christians, we can make changes that will affect our family members’ lives forever. Stepping into the spiritual realm and praying for our families will open the windows of heaven. God will rain down blessings as we seek his will in our lives.
As we deal with the issues in our lives, we can make a difference by speaking positive things into place. Our words can bring healing and restoration. Helping those who are hurting find professional and spiritual assistance will allow them to get the counseling and advice they need. Many times, our family members won’t hear what we say, but will listen to someone else. Pray for God to bring that person of importance their way.
Schedule times to contact those who are astray. Pray for those who won’t respond. Speak positive words into their lives. Love and forgive. The first step for breaking those generational curses comes from our steps. Extend forgiveness, change an angry spirit, and forgive those who have been cruel, bury the anger that comes from the incident of theft, adultery. Forgive yourself. And finally, you should also ask forgiveness of anyone you’ve injured or offended.
Forgiveness isn’t a feeling or emotion; it is something you do. To forgive is to release. Forgiveness brings change. Forgiveness releases them from bondage and allows them to walk away into a brand-new life.
Finally, walk as we are called to walk; as an Ambassador of Heaven. Represent the convictions we have as followers of Christ. Live as a person with values, positive attitude and the power of a higher call. Show others God’s way. Show kindness, grace and compassion. Leave a trace of healing wherever you go. Be the ultimate agent of forgiveness in an unforgiving world. Break those generational curses in Jesus’ name!
You have no idea what kind of blessings will flow. Families are set free, forgiveness and healing will come simply because you took the role of an ambassador of peace seriously. Our Lord – the One we represent will make “all things new.”
Blog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: children's book reviews, Peachtree Publishers, grudges, Eliza Wheeler, Mara Rockliff, Library Donated Books, 6 Stars TOP BOOK, Top 10 of 2014, spats, tiffs, Children's Books, forgiveness, Picture Book, Favorites, Add a tag
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by Mara Rockliff & Eliza Wheeler
Peachtree Publishers 4/1/2014
978-1-56145-729-8
Age 4 to 8 32 pages
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“No one in the town of Bonnyripple ever kept a grudge. No one, that is, except old Cornelius the Grudge Keeper. Ruffled feathers, petty snits, minor tiffs, and major huffs, insults, umbrage, squabbles, dust-ups, and imbroglios—the Grudge Keeper received them all, large and small, tucking each one carefully away in his ramshackle cottage. But when a storm flings the people together and their grudges to the wind, will the Grudge Keeper be out of a job?”
Opening
“No one in the town of Bonnyripple ever kept a grudge. No one, that is, except old Cornelius the Grudge Keeper.”
The Story
The citizens of Bonnyripple do not hold grudges. Nope, not one grudge. Anyone new to town would wonder how everyone kept from holding a grudge. They all had Cornelius. Elvira ran a grudge up to Cornelius against the darned goat—the one that supped on her prize zinnias—and Cornelius has held that grudge for her ever since. All the townsfolk run their grudges up to Cornelius and then go about their happy lives. Poor Cornelius was so inundated with grudges his house could find little room for more, yet more came.
Sylvester loves to prank his schoolmaster. One day he plucked the man’s toupee right off his baldhead. The schoolmaster took great offense to this . . . but he never held a grudge against Sylvester, no matter how many times Sylvester pranked the man. A huge storm came in with gusty winds strong enough to knock Minnie’s fresh-made lemon pie off the windowsill, where it had sat cooling off. That pie landed right on top of Elvira’s cat, surely bringing home a mess.
The moment the winds died down and the sun once again shined upon the people of Bonnyripple, Elvira walked up to Cornelius, ready with her grudge. If she had looked behind herself, she would have seen everyone from town with grudges for Cornelius to store. When the townsfolk made it to Cornelius’s house, they could not believe the sight. Poor Cornelius lay buried beneath a huge pile of decades-old grudges and no way out. Can they get Cornelius out from under the weight of all those grudges before it bears down upon him?
Review
The ending to The Grudge Keeper not only satisfies a wonderful story, it teaches a lesson in civility. The people of Bonnyripple did not like holding a grudge, but a grudge unsatisfied will always be a grudge. Therefore, they gave the grudge to someone else to handle—Cornelius. Eventually, those grudges landed everywhere, thanks to a storm, but Cornelius was nowhere. What the townspeople did next would change the entire atmosphere of Bonnyripple.
Younger children, without help from an adult, may not understand this picture book. At age four, kids do not know what a grudge is even if they have heard the word. They do understand how to apologize and to forgive. By age six or seven, kids understand what holding a grudge means and may hold one or two themselves. If only the people of Bonnyripple had known how to say, “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you.”
Reading The Grudge Keeper was easy, without a tongue tie-up from start to finished, no matter how hard the word or the wind swirled around Bonnyripple. The writing uses word play and humor, even in the naming of characters. I love the way the author describes action.
“Laundry fluttered on the line. Lily Belle’s best flowered bonnet skipped away. Big Otto captured it and brought it back, but Lily Belle just grumbled that the petals were all out of place.”
The illustrations seem perfect for the story, as if both text and illustrations were completed side-by-side. With its sophisticated look, parents will appreciate The Grudge Keeper as much as, if not more than, their children. Kids will love the oft-comical illustrations.
Every wrong is a grudge to the townsfolk and you can see this in their eyes and in their postures. How do you settle a grudge? No revenge is needed, only a simple and heartfelt apology and forgiveness. Will the people of Bonnyripple ever understand this? If they do—or don’t—what will they and their town become?
THE GRUDGE KEEPER. Text copyright © 2014 by Mara Rockliff. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Eliza Wheeler. Reproduce by permission of the publisher, Peachtree Publishers, Atlanta, GA.
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Learn more about The Grudge Keeper HERE.
Buy The Grudge Keeper at Amazon—B&N—Peachtree Publishing—your local bookstore.
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Meet the author, Mara Rockliff, at her website: http://mararockliff.com/
Meet the illustrator, Eliza Wheeler, at her website: http://wheelerstudio.com/
Find more great books at the Peachtree Publisher website: http://peachtree-online.com/
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Also by Mara Rockliff
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Also by Elia Wheeler
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.Read a shortened version of The Grudge Keeper‘s journey from manuscript to publication HERE.
Peachtree Book Blog Tour
The Grudge Keeper
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Filed under: 6 Stars TOP BOOK, Children's Books, Favorites, Library Donated Books, Picture Book, Top 10 of 2014 Tagged: children's book reviews, Eliza Wheeler, forgiveness, grudges, Mara Rockliff, Peachtree Publishers, spats, tiffs Add a Comment
Blog: From the land of Empyrean (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: children, forgiveness, spirituality, charity, spiritual, inspirational, disabled, faith, chicken soup for the soul, benefit, Mark Miller, give kids the world, Sarah Price, Murray Pura, Add a tag
The idea of One started small and grew into a year's worth of amazing, thought-provoking, inspirational stories. The resulting anthology was combined into a beautiful paperback book (not unlike Chicken Soup for the Soul, and definitely nice enough for any Doctor's office).
Blog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: blogging, forgiveness, relationships, Internet, advice, Middle Grade, blogs, Favorites, gossip, soccer, friendships, middle grade books, Guest Post, redemption, book blog tours, diary entries, bullys, 5stars, Romeo & Juliet, Karen Pokras Toz, school plays, Library Donated Books, Grand Daisy Press, Deana Riddle, advice columnist, harris family, Add a tag
GUEST POST by DOUGLAS “DOOGLE” HARRIS 5 Stars Millicent Marie is NOT My Name Karen Pokras Toz Grand Daisy Press No. Pages: 150 Ages: 8 to 12 .................. .................. ................. Back Cover: Twelve-year-old Millicent Marie does not like her name. After all, she was named for a woman who died more than fifty years ago [...]
Add a CommentBlog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: 4stars, Library Donated Books, Children's Books, forgiveness, friendship, humor, children's book, trolls, bullies, Add a tag
4 Stars Tilden Troll didn’t think he was any different from other trolls until he entered the first grade. There, because of his size, he was laughed at and teased by his classmates, who were led by one especially nasty bully. But when the bully found himself in big trouble, only Tilden’s size could save [...]
Add a CommentBlog: From the land of Empyrean (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: interview, forgiveness, inspirational, obedience, daniel, family, religion, series, faith, kindle, Christian, religious, trestle press, Add a tag
Another good day in a busy week, so gives thanks in the manner to which you are accustomed!
In story two, De Miller tells something of his life growing up and compares it to his new existence as a Born Again Christian. He has strong influences from both his mother and father that shaped his whole life. After forty years, he is learning something new.
Blog: From the land of Empyrean (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: review, blog, family, forgiveness, religion, romance, digital, inspirational, faith, earth, Christian, ebook, marriage, religious, daniel, Mark Miller, Giovanni Gelati, Add a tag
I have, in my writing career, come to be associated with some truly amazing people. The list is too long to name them all and I wouldn't want to forget anybody. Let me say these are not only talented people in the world of books (authors, publishers, promoters), but also some terrifically kind and generous folks. These are people that work hard and always have a positive word.
There is one person I would like to single out and call my friend, although we have never met face to face. Giovanni Gelati is a blogger, book reviewer, author, publisher, promoter and graphic artist. He is affirming, generous and supportive, but also aggressive in helping his friends/authors with their promotions.
You may find his reviews of my work to be a little bias based on what I said above, but I am humbled by his kind words of my two most recent releases.
Daniel's Lot is my adaptation of the faith-based motion picture about a man tested in his personal and professional life. He turns to his faith and finds an amazing answer. The movie is available on DVD and soon to be on syndicated cable TV.
Meant To Be is the debut story for Mark Miller's One, a spiritual anthology of true stories. The series, which I am honored to headline for Trestle Press, will explore beliefs from around the world and how we all must live on this one planet.
You can read the review for Daniel's Lot at this link:
Gelati's Scoop Reviews Daniel's Lot
You can read the review
Blog: From the land of Empyrean (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: family, religion, award, faith, forgiveness, kindle, Christian, marriage, obedience, religious, daniel, trestle press, Add a tag
Put some faith on your Kindle!
Daniel's Lot is now available from Trestle Press on Amazon Kindle.
This Kindle version is Mark Miller's adaptation of the Dove Foundation award-winning motion picture starring Gary Burghoff of TV's M*A*S*H, now available on
0 Comments on Daniel's Lot Now Available as of 1/1/1900
Blog: de Helen's bits (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: forgiveness, sexual abuse, rape, molestation, personal history, Brenda Phillips, Add a tag
Yesterday I went to see a one-woman show by Brenda Phillips called No More Pity Party Blues. Brenda has a gorgeous voice and is a wonderful entertainer. (She is also an artist, and her "tickets" were take home cards of her art. Bonus!) Her material flowed through stories from her life, covering the first time she was "in love" in second grade through being sexually abused by "play uncles" through real loves in her adult life, to today. She shows how she has come to take responsibility for her own self, her own part in her happiness. Along the way there was wonderful singing of the blues and gospel that had the audience moving, clapping, and vocalizing along. Next time she brings this show out to play, be sure to go. I'll let you know as soon as I hear about it. This was a short notice kind of thing, Brenda will be bringing it back.
I too have been working on my own personal history, as I recently wrote about. We all have things we have to overcome. Some are worse than others. For me I find that some of the things that might be considered the most horrendous to others are not the ones that were hanging me up. Or maybe not the first step. My most recent non-fiction piece that I wrote about was about being molested by a friend of my mom's. Not losing my virginity at the age of 12, or being married at 15, or being a battered wife, or when I was raped, or the things that I consider much worse that I won't even mention here. But that molestation was what changed me from the innocent babe that I was, to the person I was to become. I began taking the steps to take charge of my own life, began making my own bad decisions that led to many of those bad things that happened later in my life.
At this stage in my life the big decisions all have to do with forgiveness. Brenda talked about that yesterday. Forgiving oneself. I find it relatively easy to go back and forgive my 12 year old self for the decisions I made, but I still stick at the decisions I made at 21 and older. Intellectually I can say that I did the best I could at the time. When I knew better I did better. My heart twists and turns when I try to forgive those decisions that resulted in pain for my children. I'm still working on forgiveness.
Blog: Shellie Neumeier (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: teens, forgiveness, challenge, Stuff, Add a tag
Have you ever met someone who seemed to make sport of hurting your feelings? Someone who required daily patience and forgiveness on your part? What did you do? Did you forgive them over and over? Did you brush them off–free yourself from their hurtfulness? Or did you try to teach them a thing or two about forgiveness, yourself?
Tell me what you think in the comment section below. I’d really like to know.
Don’t forget to enter the Blog Challenge.
Blog: Joe Silly Sottile's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: opportunity, fortune, pride, clocks, hard work, sincerity, dreams, family, forgiveness, friendship, hope, peace, success, commitment, blogs, words, time, Add a tag
Three things in life that can destroy a person - Anger, Pride and Unforgiveness
Three things in life that you should never lose - Hope, Peace and Honesty
Three things in life that are most valuable - Love, Family & Friends and Kindness
Three things in life that are never certain - Fortune, Success and Dr
Blog: Just One More Book Children's Book Podcast (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Review, Podcast, Music, Forgiveness, Respect, Picture book, Girl, Woman, Making a difference, Hardship, Resilience, Fun, History, Hope, Life Skills, Freedom, Harmony, Perseverence, Man, Joy, Non-Fiction, Thinking/Attitude, Understanding/Tolerance, civil rights, Fairness / Justice, Personalities, obama, Poetic Prose, barack, childrens-book, War, peace, conflict, rosa parks, Intriguing, Let Freedom Sing, Vanessa Newton, ruby bridges, Community, Ages 4-8, Compassion, Courage, Celebration, Diversity/Multi-culturalism, Cartoony, Cute, Assertiveness, Confidence, Contributing/Industry, Bullying/Abuse, Add a tag
Author: Vanessa Newton (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Vanessa Newton
Published: 2009 Chronicle Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 9781934706909
Spot-on sixties-style illustrations, simple, springboard text and a soulful, sing along refrain shine a celebratory light on 18 individuals who stood tall and opened doors for generations.
More freedom reading on JOMB:
- Night Running: How James Escaped with the Help of His Faithful Dog
- Priscilla and the Hollyhocks
- Freedom Child of the Sea
- Follow the Drinking Gourd
We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487, so we can include your audio in our show.
Blog: Just One More Book Children's Book Podcast (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Camille McPhee Fell Under the Bus, Kristen Tracy, review, Podcast, Community, Family, Compassion, Forgiveness, Chapter book, Girl, Friendship, Resilience, Appreciation, Ages 9-12, Hope, Life Skills, Diversity/Multi-culturalism, Humour, Assertiveness, Confidence, Harmony, Perseverence, Honesty, acceptance, Theatre, Thinking/Attitude, Communication, body image, Bullying/Abuse, Fairness / Justice, Personalities, Mother/Daughter, Negotiation/Compromise, Father/Daughter, childrens-book, Add a tag
Author: Kristen Tracy (on JOMB)
Published: 2009 Random House (on JOMB)
ISBN: 9780385736879
A big thanks to guest host Lucy (10) for joining Andrea today to discuss this book.
Life can be challenging and fair’s got nothing to do with it. Parents are people. Friendship’s a worthwhile risk. There’s a lot to think about when you’re ten in the real world. Which is why I’m so glad Lucy (10) and I read this fun and fabulously thought provoking book.
Mentioned in this chat:
More books including less-than-perfect families on JOMB:
We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487, so we can include your audio in our show.
Blog: Stacy A. Nyikos (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: forgiveness, lies, Bill Cosby, permission, Diane Sutterfield, babysitter, Convenience stores, Add a tag
This weekend supplied me with countless material for an edgy teen novel, or at least, a realistic one.
It all began when my husband and I decided to live life on the edge and go away for a weekend. We have two kids, seven and ten. So, we needed a responsible person to take care of them. We asked our really great grad student babysitter who is awesome with the kids. Only hitch was, she was graduating this weekend. We went to option B, a high school senior we've known since age 12, who's babysat for us for about six years. She's been to Europe with me, on author tour. However last year, she went a little teen nutty when she got into her first serious relationship. Still, she's graduating in a few days, and I thought, she's almost nineteen, what sort of trouble could she possibly cause in a day-and-a-half?
I learned this weekend that you never, never, never ask that question when a teenager is involved.
The kids are all right. The house didn't burn down. However, I've had a few eye-opening experiences into today's teenage world.
Said babysitter snuck her boyfriend in for a sleepover of her own. I say snuck because I was never asked. Also, he "left" when the kids went to bed, but his truck stayed parked in front of our house all night long. He "returned" at 7:15 by letting himself in through the front door. And she told her parents he didn't stay over. And I guess she figured no one would ever be the wiser.
WHAT?????
Doesn't she realize there are no secrets in a house with children? (Diane Sutterfield made a whole book around that very idea, The Thirteenth Tale)
Didn't she ever see Bill Cosby perform stand up or watch his TV show, even in reruns?
The seven year old is the informant.
Did she forget my husband and I were teenagers once as well?
My husband knew all of the right questions to ask our seven year old. And I did a little around the neighborhood investigative journalism. It was pretty easy to put the pieces together and figure out what went on.
It didn't get worse from there, just consistent. She didn't ask if she could have a girlfriend come over and spend the night Saturday night. She told my girlfriend, who's daughter she took along with mine to the movie, the girlfriend was just visiting.
She call me and didn't ask what she should feed the kids when the glaring leftovers in the fridge, the fresh bread, the milk, the fruit, the cold cuts, the ready make mac and chees, pasta, cans of tomoato sauce, frozen pizzas my husband stocked the fridge with on Friday left her without a clue. Instead, she called her parents and told them I hadn't really left any food in the house for my kids and she needed money to take them out to dinner.
She didn't ask if it was okay to go into my bedroom and use my bathroom repeatedly for long baths.
She didn't bother to refill the dog's water bowl and put the dog outside for six hours, then told me she did refill it when I called and asked.
I was never asked. It was the "better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission" weekend.
I'm ranting. I know. I feel incredibly violated. I feel really disappointed. I feel hurt. And I feel like it's my fault. I should have known, right? What can I say in my defense? She used to be a decent kid. I mean, I've known her for almost seven years. My kids adore her. She's never, to my knowledge, exhibited this kind of irresponsible behavior before when work was involved. And I know kids go through trying times. I was a teenager, however long ago it was, but I remember when I was working, man, I tried to up my game, tried to seem responsible at least.
And this kid, she's almost nineteen. When does maturity and responsibility kick in? My husband said this is teen reality today. They don't have to be responsible. They lie for convenience sake. This is their life.
I am so out of touch.
As a human being, I ask myself, where are we going? And, how did we get here? As a parent, I ask myself, is this what I'm going to be up against? As a writer, I ask myself, is this my readership?
Because if it is, man, I've just had an intensive weekend seminar on how some teenagers at least function, what's important to them, and what to write about. It's gonna take a while to process all that. Reams of material.
In the meantime, anybody out there got the name of a decent babysitter???
Blog: Just One More Book Children's Book Podcast (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Review, Podcast, Community, Ages 4-8, Creativity, Forgiveness, Respect, Picture book, Friendship, Appreciation, Fun, Animal, Life Skills, Diversity/Multi-culturalism, Cartoony, Humour, Rhyming, Cute, Assertiveness, Harmony, Poetry Friday, Contributing/Industry, Bullying/Abuse, Fairness / Justice, Personalities, Silly Tilly, acceptance, Thinking/Attitude, Understanding/Tolerance, Eileen Spinelli, childrens-book, David Slonim, Add a tag
Author: Eileen Spinelli (on JOMB)
Illustrator: David Slonim (on JOMB)
Published: 2009 Marshall Cavendish (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0761455256
Rhyming triplets and edge-to-edge smile-inducing illustrations follow the carefree foolishness of an unconventional goose and remind us to savour the spice of life.
More independent thinkers on JOMB:
Pop over to Under The Covers for today’s full menu of poetry offerings. Poetry Fridays are brought to us by Kelly Herold of Big A, Little A.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.
Blog: Shari Lyle-Soffe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: books, forgiveness, friendship, mystery, words, Add a tag
"No Words for Wendel" is a story of determination, bravery and unexpected friendship. Wendel Wordsworth loves books. When he discovers their mysterious disappearance from all the bookshelves in town, he sets out to get to the bottom -- or top – of the cause. Single-handedly he solves the mystery and helps "the thief" accept responsibility for his selfish actions. In so doing, Wendel finds forgiveness in his heart and a new friend.
Review:
“Endearing illustrations and a charming story will keep kids (and adults) engaged in "No Words For Wendel." Wendel Wordsworth, the brave and adorable book worm, will hold the attention of even the most reluctant reader. The perfect read-along!” Mary Cunningham, author, Cynthia's Attic tween series.
purchase information: http://www.wendelwordsworth.com/ http://www.bevbruemmerbooks.com/
Blog: OUPblog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: World History, Donald Shriver, History, ethics, Religion, Politics, Current Events, American History, A-Featured, A-Editor's Picks, Grawemeyer, Honest Patriots, Misdeeds, Forgiveness, Add a tag
Donald W. Shriver, Jr. is a Professor of Ethics and President Emeritus at Union Theological Seminary. His book Honest Patriots: Loving a Country Enough To Remember Its Misdeeds, recently won the prestigious Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion. Below we ask Shriver some questions about his book and the Grawemeyer Award.
OUP: What inspired you to write Honest Patriots: Loving a Country Enough To Remember Its Misdeeds?
Donald Shriver: My 1995 OUP book, An Ethic for Enemies: Forgiveness in Politics argued that forgiveness, often deemed a word for something religious and personal, ought to be translated into secular, collective affairs, too. That was the claim of Hannah Arendt in The Human Condition. My ’95 book explored secular-political versions of forgiveness in the recent relations of Germany, Japan, and the USA, and also in the long struggle of African Americans to become full citizens of a country whose forebears enslaved their ancestors.
In the process of writing that book, I became newly aware that forgiveness and repentance are twin requirements for real reconciliation between peoples who have harmed and suffered harm from each other. Forgiveness and repentance together build the bridge—from opposite shores– towards reconciliation between alienated peoples. So, having written about forgiveness in politics, I felt obligated to write about repentance in politics.
I have lived in the century which of all centuries of human existence has seen the most deaths from violence, organized mostly by governments in their wars, genocides, and massacres. If we don’t remember those horrors and remember them repentantly, our planet may not have another century of human life worth living.
OUP: What do you think of the United States’ response to 9/11?
Shriver: After 9/11 I think that our government missed a great opportunity to cement some closer relations with other countries of the world, in four respects:
- We decided that we should go to “war” against our terrorist enemies rather than ferreting them out as international criminals. If we had defined them as the latter, we might have come together with many other nations equally threatened by terrorists. Instead, on false premises, we invaded Iraq, alienated much of the Muslim world, and paid little respect for countries whose citizens initially expressed great empathy for the USA and great rejection of terrorist crimes. We adopted a view, “You’re with us or against us,” which led to thoughtless, clumsy international politics.
- We thought too highly of our military might. We thought it enough to bring democracy to the Middle East. We neglected the cultural-political understanding that might have cautioned us against the illusion that we could start and end an Iraq war in six or eight weeks.
- Our leaders seldom if ever exercised the wisdom that might have see the 9/11 attacks and the deaths of 3000 Americans as an event which leads to increased empathy for similar unjust deaths in conflicts around the world in recent decades. It was as if the deaths of 3000 Americans were more outrageous than the deaths of 40,000 Londoners in World War Two, not to speak of the mass deaths of civilians in wars of the past 50 years on every continent. One of my heroines is a 12 year old African American grammar school student who, on visiting the Holocaust Museum in Washington, turned to her companion and said, “See, other people have suffered, too.” That exhibits moral maturity. We did not have it exhibited much by our national leaders after 9/11.
- Finally, after it was demonstrated that those leaders got us into the Iraq war on false premises, none of them ever said to the U.S. or world public, “We’re sorry.” The Bush administration owes us an apology. That is a debt still to be paid by some administration in the future. To pay it is to engage in some form of repentance in our collective life.
OUP: Can you give us an example of American “patriotic repentance”? Of a time that we have successfully made peace with a past history of injustice?
Shriver: The best American example I know is one fully described in my ’95 book: How, over a period of 14 years (1976-90) our national government apologized (in 1976) for the 1942 confinement of 120,000 Japanese Americans behind barbed wire for the duration of WWII, set up a version of a truth commission to interview survivors of the camps (1982), published a full report of the commission findings, authorized a sum of $50,000,000 to establish a foundation on behalf of educational interests of Japanese-Americans, and sent a presidential apology (in 1990) with a token sum of $20,000 to each living survivor of the camps. All this was done in the overt admission that this treatment of Japanese Americans in the early ‘40s, rooted in wartime hysteria, was Unamerican, a violation of the country’s best legal traditions, e.g. confinement without trial. The relevance of this event to the coming of the misnamed “Patriot Act” of 2001, is only too clear…Guantanamo, torture, rendition, Abu Ghraib, electronic eavesdropping on American citizens.
OUP: How can Americans best take responsibility for the “dark side” of our national history?
Shriver: That’s what the final three chapters of Honest Patriots are all about. Among other approaches I have explored:
- Honoring publicly the courage of citizens, often a minority, who first bring to public light the truth about past injustices, e.g. the race riots of 1921, and the long post-civil war crimes of lynching.
- Having patience, as citizens, for politicians who are honest enough to admit (if not their own) the gross mistakes of their predecessors. (e.g. in June 2005 the US Senate passed a resolution of apology for the fact that the Senate had never, in 140 years, passed a federal law against lynching.)
- Funding and visiting museums that treat parts of our negative history, e.g.the opposition to the Civil Rights Movement, the national and local expressions of racism in all parts of the country. (e.g. a museum in New York City which portrayed slavery in the city’s history).
- Deciding that a national past is always worth re-study. Many Americans old and young say: “It’s history,” by which we mean, “It’s past and gone.” Not so, at least not for the descendants of people who suffered greatly in the past from collective actions of governments and other institutions. Ask Native Americans if they are about to forget the Trail of Tears, Wounded Knee, or the mismanagement of money owed them still by the US Department of the Interior.
- Being willing to study the history of other countries—Germany and South Africa are the leading examples in my book—who have learned to face their painful pasts: as has Germany re: the Nazis and as did South Africa re: the apartheid era as uncovered by its Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
- As parents, refusing to protest against history books our children may be studying in public school when those books are critical of what we’d like think is our country’s purely heroic past. Was General Custer really heroic? Didn’t Thomas Jefferson violate his own philosophy in keeping slaves right down to his death? Are Native Americans justified in saying that their ancestors were the objects of genocide? How did Europeans get the idea that white people were superior to all other peoples? Etc.
Maybe the ultimate hope of my book is: To do justice we must remember injustice, and to become real fellow citizens with each other in this immigrant nation, we must appreciate each other’s history.
OUP: What other countries do you think have exhibited honest repentance?
Shriver: In the book I have nominated Germany, South Africa, and the USA. I celebrate governmental, citizen, and institutional action in all three countries which qualify as honest repentance. Chile, Guatemala, and Canada offer some examples, imperfect but real.
Among the countries that have NOT shown much genuine facing of their negative pasts are Japan, Russia, China, Turkey, and Serbia. What an agenda for future apology is now building up in Zimbabwe!
OUP: What other books would you recommend for study of this subject?
Shriver: David Blight, Race and Reunion (a study of post-1865 Reconstruction)
Miroslav Volf, Exclusion and Embrace (the struggle to forgive)
Priscilla Hayner, Unspeakable Truths (a study of 21 truth commissions)
Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States
James Loewen, Lies My Teacher Told Me
Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness
Pumla Gobodo-Mdikisela, A Human Being Died That Night
Antjie Krog, Country of My Skull (the S. Africa TRC)
Samantha Power, A Problem from Hell (genocides of the 20th century)
Geiko Mueller-Fahrenholz, America’s Battle For God (a German view)
Randall Robinson, The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks
Vine Deloria, Jr., Custer Died for Your Sins
Roger Wilkins, Jefferson’s Pillow
OUP: Tell us a little about winning the Grawemeyer award.
Shriver: At first I could not believe it. Next I felt a bit of “survivor’s syndrome,” i.e. why me, when there are lots of other books that might well deserve such an award? Then I began to feel a huge gratitude that a retired teacher and scholar like me would get such an award, towards the end of his career. And finally I had to rejoice that, because of Grawemeyer, the ideas in this book might be pondered by more readers than might otherwise read it. And, in addition, given the current recession-drain on the resources we have to live on in retirement, the monetary award could not have been more timely!
Blog: Just One More Book Children's Book Podcast (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Review, Podcast, Community, Ages 4-8, Compassion, Forgiveness, Respect, Picture book, Friendship, Resilience, Appreciation, Envy/Competition, Fun, Boy, Life Skills, Cartoony, Cute, Assertiveness, Confidence, Harmony, acceptance, Thinking/Attitude, Understanding/Tolerance, Communication, Co-operation/Collaboration, Bullying/Abuse, Fairness / Justice, Personalities, childrens-book, Alexis O’Neill, Laura-Huliska-Beith, The Worst Best Friend, Yom Kippur, Add a tag
Author: Alexis O’Neill (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Laura Huliska-Beith (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 Scholastic (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0545010233
Sunny school-yard action, frisky text and heaps of humorous details propel us through bliss, boastfulness, betrayal and back again in this spirited tale of friendship lost and found.
Other books mentioned:
HOTLINE VOICES: An unidentified JOMB listener/author/illustrator recommends Kiss Good Night (by Amy Hest) and Dig Dig Digging (by Margaret Mayo and Alex Ayliffe).
We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave us a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.
To those of you celebrating Yom Kippur, G’mar Chatimah Tovah.
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