1. Someone that only other 50 year olds find funny. You know the guy I’m talking about. He’s fifty and makes fart jokes at every possible moment and thinks he’s better than the rest. He probably has a blog that’s filled with jokes but will also show you his “soft” side with a poem. It’s okay to be him when you’re 11, but after puberty, stay away.

2. The guy in the Viagra commercial. The one with the gray tinged hair but looks like he used to play football. You can smell his cologne through the TV and his wife is always five years younger. We don’t care that you’re impotent, man. He also raises his eyebrows in that “Let’s get it on” sorta way that they can still show on tv but that everyone knows means “I want you here and now”. 

3. The 40 year old man that chaperones his kids field trips without his wife. Or maybe not even his kids trips, just chaperones. Regardless, you don’t want to be him. Chaperones are great, but bring the spouse or else it’s awkward for everyone when you try to fit in with the kids. He also has cologne resonating around him. He’s the kind of guy who makes eye contact for too long and will hold onto your hand when you shake his.

4. The Gym Teacher who wears short-shorts and spreads his legs wide when he sits. The guy (or gal) that rushes to your aid if you need help on the parallel bars and has the desk pointing at the window into the dressing room. Needless to say, don’t be this guy.

5. Televangelist. Not sure what more I have to say. They’re loud, obnoxious, and way too persuasive.

6. The mom that makes her kids friends do manual labor in exchange for eating their food/hanging out, etc. No one goes over anymore because there’s a string attached. “Oh, you had a piece of cake? Take out the garbage” or “I drove you to the game, and you won’t even help me most furniture?”

7. An actor on a soap opera, daytime kids show such as the Wiggles, or Fox News anchor. All three take bad acting and are scary for most adults to believe that people follow it.

8.The tough guy. The one who challenges 15 year old “punks” to fights outside of 7/11 because they looked at him wrong. The guy that will bloody your lip because you “looked at his girl wrong”. Seems like he’s a spilled beverage away from total ‘roid rage. 

9. The guy that gets kicked out of a little league game and then waits by the umps car to “discuss” what happened. He’s the kind of guy that you don’t want to sit next to because he screams at his kid for dropping a pass, but screams at yours when he misses a block for his kid. He’ll kill you. Seriously. Don’t be him.

10. A Republican.

1. Someone that only other 50 year olds find funny. You know the guy I’m talking about. He’s fifty and makes fart jokes at every possible moment and thinks he’s better than the rest. He probably has a blog that’s filled with jokes but will also show you his “soft” side with a poem. It’s okay to be him when you’re 11, but after puberty, stay away.

2. The guy in the Viagra commercial. The one with the gray tinged hair but looks like he used to play football. You can smell his cologne through the TV and his wife is always five years younger. We don’t care that you’re impotent, man. He also raises his eyebrows in that “Let’s get it on” sorta way that they can still show on tv but that everyone knows means “I want you here and now”. 

3. The 40 year old man that chaperones his kids field trips without his wife. Or maybe not even his kids trips, just chaperones. Regardless, you don’t want to be him. Chaperones are great, but bring the spouse or else it’s awkward for everyone when you try to fit in with the kids. He also has cologne resonating around him. He’s the kind of guy who makes eye contact for too long and will hold onto your hand when you shake his.

4. The Gym Teacher who wears short-shorts and spreads his legs wide when he sits. The guy (or gal) that rushes to your aid if you need help on the parallel bars and has the desk pointing at the window into the dressing room. Needless to say, don’t be this guy.

5. Televangelist. Not sure what more I have to say. They’re loud, obnoxious, and way too persuasive.

6. The mom that makes her kids friends do manual labor in exchange for eating their food/hanging out, etc. No one goes over anymore because there’s a string attached. “Oh, you had a piece of cake? Take out the garbage” or “I drove you to the game, and you won’t even help me most furniture?”

7. An actor on a soap opera, daytime kids show such as the Wiggles, or Fox News anchor. All three take bad acting and are scary for most adults to believe that people follow it.

8.The tough guy. The one who challenges 15 year old “punks” to fights outside of 7/11 because they looked at him wrong. The guy that will bloody your lip because you “looked at his girl wrong”. Seems like he’s a spilled beverage away from total ‘roid rage. 

9. The guy that gets kicked out of a little league game and then waits by the umps car to “discuss” what happened. He’s the kind of guy that you don’t want to sit next to because he screams at his kid for dropping a pass, but screams at yours when he misses a block for his kid. He’ll kill you. Seriously. Don’t be him.

10. A Republican.

1. Getting grant money to play.
2. It has its quarks.
3. You can finally find something colder than your ex.
4. It makes you look intelligent.
5. The more you learn, the less you know, and the more you know, the less you learn. Thanks Heisenberg.
6. Rocks are too dirty.
7. If you’re lucky you can glow in the dark after your experiments.
8. You used to smash cars as a child. Now you smash atoms.
9. “But officer, if I drive really fast I won’t age as quickly.”
10. Schrödinger’s Cat was never meant ot be dissected.

1. Getting grant money to play.
2. It has its quarks.
3. You can finally find something colder than your ex.
4. It makes you look intelligent.
5. The more you learn, the less you know, and the more you know, the less you learn. Thanks Heisenberg.
6. Rocks are too dirty.
7. If you’re lucky you can glow in the dark after your experiments.
8. You used to smash cars as a child. Now you smash atoms.
9. “But officer, if I drive really fast I won’t age as quickly.”
10. Schrödinger’s Cat was never meant ot be dissected.

Colorin Colorado

Below is an article taken from Colrín Colorado, a bilingual (Spanish and English) website for families and educators of English Language Learners.  It offers five tips for helping your child continue to learn over the summer break.  Scroll down for the English version.  Enjoy!

 

Cinco consejos gratuitos y sencillos para el aprendizaje de verano

Por: Brenda McLaughlin y Jane Voorhees Sharp (2008)

Existen estudios bien documentados sobre cuánto de lo ya aprendido pierden los niños durante el verano. Harris Cooper de la Universidad Duke observa que “en general, durante el verano los niños experimentan una pérdida promedio de lo aprendido en lectura y matemáticas que equivale a un mes de aprendizaje” (1996).

La cuestión es que los niños no tienen por qué perder nada de lo aprendido durante el verano. En realidad, usted puede alentar a su hijo a disfrutar del verano y a aprender siguiendo estos cinco consejos gratuitos y sencillos. ¡Pruébelos!

1. Leer todos los días

Estudios de investigación

A nivel de la escuela media, leer cuatro o cinco libros durante el verano influye de manera positiva en el nivel de lectura que puede alcanzar el niño en otoño, comparable con la asistencia a la escuela de verano. (Kim, 2004)

Sugerencias

Lleve a sus hijos a la biblioteca con frecuencia y permítales que escojan sus propios libros. Escuchen libros en audio. Suscríbanse a una revista. Túrnense para leerle el uno al otro. Permítales a los niños quedarse despiertos hasta media hora más si es para leer.

2. Usar las matemáticas todos los días

Estudios de investigación
 

El área donde se registra la mayor pérdida que sufren los niños durante el verano es en el área de los cómputos matemáticos, a un nivel de 2.6 meses promedio de aprendizaje. (Cooper, 1996)

Sugerencias

Practiquen las tablas de multiplicar aumentando 7 veces (o hasta 8 ó 9) el valor de cada punto en un juego de baloncesto. Pídales a los niños que pidan cambio en la ventanilla de autoservicio. Enséñeles a los niños cómo ingresar en www.coolmath.com en inglés) para jugar juegos de matemáticas. Invente problemas de matemáticas cuando viajan en automóvil o durante la cena.

3. Salir a jugar

Estudios de investigación

Los programas de actividad física intensa tienen efectos positivos en los logros académicos, además de mayor concentración, mejores calificaciones en pruebas de matemáticas, lectura y escritura, y menos casos de mal comportamiento. (Journal of School Health, 1997)

Sugerencias

Busque opciones para que su hijo haga actividad durante 60 minutos por día. Sugiérale pasear el paseo del vecino, ir a nadar, jugar al badminton o al fútbol, salir a caminar o andar en bicicleta en familia. Busque formas seguras y divertidas de salir a jugar durante todo el año. Visite los sitios de Internet Los niños en su casa, PBS Padres, y los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades para consultar más ideas y información en español.

4. Escribir todas las semanas

Estudios de investigación

La mayoría de los estudiantes de primer año que ingresan en instituciones postsecundarias para cursar un título de grado deben tomar clases de refuerzo de escritura más que clases de lectura. (NCES 2003)

Sugerencias

Pídale a su hijo que les escriba una carta por semana a sus abuelos, parientes o amigos. Anímelo para que escriba un diario de verano. Pídale que escriba la lista de las compras para la familia. Organice un proyecto del amigo invisible por carta para adultos y niños en su iglesia o comunidad.

5. Hacer una buena acción

Estudios de investigación

Los estudiantes aprenden más y “actúan” menos cuando participan en actividades que ayudan a su desarrollo socioemocional, como el servicio comunitario. (The Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning, 2004)

Sugerencias

Incentive a su hijo para que ayude a sus vecinos o amigos. Puede ofrecerse como voluntario de un grupo local o participar de un proyecto educativo de servicio. Sugiérale que reserve parte de su asignación para donarla. Miren juntos el sitio de Internet Big Help de Nickelodeon (en inglés) y el sitio de Parent Link Rhode Island (en español) para tener más ideas.

 

Five Free and Easy Tips for Summer Learning: Research Pointers and What You Can Do

By: Brenda McLaughlin and Jane Voorhees Sharp (2005)

Research about how much children lose ground over the summer is well documented. Harris Cooper of Duke University notes, “Overall, children experience an average summer learning loss across reading and mathematics of about one month” (1996).

The thing is, though, kids don’t have to lose over the summer. In fact, you can encourage your child to have a summer of fun and learning with these five free and easy things to do. Try them out!

1. Read Every Day

The Research

At the middle school level, reading four to five books over the summer has a positive impact on fall reading achievement comparable to attending summer school (Kim, 2004).

Suggestions

Take your kids to the library often and let them choose which books to check out. Listen to books on tape. Subscribe them to a magazine. Take turns reading to each other. Allow your kids to stay up a half hour later at night as long as they’re reading.

2. Use Math Every Day

The Research

The largest summer learning losses for all children occur in mathematical computation, an average of 2.6 months (Cooper, 1996).

Suggestions

Practice the multiplication tables by making each point in a basketball game worth 7 points (or 8 or 9). Ask your kids to make change at the drive-thru. Show your child how to go to Cool Math to play math games. Make up math word problems in the car and at the dinner table.

3. Get Outside and Play

The Research

Intense physical activity programs have positive effects on academic achievement, including increased concentration; improved mathematics, reading, and writing test scores; and reduced disruptive behavior (Journal of School Health 1997).

Suggestions

Find ways to ensure your child is active for 60 minutes each day. Have him or her walk the neighbor’s dog, go swimming, play badminton or soccer, take walks, or go for family bike rides. Look for safe, fun ways to play outside together year-round. Go to Family Corner Magazine and PBS Parents for more ideas.

4. Write Every Week

The Research

More freshmen entering degree-granting postsecondary institutions take remedial writing courses than take remedial reading courses (NCES 2003).

Suggestions

Ask your child to write a weekly letter to his or her grandparents, relatives, or friends. Encourage him to keep a summer journal. Have her write the family’s grocery list. Organize a secret pal writing project for adults and kids at your church or in your community.

5. Do a Good Deed

The Research

Students learn better and “act out” less when they engage in activities to aid in their social-emotional development, such as community service (The Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning, 2004).

Suggestions

Encourage your child to help out neighbors or friends. He or she can volunteer with a local group or complete a service learning project. Suggest that your child set aside part of his allowance for charity. Look at Nickelodeon’s Big Help web site together for more ideas.

Adapted from a presentation by Brenda McLaughlin, Director of Research and Policy, Center for Summer Learning, Johns Hopkins University and Jane Voorhees Sharp, Office of Early Care and Education, New Jersey Department of Human Services.

Chris Smith is a music journalist and professor of cultural criticism at the University of British Columbia.  In his most recent book, 101 Albums That Changed Popular Music, he presents his opinion of the albums that changed music - we know you may disagree and Smith addresses this issue below.  Be sure to check back tomorrow for a look at this book through music videos.

What is this human obsession with lists? What is the source of our compulsion to compare, to rank, to lord one work of art just inches over another when their differences can barely be defined? Is it genetic? Is it cultural? If vervet moneys had opposable digits and the intelligence to use them, would they strap on giant foam rubber “We’re #1” fingers and taunt the other species at the watering hole?

These were the questions I asked in December, 2007, when I embarked on a two-year project naming the 100 Greatest Albums of all time in a weekly column for the Vancouver Sun. I had been involved in the Rolling Stone list machine as a music critic in the late 1990s, and in 2006 published my fourth book, 100 Albums That Changed Popular Music.

The answer to my soul-searching inquiry was an unexpectedly satisfying copout: “Who cares?” It’s fun to make lists, and as philosophers from Aristotle to Saussure have noted, we understand things by virtue of their contrasting relationships to their peers. So if the Hendrix’s groundbreaking Are You Experienced was forbidden access to the top of the charts by the Beatles’ Sgt Peppers, then the takeaway detail isn’t that it was Number 2, but that it wasn’t Number 1.

But my book eschewed such hierarchal contrast, instead detailing these albums in chronological order to show how each album influenced (and was influenced by) its peers (hence the book’s emphasis on the most “important” albums rather that the “greatest.”) The Sun editors, however, insisted on a “countdown” list, so the readers could follow along for two years, each week coming one step closer to “the world’s greatest album.” The problem is, I don’t believe such a thing exists—while enough objective data can be gathered to loosely construct a list of the “most influential” albums, the notion of “greatest” albums infuses the equation with subjective criteria based on individual aesthetics, thus changing the nature of the criteria from person to person. (The same is true of all such ranking systems, whether they rate your favorite albums, movies, politicians, or family members).

The solution was simple: surrender to subjectivity. We titled the column “100 Albums You Have to Own,” and told our readers: “Agreeing or disagreeing with our picks is beside the point—write us a letter, rant to your friends, or sit down and make your own list. Great works of art invite such engagement, and we hope these will catch your ear. We only ask you to listen.”

Ultimately, I believe, such lists do serve a vital purpose as a stepping off point for critical engagement with a work of art—provided the author is honest about his intentions and criteria. My second favorite part of the entire process is discussing my selections with readers who object to my choices. My favorite part, of course, is ranking their objections.

1. The husband-man calls me "The Human Compass" and, believe me, it's not a compliment. Even the Bubs is always saying I need a GPS.
2. I never used a coupon in my life (except at Roberts Crafts) until last week. Now I'm a coupon FREAK. I mean, who wouldn't get excited about 7 cent cereal? Or free milk and eggs?
3. I am a trichotillomaniac. Yes, truly. I pull my eyelashes out without realizing it. I try to cover it up with mascara and long bangs, but sometimes I have noticeable bald patches. I've been trying to stop for 15 years.
4. A little girl just asked if I'm having another baby. Nope. My belly just doesn't want to leave yet.
5. If my bed is made, it is more likely that Bubs made it than me.
6. I learned to drive in a Suburban. One morning, I hit BOTH the side of the house AND my dad's truck...Now I have my own burb. So far, so good.
7. I recently itched my cheek and discovered baby poop there.
8. My mom says I have stinky feet...and it just so happens that the husband-man can't smell (AT ALL. He never has.) That's just one of the many ways we're perfect for each other.
9. YA fantasy is my favorite genre to read. I love it, but somehow I feel really silly saying that at book club.
10. I'm scared of X-files. When the husband-man used to watch it, I'd go to bed early. BUT I could still hear it and felt afraid. Ya gotta love studio apartments.

Confession 10 1/2: I totally stole this confession idea from my friend's blog. (Hi Jodi!)

So that's me.

How about you? Want to confess your G-rated issues?

Over at one of my absolute favorite blogs (for both it's hugely informative content regarding all things children's books and it's wonderfully sarcastic author), A Fuse #8 Production, we've been asked to compile our top ten list of all-time favorite picture books, with #1 being our absolute favorite. Though given the "assignment" almost a month ago, this was no easy project to take on, as I love so many different titles and let's face it...I may be young compared to a lot of librarians in this world, but for almost 26 years I've been seeing picture books on a daily basis, making the list to choose from huge!

With only a few days left until the March 31 deadline, I've finally come up with my top ten favorites. Yes, I had to leave some out that I love very much, but these were what I most remember from both my childhood and my current librarian lifestyle...books that I am always recommending and will never stop enjoying. I've included a little blurb about why I truly love that particular book.

I did learn something about myself as I was completeing this list. I am obsessed with books about FOOD!!! I read my husband my list when I was done and he says "I haven't heard of half of those, but I can tell you that you think about food just a bit too much." Red-faced me agreed. Hehe.

Oh how hard this was....

10. Curious George by H.A. Rey
-This one narrowly made it. When I think of Curious George, my favorite books were the titles that came later. Curious George Goes to the Hospital for example. However, I really didn't want to choose between those, so I think it is entirely appropriate to include the book that started it all! These Curious George books spent a lot of time in my household when I was younger and they already have a place on the bookshelf for when my own little one comes along.




9. Little Pea by Amy Krause Rosenthal
-I was ALWAYS recommending this one to parents at the library. When it first came in, I read it to screen for patrons and immediately knew I would be buying a copy for myself. I've since bought probably 10 for various kids and baby showers...it's a newer book, but destined to be a classic.





8. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
-I can probably quote this book word for word by now, having read it so many times to children I've babysat and then during storytimes. No matter how many times children (or adults) have heard this one, it is still adorable and still completely giggle-inducing.






7. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
- I knew I had to have a Mo Willems book on this list, but how to choose? I love every single one, so I went with my first experience with the Pigeon titles and that's the bus book. These books never stay on our shelves for very long and I already have multiple copies of each at home, so I can easily lend them out, but never be without them. My husband LOVES these books and when a new one comes out he always has to read it out loud to me first. And if the hubby loves it, we've definitely got a winner on our hands.




6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
-A favorite years and years ago and still a favorite today. I love sharing with kids how the caterpillar eats and eats and finally turns into a beautiful butterfly. Carle's illustrations are always amazing and the education level in this title is definitely top-notch. Love it!




5. Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell and Lillian Hoban
-My mom used to get so mad at me, because we had shelves and shelves filled with books and this is always the one I handed her (until we acquired my #1 title of course). I wasn't a picky eater, maybe that's why I loved reading about one! All the Frances titles were popular in my house, but this was definitely my favorite.






4. Corduroy by Don Freeman
-How could I leave Corduroy off this list? I love the story of the little bear in the department store and it's been reissued so many times other people obviously love it too. I think it's time this bear has his own movie....don't you?







3. The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord
-Until about 6 months ago, I had forgotten about this book. I was browsing shelves, looking for some books to take back to the hospital with me to read to Jacob and just about peed my pants when I saw this one. I LOVED it when I was little and just hadn't seen a copy in years. An absolute classic that will never be forgotten by me again!




2. King Bidgood's in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood
-The hubby thinks I'm weird for loving this one as much as I do, but I can't help it. Another that I just thought was fantastic when I was younger and I'm always recommending it now. Not too many people have heard of it anymore, but with the funny story and fabulous illustrations, I'm always happy with recommending it. It's a Caldecott Honor book too, so maybe my posting about it will help some of you that haven't heard about it or just forgotten, run back out to your library and check it out for your kids.

And number one you ask?? My all-time favorite book in the picture book realm???



1. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
-I cannot tell you how incredibly excited I was to hear a movie is being made out of this book. I have read it so many times I have it memorized and am always so disappointed to learn that a library doesn't have it on its shelves. How can you not love a story about food taking over a city?! I am always recommending this and buying it for people and so many have never even heard of it. I'm a fan, a big one.


SO many titles were close to making this list for me. I almost included The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash by Steven Kellogg, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and A Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel. I felt bad about not including The Pokey Little Puppy and Where the Wild Things Are and I definitely feel like Madeline, Babar, and sooooo many others deserve places in the top 100. Just not my top ten.

This was fun, thanks Fuse!! Leave a comment with your own Top Ten list if you made one! And go HERE to learn how to do it!

To learn more about any of these titles, or to purchase, click on the book covers above to link to Amazon.

As promised, here are top ten nine suggestions for fun activities that families can enjoy during a Montreal summer. Recommended by John Symon and Annika Melanson, this diverse group of activities is sure to captivate families and promises to provide an enthralling summer experience!

TOP TEN NINE FAMILY ACTIVITIES FOR SUMMER IN MONTREAL

1. The annual Just for Laughs festival (July 10 to 20) will be hosting children’s activities at the Just for Kids space, located next to the UQAM church bell tower on St. Denis St. (between St. Catherine St. E. and de Maisonneuve Blvd.). Non-stop entertainment will be available for children, including puppet shows, clown workshops and treasure hunts. These activities will be offered from Monday to Friday, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and weekends from 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. For more information, call 514.845.2322 or visit the Just for Laughs web-site.
   
   
2. La Fête des enfants (August 15-17) celebrates its 10th annual edition in 2008. This event is designed for the 12 years and under crowd. The venue will be Parc Jean Drapeau and many of the activities will take place at the Biodome, the Stewart Museum and at the Aquatic Complex of Ile Ste Helene. Fireworks, workshops, performers, inflatable toys, miniature trains, and emergency vehicles will all be there. Also to celebrate the event, there will be free admission to the Botanical Gardens, Biodôme and Insectarium on Saturday August 16 and Sunday August 17. The site is easily accessible by public transit (Jean Drapeau metro) and by bicycle from Montreal. For more information, call 514 872-0060 or email [email protected].
   
   
3. Going down the Lachine Rapids has long been described as “the best tourist attraction around Montreal.” Not only do participants get a thrilling ride through the waves (plan to get wet, even under raincoats) but they also get a brand new perspective on the city including unusual and breathtaking skylines. Two companies presently offer such trips, these being Sauté moutons, which leaves in jet boats from the Clock Tower Pier in Montreal’s Old Port, and Descentes sur le Saint-Laurent which primarily uses rafts to go down the rapids from its put in on LaSalle. Blvd. Reservations are required for both.
   
   
4. Tree top obstacle courses are becoming increasingly popular around Montreal. Minimum ages vary, but participants must usually be able to lift their arms up at least six feet (1.8 metres). Youths under 16 years must generally be accompanied by an adult. A certain degree of coordination and athletic ability are required for these tree-top obstacle courses. My 10 and 12 year-old had a blast doing the Drummondville course in 2007. The various companies involved include: Acrobranche; Arbre en Arbre; Arbraska; and Arbre Aventure. Reservations are required and these sites are difficult to access without a car.
   
   
5. The two big zoos near Montreal, Granby Zoo and Parc Safari both offer good summer fun. Here you can view exotic animals, including many from Africa. Granby is a more rational style zoo whereas Parc Safari lets you drive your car through the animals’ habitat where my kids enjoy feeding the animals. Parc Safari sometimes even offers the chance to ride the elephants. Afterwards, you can jump in the aquatic park at either site. The water parks are typically shut down in the event of thunderstorms, however. Car access is essential for both sites.
   
   
6. The Biodome is a good rainy day destination. This large indoor zoo features bioclimatic zones from the Amazon rainforest, the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the world’s Polar Regions. Nearby are the Botanical Gardens, which incorporates the Insectarium—a bug museum almost unique in the world. While the Botanical Garden is popular with all ages, some programming is also offered for younger children (generally in French only). The stadium used for the 1976 Olympics is also adjacent. Access is by car (pay parking), by public transit (Viau metro) or by bike.
   
   
7. The Quays of the Old Port remain one of the most popular tourist destinations for all ages in the Montreal area. (Montreal Science Centre, Pointe a Calliere Museum, quadricycle rental, Shed 16 Labyrinth, step aboard a three-masted barque from the last 19th century, look at the ships, or just go for an ice cream... This site is best accessed by public transit (Champs de Mars metro) or by bicycle.
   
   
8. Mount Royal Park covers the mountain that gave Montreal its name. This popular park has long been a favourite destination of Montrealers and today features a large playground, woodland trails, paddle boating, nature watching and views of the downtown. Bring a picnic or eat in the restaurants there. Access is by car (pay parking) or by public transit (bus 11 from Mont Royal metro) or by bike.
   
   
9. Jean Drapeau Park is situated on two islands in the St. Lawrence River. Here you can find la Ronde (a major amusement park with roller coasters), a swimming beach on Ile Notre Dame, the Stewart Museum (a 19th century fort built to protect Montreal from an American invasion), the Biodome (a museum dedicated to water and housed in the former American pavilion from Expo ‘67), beautiful gardens, swimming pools, playgrounds, boat rentals and more. Despite its close proximity to downtown, parts of the park remain remarkably quiet, making this a great spot for a picnic. The park is easily accessible by public transit (Jean Drapeau metro) and by bicycle from Montreal.
   
   
10. La Petite Ferme at Angrignon Park (514-280-3744) is a perennial favourite for families with young children. Kids will be thrilled to get up close to chickens, cows, donkeys, ducks and sheep. The farm also has emus, llamas, peacocks, pheasants, and pigeons. There are coin-operated machines let you feed the goats and sheep. Animators are on hand to present different farm themes, mainly in French, to young children every week. This destination also features a great playground. The site is located within easy walking distance of the Angrignon metro station, pay parking is also available. A bike path along the aqueduct is nearby. Unfortunately, Le Petite Ferme is "fermé " (closed!) until 2010. But there's enough delicious attractions in this list to keep families busy for the summer!
    

Over at ALA and YALSA the lists have gone up. Best Books for Young Adults, Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, Great Graphic Novels for Teens and the Children's Notable Books have been announced and, unsurprisingly, a number of CYBILS nominees are on the lists. Some of them are even on multiple lists, reflecting their category-bending status.

--Kelly Fineman, Poetry organizer

Best Books for Young Adults (top ten picks have an asterisk):

*The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
*The Arrival by Shaun Tan
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Red Glass by Laura Resau
Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
*Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sís
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
*Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill

Children's Notable Books

The Arrival by Shaun Tan
The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington, illustrated by Shelley Jackson
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Robert Byrd
Here's a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry ed. by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems
Lightship by Brian Floca
Marie Curie: Giants of Science #4 by Kathleen Krull
One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II by Lita Judge
Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakat
Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam and the Science of Ocean Motion by Lorree Griffin Burns
Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Steven Jenkins
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sís
Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Who Was First?: Discovering the Americas by Russell Freedman

Great Graphic Novels for Teens (top ten picks have an asterisk)

*The Arrival by Shaun Tan
*Laika by Nick Abadzis
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes by Cecil Castellucci, illustrated by Jim Rugg
Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
*The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sís
Yotsuba&! by Kiyohiko Azuma

Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers

The Periodic Table: Elements with Style! by Adrian Dingle, illustrated by Simon Basher

During Teen Read Week, Oct. 14-21, teens all across the country will be voting for their favorite books for the Teens Top Ten. Teens’ Top 10 is the only book award list that is recommended and awarded solely by teens. And Shock Point is one of just 25. I’m up against a lot of writers with great books and greater name recognition: Susan Beth Pfeffer, Kevin Brooks, Sarah Dessen, Gail Giles, Blake Nelson. Even being nominated is just too cool for words.

Here’s a list of all the books. I would have linked to the ALA site, but it’s a PDF.

Then during the week you can go to www.ala.org/teenstopten and vote.






Subscribe with
JacketFlap's
Children's
Publishing
Blog Reader
">here.</a>

10. You may be tempted to read while stopped at red lights.

9. You might think driving on straight roads and reading is okay.

8. You may have to reschedule an appointment with a doctor (that you made an hour before) because you'll completely lose track of time.

7. When you decide not to read while driving (after nearly crashing), you will likely stop at a red light for a long period of time, despite the fact that you are turning right-on-red, simply because you are thinking about fictional gorgeous-people.

6. You might sneak into an exclusive book signing by author of obsessively-read book just to ask a question. You may get kicked out of said signing, and then sneak back in, only to be dragged out by author's body guard.

5. You probably won't blog for nearly a week, despite the fact that you haven't gone that long in quite a while, just because the book is too hard to put down. You may try to read blogs of friends WHILE reading your book.

4. You may start calling strangers to tell them about this book you are so obsessed with.

3. When someone asks for book recommendations that are deep and inspirational and informative, you might recommend this book despite the fact that it is anything but deep or inspirational or informative or unridiculous.

2. You may visit the author's website obsessively. That is, after reading all the books that the author has published.

1. Your husband, after accusing you of having an affair with your book, will beg you to remember to feed your children.


Disclaimer: Although some of these may have happened to me personally while reading the following book, others may be representative of things happening to others I know. However, all statements above are partially true occurrences occurring to myself or others while reading the following book.

You're really curious aren't you? All right. Without further ado, this is the book that has caused all the hoopla in my life. And, sigh, I just started the sequel.





TWILIGHT by Stephenie Meyer

Oh, and just as soon as I finish book two, New Moon, I'll be back to give detailed notes about BYU's Midwinter Books for Young Readers, which included AMAZING speakers: Stephenie Meyer, Joan Bauer, and the one-and-only, Rosemary Wells. See previous entry for links to these authors. I have to get back to my vampire-love-story.