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It seems like lately I’ve had a lot of books and posts on my theme of “helping women (and children) around the world” instead of kids’ books. This is another great book today, part of a WOW! Women On Writing blog tour, that empowers women and inspires us to figure out what is important in our lives. Destiny Allison wrote an amazing guest post to go along with her book (see below) about how hard it is to be a SAHM and WAHM too! (Now that school is back in session, I do plan to blog a bit more on the children’s/YA book scene AND also I plan to add one more post a week that focuses on things to do with my book coming out, but more on that later. . .) I have either an e-copy or print copy to give away of this really cool book with a title I LOVE–Shaping Destiny. If you are interested in winning this memoir, please leave a comment (or question for Destiny) below by Sunday night 8/26 at 8:00 pm CST. I have a synopsis and guest post by Destiny below, so don’t miss those!
I also have the winners of my giveaway of Hollywood and Catholic Women from last week. The winners are Cathy Hall, Marybeth, and Becky Povich. I’ll be emailing each of you about this prize! Congratulations and thanks for stopping by and commenting on my interview with Kathryn. She has written a fascinating book. Now on to. . . Shaping Destiny!
Synopsis of Shaping Destiny:
Shaping Destiny is the inspiring story of Allison’s life from the creation of her first sculpture to her acceptance into a prominent Santa Fe art gallery. The book, which recounts her journey from traditional female roles to self-actualization and independence, is told with three voices: the emotional, the intellectual and the instructional. Though she had no formal training, Allison moved quickly from small, Plasticine clay sculptures to an apprenticeship at a foundry to teaching in a small museum. Along the way, the author wrestled with shedding and then reclaiming family. To add to the extended metaphor binding her story to the theory and language of sculpture, Allison infuses an ample dose of popular philosophy in lessons culled from childhood days spent with her father. The 22 lessons at the beginning of each chapter intend to guide readers’ passage through the complexities of clay and life; each lesson works with the idea that art is a process, as is life.
The Unique Challenge of Being a Woman Artist
Guest Post By Destiny Allison
It was late. The children had long been asleep. My husband was working an overnight shift and I had the house to myself. The dishes were done and put away. Sundry toys, bottles, blocks and bears were back in their appropriate places. For a moment, chaos was tame.
Ahhh, silence, that vast, sweet quiet! It was soft as the skin of my infant, tender as my toddler’s kiss, and limitless as the dark sky sparkling with distant stars outside my window.
As I settled in front of the sculpture I had waited all day to contemplate, I heard only the sound of my own breath. It was rhythmic, a peaceful rise and fall as calming as a sea breaking on distant shores. Finally I was alone–able to engage in my passion and give voice to that part of myself rendered small in daylight hours. Tonight, for a little while, I would speak.
I looked at the tiny face of the clay woman in front of me. With the tip of my finger, I stroked her tangled hair and traced her round belly, full breasts, and the lines of her arms. There, that was it! That was what had been bothering me all day! The proportions were wrong. Her arms were too long for her body. Ape-like and heavy, they robbed this woman of her grace. I grabbed my knife and savagely cut through skin, sinew, and bones. This was a flaw I could fix. This I could render right. This small woman would be the woman I was not–forever still, forever wise, forever. . .
Before I could finish the thought, a piercing wale of unspeakable agony shattered the quiet of my mind. My baby was awake. I sighed and put down my knife. I turned off the light above my table and wearily climbed the stairs, unfastening my bra as I went. My baby was hungry. He was wet. He needed something only I could give him–the sustenance of a mother’s love, the sustenance of my body, mind and soul.
Fast forward twenty years and not much has changed. Today, though I make my living from my art, there are always interruptions. My husband calls me to share some news. My sons, now grown, still need me. Someone has lost something and has to find it RIGHT NOW. Someone wants to know if we are cooking dinner tonight or if he should fend for himself. There are dishes to be done, dogs to feed and walk, beds to be made, and floors to be swept. Because I don’t go to an office or have a “real” job, because I love what I do, it is hard for my family to know that I am not always available to them.
I am better now at shushing them–a low growl in my throat, as I start to respond, gives them the distinct impression that their interruption is not welcome. They are a little more careful about what they ask and when. Still, they are my family. I am mother and wife. I love them. So I do like women the world over. I turn off my machines and give them a minute or an hour. Like a soldier learns to sleep whenever he can, I have learned to work when I can. And work I do because over the years, that small voice of a woman rendered quiet in daylight hours has grown strong, incessant, and exacting. She will be heard. She will shout out to the world. Nothing will stop her.
Isn’t Destiny great? What terrific writing! If you want to read more, please leave a comment for your chance to win or visit her book page on Amazon by clicking below. If you enter the contest, please leave your comment by 8/26!
The WOW! advanced writing a middle-grade novel online class I teach starts on 8/23. It’s for anyone who has at least three chapters of a middle-grade novel started (or an entire draft is good, too). For more information, please see the syllabus on the WOW! classroom page or email me at margo (at) wow-womenonwriting.com. Thanks!
I have so many books to review that it’s time to do a round up! First, I must apologize to all three of these lovely authors that it has taken me this long to mention your books and showcase them on my blog. I am working on a new, better system (aren’t we all?), so that I will not get so backed up in the future. Anyway, let’s get on to these lovely books. I will share a brief summary, who should read, and a couple discussion points for them. Here we go!
Chigger by Raymond Bial is a well-written book with a touch of humor about a new girl moving into town (in Southern Indiana) in the 1950s, and she is not readily accepted, especially moving in April and starting school “about seven months late.” She insists on being called Eddie and on wearing jeans to school, and she cusses (word of warning–read this book before your children/students to make sure you are okay with language or want to talk to them about it), and fights. So, she’s not your typical girl, which makes her a great literary character! The point of view character has a great voice–he’s a fifth-grade boy, Luke, so this book will appeal to boys (it’s probably more upper mid-grade or tween), and he kind of likes this new girl, which makes him a great character, too. She gets the nickname Chigger from a humorous character, Buzz, because “you’re just a dang bug and you sure get under my skin.”
This book has some serious issues in it and is inspired by actual events. Chigger is obviously poor and always hungry, although she is super independent. She and her mom are running from an abusive father. She is picked on and ostracized for being different and new. It also explores friendship and standing up for what’s right. I see this as the perfect book for a parent and child to read together and discuss because it will bring up issues that the child may be dealing with in a non-threatening way!
The Wild Soccer Bunch Book 3: Zoe the Fearless by Joachim Masannek and illustrated by Jan Brick is part of a series of books titled, The Wild Soccer Bunch. These books are endorsed by a professional soccer player, Landon Donovan, and have quite a bit of merchandise to go with them, which can be found on an extensive website here. In the third super cute book, Zoe’s mother has passed away, and she and her father are moving to Chicago. Zoe wants to play on the boys’ team–not on the girls–and so her father signs her up with the Wild Soccer Bunch, who aren’t too crazy about playing with a girl. She has to prove herself. Plus there’s Grandma, who is busy trying to get Zoe to be more like a girl.
Obviously this is the perfect book for anyone who likes soccer. (There are quite a few illustrations, so this would probably be beg. middle-grade/maybe even chapter book.) I also like it because it showcases girls in sports. We all know girls play and love sports! So why not have a book to celebrate this?! You can discuss all sorts of things with this book, including death and dying, sportsmanship, moving, practice for sports (hard work), individuality, being true to yourself, and more.
Pipper’s Secret Ingredient by Jane Murphy and Allison Fingerhuthand illustrated by Neal Sharp is a delightful chapter book with plenty of illustrations for readers who are ready to step into something harder than a picture book, but still feeling apprehensive about reading novels. Pipper is a dog who blogs! She blogs about food–of course–and the book starts out with her blog. She is actually looking for an interesting blog post topic, and she decides that she will search for a secret ingredient. As she travels around and blogs, she visits some interesting places such as Egypt, New York City, Paris, and the Orient Express. She has her friends, too, a cast of characters who readers are introduced to in the very beginning that help her with her adventure.
This is the perfect book for children to learn more about places all over the world, blogging and using the Internet for research, and what is truly important to an individual. I’m telling you that kids will LOVE THIS BOOK! I love holding it and looking at it. It is so shiny. You definitely don’t want to miss this!
I am a dog lover! Any of you, who know me in real life or have seen photos of mine on Facebook or even on this very blog, can tell I love being a dog mommy! So, when WOW! asked if any dog lovers would like to review the following book, I raised my hand. Although the book I am about to tell you about is for Lab owners or wannabe Lab owners, and I have a boxer, I’m still excited. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a free e-book all about this popular breed. You do need to fill out the Rafflecopter form even if you comment or tweet about it–it won’t count unless you fill out the Rafflecopter form. The contest goes until August 16, 12:01 EST. If you have any questions or problems, please let me know!
This book is appropriate for my blog audience for two reasons: 1. I know there are a lot of parents and teachers/librarians who read my blog. You probably have children and a dog–often a lab since you have children–and this book will help you understand your dog, its breed, and how to care for it in the best way possible. This book will also help you (and it’s really short so it helps you fast!) decide if this is a good breed and fit for your family. (In my opinion, this is very important–find a breed that fits you and your family BEFORE purchasing a dog–if possible.) 2. If you have a student doing any research on a Labrador Retriever, this book will be very helpful! It’s short and to the point!
It begins with the history and overview of the Labrador. Although this is not really a practical chapter for a dog owner, the author, a vet named Lorie Huston, presents interesting facts in a clear, writing style, which again may help if preparing a report OR if you are trying to decide if the breed is for you.
Lorie Huston, DVM
Next comes a chapter all dog owners SHOULD read before purchase: “Choosing the Right Lab.” This chapter has a very valuable resource in it: a long list of reputable resources for pet adoption is included in the chapter. Then Chapter 3 talks about what all new owners have mixed feelings about: coming home! They are excited to bring their new puppies home; but if you are not prepared, disaster can occur! This book can help with the essentials. The rest of the book focuses on owning one of these fihe animals and even going for a vet visit. Anyone who is interested in owning a Labrador Retriever and leaving a comment or question for Lorie, please do. If you are looking for information on how to plan for a trip with a dog, use this book to help you, too! It’s a great resource for dog owners.
Don’t forget to enter the contest. Here’s the Rafflecopter form for the drawing.
The Divorce Girl: A Novel of Art and Soul by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg
Publisher: Ice Cube Press
I’m excited to introduce to you–The Divorce Girl as part of the WOW! Women On Writing blog tour. What a great, great book. I was captivated on page one and couldn’t wait to get to the end of the book. I recommend this book to ANYONE! I have a print copy to give away–from the author. Please leave a question and/or comment about the book by Sunday, August 5 at 8:00 pm CST to be entered to win (US mailing addresses only, please.)
Here’s my review:
From the first page of The Divorce Girl: A Novel of Art and Soul by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, readers will discover that it’s a well-written novel with a lively, witty, teenage voice narrating the story. Mirriam-Goldberg captivates you on page one and doesn’t let go until the end of the book. She includes unique, well-rounded characters; unusual settings; and plenty of interesting subplots as well as an understanding of how the world and people work, especially during and after a divorce.
Mirriam-Goldberg is the 2009-2012 Poet Laureate of Kansas. Her love of words and ability to string them together to create a masterpiece shines through in this novel. Simply stated: “It’s a good book!” Although divorce is a subject that has been written about thousands of times in YA and women’s fiction, The Divorce Girl will still fascinate readers who will be drawn into the story because of Mirriam-Goldberg’s writing.
It centers on Deborah, a high school student in New Jersey in the 1970s and oldest daughter of Jewish parents, who announce that they are getting divorced with no huge surprise to her. Her parents have been fighting for years, and it became progressively worse after a baby sibling died of SIDS.
At first when the divorce is announced, Deborah’s father takes a special interest in her, leaving the two younger (surviving) children with their mother. Her dad takes her regularly to eat at a diner, where a Greek hostess, Fatima, works. It soon becomes clear that he has an ulterior motive to these dad-daughter dinners. But Deborah doesn’t seem to mind. She likes the attention from her father, who is talking to her as if she is an equal.
Because of the special attention from her father and the tensions that rise with her mother during the divorce proceedings, Deborah winds up choosing to live with her father and Fatima, which causes many problems within the family, including with her grandparents.
Soon, she realizes that her father isn’t quite the man she thought he was or that he presents himself to be in public; but she doesn’t feel like she has anywhere else to go. He works her hard, too—at home, cooking and cleaning, and at a weekend auction, similar to a flea market, selling large-sized clothing.
The good thing is Deborah loves photography and has quite a talent for it, and her father allows her to take a photography course. He also allows her to get involved with a youth group at the local, and somewhat liberal, temple.
These two outlets and the people there basically save her soul from destruction, as she lives with an abusive father and is estranged from her mother.
Although this book is written with a teenage narrator, the author state
I am very excited to be a part of Blacklisted from the PTA‘s birthday party! I first met the author, Lela Davidson, at the Missouri Writers’ Guild conference in St. Louis in April. She’s a riot, and I liked her immediately! When I read the title of her book and saw the subject matter was not your typical parenting book, then I knew I had to have it.
I read it and laughed and smiled all the way through. You see, I, myself, am not a typical parent–I’m not that into crafts (I do like to scrap book, though), I don’t bake, and I don’t like to cook. Sometimes, I let my toddler eat meals in front of the TV, watching Family Feud or Big Bang Theory, and I take her everywhere with me, including to Weight Watchers and writing conferences and critique groups. As a matter of fact, she is lying here beside me in the bed sleeping while I write this blog post because she woke up from her nap when I took a shower, screamed her head off, and when I laid down with her to calm her down, she fell back asleep. So, I grabbed my computer and started blogging. . .
Anyway, back to Lela, you will love this book. You will want to buy two copies and give one to a friend. You COULD win one if you leave a comment for Lela and me below (she is giving out e-books OR hard copies). You can tell us WHY you are the type of parent who might be blacklisted from the PTA OR why you are Mrs. Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver. You can ask a question or just leave a comment like, “Sounds like a good book.” As long as you leave it by Sunday, July 29 at 8:00 pm CST, you are entered to win. If you have a mailing address outside the United States, you may only have the choice of an e-book.
Here’s my review of Lela’s book:
Take some time to see how one real, honest mom deals with forgotten piano recitals, date nights with her husband and those pesky questions children always ask at the wrong moments. Lela Davidson shares the stories of her motherhood experience in several hysterical, true essays in the book, Blacklisted from the PTA.
Davidson states in her introduction that she didn’t plan to write this book. She wanted to write a novel: “one of those quirky romantic titles that get made into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon or Kate Winslet.” She said she didn’t know how to do that, so she set out to learn. While she was learning, she wrote the essays in this book.
“All I seemed to be good at was sitting on the driveway drinking boxed Chardonnay and talking to my friends,” Davidson writes. “So that’s what I wrote—the stories that made us laugh.”
And that is exactly what these stories do—they make you laugh. They also make you realize that you’re not alone. Every mother has the idyllic dream of how she’s going to approach her babies and handle motherhood. She looks back at her own childhood and says either, “I’m going to be just like my mom,” or “I will never do that to my children.”
I am excited to welcome Glen Downey, author of Into the Fire, a middle-grade book. Here’s a synopsis from Amazon: “It’s been a year since Alice Booker disappeared — a year since she went to work one morning at the Byron County Library and never came back. Her son, Max, is still trying to come to terms with her disappearance when he strikes up a unusual friendship with Becky Smart, a tough new kid at Lincoln Middle School that everyone quickly learns not to mess with. When Max discovers there’s been a fire in his mom’s old office at the library, he and Becky form the Book-Smart Detective Agency to investigate. What they discover about the fire, and about the strange circumstances surrounding it, plunge them into a mystery that is almost too impossible to be imagined.”
WOW! As kids, can you remember wanting to be a detective? I can–I used to love to play Charlie’s Angels! But I digress. I got to ask Glen some questions about his new book and his writing career, so here we go. . .
Margo: Welcome, Glen, to Read These Books and Use Them. I’m excited to talk to you about your latest children’s book, Into the Fire. From the synopsis above, we know it has some mystery and adventure. How would you describe your book?
Glen: Into the Fire is the first installment of The Book-Smart Detective Agency series. At its heart, it’s a book about relationships: the lost relationship between Max and his mother, Alice, who disappears about a year before the novel opens, and his unique relationship with Becky Smart, the new kid at school whose tough exterior is not quite what it seems. It’s also a book about the insatiable curiosity of young people and about how brilliant they can be when given the opportunity to think for themselves. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it’s a story about the power of books and reading, although to understand this fully, one needs to read the story.
Margo: Yes, of course! I am imagining it has something to do with the fact his mom is a librarian. . .(smiles) What age reader is it appropriate for and why?
Glen: When I came up with the concept for The Book-Smart Detective Agency, I wanted the series to be for middle-schoolers. This is a group of kids that I’ve worked with for many years as an educator. Into the Fire really speaks to kids in Grades 4-8, and its two protagonists are in Grade 7 and 8 respectively. I feel strongly, though, that teenagers and adults will enjoy the book as well.
Margo: I think that is true more and more–we are all reading each other’s books. What made you want to write Into the Fire?
Glen: I wanted to write a novel for young people about the special power of books and reading. As a kid, I was an avid reader; and as such, I was often encouraged to read books that would “challenge” me. I distinctly recall a conversation with a school librarian when I was a young lad who was bemoaning the fact that I seemed interested in books that were “below my reading level.” I can remember thinking at the time (not saying, of course, but thinking) that this was rather bad advice. I spent countless hours reading books like Two-Minute Mysteries, Encyclopedia Brown, Choose Your Own Adventure stories, Fighting Fantasy game books, comics, and the endless manuals and tomes of fantasy ro
Learn To Play The What-If Game
(Guest post by Barbara Conelli)
From Margo: I am so honored to have Barbara Conelli guest post with this wonderfully inspiring essay on turning around those annoying, negative WHAT IF questions and making them positive. Anyone can benefit from this post! She is using the book she wrote, Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore, to its fullest potential and living the best life she can!
To celebrate her latest book about loving life in Italy, she is offering great prizes. Here’s what you need to know before you read her post about those WHAT-IF questions.
1. A downloadable gift bag for every person who comments on this blog! (I love this idea!) So, what is a downloadable gift bag? You will receive this just for commenting (please leave your email address, so we can send these to you): Chique Virtual Tour: The Secret Gems of Italy Every Woman Must Know, First five chapters of Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita (her first book), First five chapters of Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore (her current book), Chique Blog Tour Special Gift (Only for the tour!): E-Book: The Most Romantic Chique Places to Fall in Love in (and with) Milan. (If you are a lover of Italy, leave a comment!)
2. Every person who leaves a comment will also be entered into a larger drawing for 1 Chique Journal (contest open internationally). Please leave your comment before 8:00 pm CST on Sunday, 7/1 for your chance to win. Comments can be questions, something about the what-if game, thoughts on Italy, pick me, etc.
3. Barbara is doing a bunch of fun stuff with her blog tour this summer, plus she has a book trailer video and more. Check out all the contests, book trailer, her website, etc, by going to WOW!’s blog and reading these two posts: Summer in Italy Contests and blog tour launch.
Don’t skip this article below. It’s wise!
From Barbara on the What-If game!
There are a few words I left out of my vocabulary many years ago, when I realized my verbal habits were my biggest creative roadblocks: I can’t. I should – I shouldn’t. I have to. And the most toxic verbal turn-off: WHAT IF.
For some reason, our ego, traditionally threatened by dreams, visions, aspirations, and creative endeavors of all kinds, seems to thrive on what-if scenarios. They are the fastest tool your inner gremlin uses when it wants you to fall off the wagon, hide under the duvet and cry, delete the new chapter, burn the submission package, cut your hair and swear off high heels.
“What if I’m no good? What if it doesn’t work out? What if my book doesn’t sell? What if I never make it? What if I can’t write? What if everyone hates my story? What if I get the worst reviews in history? What if my family gets upset?”
When your mind decides to play this dirty trick, it hurts. It stings.
Today, I welcome author Maggie Lyons who will talk about her new novel, Vin and the Dorky Duet. Here’s a brief summary of the plot from Maggie’s website before we get on to the questions and her insightful answers!
The moment he walks through the door and sees the sharky grin on his older sister’s face, Vin suspects Meg’s hatching a plot. He’s right. Worse still, he’s central to the outcome. Meg tells him that their music teachers, parents—everyone— expects him to play her duet for trumpet and piano at the upcoming student concert. Vin is horrified. Meg insists that his only escape route is to persuade another trumpet player to take his place. She has the hunky Brad Stewart in mind, and she challenges Vin to introduce her to him. Vin doesn’t know Brad any better than Meg does, but Meg points out that Vin takes a couple of classes at school with Brad’s nerdy brother. Eyeballs Stewart is the last person Vin wants to make friends with until Meg’s promise of a David Beckham autographed soccer jersey changes the seventh-grader’s mind. He has five days to accomplish his mission—Operation BS—before the concert practice schedule kicks in. Vin’s game plan, thwarted by exploding fish tanks, magnetic compost heaps, man-eating bubble baths, and other disasters doesn’t work out exactly as he expects.
Margo: Congratulations, Maggie, on the recent publication of the middle-grade novel, Vin and the Dorky Duet. What was your inspiration for this story?
Maggie: Inspiration wafted in from my love of music and my addiction to challenges—which I don’t always meet, I must confess. I was trained as a classical pianist; and throughout my life, music has been my favorite language, my confidant, my religion. As for challenges, anyone who wants to live—as opposed to vegetating—must try to meet them, don’t you think? Vin and the Dorky Duet is about a challenge that a seventh-grader gamely takes on, though with unexpected results. My challenge in writing the story is to encourage reluctant readers to turn a few pages. I’d be thrilled if the book succeeds on that level because enthusiasm for reading as a child is critical to success as an adult.
Margo: So true! I loved to read as a child, and I bet you did, too. Who would you say is the perfect audience for this book?
Maggie: Children ages seven or eight through twelve.
Margo: Thanks! What themes do you address?
Maggie:
1. Life’s challenges: Challenges in life are often unavoidable and a life without challenges is boring, even for a plant.
2. Music: Learning to play a musical instrument can be fun, and little brain cells love it.
3. Judging others: You shouldn’t make up your mind about people you’ve only just met; some people’s wonderful personalities have to be coaxed out of hiding.
4. Sibling relationships, the good and the bad;
5. Children’s names, nicknames, and shortened names;
6. Endangered species: Many whales are endangered species.
7. Sports: Soccer, rowing, swimming
Margo: What a great list–and a great resource for parents and teachers. I like to tell parents and teachers how they can USE books with children. What could parents use your book to teach children? Can you suggest a couple activities or discussion points that go with it?
*Non-fiction chapter book for kids 7 to 10 years old
*8-year-old girl is the focus of the book
*Rating: What an inspirational book! Kids will love Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage. It’s one of those stories that teachers/parents can use to help children who are struggling with almost any self-esteem issue. Besides, who doesn’t love a dolphin story?
Short, short summary:
Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage by Nancy Stewart is the true story of a young girl, Katrina, who was born with a birth defect and therefore had a “helper” leg. She felt self-conscious about it and about being different than other kids her age. When the book begins, Katrina is on her way to Disney with her family. But before they go, her parents take her to an aquarium where rescued sea animals live. One of the animals is a dolphin named Winter, who has a prosthetic tail after losing his in a fishing accident. Immediately, Katrina is drawn to Winter and realizes they have a lot of similarities. But even better, Winter motivates Katrina to try activities she would have NEVER tried before. Instead of having an “I-Can’t” attitude, she does an almost 180, and she has an I CAN DO ANYTHING attitude. Katrina credits Winter as being her inspiration. For anyone who has seen the movie Dolphin Tale, Winter is the subject of that movie with Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr., and Ashley Judd. (Winter did her own stunts in the movie! LOL) Nancy Stewart’s book focuses more on Katrina than on Winter, but it’s interesting that Winter is again “starring” in a story.
So, what do I do with this book?
1. After reading this book, ask children to journal about something that bothers them about themselves and how they can face this head on like Katrina and Winter did. What is something children have been afraid to do, but they did it anyway? Or what is something they are going to try? Children who are not good writers can use pictures to explain their thoughts.
2. Explore The Pier Aquarium website, which is where Winter lives. If possible, ask someone with a prosthetic leg to come to your classroom and speak about it. Bring the world of the book into your classroom.
3. Ask students to write a letter to Katrina and/or Winter, explaining what they liked about their stories and what children now feel inspired to do.
The book featured here today, Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore, is an adult book about traveling in Italy (considered narrative travel nonfiction). I am hosting the author with a guest post written by her later on this month. She’s full of enthusiasm and inspiration and a love for life. Her book is travel writing at its finest!
Sure, it’s pretty easy to love your life when you are traveling in Italy and breezing through it without too much trouble. But how do you love your life when thing aren’t going so smoothly?
I know people who write something they are thankful for every day on Facebook. I’ve done gratitude journals. I’ve stopped pity parties in their tracks by thinking of all the blessings I have, especially when I hear of troubles that others are going through. Mine are nothing in comparison.
But as of RIGHT NOW, I’ll tell you why and how I love my life every day, why I’m excited to get up and get going. Sure, I love reading and I love writing. But I love my life right here at home because of. . .
I don’t think there’s much left to say. Doing silly things with these two amazing bodies is how I love my life.
The following is a book trailer for Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore and you can find out more wonderful information about the book and author here:
I wrote today’s post as part of the WOW! Women on Writing’s “The Art of Loving Your Life” Blanket Tour, celebrating the release of Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore (currently 99 cents on Amazon Kindle) by Barbara Conelli.
Barbara is an internationally published best-selling author and seasoned travel writer specializing in Italy. In her charming, delightful and humorous Chique Books filled with Italian passion, Barb invites women to explore Italy from the comfort of their home with elegance, grace, and style, encouraging them to live their own Dolce Vita no matter where they are in the world.
Her latest book, Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore, offers an intimate view into the unpredictable and extravagant city of Milan, its glamorous feminine secrets, the everyday magic of its dreamy streets, the passionate romance of its elegant hideaways, and the sweet Italian art of delightfully falling in love with your life wherever you go.
If you comment on today’s post on this blog or any of the others participating in The Art of Loving Your Life tour, you’ll b
I’m writing today’s post as part of the WOW! Women on Writing’s “Everybody’s Talking About Favorite Childhood Memories” mass-blogging event celebrating the release of Finding Emma by Steena Holmes (www.steenaholmes.com).
Steena is a woman who believes that “in the end, all things succumb…to the passions of your heart.” Steena’s life revolves around her family, friends, and fiction. Add some chocolate into the mix, and she’s living the good life. She took those passions and made them a dream come true by pouring her heart into each of her stories.
Finding Emma, a novel about a mother who cannot accept her daughter is missing in spite of her life crumbling around her, has quickly become a bestseller. Proceeds from each book will be donated to The Missing Children’s Society of Canada – an organization dedicated to reuniting families. Visit www.mcsc.ca for more information.
If you comment on this post by Friday night 11:59 pm CST or any of the others participating in the “Everybody’s Talking About Favorite Childhood Memories” day, you’ll be entered to win a signed copy of Finding Emma!
To read Steena’s childhood memories and view a list of other blogs participating in the “Everybody’s Talking About Favorite Childhood Memories” day, please visit The Muffin (WOW!’s blog).
So, what’s my childhood memory I’m going to write about? Well, I’m going to write about the first time I can remember that I started to READ THESE BOOKS and USE THEM (of course). My mom stayed home with me before I went to kindergarten, and I was an only child. I stopped taking an afternoon nap when I was in the twos. As any stay-at-home mom can tell you, this is not a good thing–every mother, no matter how much they love their children, needs an afternoon break. So, I had a rule that I didn’t have to sleep, but I had to stay in my room for a certain amount of time each day in the afternoon.
So, what would I do with this “in my room, entertain myself” time? Well, I would line up ALL of my stuffed animals on my bed, (about 20 to 25), get out all of my books off my bookshelf, and read to them in bed. Even at 4 years old, I knew that books were important and they needed to be used–even if they were being used to NOT TAKE A NAP and entertain a trunk load of stuffed animals!
If this is the first time you’ve visited my blog, welcome! I generally blog about children’s books and how to use them with kids and teens. I like to participate in events like today–it keeps blogging fun and makes you feel part of a community.
I would love for you to share a favorite childhood memory with me in your comments. Remember, one lucky winner from all the participating blogs will win a signed copy of FINDING EMMA! (If you don’t have time to leave a memory, we would love to even hear HI! and you’ll be entered to win.)
Start Journaling and Change Your Life in 7 Days
by Mari L. McCarthy
Today, I welcome back Mari L. McCarthy, whom I just love. She knows everything about journaling, inspiring writers, and encouraging everyone to do their very best! In the winter, I took her 28-day journaling challenge; and I found that journaling can really help you get out all those worries, so that you can concentrate on the important matters like your WIP. Journaling is for everyone–teachers, parents, writers, librarians, and students.
Mari is back with a new book and new Start Journaling and Change Your Life in 7 Days Challenge, which will be June 4-10. It’s free to do the challenge–you just have to purchase the workbook, OR you can purchase the workbook and do it on your own at any time. For more information about this, go to Mari’s website: http://www.createwritenow.com/start-journaling-workbook
Today, Mari has written a wonderful post about taking some time to play around with your creativity. She gives you several ways to do this. If you are a teacher, you could have your students do these, too.
And we are having a giveaway! Please leave a comment below or a question for Mari by Sunday night, May 6, and one winner will be chosen by random.org. The winner may choose either an e-copy of Start Journaling and Change Your Life in 7 Days, the spiral-bound version, or one of Mari’s signature t-shirts (see photo). So, let’s “hear” what Mari has to say and leave a comment below!
Just Playing Around
(GUEST POST BY Mari L. McCarthy)
How long has it been since you played? I’m referring to the kind of playing that you used to do when you were five. Playing nonsensically, just following your nose, moving, imagining, making noise, being silly and crazy without thought or inhibitions. Making up your own rules, focused myopically on your story, you are no longer yourself; you’ve become the narrative unfolding.
The older we get, the less time we spend playing. It’s sort of sad. Thank goodness, there’s journal writing to help keep us young.
If it’s been far too long since you had a bunch of fun just playing around, pull up a journal and start being foolish.
• Scribble, for instance. Put the tip of the pen on the paper and let it move. Follow, do not lead it. No thoughts or objectives. No rhyme or reason. Just line, shape, marks on paper.
• Get a charcoal stick from the art supply store or a marker with a broad-to-fine tip and play with light and dark, thick and thin, line and space on the page.
• Doodle, drawing the cartoons, sketches, and stick figures that occur to you randomly, without precedent or meaning.
• Paste bits of this and that together in your journal to make a collage. This may be scraps of anything around you, whether 2- or 3-dimensional; it may be souvenirs from a walk in nature, or a selection of images from magazines or photos.
• Make up a story in your journal: a fantasy, mystery, romance, or melodrama. Describe exotic characters, adventures, and intrigues.
• Write a stream-of-consciousness list of words–both real and imaginary words. Let them spill out one after the other.
Every once in a while, I like to take a break from the regularly scheduled program of books and sharing them, and share with you some other cool stuff. Today, I want to share a website/app that I was asked to review and think could be a real benefit to ANYONE wanting to lose weight and/or get healthier and/or exercise more. It’s called SLIMKICKER.COM, and it’s so super easy to use for your weight loss/healthy lifestyle changing goals.
So, what is it? According to the website, Slimkicker.com is “a level-up game and point-based program. You start by tracking your diet, where whole foods are worth more points than processed foods.” Then the creators go on to say, “But diet, and fitness are half of the battle. Most people regain weight because they never learn long-term habits. We solve this by taking habits as quitting soda, and turning them into 7-30 day challenges. Like a regular game, the challenges start out easy, and gradually become harder, with more points. We encourage you to check-in daily with others doing the same challenge for accountability and social support.”
They also state that it can go along with any diet program that you may already be using or want to use, AND it’s all about learning portion control, proper nutrition, and acquiring healthy habits. I can see this site REALLY appealing to a competitive person OR someone who needs to be accountable to someone, but doesn’t have a fitness buddy in his/her life.
It’s easy to sign up–I did it in about 5 minutes. I haven’t used all the tools yet, but there are tabs in your account where you can record what you eat, how much you exercise, and then join a challenge, such as eating one salad a day for 7 days OR replacing juice with tea for 7 days. You get a certain number of points added to your account if you complete the challenge. YOU ALSO can choose your own rewards–like if you reach certain levels on the site, you might reward yourself with a girls night out? A new handbag? A new book? (That’s what I want to see! )
Spring is here for most of us–(most major holidays are over for a while) so it’s the perfect time to get in shape and be healthy! Check out Slimkicker.com. (BTW, I get nothing special for telling you this. I just think it’s a cool site and will be helpful for some of you struggling with this area of your life!)
Finally, because I HAVE to share a book with you, I reviewed this one for The News-Gazette. It’s great to share as a family because it’s all about excuses and how we use them to eat unhealthy! Its called: “But I deserve this chocolate!” The 50 Most Common Diet-DeRailing Excuses and How to Outwit Them (Author: Susan Albers, PsyD Publisher: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.) I’ll put an Amazon link below. It’s an easy book to use, and you don’t have to read it cover to cover. Find your excuse or your spouse’s or your kids’ or your work-out buddies’, and go from there.
Congratulations to dollsstory for winning The Smiley Book of Colors in last week’s giveaway. I am excited to host another author and book giveaway today–it’s a “basketball” book in honor of March Madness (Anyone still have a good bracket?). The book is called Transcendental Basketball Blues, the author is Mike Pemberton, and it is YA/crossover historical fiction, although it’s set in the 1970s (so it’s not that far back in history!). Mike has given me a copy to giveaway, so please leave a comment below by Sunday night, April 1 for your chance to win. I’m also doing a little different post this time because I was also lucky enough to interview Mike for my Sunday Books column in The News-Gazette, (Champaign/Urbana, IL newspaper), and I am posting the feature article here. This way you get to know Mike and his book a little better. . .
When Mike Pemberton, author of Transcendental Basketball Blues and Hoopeston, IL resident, was cleaning out his garage ten years ago, he found some old creative writing notebooks and newspaper articles from when he was a sportswriter. He told his wife, “I’d forgotten I wanted to be a writer.”
But unlike many people who have the same forgotten dream, Pemberton did something about it. He decided to pursue a master’s degree in English from Illinois State University and started writing short stories, which were soon published.
While pursuing his master’s degree, completed in May 2011, he came up with the idea for his first novel, Transcendental Basketball Blues. A young adult novelist, Chris Crutcher, inspired him with his book, Whale Talk. In it, Crutcher used sports to “framework” more serious teen issues, such as child abuse, racism, and bullying.
In graduate school, Pemberton also learned about nineteenth century philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer, and his beliefs on transcendence. Pemberton meshed sports and philosophy together to create his basketball story.
“In the novel, athletic and musical moments of transcendence serve as common ground for the basketball playing Jack and [his mother] Mary Lou, a classically trained musician, and help them navigate through the wreckage left in the wake of her manic episodes,” he explained.
The story is set in the 1970s and focuses on main character, Jack Henderson, a “star basketball player.” Everyone thinks he has it all; but when he starts high school, his mother disappears and is diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. She is often escaping her life when she doesn’t take her medication. The book jacket states, “By Jack’s senior year, love of music and basketball intertwine as mother and son seek solace within the transcendent moments yielded by their twin passions.” These would be music and basketball, respectively.
Pemberton decided to self-publish his novel after receiving rejections on the manuscript from agents and publishers. However, he also received positive feedback, but they ultimately said the time period was not working for them. They were worried about how to market and sell the book.
Then he read an article in the Wall Street Journal about some authors having a lot of success with self-publishing. He decided to stop the query process at that time, paid for a copy editor, cut ten thousand words, and rearranged some chapters. He went t
I am excited to be giving away Stranger Moon and doing it with Rafflecopter for the first time! I would love it if you tried out Rafflecopter with me by doing as many of the tasks as you can below and then getting all the possible points to win this AWESOME book. The contest goes until Sunday, March 11 at midnight (so enter on Saturday or before), and it is open to anyone–(Canada and U.S.–you can get a hard copy; overseas–you can get an e-book). So, here we go. . .
Stranger Moon by Heather Zydek
*Middle-grade novel, contemporary fiction
*12-year-old girl as main character
*Rating: I loved Stranger Moon! I think middle-grade readers will, too. It has several boy characters that are friends with Gaia, and it has bugs (LOL), so I think it will appeal to both boys and girls. If you have a child being bullied, this book is great conversation starter.
Short, short summary: It’s summer break, and Gaia is searching for a Luna moth after she finds a Luna moth wing pressed between the pages of an old insect guide. When she convinces her friends to go with her to search for the moth, they encounter a strange woman in the woods who EATS bugs. She freaks them out, of course, but she also peaks their interest, and they go on a hunt to find out whom she is. In the meantime, they pick up another misunderstood classmate, encounter the bullies– THE EMMAS, and deal with their own issues. Gaia has a father who pays NO ATTENTION to her since her mother died, and she is tired of feeling like she’s invisible in her own home. So, as you can see, there’s a lot going on in this book. As more information is revealed about the mystery woman, readers can try to guess her identity. Once it’s discovered, they can debate what they would do with the info. The author does a great job of moving the story forward and tying up all these subplots in the end.
So, what do I do with this book?
1. This is a terrific book to open up conversations with children about how they are feeling at home, about bullying, about friendships, and so on. Use the characters in the book. How did you feel when Gaia and her friends got into the big fight? What do you think about the Emmas? and so on.
2. Your young readers may or may not be into insects. If they are, then ask them to find out about Luna moths on their own. If they aren’t, what are they passionate about? What would they spend their summer vacation searching for? Have them write a journal entry about this and compare themselves to Gaia.
3. The characters in this book are complex and well-developed–they are perfect for character studies. You could teach character motivation, character feelings, and even problem-solving (how characters solve problems in the story). Allow students to choose their favorite character and then write a letter as if they are that character. They could also write a journal entry.
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below! Please email margo (at) margodill.com if you run into any problems.
I am happy to announce that Krysten H. won the copy of Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin. Thank you to everyone who left a comment and got excited about this new YA book and debut author as well as her informative post! If you didn’t win, consider purchasing the book for a teen in your life.
Today, I am going to preview a book I am SUPER EXCITED to share with you, but I’m not going to actually share it with you until Thursday. Can you wait that long? Plus, when I do share it, I am also going to be hosting a giveaway for it–you can win it as an e-book or as a hard copy. I will be giving out ONE. The book is. . .
Stranger Moon by Heather Zydek
It’s middle-grade and published by Moth Wing Press.
It has adventure and humor. It has kids that still play together and like to be outside. It has secret clubs and bullies and strangers. I don’t want to tell you too much because I plan to reveal the plot and how you can use it with kids on Thursday. But I will provide a link to it on Amazon, and I am telling you that it is amazing. You will love it and your children/students will love it. I plan to give it 5 stars on Amazon, so stay tuned–you could win it!
I am super excited that I am hosting Meredith Zeitlin today on her blog tour for the wonderful YA book, Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters! I am also excited to tell you that we have a copy to giveaway, so after you read the synopsis and Meredith’s guest post and watch the book trailer, you will be super inspired to write a comment or question to Meredith. Then I will choose one of you lucky commenters to win this book on Sunday night, March (OMG, MARCH, already!!) 4 and announce the winner on Monday. If you are a tweeter, you can also tweet this contest with the hashtag #FrYrDisasters. Then come back and put the URL of your tweet in a comment for another chance to win.
Synopsis:
Let’s say you’re fourteen and live in New York City. You’d think your life would be like a glamorous TV show, right? And yet . . . You don’t have a checking account, much less a personal Black American Express card. You’ve never been to a club, and the only couture in your closet is a Halloween costume your mom made from an old laundry bag.
In other words? You’re Kelsey Finkelstein – fourteen and frustrated. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled. Kelsey wants to rebrand herself for high school to make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny. But just because Kelsey has a plan for greatness . . . it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.
Kelsey’s hilarious commentary and sardonic narration of her freshman year will have readers laughing out loud – while being thankful that they’re not in her shoes, of course.
About the Author: Meredith Zeitlin is a writer and voiceover artist who lives in Brooklyn with two adorable feline roommates. She also writes a column for Ladygunn Magazine, changes her hair color every few months, and has many fancy pairs of spectacles. In case you’re wondering whether any of Kelsey’s experiences are based on Meredith’s own, the answer is NO WAY. When she was fourteen, Meredith looked and behaved perfectly at all times, was never in a single embarrassing situation, and always rode to school on her very own unicorn.
And now a few words from Meredith. . . When I was twelve or so, pretty much everything my parents – particularly my mother – said to me, suggested, invited me to, or insisted I do seemed to pretty obviously be one more attempt to ruin my entire life. (Don’t worry, parents of teens, I eventually got over it. I even dedicated my book to my mom – although, if we’re splitting hairs here, I’m still pretty sure she’s trying to drive me crazy…)
One of the very few exceptions to the rule was books. My mom and I had a special bond over words and language and reading. My dad wasn’t a big book person; in fact, I never saw him reading one, ever. But my mother was an English teacher and a huge bookworm; and despite the million and one things she did that made it seem impossible to believe she was my real mother, I was always elated when she came home with a new paperback or three for me or invited me to ride with her to the library. And we read each other’s books, too – nothing was off-limits in my house in the literature department. Looking back now, I realize how grown up it made me feel to be allowed to read her books. I can also see how u
I am so happy to launch my good friend and great author, Margaret Norton’s, blog tour today for her book, When Ties Break. Margaret Norton is a writer, speaker, personal life coach, and It Works! distributor. She blogs about her life at http://healthy-n-fitgranny.com. Her first book, When Ties Break: A Memoir About How to Thrive After Loss, is available as an e-book for just 99 cents on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with grand kids, reading, traveling, photography, and dancing.
**And even more exciting, Margaret is giving away fabulous prizes to go along with her Celebrate 60 blog tour and re-launch of her book. Here are details: **
Leave a comment on this post to enter into Margaret’s Celebrate 60 blog tour contest. Margaret is celebrating her 60th birthday by giving away three grand prizes: a 30-minute FREE life coaching session (by phone—for U.S. residents only), her memoir in paperback (for U.S. residents only), and her memoir in e-book (for anyone!) format. Each blogger participating in the tour will randomly select one winner from all the comments and enter that name into the grand prize drawing. Margaret will contact the three grand prize winners for their choice of prize the week of 2/27 and announce winners on her blog on March 2.
***For extra entries into the contest, please tweet about the contest, using the hashtag #Celebrate60 OR tweet about why you love being the age you are! (Don’t forget to use the hashtag.) Anyone who tweets with #Celebrate60 will get an extra entry into the contest for the three grand prizes. Any questions? E-mail ME, Margo, Margaret’s publicist, at margo (at) margodill.com .
Now here’s a guest post from Margaret herself!
Never Give-Up on Your Dream to be a Writer
Several years ago, at the age of 58, I published my first book. It was the first thing that I had written – except for church bulletins, family Christmas letters, and business correspondence – in 35 years. During my book tour, I did a signing in the town where I attended high school and had lunch with my best friend from the 9th and 10th grade. My contact with her had been sporadic through the years for various reasons. As we spent time together and talked about school events, memories came flooding back. She told me that in the 9th grade I had wanted to be a writer.
Wanted to be a writer? How did I forget that? What happened to that dream? How did I get so far off course? My working life included a combination of owning my own businesses, working for non-profit agencies and 17 years trying to climb the corporate ladder. There was very little writing and very little encouragement to develop my creativity. I married young, had a family, and then divorced. And repeated that several times. Life got in the way. I needed to earn enough money to raise my family and sought jobs with the highest income potential rather than following my heart. My life came to an abrupt crossroads in 2004 after the death of eight individuals connected to me.
Write to heal is what my therapist suggested. During the first few months of 2005, I poured all my thoughts onto paper. Why did bad things happen to good people? One thing led to another. I found myself going all the way back to my childhood,
*Young adult, historical fiction novel
*Teenage, African-American cowboy as main character
*Rating: I’m so glad I found Deadwood Jones at my local library! It’s a great book about a very interesting topic and will really appeal to boys.
Short, short summary:
(FROM BOOK JACKET–sorry, busy weekend!): When Prometheus Jones wins a horse with a raffle ticket he got from Pernie Boyd and LaRue Dill, he knows things won’t go smoothly. No way are those two rednecks going to let a black man, even a freeman from the day of his birth, keep that horse. So as soon as things get ugly, he jumps on the horse, pulls his cousin Omer up behind him, and heads off. They hook up with a cattle drive out of Texas heading for Deadwood, South Dakota. Prometheus is a fine hand with a horse and not so bad with a gun, and both skills prove useful as the trip north throws every twist and turn imaginable at the young cowpokes. (It’s a good, old cowboy story! )
So, what do I do with this book?
1. Allow students to keep a reading response journal while reading this book. There are many issues in it–from the treatment of black cowboys/slaves to traveling West at a young age–when students come upon a passage they feel strongly about, they should write about their feelings in the reading response journal–BEFORE discussing them. Many times, the discussion will be stronger if reactions to the novel are written down first.
2. Compare/contrast the author’s note in the back of the book with what happened in the novel. Did Helen Hemphill do a good job of sharing the “truth” in this historical fiction novel? Students could also do their own research about cowboys if so desired.
3. How does the author paint a picture of the “Wild West” with her words? What type of word choice does she use? Study strong word choice selections as part of a 6 + 1 traits of writing lesson.
Today, I am very excited to welcome middle-grade novelist, Melissa Goodwin, who is on a WOW! blog tour with her book, The Christmas Village. AND EVEN MORE EXCITING–I HAVE A PAPERBACK COPY TO GIVEAWAY. One lucky reader who leaves a comment or question for Melissa OR who shares their favorite holiday decoration/tradition in a comment by Sunday, November 20 at 8:00 p.m. CST has a chance to win this book. (United States and Canada mailing addresses only please.)
Quick book summary: In this heartwarming story, Jamie wishes he could live in his grandma’s miniature Christmas Village, where everything seems so perfect. Magically, he gets his wish! But, things are not always what they seem–can Jamie help his friends and still get home in time for Christmas?
What an honor–I have Melissa here today with her guest post: “Every Town Tells a Story.” You can use her ideas here with the 6 + 1 traits of writing, the IDEAS trait.
Every Town has a Story – Ways to Encourage Kids (and Grown-ups! ) to Write
Melissa Ann Goodwin
On April 14, 1755, four-year-old Lucy Keyes tagged along behind her older sisters as they trudged through the woods of Princeton, Massachusetts. Lucy never came home. The townsfolk searched everywhere, but no trace of her was ever found. Lucy’s mother, Martha, searched the woods daily, calling for her missing child. More than 250 years later, people in Princeton swore they’d seen Martha’s ghost and heard her cries echoing through the woods.
In 2005, writer-director John Stimpson lived on land that was once part of the Keyes’ property. He’d heard the Lucy Keyes story thousands of times – it was the stuff of legend in such a small town. The mystery called to him so strongly that he made a movie, The Legend of Lucy Keyes, starring Hollywood actors and using Princeton locals as extras.
We can all take a lesson from Stimpson, who saw the potential for great storytelling literally in his own back yard. Like Princeton, every town has stories, and discovering them is a great way to get kids excited about writing – which is really just the art of storytelling. There are hundreds – even thousands of tales a town might tell; we just have to go looking for them.
So where do we start? Here are some suggestions:
Street names: Streets are often named for people who played a significant role in a town’s history. Why did the town name a street after this person? There’s a story there! Sometimes street names reflect something specific about the area. For example, you’d expect Apple Orchard Lane to be near an apple orchard. But what if it’s not? Was there once an orchard there? What happened to it? There’s a story there, too.
Rivers and other landmarks: The names of rivers and geographic landmarks often reflect whatever the person who named them experienced there. A dry riverbed named “Buzzard’s Roost Wash,” creates a vivid image of vultures perched on bare tree branches, waiting to pounce. Whenever I see a name like that, I think, there’s gotta be a reason!
Statues and monuments: In my book, The Christmas Village, there is a statue in the village square that you wouldn’t expect to find in a Vermont town. The idea for this small detail in my story came from the real town of York, Maine. The town ordered a statue, but the wrong one was delivered. The frugal York townspeople didn’t want to pay to send it back, so they kept the statue and put it in the center of town. What stories do the monuments in your town tell?
*Chapter book, realistic and contemporary fiction
*Third-grade girl as main character
*Rating: I’m a huge fan of Sara Pennypacker and the Clementine series. This is book four, and it is as cute as ever. If you are a pet lover, it can be a little sad in the middle–but happy endings all around (even for Margaret.
Short, short summary:
In Clementine’s third grade class, she has been chosen as friend of the week. This comes with all sorts of privileges such as line leader, but Clementine is most excited, well and anxious, about the booklet she’ll receive at the end of the week. All the kids will write a message to her, and she wants to make sure they have something nice to write. She wants hers to be as good as Margaret’s from last year. She spends all week coming up with grand plans, like only Clementine can, so she’ll have the best Friend of the Week booklet ever. However, the importance of this week is put into perspective when Moisturizer, Clementine’s beloved cat, goes missing.
So, what do I do with this book?
1. A fun emotional intelligence activity is to have everybody in the classroom draw the name of another classmate. Then the students have to write something nice about the person whose name they drew. You write/draw it on an 8 x 10 inch piece of construction paper. You can draw students’ attention to how Clementine feels when she reads the nice comments on her Friend of the Week booklet. (If you homeschool, you can do this activity with members of the family and post the nice things on the refrigerator!)
2. In this segment of Clementine, Margaret shows her younger friend just how much she likes her and how important Clementine is to Margaret. Ask students what Margaret does to show her friendship in the novel. How does Clementine react? Then how does Margaret maintain her personality at the end of the novel?
3. There are really two problems in this novel–one is created by Clementine trying to figure out something wonderful to do for her friends, so they’ll write nice things in her booklet, and the other is when Moisturizer goes missing. How are these problems solved in the novel? This is an easy book to talk about problems and solutions because in each case, Clementine does different, obvious tasks to attempt to solve her problems.
*Middle-grade historical fiction with Christian themes (WWII)
*13-year-old girl as main character
*Rating: Last Page in the Diary will really appeal to girls who like historical fiction and like writing in their diaries. It is a great book to use in a home school or Christian school setting as so many tweens deal with this question: “How can God let bad things happen?” This book is especially great because it also teaches about history!
Short, short summary:
(From the Guardian Angel Publishing website (sorry! I am pressed for time tonight.): “Thirteen-year-old Patricia (Pat) Kelly bargains with God. If He will bring her best friend Mike (Yoshi Mizuki) home from a desert (Japanse Internment) prison camp and make things like they were before the war, maybe she can start trusting Him again. The war ends, but hate and persecution continue.” (There’s also a part of this book written in journal style!)
So what do I do with this book?
1. If students do not know much about the period of history this book covers, then have them research different things mentioned in the book, such as Pearl Harbor Day or the Japanese Internment Camps. Students can write reports, do Power Point presentations, create posters, or some other way to share information with students.
2. Have readers ever felt the way Pat or Mike do in the novel–either with their relationship with God or as a victim of bullying/racism? These are great journal writing topics and discussion topics for tweens. Through the characters in this book, tweens may feel more comfortable talking about and/or writing about these issues and comparing/contrasting their experiences with the ones in the novel.
3. If students were involved in an essay contest, what would they write about? And why? You can even hold your own essay contest if you want to. . .:)
*Easy reader (I’d compare to Amelia Bedelia books, divided into chapters), fantasy
*A loveable giraffe and turtle as main characters
*Rating: I won Joe and Sparky, Superstars in a blog contest at Clara Gillow Clark’s blog, and I am so glad I did What a super cute book for those readers transitioning from having Mom or teacher read them a book to reading on their own. Joe cracks me up!
Short, short summary:
Since Joe is a giraffe, he can stretch his neck from Safari Land and see something fun. He wants to share this something fun with his friend, Sparky the turtle, who only wants to take a nap on his warm rock. But Joe convinces Sparky to go along, and they see little people in a box (this would be a TV). They watch a reality show about entertaining pairs, and so Joe thinks they should join them. They are a pair after all. The problem is. . .what is their entertainment? The pair seems to think Joe has many talents, but they just can’t seem to figure out what Sparky is good at. So, the duo try different talents, such as the Hokey Pokey, trying to find a talent for Sparky that will make him a superstar.
So what do I do with this book?
1. Joe and Sparky are unique animals with their own personalities and characteristics that make each special–just like your own children or all the children in your classroom. First with children, make a list of Joe and Sparky’s character traits based on the book. Then ask students to make a list of their own character traits. If you are working with preschoolers or kindergartners and sharing this book, you can make a general list and then students can choose one or two words to write or illustrate depending on their ability level.
2. Ask students: what is your talent? You discover in the end of the story what Sparky’s talent is and it is great! So, do a think, pair, share activity in your classroom. Ask students to think what their talent (s) is, pair them up with other students and tell them to share with their partners, and then their partners share the talent with the class.
3. What is a superstar? Ask students to draw a picture, write a poem, write their own story, or any other way to describe what a superstar is in their opinion. This could also be a Mother’s Day/Father’s Day/Christmas present idea with something like: My mom is a superstar because_____________. Students fill in the blank and illustrate the sentence. OR My dad is a superstar like Sparky and Joe because_________________________________.
This post is going to be a little different than my normal book posts because I want to share with you a wonderful company and their wonderful products. Teachers, librarians, and parents (home school parents, especially) should know about Naxos Audiobooks. If you don’t, then stay tuned. If you do already know about them, then click on over to their website now and see their new releases in October. They have audio books and supplemental materials for all ages from elementary school aged kids to adults.
This post is specifically about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson because that is the sample Naxos provided for me to review as part of their Young Adult Classics series. We all know the story of Dr. Jekyll, who tried to live a respectable life until he became addicted to the potion that changed him into Mr. Hyde. Heck, I think even little kids know the story because isn’t there a Bugs Bunny episode where BB drinks a potion and turns into a big, green, mean, nasty rabbit? But if you are studying the classics with your children or your students OR if you have a child who is an auditory learner, then I urge you to check out this version of Stevenson’s classic.
WHY?
Well, the study guide and booklet are wonderful. See, when you order the audio CDS from Naxos for $17.98, you also receive a CD-ROM with the text for the ABRIDGED version (which is what is on the audio CD), the text for the UNABRIDGED version, and a 38-page study guide written by a wonderful educator, Francis Gilbert, who actually makes the study guide entertaining as he talks right to the youth (but teachers, you can use it too! ).
Here are a few excerpts from the study guide:
“This study guide takes a different approach from most study guides. It does not simply tell you more about the story and characters, which isn’t actually that useful. Instead it attempts to show how the author’s techniques and interests inform every single facet of this classic novel.
Most study guides simply tell you what is going on, then tack on bits at the end which tell you how the author creates suspense and drama at certain points in the book, informing you a little about why the author might have done this. This study guide starts with the how and the why, showing you right from the start how and why the author shaped the key elements of the book.”
Robert Louis Stevenson was born in 1850, slap bang in the middle of the 19th century. He is a figure who straddles both the Victorian and the modern age: his writing appears Victorian on the surface, in its settings and characters, but dig deeper and you find a modern interest in the darker sides of the human mind.”
Just from these two excerpts, you can tell the study guide is not boring. It has sections on the context of the novel, themes and structure, critical perspectives, discussion questions, quotes, and a glossary. If you home school a teen, this is the perfect guide for them. If you teach middle school/high school English, this audio CD and the study guide will complement any unit on Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
BTW, you can order it as a download too, in this techy age, and currently the price for that is $12.00.
Today I’m participating in a mass blogging day! WOW! Women On Writing has gathered a group of blogging buddies to write about “Special People We Know and Love.” Why? We’re celebrating the release of Joanne Lewis’s and Amy Lewis Faircloth’s debut novel. Wicked Good (Telemachus Press, LLC, 2011) is about the unconditional love between a mother and her adopted, special needs (Asperger’s Syndrome and Bipolar Disorder) son and the adventure that brings them closer together. Visit The Muffin at http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/ to read what Joanne and Amy have to share about their special people and view the list of all my blogging buddies. Then be sure to visit http://www.amyandjoanne.com/ to learn more about the authors.
So who am I blogging about today then?
In keeping with the theme of this blog–education and helping women and children around the world, I thought I would take a minute to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart, the organization Made By Survivors. Although many of my fellow bloggers will be blogging about special people in their lives–family members, friends, neighbors–and I sure have many of those–(I couldn’t do as much as I do without my husband and my parents! And I could go on and on about my wonderful daughter and stepson), I really want to share with you this wonderful site since the holidays are almost upon us.
Human trafficking and the sex slave industry is something I’ve written about many times on here ever since I went to the human trafficking information night at the U of I a couple years ago. Then I read a book about women’s issues in the world, and it changed my life. If you haven’t read the book Half the Sky yet, please put it on your list. It is a book that will make a huge difference in your life. What goes on around the world and in our own country with the abuse of young girls in brothels is horrifying, and Made By Survivors is doing something to help women and children who have been victims of this abuse. Here’s more info:
From their website (http://www.madebysurvivors.com): Made by Survivors is “the core program of Made By Survivors Network, a US based NGO that works internationally with survivors of slavery and human trafficking. Founded in 2005, our mission is to end slavery through economic empowerment and education, giving survivors and people at the highest risk the tools they need to build safe, independent, slavery-free lives. MBSN currently operates programs in six countries, with a concentration of programming in India and Nepal. We offer job training and fairly paid employment to survivors, and provide intensive business development support to our core programs and partners. We market and sell the survivors’ products in the US, and also assist them in finding other buyers.”
And here is another amazing thing about this organization: (from the website) “We currently sponsor 200 child survivors and children born into brothel communities to attend school for the first time. We lead volunteer trips to provide therapeutic arts and life skills workshops to survivors. We provide funding for medical and emergency needs, start-up capital for employment programs, and whenever possible, we fund projects to increase capacity at our partner shelters for rescuing and housing more survivors.”
I have bought the jewelry and notecards, and both are beautiful and make perfect presents for your loved ones. You can make someone happy and make a di
It seems like lately I’ve had a lot of books and posts on my theme of “helping women (and children) around the world” instead of kids’ books. This is another great book today, part of a WOW! Women On Writing blog tour, that empowers women and inspires us to figure out what is important in our lives. Destiny Allison wrote an amazing guest post to go along with her book (see below) about how hard it is to be a SAHM and WAHM too! (Now that school is back in session, I do plan to blog a bit more on the children’s/YA book scene AND also I plan to add one more post a week that focuses on things to do with my book coming out, but more on that later. . .) I have either an e-copy or print copy to give away of this really cool book with a title I LOVE–Shaping Destiny. If you are interested in winning this memoir, please leave a comment (or question for Destiny) below by Sunday night 8/26 at 8:00 pm CST. I have a synopsis and guest post by Destiny below, so don’t miss those!
As I settled in front of the sculpture I had waited all day to contemplate, I heard only the sound of my own breath. It was rhythmic, a peaceful rise and fall as calming as a sea breaking on distant shores. Finally I was alone–able to engage in my passion and give voice to that part of myself rendered small in daylight hours. Tonight, for a little while, I would speak.
The WOW! advanced writing a middle-grade novel online class I teach starts on 8/23. It’s for anyone who has at least three chapters of a middle-grade novel started (or an entire draft is good, too). For more information, please see the syllabus on the WOW! classroom page or email me at margo (at) wow-womenonwriting.com. Thanks! 
