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Next among the children’s/YA authors that I’m featuring in the Games & Books & Q&A series is Tanita S. Davis. Tanita is the Coretta Scott King Honor author of Mare’s War. Her other YA novels (all published by Knopf) include Happy Families, which was included on the ALA’s 2013 Rainbow Project List, and A la Carte. Her fourth YA novel, Peas & Carrots, is scheduled to be published in 2016. Tanita blogs at fiction, instead of lies.
CB: What do you remember about the first video game you ever played?
TSD: I remember that I was GOOD at the first video game I ever played. My cousins were kids who got everything on the bleeding edge of new when we were growing up, and we didn’t have video games, and they did… the first time they let me play, I smoked ALL OF THEM. They were disconcerted. I was disconcerted! Being raised very conservative Christians, we were all about the “thou shalt not kill,” and I was good at something with a GUN!? How did that happen? The game was, of course, Duck Hunt. Apparently, if you subtract mud, bugs, real ordinance and actual ducks, I am an awesome shot!
CB: What games did you play the most when you were a kid? What did you love about them?
TSD: My cousins had Frogger — in which I was frequently flattened – Donkey Kong, and Pac-Man, of course. There was also Spy Hunter, and some race car driver game (Grand Prix, I think), where I flipped my car over and over and over again… (apparently I can shoot, but cannot drive).
CB: What role do games play in your life today?
TSD: My hand-eye coordination as a kid was fairly awful, and now it’s even worse! Every once in awhile, I’ll find an old game like Frogger and play it on the computer, or go to the arcade at the mini-golf place, and waste a bunch of quarters playing Pac-Man, but mostly I stick to thinks I can actually, you know, win. Like air hockey. I’m terrible at video games, but I like to watch others play and enjoy.
I expect to continue this series through the October publication of my book Attack! Boss! Cheat Code! A Gamer’s Alphabet. If there’s anyone in the gamer or kidlit camp that you’d love to see me feature in upcoming posts in this series, please drop me a line or tweet at me or just leave a message in the comments (if they’re working again).
By: Samantha McGinnis,
on 6/17/2014
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In the last week of our series of great summer reads, we’re bringing you our favorite titles for high schoolers to dive into as the days become ever warmer.
Be sure to check out our summer book lists from past weeks for great reads for kids of all ages!
Sign up to receive more great book lists, tip sheets and summer reading facts from First Book!
If you work with kids in need, you can find these titles on the First Book Marketplace by clicking on the pictures next to the publisher descriptions of each book.
“Mare’s War” by Tanita S. Davis
Meet Mare, a grandmother with flair and a fascinating past.
Octavia and Tali are dreading the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isn’t your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto shoes, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that she’s too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover there’s more to Mare than what you see. She was once a willful teenager who escaped her less-than-perfect life in the deep South and lied about her age to join the African American battalion of the Women’s Army Corps during World War II.
Told in alternating chapters, half of which follow Mare through her experiences as a WAC member and half of which follow Mare and her granddaughters on the road in the present day, this novel introduces a larger-than-life character who will stay with readers long after they finish reading.
“Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood” by By: Benjamin Alire Saenz
It is 1969, America is at war, “Hollywood” is a dirt-poor Chicano barrio in small-town America, and Sammy and Juliana face a world of racism, war in Vietnam, and barrio violence. Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood is a Young Adult Library Services Association Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award for Young Adults.
“Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie
Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author’s own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings that reflect the character’s art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he thought he was destined to live.
“Maze Runner” by James Dashner
The first book in the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series–The Maze Runner is a modern classic, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent.
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade–a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up–the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.
Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.
“Tall Story” by Candy Gourlay
Andi is short. And she has lots of wishes. She wishes she could play on the school basketball team, she wishes for her own bedroom, but most of all she wishes that her long-lost half-brother, Bernardo, could come and live in London where he belongs.
Then Andi’s biggest wish comes true and she’s minutes away from becoming someone’s little sister. As she waits anxiously for Bernardo to arrive from the Philippines, she hopes he’ll turn out to be tall and just as crazy as she is about basketball. When he finally arrives, he’s tall all right. Eight feet tall, in fact–plagued by condition called Gigantism and troubled by secrets that he believes led to his phenomenal growth.
In a novel packed with quirkiness and humor, Gourlay explores a touching sibling relationship and the clash of two very different cultures.
The post First Book’s Summer Book List: High School appeared first on First Book Blog.
Here's a great resource from Bitch magazine: 100 Young Adult Books for the Feminist Reader. It's a really good list and a wonderful starting point for anyone working with or reading Young Adult fiction.
(And, yay! My friend Tanita S. Davis's book is singled out in the rave section. Mare's War is discussed in the company of Harriet the Spy and The Golden Compass, right where it belongs. Go, Tanita!)
-----------------
And, regarding a classic novel that would not make the 100 Young Adult Books for the Feminist Reader list, check out my students' posts on The Catcher in the Rye. They've posted on:
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on 1/13/2011
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Oh sure, it may seem like everyone’s all smiles and happiness after the recent announcements of the ALA Media awards, but don’t be fooled. There’s definitely a deep discord of discontent out there. Funny thing is, it has nothing to do with the books and everything to do with the day after the awards. For the past eleven years the winners of the Newbery and the Caldecott Awards have gone on The Today Show to speak with the folks there for roughly 15 seconds. It’s not a big spot, but it’s the only time the nation gets to really hear about these books and it’s important. This year . . . well, you may have seen the headlines. Monica Edingers’ Did Snooki Bump Children’s Book Award Winners From the Today Show?
was my personal favorite. Since that post the details have been released. According to the SLJ article ‘Today Show’ Snubs 2011 Caldecott, Newbery Winners, The Today Show gave the excuse that they were all booked up for the week thanks to the aforementioned Snooki. Said their publicist, ” ‘The Internet rumors insinuating that we ‘bumped’ the Newbery and Caldecott winners for a segment with Snooki, that we ‘passed up’ the winners for Snooki, or that there was a ‘lack of interest’ in the winners, are totally false,” says Megan Kopf, publicist for the Today Show, in an email. ‘Snooki was booked on Today before the winners were even pitched to us’.” If by “pitched” they mean “were told” then that’s really no excuse since for the past eleven years none of this was a surprise to The Today Show.
I’ve seen folks on Twitter questioning why anyone’s upset since it’s not like other TV networks do anything for children’s literature. All true, but The Today Show really is one of the few networks to give books for kids some cred. Al’s Book Club for Kids may have its flaws, but Mr. Roker does an awesome job of showing new books and kids reading. One would think there’d be some spillover into other aspects of the show like, say, a mere 30 seconds dedicated to the most highly regarded award for children’s books and their writing and art. Instead, bupkiss.
- SCBWI had an excellent response of its own, printing the letter it sent to NBC as well as various news outlets. It even mentioned the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival, which was good timing. Seriously though, when all is said and done I think YA author and 90-Second Newbery creator James Kennedy put it best when he commented, “You are all going to be so embarrassed when next year’s Newbery goes to Snooki.”
- That was gossipy. Let’s scale it back a notch then. There were some delightful wrap-ups of the Newbery winners, but to my (perhaps biased but nonetheless accurate) mind none really can compare with those produced by my fellow bloggers/co-writers. First off, Peter at
12 Comments on Fusenews: Newbery Fallout, last added: 1/14/2011
Cornelius welcomes Benjamin Bear to the den. Thanks so much, Geri!!
She came, she saw, she conquered!!
And she wore bearfoot slippers, of course.
photo by David at wishiwerebaking.
Last week, we had the distinct pleasure of playing with hosting Tanita S. Davis (winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award for Mare's War), her husband David (world's best baker), and her lovely mom, Geraldine (champion hugger and all-around beautiful person) at our humble home in the woods.
You may remember my excitement and wee trepidation regarding the "Coming of the Vegans." To prepare for this momentous event, the alphabet soup kitchen helpers thoroughly brushed their fur, hosed down cleaned, polished, and prettified the house from top to bottom, stocked up on edible goodies, and chanted "lemons lemons lemons" from morning till night.
Yay! Company's coming for lunch! And we've been promised a lemon cake!
We decided on a "picnic theme" and recruited the resident ants:
We brought in a ringer Vegan Ant from out of town.
Ever defiant, Albert the Exercise Bear brought his own ham and cheese sandwich:
We kept the menu simple but symbolic: Homemade Veggie Soup (house recipe) meets Lunch Salad (guest recipe created by Chef David, who's rather tall for a hobbit).
As soon as those rascals breezed in, I knew all would be well. Squeals, screams, hugs, big smiles. Remember how I was hoping Tanita's mom would be a good hugger? I got my wish! Both Len and I felt an instant familiarity with her. As for David and Tanita, they are the kind of guests we appreciate most -- made themselves right at home, so helpful in the kitchen, we'd like them to live here permanently and cook all our meals. ☺
Do not be fooled by Tanita's angelic smile.
This entire fiasco actually began a couple of months ago, when Tanita left a comment asking if she could visit my bear slippers. Like Cinderella's after the ball, they just happened to fit perfectly -- I had found my Poetry Princess at last! So while she checked out the phone booth,
#20 in the Poetry Potluck Series, celebrating National Poetry Month 2010.
photo by Rolland Glass.
For Tanita S. Davis, love is spelled, "L-I-M-E."
The girl is wild about them, "in ANYTHING and everything." Now, prior to this Potluck, it would never have occurred to me that she might want to dive into that vase to get at those limes, one sassy slice at a time. But after reading her poem, I suspect her refrigerator is full of limes, her bed, lined with them, her dreams, haunted by them. Splash!
Thanks to Tanita, I've gained new respect for these little green fruit. Oh, how I've callously overlooked them in my naive tunnel-vision of lemon love! My knowledge of limes is limited to a few Mexican food rendezvous, a passing glance at a Margarita.
Tanita was wise to them from childhood, when she and her brother ate them "just out of the skin, because we're weird like that."
photo by verabee.
The ultimate proof of Tanita's lime love? She wrote a rondeau redoublé -- a difficult, rigorous, always challenging French poetic form (beautifully explained here by Kelly Fineman, and recently presented by the Poetry Princesses). There's line repetition, doubling back, coming full circle, a taunt and a tease -- like the best of love affairs.
Tanita: I am charmed by the redoublé form. It's only hard (to write) for the first hour or so. This poem could also be an ode to a particularly snarky person -- limes, people -- it's all the same, when it comes down to it. ;)
photo by libraryman.
AN ODE TO THE LIME
I am beguiled; I need more than a taste --
I'm piqued and palpitating from your wiles,
Your hint of sweet with caustic interlaced,
Brings winces -- but you also bring a smile.
You stand alone above the rank and file,
Your presence felt can never be erased,
You coyly tease the senses with your guile
I am beguiled; I need more than a taste!
And when against your harshness I am braced,
I find your sweetness wider by a mile.
You shine at every gathering you grace!
I'm piqued and palpitating from your wiles.
Your scent intoxicates, the bite worthwhile
To reeling senses sourness has traced.
Acidic, twist, it lingers for awhile,
Your hint of sweet. With caustic interlaced,
Your piquan
photo by Miss Cupcakery.
It's time to crown another Poetry Potluck Oh-So-Random-Door-Prize winner!
Tanita S. Davis, come on down!! (Or, in your case, swim on over!)
You've just won a brand new copy of Come to the Castle by Linda Ashman, illustrated by S.D. Schindler (Roaring Brook Press, 2009)! I hope you're in the mood for a bawdy Medieval feast! For a couple of sample poems from the book, see my Poetry Friday post here.
Congratulations, Tanita, and thanks for coming to the Potluck! Please send your mailing address to: readermail (at) jamakimrattigan (dot) com.
**Stay tuned for more random door prizes as we celebrate the final week (sob) of National Poetry Month. All commenters are eligible to win!
Have a great week, everyone!
We here at alphabet soup are jumpin' for joy at the wonderful news that MARE'S WAR, penned by the brilliant Tanita S. Davis, has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award!! Woo Hoo!! It's one of five books listed in the category of Outstanding Literary Work: Youth/Teens, along with these other titles:
Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice by Phillip Hoose (Macmillan)
Just Another Hero by Sharon Draper (Atheneum)
Michelle Obama: Meet the First Lady by David Bergen Brophy (Collins)
Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon (Aladdin).
We celebrated the release of MARE'S WAR (Knopf, 2009) back in June (red stilettos and all), and besides being a Junior Library Guild selection, it was also deemed a Best Young Adult Book for 2009 by Kirkus.
The NAACP nomination is huge, and we are thrilled to bits for Tanita. We offer our heartfelt congratulations!! ♥
*thunderous applause, skyrockets, 1000 chocolate cupcakes*
Click here to go to the NAACP Awards website to check out all the books nominated in the children's, teen and adult categories.
Jacket description:
"Sisters Octavia and Tali dread the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isn't your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto heels, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that she's too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover there's more to Mare than what you see. She was once a willful teenager who escaped her less-than-perfect life in the Deep South and lied about her age to join the 6888th African American battalion of the Women's Army Corps during World War II.
Told in alternating chapters, half of them following Mare through her experiences as a WAC and half following Mare and her granddaughters on the road in the present day, Mare's War introduces us to a larger-than-life character who will stay with readers long after they have finished reading."
I LOVED this book. Loved it. The characterization was absolutely amazing, leaving me completely entranced in Mare's story, while also totally believing in Octavia and Tali's personalities, the way they react to some of the stories their grandmother tells, and their overall attitudes. Tanita S. Davis managed to create this amazing menagerie of women in this book, all of which leave lasting impressions.
I really enjoyed the alternating chapters, between then and now, and feel that was probably the best way to tell Mare's story. At times it got intense, so the "Now" chapters gave the reader a break from the seriousness of WWII and allowed some present day teenage whining to take its place.
The amount of knowledge I had on African American women in WWII was basically zilch before starting this YA novel and now, I'm itching to learn more. Mare's War is not just a fictional story, it's an educational journey filled with sadness, poverty, war, death, and hope. We aren't taught about this part of history in school, which is a complete disappointment, but the truth. Davis gives us a history lesson within a fabulous drama.
Beautifully written, I would hand this to any teen girl, enjoying a good piece of historical fiction. I can see those fans of Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith, which I loved earlier this year, really liking Mare's War as well. I hope you'll check this out and then hand it to some teens...it's definitely worth your time.
Thoughts on the cover:
It needs a bit of work. Not the most exciting thing to look at, that's for sure, leaving me wondering if it would be a first pick off a library shelf. The colors are very muted and pastel, and though the artwork is interesting and nicely done, it's not very attention-grabbing.
I read this one for the Cybil Awards.
Mare's War
Tanita S. Davis
352 pages
Young Adult
Knopf
9780375857140
June 2009
Review copy received from publisher
To learn more or to purchase, click on the book cover to link to Amazon. I am an Affiliate and will receive a small commission for your purchase.
These are probably not your mother's stilettos.
But they could be your grandma's!
Just ask Tali and Octavia, whose grandmother not only wears red stilettos, but drives a red sportscar, dons flippy wigs and push-up bras, has very strong opinions, and tells them about her very surprising history.
Woo Hoo! The day I've been waiting for all year long has finally arrived: official pub day for Mare's War, a young adult novel written by the one and only Tanita S. Davis!!
*stilettos all over the world clicking together in celebration*
MARE'S WAR by Tanita S. Davis,
(Knopf, 2009), Young Adult Historical Fiction,
Ages 12+, 352 pp.
Tanita's first book, A La Carte (2008), was so thoroughly delicious that I can't wait to read Mare's War. Mare is the grandmother in question; Tali and Octavia's summer plans are ruined when their parents force them to accompany Mare on a l-o-n-g cross-country road trip.
So, they set out from California Interstate 5,
photo by Super G
(leaving places like the Windmill at Pea Soup Andersen's behind),
photo by busbozo
see all kinds of strange and wonderful things on the way, (like the world's largest rose bush in Tombstone, Arizona),
photo by jennylou72
until they finally get to Florida, where a certain Mouse, some gators, dinner at an Aladdin-themed restaurant, and skydiving are involved.
photo by knight_0323
But what's really eye-opening about this trip is what Tali and Octavia learn about Mare -- that when she was just 17, she ran away from her not-so-perfect life in rural Alabama, lied about her age, and joined the Women's Army Corps during World War II. She in fact became a member of the 6888th African American Battalion, serving in the U.S., Scotland, and France.
First contingent of African American women, 6888th Battalion, inspected in England (1945).
Through chapters that alternate between Mare's WWII experiences and the events of the road trip, readers will not only travel back in time for a rare glimpse of some of the first women (other than nurses) in the military, but will be privy to Octavia and Tali's new understanding and appreciation for everything Mare overcame and endured. I am especially interested in learning more about the discrimination someone like Mare may have faced, not only because she was black, but because she was a woman. It will be fascinating to see the strength, courage, determination and self-reliance she had to muster to serve her country.
Members of the 6888th march in parade honoring Joan D'Arc, France (1945).
Mare's War is a Junior Library Guild Selection, and has been receiving glowing reviews. Colleen Mondor at Bookslut said, "It's a cliché to say she brings history alive; the larger truth is that she makes it real. Set aside the textbooks and go driving with Mare and the girls; they'll give you a ride into young adulthood you won't soon forget."
Kirkus said, "the parallel travel narratives are masterfully managed, with postcards from Octavia and Tali to the folks back home in San Francisco signaling the shift between 'then' and 'now.' Absolutely essential reading."
Did you hear? Absolutely essential reading!! My mom also joined the Women's Army Corps as a teenager in Hawai'i, so for me this is super triple absolutely essential reading. I will have to get her a copy for her birthday next month.
So now, help me congratulate Tanita on another fabulous book. Step into the alphabet soup mess hall, grab a big spoon, and slurp a rousing reveille! We stand at attention and salute you, Tanita!!
Today's Special: Olive not-so-drab Soup (uniformly delicious)!
To go with your soup, enjoy this delicious bruschetta, made with some of the marvelous mozzarella Mare, Tali, and Octavia may have sampled in Roswell, New Mexico (largest producer of mozzarella in the U.S.).
photo by dinerjunkie
When you're done chewing and swallowing, head on over to your local indie or click through to your fave online bookseller to score your very own copy of Mare's War. There's nothing like a good road trip to make your summer complete!
Be sure to check out Tanita's official website and blog. She's got some interesting reference notes and links all related to the novel, including stuff about the WAC, road trip highlights, and interesting tidbits. She's also celebrating the launch of Mare's War with signed copies and bookplates for the first five people who see the book in a store and send her photos. Visit her blog for more details!
Read my 2008 Interview with Tanita here.
Cool online review at Reading Rants is here.
*Photos of 6888th African American Battalion from the National Archives. WAC uniform from DOD files and U.S. Army Center of Military History. Stilettos from Flannels Fashion photostream.
Dear Friends,
Our reader,
Kimberly Lynn, sent us this
very funny clip from a 1966 film called
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken , starring the late actor, Don Knotts. God rest his howlingly funny soul. I remember watching this as a kid, and man, do I recall this scene. Talk about empathy pains! In this clip, his character Luther, is giving a speech at a community event. As I watched this cringing and laughing, I thought what a great coaching piece this could be for all of us. I was feeling his pain in particular, having just done a writing workshop two weekends ago where at last minute I was forced to change classrooms. I lost the ability to use the computer and projector. You mean, I'd have to just talk? Without my electronic props? Say it isn't so! Take a look at the clip, and then come on back--
There are so many things that go wrong here that contributed to his melt-down. Right out the gate, he has technical problems with a screeching microphone. His hands are shaking. His voice follows suit. He loses his notes. He has people sitting close and behind him on stage, which can be unsettling to our kind. A woman he has a big crush on is sitting in the audience. His opening joke goes over like a fart in church. And, he is getting heckled. What else? Well, his bowtie looks way too tight. That can't be good. Finally, he is giving what seems to be a brain-numbing speech at a festive outdoor event, when people are probably stuffed with hot dogs and pie. Anything I missed?
So, imagine that you have been given the opportunity to freeze frame this public speaking debacle, jump in and give poor old Luther some in vivo coaching. What would you say to him? How could you help him survive his public address?
Keeping with the ghost theme here, I've got a copy of the latest Newberry winner,
Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, to the person that comes up with some of the very best coaching tips for him.
I also want to point out that Robin has just posted the covers for three YA novels written by our accomplished readers in the sidebar on your right. This is part of our newish showcase of our tribe. Congrats to
Tanita Davis,
Cynthia Leitich Smith and
Susan Schmid. May your books live long, and reach far and wide!
Best of luck to you and... peeps, help save Luther!
Mary Hershey
A giant kettle full of congratulations to Tanita S. Davis, on the release today of her first YA novel, A La Carte (Knopf, 2008)!!
You may remember how excited I was about this book back in April, when Tanita stopped by to share her recipe for tea cakes. Well, the day has finally arrived, and now I'm anxiously waiting for my copy to appear in my mailbox.
A LA CARTE by Tanita S. Davis
(Knopf, 2008), ages 12 and up, 288 pp.
To refresh your memory, A La Carte is about 17-year-old Lainey, who dreams about becoming the first African American chef to have her own TV cooking show. Things start to unravel when her best friend (and secret crush) suddenly leaves town. Will Lainey find the solace she needs in her cooking? How will she come to terms with her past, and what plans will she make for the future?
A La Carte also includes recipes from Lainey's notebook. Since Tanita herself is a fabulous cook (and she's married to the world's best baker), I imagine these dishes are yum yum yummy!
So gather round the bowl today, and slurp it up in honor of Tanita S. Davis. There's nothing like the flavor of a first published book!
You can find Tanita (blogging as TadMack) at Finding Wonderland: The Writing YA Weblog, Reader's Rants, and Wish I Were Baking.
There's also a nice review of A La Carte by Little Willow, ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
slayground, here.
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Next among the children’s/YA authors that I’m featuring in the Games & Books & Q&A series is Tanita S. Davis. Tanita is the Coretta Scott King Honor author of Mare’s War. Her other YA novels (all published by Knopf) include Happy Families, which was included on the ALA’s 2013 Rainbow Project List, and A la Carte. Her fourth YA novel, Peas & Carrots, is scheduled to be published in 2016. Tanita blogs at fiction, instead of lies.
TSD: My cousins had Frogger — in which I was frequently flattened – Donkey Kong, and Pac-Man, of course. There was also Spy Hunter, and some race car driver game (Grand Prix, I think), where I flipped my car over and over and over again… (apparently I can shoot, but cannot drive)..jpeg?picon=2679)
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HAHAH! I just heard about this! I love that it's BITCH magazine. I can see telling my mother about this: Mom, guess WHAT!? Um...!"
True, Tanita. But "Bitch" is major, so tell her it's a big deal. Call it "Batch," or something :)
Right on. I've always been very impressed with Lyra as a feminist protagonist. I'm surprised that is the only "editor's picks" I've read-- though a number of my favorites appear on the long list, of course.
Totally and completely fantastic!!!! Congratulations to Tanita!