The family that reads together

A New Holiday Favorite:A Reminder About the True Spirit of Christmas

2008-12-22T07:30:00.004-05:00

My dear friend Erin took a break from her busy teaching -- and holiday shopping! -- schedule to share one of her favorite holiday reads. It might just be the perfect, last-minute Christmas gift you're looking for:

Here's Erin:

Today I share just a bit about a book I'm in love with: Little Robin's Christmas, Little Tiger Press (Waukesha, WI), 1998, published in England as Little Robin Red Vest, Egmont Books (London, England), 1998.

There are so many fabulous Christmas tales available that I often wonder how one even begins to choose. I am forced, almost daily for two weeks, to make difficult choices about which holiday stories to share with my 3rd graders. Should I choose a classic like Twas the Night Before Christmas or pick a book featuring a favorite popular character like Frosty or Rudolph? I am always drawn to books with illustrations of cute woodland creatures so it is not surprising that one book is always on my "must read" list each holiday season: Little Robin's Christmas, written and illustrated by Jan Fearnley. Truth to tell, the British title is catchier: Little Robin Red Vest and I wonder why the American publisher chose to change it. But alas, it is a tale of incomparable Christmas spirit, so I should just accept "Little Robin's Christmas" as fitting.

The story starts with Little Robin in his house, washing and ironing seven vests to get him through the chilly days of the week before Christmas. Don't you love a man doing the laundry??? Yes, Little Robin is a boy and one with a very giving heart. Each day he ventures out in the cold with one of his snuggly vests on and happens across a friend who is invariably freezing. Without hesitation, Little Robin gives his vest to the creature in need that day: Frog, Otter, Rabbit (he's so big that the teeny vest is worn as a hat!), Mole, Mouse, Hedgehog, and Squirrel. When he's given his last vest away -- the warm orange one -- he finds himself huddled on a roof, far from his nest, too tired and cold to get himself home. Santa comes to his rescue and flies him to the North Pole in his sleigh to show Mrs. Claus this generous little fellow full of the Christmas spirit. Mrs. Claus decides he deserves a very special gift so, with Little Robin all snug and cozy in her lap, she pulls a thread from Santa's red coat and knits a magical vest. The vest will always keep Little Robin warm and when anyone sees him in it, they too will be warm. In the end, Little Robin perches on a tree branch and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas.

I must warn that my dear friend and fellow educator Elizabeth was not as moved by the story. She conceded that it was cute, but didn't get why I was ga-ga over it. I just can't explain it. There's something about Little Robin with his rosy red cheeks and sweater vests that fit like dresses that makes my heart melt! So, if you're a softie for cute fuzzy critters, generous hearts, and the good little guy getting the big reward, then you too will enjoy Little Robin's Christmas.

I'm sure we'd all love to hear about what everyone else reads to the kiddies at Christmas time!

I've been traveling

2008-11-18T12:18:00.002-05:00

It's been weeks since I've updated you on my reading, but I promise I have actually been reading -- and traveling, both literally (to Siesta Key, Florida with the best friends in the world) and figuratively: My most recent escape has been Old Dominion University Professor Michael Pearson's Innocents Abroad Too. I'm lucky I got to read the book about his two journeys with Semester at Sea and even luckier I got paid to review it for Port Folio Weekly:

http://www.portfolioweekly.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=E8F2EBE4F3F04C5D8BF7E41EA5BB1032

Simply Sick

2008-10-21T10:05:00.010-04:00

I wish writer Alicia Erian would come out with a new book soon so I can stop thinking about her 2005 Towelhead, which was recently repackaged and made into a film.

I don't recall another book sticking with me like this one -- but I suspect Erian's future works will.

Please consider Towelhead for the adults in your family (and only the adults!) after you read my review at http://www.portfolioweekly.com/ -- the site for the alternative magazine where I used to work. (I just figured out that I spent about a quarter of my life there. Is that good or bad?)

The long, direct link is below.

Yes, I know there's a way to make this smaller (something with tinyurl), but, at the moment, I'd rather read than figure that out.

http://www.portfolioweekly.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=3F032294262149898DC144B41FA3636B

Pedaling Politics

2008-10-16T09:27:00.004-04:00

Riding our bikes around the block last week, Katie, 9, noticed all the red, white and blue yard signs with presidential candidates’ names.

“Oh, Mommy! It was so funny,” she said to me with a big smile. “Skylar and I talked politics at lunch today.”

“I think that’s awesome,” I said.

She then gave two reasons why one of the vice presidential candidates shouldn’t be elected.

“I totally agree!,” I said, pedaling faster to keep up.

“I know!,” she said with annoyance. “You’re the one who told me that.”

My chest puffed with pride, causing me to swivel on my mountain bike.

Oops…but who cares if I crash?, I thought.

I had my helmet on to protect me, and the comforting thought that my political teaching (read: brainwashing) efforts work!

However, I live in one of those up-for-grab states, and I feel the need to further “educate” Katie as she gets closer to voting age.

(All right, that day is nine years away, 12 for a presidential election, but this is important.)

I saw See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes and the Race to the White House by Susan E. Goodman and Elwood H. Smith at my kids’ book fair last week.

And I know John McCain has a book out there for kids…Character is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember.

Anyone heard of any other children books by or about national politicians?

Is there a new Eric Carle book called Folksy Sarah, Folksy Sarah, What Do you Know?

A new Jack Prelutsky book called The Awful Ogre named Mr. Biden Running Wild – in Washington, forever and ever?

A new Judith Viorst book, Barack and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Economy?

I’m kidding.

I’m kidding.

I don’t really think all of these things about the candidates – just some of them.

What if...you were too busy to announce the winner

2008-10-14T20:48:00.004-04:00

Dear Blog Friends,

I apologize for leaving you hanging!

Colin picked the Time of My Life book winner tonight, and his little fingers grabbed "Gail Kent" from the bowl (well, it wasn't a bowl exactly; it was a box made out of popsicle sticks; I thought I should give you all the details to let you know the drawing was legitimate!)

Here's Gail's entry:

"What if" my mom and her friend hadn't been going to the movies one afternoon back in the '40s, and my dad and his friend hadn't been driving past the bus stop where they waited for a bus that had already passed, and "what if" my mom and her friend -- against their better judgment -- hadn't accepted a ride with them to the movies? Well, then, I wouldn't be here to write "what if"!

I love this story -- even if it makes me scared that my daughter will one day jump in a car with a bunch of boys she doesn't know...Because, of course, I was always perfect as a teenager and never, ever, ever did anything I wasn't supposed to. Ever. (Did I mention I think my mom and dad read this blog?)

I so appreciate Gail and EVERYONE stopping by to enter the contest.

I hope to run more of them in the future, and I really hope you'll buy the book I'm offering if you don't win.

If only…

2008-10-07T14:22:00.007-04:00

If only Jillian can bite her tongue, she can make her relationship with Jackson work this time around.

If only she can impress his family and earn a sort-of smile from his mother, she’ll finally see a diamond on her left hand.

If only she can leave it to Jackson to finish writing his book and leave the wedding planning to everyone else, she and he will finally walk down the aisle.

And so it goes in Time Of My Life, which is being released today.

In her second novel, Allison Winn Scotch writes in the first person as Jillian Westfield, a 34-year-old perfectionist facing an early midlife crisis.

She used to run, and now she power walks.

She used to create advertising campaigns for mega companies, and now she watches bird droppings ooze over her car’s windshield.

She used to meet friends for drinks, and now she ignores the drink her 18-month-old daughter dumped over her head because she’s too exhausted to clean it up.

Coping with suburbia-induced boredom and husband-always-traveling loneliness is hard for Jillian, but when she learns that her ex-boyfriend is getting married, friends and acquaintances alike see that Jillian is crumbling.

She retreats to her masseuse and gets more of an escape than she bargained for: A trip back to her life of seven years ago with Jackson.

Time of My Life isn’t just about one woman’s struggle with identity, though. Allison adds depth to her book and validity to the dilemmas mothers face -- Did I marry the right man? Move to the right town? Make the right decision to stay home/work? Agree to have children at the right time? – by also chronicling Jillian’s boss’ marriage-career-children imbalance and Jillian’s mother’s extreme decision to turn her back on her family years ago.

To a lesser degree, Jackson’s sister is seeking to find herself as well, and so is Jillian’s best friend, Meg, who believes that only a child will fulfill her.

The subject matter is heavy, but never Allison’s writing. Jillian’s voice, real and confident, even if she’s not always feeling so, makes the book a quick read – which you'll appreciate: You see Jillian learning about herself along the way, although you’re not sure what conclusions she'll reach, and the suspense keeps you zooming to the lacking-in-cliché ending.

I entered Allison’s blog contest a few weeks back – talk about your “what if” moment -- and won a copy of Time of My Life. You can now do the same (although yours won’t be signed – I’m too greedy and I’m keeping it for myself!): Tell me about your “what if,” and I’ll pick one reader to receive a free copy, compliments of me and my mini-road trip to Barnes & Noble. It is, after all, Buy a Friend a Book Week.

Go, go, go. You have until Sunday at 12 a.m.!

I’m a cheat

2008-10-03T08:17:00.007-04:00

I’ve only juggled relationships a few times in my life, when I wasn't so sure about what I needed and what was being offered.

I’m doing so now – stringing along three like/love interests -- one that seems to offer perspective, another protection and another still, hope.

You know I’m not talking about men, right?

I’m reading three books at once. They’re scattered around the house, and when I spot one, I start reading:

My crushes are:

Time of My Life, by Allison Winn Scotch. Allison speaks to the me of seven years ago when my kids were little, little, little, and my mind was full of big, big, big questions.

Four Wives, by Wendy Walker. Wendy is predicting my future. I just haven’t decided if her tale of four wealthy suburban women is a cautionary one or a celebration of the good life (if you can just open your eyes to it!) Hmm, I can say the same about Time of My Life.

Redeemed, by Heather King. Heather shares her imperfect life and the comfort she finds through religion. I never thought anyone could top Anne Lamott, but as of right now, I say Heather does.

The full scoop on all of these books and more coming soon!

P.S. If anyone can tell me how to put the book cover pictures in a better layout, please let me know. I've tried all I can think of.

Yesterday was Tooth-day

2008-10-01T10:13:00.004-04:00

Shortly after 7 p.m. last night, Katie and Colin ran down from the play room to the family room.

Colin was pressing a wad of tissues into his mouth, and Katie was screaming, “Colin lost a tooth, too! Colin lost a tooth, too!

Wow – Katie had just lost one Friday, and now Colin.

“What tooth,Colin?,” I asked. “I didn’t realize any were loose.”

He pointed to the left of his center bottom tooth, but there was no gap, only an adult tooth about half way to its proper level.

“I don’t think that’s it,” I said. “The tooth wouldn’t be that far up if you just lost it.”

Murray looked into his mouth and couldn’t see any gaps.

I then had Colin sit down under the light and looked again.

Nothing.

I looked at the tiny tooth and saw the back of it half split.

“Maybe this is a chipped tooth,” I said.

I told Colin to run his tongue along his teeth to see if he felt anything missing. He shouted that he didn’t want to open his mouth anymore.

Fast forward to two hours later when I walk into Katie’s room to read to her.

“Colin didn’t really loose a tooth,” she said with a grin.

“What?,” I asked.

“I found an old one,” she said.

I remembered a note he had written to the Tooth Fairy, asking if he could please hold onto his tooth and still get money.

I was not amused.

I marched into Colin’s room.

“The Tooth Fairy will not be visiting,” I told him.

“Uhhh…Katie!,” he said, knowing instantly that his sister, true to form, didn’t keep the secret.

Miss Katie, who had forgotten to leave her tooth for the Tooth Fairy until last night, was also told the Tooth Fairy wouldn’t be visiting.

Coincidentally, earlier in the day, I had come across You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy?, by author Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt and illustator David Slonim. (I met Sheri ever so briefly at an American Society of Journalists and Authors conference in 2007, and she was so kind to me. I hope to read the book soon.)

Not coincidentally, I dreamt last night that my kids auditioned and won parts in two plays.

The book I wish didn’t exist

2008-09-29T09:53:00.002-04:00

The title of this book, “Always with you,” caught my attention, along with the watercolor cover of a sad girl hugging her doll.

I soon learned that the Ruth Vander Zee book is about a real Vietnamese girl named Kim who lost her mother at age 4 and was taken to an orphanage.

Gum from kind soldiers, gentle words from the orphanage directors, fellow orphans who play in the water, a doll and her mother’s final words to not be afraid somehow help Kim be brave and happy, much happier than I felt reading about her loss.

The saddest part: I learned in the author’s note that the number of children orphaned by the Vietnam War was as high as 800,000.

I hate to think of the children, young and old, in the world who can relate to this book and I hate to think how often we forget about them.

I want to do something to stop this worst part of war, especially with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan going on, but I don’t know how.

I did think about reading this book to Katie and Colin, to see what they might suggest, but then I decided against it – fearing I’d say the wrong thing or they’d call me out on my lack of answers.

Maybe, hopefully, this uncomfortable feeling I’m sitting with will grow into an action-oriented answer.

Grounded

2008-09-26T10:45:00.003-04:00

Reading Jonathan Miles’ Dear American Airlines was agony – not because I disliked the book, but because I loved it and couldn’t fully express it.

Let me explain:

I used to treat every book like a rare document. I’d hold each lightly in my hands, careful not to bend it too much.

I wanted those pages pristine: No dog ears, no pencil scribbles in the margin, no highlighted sentences.

Then 10 years ago I experienced a book relationship 180.

I HAVE to grope books I love; slobber them with underlines, stars and exclamation points and press and bend them every which way.

The only thing that can stop me from being so demonstrative is fear of a reprimand from the local public library – a threat which kept me in line with Dear American Airlines when I checked out their copy.

The story of a drunk poet-dad desperately trying to make it to his estranged daughter’s “wedding,”while also translating a book and recounting his childhood with a suicidal mother and obedient immigrant father, is heart-wrenching and hysterical.

Once I buy my very own copy, I’ll be underlining these parts:

1. Revision, like any other grooming procedure, should be kept private. – The Book of B. Ford, 2:13. (That’s the narrator referring to himself -- Bennie Ford -- and poking fun at the format used to quote the Bible.)

2. Quoting poetry is the quickest route to a blank stare, unless you’re in the sack with a lady, in which case it’s a dangerous toss-up.

3. She would flee, and my father would inevitably fetch her home…Standing beside the car in that hot cloud of road dust and tailpipe vapors, her hair tossed by the wind, she smiled at my father and said to him, “I don’t know why you always do this.”

“I did not know,” he replied, with neither tenderness nor bitterness, “that I had choice.” (Love the partially broken English!)

4. The clouds look like glaciers, cold whiteness extending as far as the eye can see and then farther and farther and farther into dreams. Imagine the first pilot to crack the cloud barrier – what a blind rush that must have been, to break down the door of heaven.

And I’m sure I’ll highlight much more. Miles, a cocktails columnist for The New York Times, shows off his knowledge of poetry, storytelling and human nature without ever being showy or sentimental. I think I understand what he’s trying to tell me (that you CAN break free?) – expect for that Bear, the main character in the book he’s translating.

That furry creature will be pushing my pencil and pea brain to their limits during my second reading because he, maybe, is saying just the opposite.

A recipe for laughter

2008-09-24T09:44:00.004-04:00

When we open a book around 8 p.m. after a long day, my goal is to make Colin anxious to devour a good story -- not anxious about his decoding skills.

So we sometimes take a group approach to reading.

Katie, he and I lie in his bed and pass along a book Colin has chosen.

A few weeks ago, he picked up Katharine Kenah’s The Best Chef in Second Grade, one of my finds from a library visit. Second-grader Ollie’s class is hosting a cook-off that will be judged by a famous chef.

“He loved Chef Antonia!,” Katie read.

“She threw food in the air,” Colin read.

“She set desserts on fire,” I read.

The kids laughed harder than when they see those poor gluttons-for-embarrassment athletes bounce off the big, red balls on ABC’s Wipeout! (A terrible show that’s terribly addictive.)

“Why would she do that?!,” Colin wanted to know about the flame-happy chef.

I’ve been meaning to research flambéing with him to teach him about the technique, but I’ve been too busy with the same problem Ollie faces in the book: Trying to figure out a family favorite for dinner.

Steak used to make everyone happy, but now Murray has “gone off it,” as any true New Zealander, which he is, would say. He hates pasta, too.

Katie practically screams when I make chicken or frozen pizza.

Colin is allergic to milk, eggs, nuts and seafood, so most casseroles and seafood dishes are no-no’s.

To save my sanity, I’m wondering if I should learn from Rosy, Ollie’s little sister who reminds me of D.W. in the Arthur series.

If she sees a smiley face (I guess made out of decorative food or a condiment) on top of her meal, she’ll eat it.

I’ll stock up on ketchup, squirt out eyes, a nose and a smile on whatever I whip up each night and then call it a day.

We're Alive!

2008-09-22T09:22:00.004-04:00

My mom readers can relate: No matter how in control you think you are, "Back to School" hits you like a ton of e-mails: You're just not sure what needs attention and what needs deleting. All those papers in your children's backpack from school? The sports/gymnastic/music/Scouts you meant to sign up for much earlier? The volunteer requests you're getting from the Room Mom? The laundry? The dusting? The messy playroom, with the floor you haven't seen in two months? Your buried-in-paper desk? The bills?!!!

Sip a double chocolate-chip frappuccino from Starbucks and breathe, I tell myself. When your little guy, age 7, writes this song for you, you know it's all worth it:

(The title, underlined) Mom, I Love You

Guess who I love?

It is my mom.

I kiss, I love, I will be her best friend.

I love her.

She makes me feel like stars.

I love my mom!

by Colin Kirk
Sept. 7, 2008

Colin wrote the title and underlined it.

"That's very important," he told me.

He asked me to take dictation for the rest of it, until I finished the last line.

He then took the pencil and added the exclamation point after "I love my mom."

"That means you shout it. You really mean it," he explained.

I asked him who taught him that and he said, Mrs. Sawyer, his first grade teacher.

I just love seeing my boy put his education to good use -- so thank you Mrs. Sawyer and to all the teachers out there!

(See how I added an exclamation point?)

2008-09-04T11:46:00.003-04:00

A Sticky Situation

Erin, who's busy teaching and studying for yet another advanced degree, managed to squeeze in a little time with her adorable nieces. Being the ever-good Auntie, she took them to a bookstore. Kudos, Erin!

Here's how the "adventure" went:

Hmmmm... Maybe there is something to that marketing force you wrote about back on August 13th, Kristen! I am settling in to write this blog entry after tucking my two nieces into bed: Allison, 5, and Tessa, nearly 2.

We had a delightful evening out at City Place here in West Palm Beach, complete with dinner at Saito's Japanese Steakhouse, Hibachi, and Sushi Bar and a browse around Barnes and Noble.

Let me warn you now, their taste in books is not as refined as their taste in food.

They both raced to the children's section and the bright green Adirondack reading chairs. They sat before finding books and seemed to be taking it all in. I stood back to observe while half browsing the chapter books. My students have asked me to start reading them a chapter book, and I want to find the perfect one, but that's another entry on another day...

OK, back to the nieces. Tessa tried a book that was laying on the hardwood floor at her feet, but quickly threw it back down (Sorry, she hasn't yet figured out how to treat books properly...). Neither of the girls was interested in the stuffed animals that some other reader left by the chairs. Once they got their bearings, Tessa headed over toward the board books. Though I was wishing she'd want an Eric Carle book (I'm a HUGE fan of his board books!) I was sure she would take the one with the Elmo puppet sticking out of the front cover. Wrong! She found The Backyardigans' Cops and Robots. It's a board book with the added bonus of the "lift the flaps" feature.

I emailed a photo of her reading it to my aunt and this is what she wrote: "Tessa is having such a happy moment with her book: I can tell she scooted right up into that chair on a fast track to 'devour' that book: adorable!"

Very perceptive, Auntie B, because that's exactly what she did. She was completely mesmerized by it. I am not sure if it was the familiarity of the characters, the glossy chunky pages, or the intriguing flaps that held her attention, but it was glorious to see her "reading" so independently at 23 months, 3 days old.

Allison was equally engrossed with her find: Littlest Pet Shop Superstylish Pets, Activity Book with Stickers! While I was contemplating a Roald Dahl book for my 3rd graders, she started peeling off those aforementioned stickers and afixing them to the inside back cover. By the time I realized what she was doing, it was too late. And no, they are not the type of stickers that are reuseable.

I said, "Allison Danielle, are you using the stickers in that book?????"

"Yes, Aunt Erin, I'm putting the friends together." A parent who was watching the scene as his toddler chewed on an Eric Carle stuffed blue elephant said, "Looks like you bought it!"

I wanted to tell him that I hope he planned on buying the soggy elephant, but I decided to remain silent.

OK, reading time over.

Time to head to the register to pay for our book. At the time it pained me to buy that book and I did make Allison show the clerk what she had done to it. But now, as she sleeps behind me, I see that she's got that silly book tucked under her arm.

I guess I need to get less "high-brow" about what books I would like her to choose and just be glad that she's in love with books, too.

I do, nonetheless, feel obligated, given this forum, to recommend two titles that I frequently read to both of them. It's not easy to find a story that will grab them at the same time, but I have two that can do it.

One is Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban which is one of my childhood favorites. It's the delightful story of a little badger who refuses to eat anything other than bread and jam and how her parents "trick" her into wanting to try new dishes. My sister recently informed me that now Frances is featured in her very own TV show, but trust me, the book came first!

The second story capable of drawing in both Allison and Tessa is Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner. The antics of the little Siamese cat who thinks he's a Chihuahua are hysterical! Both Frances and Skippyjon appear in multiple tales, so once you've hooked a child on either character, you can bring in other books by the same author featuring that character.

Just say the word and I'll ramble off every book Russell Hoban has written for kids. And I'll be happy to list the titles of the other Skippyjon adventures as well. Happy reading, all!

2008-08-25T19:56:00.004-04:00

Friday's Last Call

Twenty years certainly change you.

Friday's Last Call used to happen just before 4 a.m. with friends and me in a bar in Niagara Falls. (I guess technically, it was a Saturday morning Last Call...)

Often, we'd rush the bar to get one more kami kaze before we'd drive a few blocks to feed ourselves grease (which we believed soaked up the alcohol), compliments of Burger King.

Those were great times -- at least the times I remember clearly. (Don't worry, our driver was sober.)

My most recent last call happened Friday at 4:45 at the Chesapeake Central Library.

"It's now 4:45 and the library will be closing at 5," the announcer warned.

Katie, Colin and I had sped-walked through the door moments before, on our way back from the movies.

We needed a book fix.

For the last two weeks we've been watching the Olympics, staying up until our eyes hurt. In the morning we were sleep-deprived monsters, but we clung to our nocturnal habit because the action on the screen was unpredictable.

We knew the love affair was coming to an end like summer flings do, and it was time to turn back to our loyal companions: Books.

At the catalog computer, I keyed in a book I've been hoping to read -- Four Wives by Wendy Walker.

A copy was available.

At another branch.

I tried two more books, neither of which were available at any branch.

Before I could scurry to the "New Book" section with my fingers crossed that something on my "to read" list would be there even though I couldn't remember my list beyond those three books, Colin tugged at my arm.

Star Wars was once again on his mind -- this time the original movie, sans animation.

He couldn't find it, so I must, I was instructed.

Nothing was in alphabetical order in the movie section, but St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost things, worked magic for my red head without me even asking for help. (Thanks, Tony, my save-the-day saint!)

As Colin walked past the "V" stack of movies, "Star Wars" jumped out at him.

I then zoomed down a small flight of stairs and pulled books from the shelf.

No,

no,

no,

no...

Hmm, maybe, I said to a new book by Meg Cabot (gotta admire her ability to write successfully for both children and adults).

But, I couldn't commit.

The book seems to be a mystery, and mysteries and I have never had much of a relationship.

However, "literary fiction" and I have had some into-the-wee-hours-of-the-night dates, so my heart raced when I next saw Dear American Airlines by Jonathan Miles.

With five minutes to spare, the kids and I ran to the check out.

Katie's choices:

Three World Book encyclopedias: "P" for Rosa Parks; "A" for Susan B. Anthony and "R" for Theodore Roosevelt. (She's a history professor in the making...)

Colin's choices:

Star Wars movie, of course; a book about the Royals baseball team (I'll definitely learn from that one!); and a Veggie Tales video (they freak me out more than the Doodle Bops; think I'll skip it).

My choices:

Dear American Airlines; The Best Chef in Second Grade, by Katherine Kenah; and Always with You, by Ruth Vander Zee. (One for me, two for Colin; I'm such a good mom.)

The check-out librarian was in a rush to start her weekend, so she didn't mention the $1 or so I owe for returning books late. (My memory's not as good as it used to be.)

Or maybe she was giving us "one on the house."

2008-08-19T12:43:00.002-04:00

Wild about books -- and beautiful bloggers!

Dear readers,

Your favorite blog, The Family That Reads Together, is expanding after less than a month!

Yes, I'm sounding a bit too much like a marketer, but I'm excited.

A dear, dear, dear friend of mine has agreed to become a regular guest blogger, and I know we'll all be better off for her insights. Erin Walsh, third grade teacher extraordinaire, has loved books her entire life. When we met in junior high, and I was mostly concerned with finding the perfect curling iron to create Farrah Fawcett wings in my hair, she was tackling the classics that we're all "supposed" to read just because she wanted to.

About 13 years later, Ms. Smarty Pants earned a doctorate in French literature. The third graders she now teaches in Florida probably don't know that about her -- they most likely are just happy that Ms. Walsh is always smiling and patient (she certainly has been with me all these years!). Erin can help us all with not just ideas on new-to-us books but also with HOW to engage children in those books. Please read on, and welcome Erin! (I'll add her picture soon.)

Here she is:

Thank you, Kristen, for inviting me to be a guest blogger! You know I revel in any opportunity to talk about a good book and that is exactly what I’m here to do today. A new school year is upon us and for the first day with my 3rd graders, I chose to read Wild About Books (Knopf, 2004), written by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown. This book became a quick favorite of mine when I discovered it the year before last at a school book fair. As a reading teacher, I’m always on the look out for picture books about characters who love books and reading, so I couldn’t have asked for a more appropriate selection. I have to confess that prior to Wild About Books, I was unfamiliar with Judy Sierra. I must make it a point to see what else she has to offer.

Let me tell you how yesterday went. To start, I read the title, the author, and the illustrator. I asked one student to grab the basket of Marc Brown’s Arthur (that cute little aardvark that I used to think was a mouse…) books from a book shelf so the students would make a connection between the illustrator and another character they likely knew from both reading and TV (Thank you PBS!).

Next, I opened the book up completely so the students can see the front and back covers simultaneously and asked them to look closely at Marc Brown’s engrossing illustration. I pointed to a white bunny reading Peter Rabbit and asked them if it made them think of anything. One student recalled the time when in 1st grade her friend, Alexa, brought in her bunnies for the class to see. Great -- she’s making a connection between this text and her personal experience. We teachers love this stuff! Another student said the bunny looked like Buster from the Arthur books.Yeah! A text-to-text connection – it’s going to be a great year!

Then, based solely on the cover picture and the title, I asked them to turn and talk to a partner about what they thought this story might be about. The room was buzzing as they shared their creative ideas. I selected a few students to report what their partners had predicted and am pleased to say that some got pretty close to the actual plot.

I got out a story map graphic organizer to fill in as we went along (title, characters, setting, plot, problem, solution) and got to reading. Judy Sierra has written this story in rhyme and the students picked up on that immediately. “Hey, Ms. Walsh, it sounds like a rhyme!” The book, I might add, has been dedicated to Dr. Seuss and the not so subtle “seussisms” are numerous, adding to its appeal to elementary students as well as their teacher.

The premise of the story is this: Librarian Molly McGrew mistakenly drives the bookmobile into the zoo, and the animals get hooked on reading and writing. They become “wild, simply wild about wonderful books.”

I won’t reveal how this “problem” gets solved because you simply MUST read the story yourself!

2008-08-15T09:17:00.000-04:00

History Class Re-do
Last summer, Katie and I read the Diary of Anne Frank. She decided we should each have our own copy and read it at the same time. She got competitive, too: "Mommy, I'm on chapter 3. Why are you only on chapter 1?," she bragged in early July .

The version she selected was the adult-level book, and despite being "warned" by the librarian that some of the content might not be appropriate for a 7-year-old, I encouraged her to read it. I think she made it to chapter 4 and then turned to a much shorter, school-ager biography of Anne.

I kept on reading, glad to finally finish one of the books we should all read. Katie's heart broke when I told her how Anne's life ended -- and to make matters worse, I think Anne was discovered either on or near Katie's birthday.

We also read about Harriet Tubman last summer, and Katie did a project about her for a summer school enrichment program. Harriet was one tough woman: What I remember most is she threatened to kill slaves who didn't keep walking as she helped them escape.

My history teachers in junior high and high school were the best the schools had to offer -- but they didn't talk at all about female leaders. We heard about Betsy Ross. Only Betsy. And now we're not even sure about Betsy and that flag. I was at the top of my class and didn't know the word "suffrage." I didn't know until the end of my COLLEGE years that women didn't win the right to vote until 1920 --when my great grandmother was alive.

This all makes me mad -- especially because I grew up in Western New York, right where women activists had once gone door to door with petitions and traveled through feet of snow to speak to groups of women and encourage them to fight first for the right to own property and then the right to vote.

Shouldn't at least one of my teachers have clued me in?

No, it wasn't until this summer when Katie wanted to read "Susan B. Anthony: A Biography" by Kathleen Barry that I learned about the history in my former back yard. Katie checked out two copies of the book. She gave up on her own reading pretty quickly -- and I understand why. Kathleen's writing is for college-level readers, and she is repetitive at times. The reading is slooooow going -- yet I keep at it.

So far, I've learned:

1. Susan was motivated by her mother, a once lively girl who was shunned into near-silence after her marriage to Susan's Quaker father. His friends let it be known that she and her cheerfulness would not be tolerated.

2. A young Susan asked her father to promote a female worker in his mill and he responded, "it would never do to have a woman overseer in the mill."

3. When Susan was in school, "Many doctors promoted the popular fear that educating girls would strain their brains and mental capacities and consequently impair their reproductive functions."

4. Many early feminists were anti-alcohol, believing if men stopped drinking they would stop abusing their wives. They also fought slavery, yet were shunned for leadership and speaking engagements by men who shared their views.

5. Susan was frustrated when fellow feminists married and had children because they weren't able to work on the cause as often. (Aaah...the beginnings of the Mommy Wars!)

6. She agonized over the movement -- and what she should wear. Bloomer or no bloomer? At times, she thought she was making a statement by raising her hem and at other times she hated wasting time with such silliness. Reporters always commented on her clothes -- just like today and Hillary Clinton. I wonder what the women of the world would accomplish if we all wore uniforms like girls in private schools.

I hope to find a children's biography of Susan B. Anthony this weekend for Katie -- and Colin. (Although he might prefer to read about Star Wars. He bought another Clone Wars book yesterday! See Aug. 13's entry...)

2008-08-13T09:06:00.000-04:00

May the marketing force be with you

One big eye-opener I experienced when becoming a mother was cross promotion. I'd see an ad for a children's movie, then see the related toys at McDonald's, the clothes at Wal-Mart, the board games at Target, the video games at Best Buy, the birthday card at K-Mart...

Yuck.

If you or your children didn't particularly like that week's new movie or TV show you seemed to be out of luck when you were looking to buy something. I guess this kind of marketing existed to a degree when I was younger but it only seemed to happen on rare occasions. I remember the ET and Star Wars crazes. That's about it.

I'm not sure who started the whole marketing to toddlers, preschoolers, school-agers, tweens and teens with brute force phenomenon and it doesn't matter: There's no way to stop it. I'm just grateful it worked to my advantage recently.

Last weekend, Jenny O'Donnell, the kind editor of Tidewater Parent, offered me two tickets to a preview of The Clone Wars. Colin and Murray decided to go, and despite having to sit in the first row because the movie theater was packed, they enjoyed the movie.

When it finished, and Murray tried to work the kink out of his neck, 7-year-old Colin said something beautiful.

"Can I get a Star Wars book, Daddy?," he asked.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

This is the moment I've dreamed of. Now, Colin has often asked to go to the library and the book store, but this is the first time he has asked for a specific book to build on a new interest. He gets it: There are books that match your likes in this world!

Thanks to the wise folks at MacArthur Center Mall in downtown Norfolk, Colin and Murray didn't have to go far to get the book. They just walked about 100 steps from the movie theater into the huge, two-story Barnes & Noble store that's "newish" to the mall. As far as I know, it's rare to have a Barnes & Noble in a mall because they're usually freestanding stores. I love that I can pop in there to relax after some power shopping (it takes LOTS of effort for me to find something I like!) and I love that my son found what he was looking for there. "Star Wars/The Clone Wars/The New Padawan," adapted by Eric Stevens, was a bargain at only $3.99 and, not surprisingly, it's action packed. The reading level is a little high for a second grader, but perfect for me to practice my reading aloud skills: "With one SLASH of his lightsaber, Obi-Wan SLICED the octuptarra (slight stumble as I made sure I pronounced that right!) droid in two, landing beside it," I read.

Pretty gross stuff -- and perfect for a boy.

2008-08-11T14:29:00.000-04:00

Everything you need to know to be a mom, in 352 pages

Last Monday was Katie's 9th birthday and the anniversary of me becoming a mom. I remember bringing Katie home from the hospital and thinking, "now what?!"

I had no idea what was in store for me -- and there was no turning back. Obviously, I figured out enough to muddle by, with a lot of help along the way.

One big inspiration was "The Little Big Book for Moms," edited by Lena Tabori and Alice Wong. My parents gave it to me for my first Mother's Day, and I immediately loved it.

Designer Timothy Shaner did a marvelous job with the thick, square book. It is filled with vintage artwork in soft colors that makes you feel as if you're holding a book from the 1920s or 30s. The editors collected classic poems, recipes and stories and mixed them with activities and writing from some of today's best authors -- including one of my favorites, Anne Lamott.

Katie asked me to read Cinderella from this book last week, and I was more than happy to oblige. Some of the books she wants to read now are so grown up that I cherished the opportunity to go back to a fairy tale. This Cinderella story is different, though -- going into more detail about Cinderella's missing father. A little confused, I checked the editor's notes and found that Lena Tabori's daughter, Katrina, rewrote the book's fairy tales "amplifying those parts she loved best as a child (she's 35 now) and reducing others." I respect a mother who encourages her children's creativity -- at any age.

Tabori and co-editor Wong are obviously dedicated mothers: They give any new -- or experienced -- parent lots to work with in this "little big book," so much in fact, that you could open just one page a day, read/cook/play guided by its content, and continue to do so for a year.

Give this book to any mom or dad you know (Tabori also edited a little big book for dads that I want to check out) and feel confident you're giving a gift that will be cherished for years to come -- and probably passed down to the next generation.

2008-07-30T15:08:00.000-04:00

We’re poets and we know it

Lil’ darling Katie had a marvelous idea last night. I walked into her room after sorta, kinda getting Colin to sleep and she said, “Instead of reading tonight, we’re going to write poetry.”

She then got out Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends (HarperCollins), a classic from 1974. I had it on my childhood book shelf and remember loving the pen-and-ink drawings as much as the poems about children, animals and life’s weirdest moments.

Murray and I got the book for Katie as a Christmas gift last year. Her edition was different from mine in one way: It came with a CD of recorded poems. (Katie got a kick out of the fact that CDs weren’t even invented back when I was 8…) I’m so happy to see her open the book on a semi-regular basis, and I was absolutely thrilled last night when she wanted us both to read a poem and then write something similar. She gave me explicit instructions that we should not copy the poem. I told her I understood: It was like Project Runway when the designers look at pictures of a famous person’s clothes and are then supposed to create an outfit in the same style but not duplicate it.

The Silverstein poem I read was about a child stuck in a lion because he got too close to the cage (or maybe she got too close – you can only see the child’s arm). My version was about me being swooped up by an elephant as he tried to grab food with his trunk. Inspired by a poem about a crocodile going to the dentist, Katie wrote about a snake who went searching for doctor because he was sick. Sadly, his search ended in death because he couldn’t find one. (Hmm…maybe she’s heard me complaining the other day about one of my doctors who walked out of the exam room as I was talking to her.)

In any case, the writing exercise was fun – especially so because I didn’t suggest it and I didn’t worry about making what I wrote perfect. I just let myself get silly, and Katie rewarded me with giggles when I read it to her.

2008-07-29T15:36:00.000-04:00

We're The Family That Reads Together

Welcome to the Kirk family's reading blog. Here we'll share what we're reading and why we like -- or dislike -- it.

But first, who is the "we" I'm referring to?

It's my son, 7-year-old Colin; my daughter, almost 9-year-old Katie; me, a too-old-to-reveal freelance writer (I'm hunting for an agent for my children's picture book right now); and my husband, Murray, a too-old-to-reveal (but still hot!) design and construction director for a development company.

Expect to see all kinds of books here. Colin likes Captain Underpants, Sponge Bob and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Katie likes Junie B. Jones, the Candy Apple series and biographies. (She has us both reading Susan B. Anthony, a 372-page book by Kathleen Barry.) Murray's into what I describe as historical adventures, and I like almost every genre, but narrative nonfiction is probably my favorite.

We'll post updates a few times a week, and hope you'll be inspired to read the blog regularly, along with the books we like. We'd love to hear from you -- and learn what books you enjoy, too.