Welcome!

Dear Book Lovers, Welcome! I am delighted that you have found The Through the Looking Glass blog. For over twenty years I reviewed children's literature titles for my online journal, which came out six times a year. Every book review written for that publication can be found on the Through the Looking Glass website (the link is below). I am now moving in a different direction, though the columns that I write are still book-centric. Instead of writing reviews, I'm offering you columns on topics that have been inspired by wonderful books that I have read. I tell you about the books in question, and describe how they have have impacted me. This may sound peculiar to some of you, but the books that I tend to choose are ones that resonate with me on some level. Therefore, when I read the last page and close the covers, I am not quite the same person that I was when first I started reading the book. The shift in my perspective might be miniscule, but it is still there. The books I am looking are both about adult and children's titles. Some of the children's titles will appeal to adults, while others will not. Some of the adult titles will appeal to younger readers, particularly those who are eager to expand their horizons.
Showing posts with label Bookish Events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bookish Events. Show all posts

Friday, March 11, 2022

The Bookish Calendar for April - Books and information for April birthdays, holidays, and special days



Dear Bookish Friends,

Here is the Bookish Calendar for April. I'm bringing it to you today, several weeks early, so that you have plenty of time to plan for days that interest you and the children in your lives. I know that this is particularly useful for those of you who are teachers, librarians, and homeschoolers. Many of the birthdays and special days on the calendar link to review pages for books that are associated with those birthdays and special days. For example, the Titanic sank on her maiden voyage on April 15th 1912. If you click on this entry in the April Bookish Calendar you will be taken to the page where reviews about this event can be found. 

*April is National Poetry Month (USA)
Please check out the TTLG Poetry Library to discover wonderful poetry titles. 

*April is National Garden Month (USA)
I have reviewed numerous books about gardens and gardens on my In The Garden feature

*April 3rd to 9th is National Library Week (USA)

*April 5th to 9th is National Wildlife Week (USA)


*April 6th is National Bookmobile Day  (USA)


*April 14th is National Gardening Day (USA)
The In The Garden feature has many wonderful books about gardening.

*April 15th is World Art Day
The Art and Artists Feature is full of inspirational books that celebrate art.

*April 16th is National Librarian Day (USA)

There are several books about Haiku poems in the TTLG Poetry Library 

The Saving the Environment Feature contains many titles that will suit Earth Day

*April 23rd is World Book Night 

*April 27 is Tell a Story Day (USA, UK, and Scotland)

*April 28th is National Great Poetry Reading Day (USA)

*April 29th is National Arbor Day (USA) 
I have reviewed many books about trees. Please visit my Books about Trees feature.

The World of Dance feature is full of books about dance and dancers.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Be Book Smart! A Literacy Campaign to support



What is “Be Book Smart”?
RIF has partnered with Macy’s to create Be Book Smart (formerly known as Book A Brighter Future), a national partnership to raise awareness and support of children’s literacy. This effort will help RIF provide free books and literacy resources to children nationwide, while expanding RIF’s outreach to the children at greatest risk for developing reading difficulties. This campaign provides an opportunity for Macy’s customers to join the effort and have an impact on literacy in their community. From June 24–July 31, 2011, Macy’s customers can give $3 to provide a book for a child and receive a coupon for$10 off* a $50 in-store purchase at any Macy’s nationwide. Macy’s will give 100% of every $3 to RIF to help reach our goal of giving 1 million books to kids.

Why Support the Campaign
Reason #1: By supporting RIF at Macy’s, you are helping provide free books and literacy resources to children who need them most. All children need access to books and to be exposed to reading at an early age to prepare for success in school and life.
Reason #2: Macy’s will thank you with a $10 off coupon* valid on eligible purchases of $50 or more!

RIF’s Impact
With more than 17,000 program locations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, RIF is making a difference for millions of children. Visit our interactive map to see our impact by state and to view videos that tell the "Heart of the Story."
A recent analysis of reading research confirmed the impact of RIF's core mission—that simply improving access to books improves children’s reading performance, helps children learn the basics of reading, results in children reading more and for longer lengths of time, and improves children's attitudes toward reading and learning. Please review our summaries of the critical literacy issues and our quick reference guide of recent literacy statistics, both of which illustrate the challenges RIF faces in creating a literate America.

Who Can Participate
Anyone and everyone! Last year, over 1 million Macy’s customers participated to raise more than $3 million to support RIF programs and initiatives. This was the largest customer-supported campaign in RIF’s 44-year history! Anyone who visits a Macy’s store during this summer can ask to Be Book Smart and support RIF at any in-store Macy’s register.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Bookish Event - The Eco-Libris 41 reasons to plant a tree for your book


Publish Books Without Perished Trees
Eco-Libris Celebrates 41st Annual Earth Day with 41 Reasons to Plant a Tree for Your Book

Eco-Libris, a green company that works to make publishing and reading more sustainable, celebrates the 41st Annual Earth Day (April 22) with its new campaign “41 Reasons to Plant a Tree for Your Book.”

For 41 days, from March 13 culminating with Earth Day on April 22, Eco-Libris will publish the 41 best answers on its blog. Readers who enter the contest will have the opportunity to win prizes courtesy of Eco-Libris’ partners, including a $25 gift card for Strand Bookstore, audiobooks from Simon and Schuster Audio (such as The Half Life by Jennifer Weiner, American Assassin by Vince Flynn and Essence of Happiness by the Dalai Lama) and great green books, including books from the Little Green Books series, Planet Home by Jeffrey Hollender, Spit That Out! by Paige Wolf and The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard.

“We have planted 180,000 trees on behalf of readers, authors, and publishers working with Eco-Libris,” says Raz Godelnik, co-founder and CEO of Eco-Libris. “We want to hear what readers think about it and why they believe planting trees for their books is a good idea.”

Reader Aleta from Australia says planting a tree for each book makes sense to her because it contributes to ensuring intergenerational equity by sustaining the planet’s natural environment. “This will allow future generations to continue reading paper books and there's something special about reading from paper that I would love my children to experience,” she says.

Author Kelly Barth says, “Though I believe it's important to preserve the real, physical book, I don't believe it’s right to fell old growth forests to fill my shelves. Also, as an author, I want people to have the option to read my new book in the form that has served humans well for centuries.”

The campaign will begin on Sunday, March 13, 2011. To learn more about the campaign, please go to
http://www.ecolibris.net/41reasons.asp. Founded in 2007, Eco-Libris is a green company working to green up the book industry in the digital age by promoting the adoption of green practices in the book industry, balancing out books by planting trees, and helping to make e-reading greener. To achieve these goals Eco-Libris works with book readers, publishers, authors, bookstores, and others in the book industry worldwide. So far Eco-Libris has balanced out more than 169,000 books, which results in more than 180,000 new trees. For more information, please
go to http://www.ecolibris.net

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Listening Library Launches a Judy Blume Contest



Tell us your most memorable Judy Blume moment and you could win an iPod Touch and a personal message from Judy herself!

Can you remember the day you finished Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and felt like finally this was a book about girls just like you?  Or reading Superfudge and identifying a little too easily with the plight of having an annoying little brother like Fudge?

Judy Blume’s books have touched generations of kids and teens as they’ve grown up to share these stories with their own children, and now Listening Library is asking parents and kids alike to share their favorite Judy Blume memories in the Judy Blume Journal! 

To celebrate the release of five Blume classic audiobooks (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Freckle Juice & The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo, Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Deenie and Iggie’s House) for the first time on CD, we’re giving away a grand prize of an 8GB iPod Touch, a $200 audiobook collection and a personal message from Judy Blume to the writer of the best journal entry, as selected by Judy herself.

Visit www.judyblumecontest.com to submit your entry, read others’ memories and vote on your favorites for a chance to win.  The five finalists will be selected based on the number of votes for their entries, so share with friends and encourage them to vote for your journal entry!  

Contest is open to all legal residents of U.S. and Canada (excluding Québec) who are age 13 years or older as of January 3, 2011.  All entries must be received by 11:59 EST on February 18, 2011, and must be be in the entrants' own, original words. No quoting of other material is allowed unless attributed. In the final round, Judy Blume will select the three Finalists, a Runner-Up, and Grand Prize Winner from among the five finalists based on the entries’ creativity, originality, emotional appeal, and poignancy.
  
About Listening Library
After publishing its first audiobook in 1955, Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days, Listening Library grew into one of the biggest names in the youth audio industry, releasing over 100 titles a year.  Listening Library titles have earned more than 200 ALSC and YALSA Audiobook Awards, 55 Audie® Awards and two Grammy® Awards with bestselling series like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle. Our backlist also includes dozens of Newbery and Printz award-winning authors whose titles we are proud to publish on audio.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Vote for Jumpstart!


Here is a letter that I got from Jumpstart that I would like to share with you.

Dear Marya,

Our very good friends at MetLife Foundation are celebrating Thanksgiving this year by donating $500,000 as part of their “Thanksgiving Charity Score” initiative!
Jumpstart has been chosen to participate as one of four charities to receive up to $175,000!


The charity that gets the most votes from the general public over the course of the initiative will get 1st place and so on through 4th place. The $500,000 will be donated as follows: 1st place: $175,000, 2nd place $125,000, 3rd and 4th places $100,000.
Help us win $175,000 by voting for us once per day through Sunday, November 28, and donating your Facebook status to Jumpstart during this week of thanks. More votes for Jumpstart means more of the $500,000 donation will support our programs nationwide, helping children in low-income neighborhoods get the quality education they deserve. We can win up to $175K, but we can only do it with your vote!
Thank you!

How to vote and donate your status:

1.) Vote every day for Jumpstart here!

2.) Donate your status on Facebook to Jumpstart! Simply copy and paste the following as your status to help spread the word to your network. Change it every day if you’d like!

I’m donating my status to Jumpstart to let my Facebook network know that early education is important to me. I voted for Jumpstart at www.metlife.com/thanksgiving to receive $175K from MetLife Foundation! I’m thankful for my education and know how critical Jumpstart’s work is with preschool children in low-income neighborhoods nationwide. Join me – vote and paste this message as your status until 11/28.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life Campaign



Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life. is a global literacy campaign launched as part of Scholastic's 90th anniversary celebration that underscores the importance of reading to better prepare children who will need strong literacy skills to survive and succeed in the 21st century. Scholastic is asking EVERYONE, our partners, publishers, educators, business leaders, nonprofits, parents, caregivers and students -- to work together to bring reading and deeper understanding to all children around the globe. The Reading Bill of Rights, the foundation of the campaign, includes eight "beliefs" that affirm every child's right to read and what that means in the 21st century... from access to books and great stories to the ability to analyze, interpret and understand information in the digital age.


Here is what we believe about reading in the second decade of the 21st century. 
We call this The Reading Bill of Rights:

WE BELIEVE that literacy – the ability to read, write and understand – is the birthright of every child in the world as well as the pathway to succeed in school and to realize a complete life. Young people need to read nonfiction for information to understand their world, and literature for imagination to understand themselves.
WE BELIEVE that the massive amounts of digital information and images now transmitted daily make it even more important for a young person to know how to analyze, interpret and understand information, to separate fact from opinion, and to have deep respect for logical thinking.
WE BELIEVE that literature and drama, whether on printed pages, screens, on stage or film, help young people experience the great stories of emotion and action, leading to a deeper understanding of what it means to be truly human. Without this literacy heritage, life lacks meaning, coherence and soul.
WE BELIEVE every child has a right to a “textual lineage” – a reading and writing autobiography which shows that who you are is in part developed through the stories and information you’ve experienced. This textual lineage will enable all young people to have a reading and writing identity which helps them understand who they are and how they can make their lives better. In short, “You Are What You Read.”
WE BELIEVE every child should have access to books, magazines, newspapers, computers, e-readers, and text on phones. Whatever way you read, you will need to figure out what the facts are or what the story tells you. No matter how and where you get access to ideas, you will need the skills of reading to understand yourself and your world.
WE BELIEVE that reading widely and reading fluently will give children the reading stamina to deal with more challenging texts they will meet in college, at work and in everyday life. And every child should be able to choose and own the books they want to read, for that choice builds literacy confidence – the ability to read, write and speak about what they know, what they feel, and who they are.
WE BELIEVE that every child has the right to a great teacher who will help them learn to read and love to read. Children need teachers who provide intentional, focused instruction to give young people the skills to read and interpret information or understand great stories they will encounter throughout life.
WE BELIEVE that in the 21st century, the ability to read is necessary not only to succeed but to survive—for the ability to understand information and the power of stories is the key to a life of purpose and meaning.



Thursday, October 7, 2010

Join a Dr. Seuss Game on Facebook!


Be the Mayor of Seussville!
RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS LAUNCHES A SEUSS-THEMED PROMOTIONAL GAME ON FACEBOOK® PLATFORM
TO CELEBRATE THE ALL-NEW SEUSSVILLE.COM

Earn the most votes to win by Election Day, November 2nd!

(October 7, 2010, New York, NY)—On the heels of the August 2010 launch of the all-new Seussville (www.seussville.com), the official online home of Dr. Seuss, Random House Children’s Books announced today “Mayor of Seussville”, a new Facebook game for Seuss fans of all ages. Just in time for the election season, the game kicks off today and will run until Election Day, November 2nd.  In the game, players will be challenged to run a campaign by creating slogans, selecting cabinet members, and completing tasks in a race to win as many votes as possible. Join the race now! http://apps.facebook.com/mayor-of-seussville  The winner will be announced on Seussville.com.

Do you have what it takes to be the next Mayor of Seussville? Similar to other popular social games on Facebook Platform, the game will allow players to accumulate votes by completing a variety of Seuss-themed activities for Dr. Seuss’s most beloved characters in pursuit of becoming the Mayor of Seussville. Players will create their own Seussian cabinet to perform the tasks with and will compete with contestants worldwide. The player with the most votes gained by Election Day will earn the official title of Mayor of Seussville and their picture will be featured on Seussville.com.

Random House Children’s Books collaborated with Big Bad Tomato Interactive Agency, based in Los Angeles, to develop Seussville.com in addition to the new Facebook game.

Seussville—the official home of Dr. Seuss on the Web—is the place for children of all ages to play and learn with Dr. Seuss’s wonderfully whimsical books and classic characters. The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! and all of the Dr. Seuss books leap to life through interactive games and activities that will enrich each child’s reading experience.

Dr. Seuss believed that books and learning to read should be fun and exciting for children. The site maintains this spirit of fun and honors the tenets of his work: discovery, imagination, and creativity. Visitors will explore the lush animated environments as they uncover a wealth of games and information, including a comprehensive Dr. Seuss character guide, a searchable Dr. Seuss book catalog, biographical information, educator resources, parent tips, and more.

ABOUT RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest English-language children's trade book publisher. Creating books for preschool children through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books and novels, Random House Children’s Books brings together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. In 1957, Random House pioneered the beginning reader genre when it launched the Beginner Books series with Dr. Seuss’s classic The Cat in the Hat. Each year, Random House Children’s Books, along with Dr. Seuss, proudly supports the National Education Association’s Read Across America initiative, which calls on America’s children to celebrate the joys of reading in conjunction with Dr. Seuss’s birthday, March 2. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent
company is Bertelsmann AG, a leading international media company.
 
ABOUT DR. SEUSS ENTERPRISES, L.P.
The primary focus of the Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. is to protect the integrity of the Dr. Seuss books while expanding beyond books into ancillary areas. This effort is a strategic part of the overall mission to nurture and protect the relationship consumers have with Dr. Seuss characters. Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) said he never wanted to license his characters to anyone who would “round out the edges.” That is one of the guiding philosophies of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Audrey S. Geisel, the widow of Dr. Seuss, heads Dr. Seuss Enterprises as President.

ABOUT BIG BAD TOMATO
Big Bad Tomato is an award winning interactive creative agency specializing in the development of mixed-medium, multi-platform interactive experiences for the entertainment, education, and consumer product industries.  Big Bad Tomato’s mission is to drive new media innovation through creativity using technology to engage audiences in new, fun and creative ways.  Big Bad Tomato is a ‘full service’ development company supporting concept, design, build and marketing for entertainment sites, online learning destinations, mobile applications, social media, viral promotions, and ecommerce solutions.  Big Bad Tomato maintains locations in Los Angeles, California and Manila, Philippines (www.bigbadtomato.com). 

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Calling all Rick Riordan Fans. Join the "largest demigod gathering in history!"

Rick Riordan has written yet another splendid series called the Heroes of Olympus and you can join the celebration on October 12th by watching a live broadcast. Take a look at the Heroes of Olympus website to find out more about this event, to learn about the new series, to watch videos, to play games, and much more. 

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Join the Reading Dahlathon!



In honor of Roald Dahl's birthday, which is on September 13th, and to celebrate the release of a new book by Dahl, Penguin Books is launching the Roald Dahl Reading Dahlathon. This is a reading challenge for kids ages seven to thirteen. Kicking off in September and running through December, the program encourages kids to read three of the author’s books during this time frame. Participants can track their reading progress in the Dahlathon Official Reading Journal, available at bookstores and libraries or online.



Thursday, August 12, 2010

Join the Scholastic summer reading challenge



It's not too late to join the Scholastic Summer Challenge. Kids can Read for the World Record, they can help RIF put books into the hands of children who have very few books in their lives, and they can join Wordgirl, Scholastic's national "Ambassador of Summer Reading" in her summer reading mission.


Monday, August 9, 2010

A message from the Screen Actors Guild - Help support children's literacy initiatives





This summer, the Screen Actors Guild Foundation has an exciting opportunity to benefit our global children’s literacy initiatives. We are partnering with the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation to sponsor our second annual online auction of celebrity-authored signed books and your involvement would really help our cause!

Between August 2 and August 17, you can bid on autographed books written by your favorite actors. To support our efforts, celebrities including Sir Sidney Poitier, Kirk Douglas, Julie Andrews, Tim Allen, Sting, Carol Burnett, Mickey Rooney and many more have donated their signed books to be part of this auction. Take part in this auction by bidding on books that will make for great summer reading or the perfect gifts for friends and loved ones.

Please visit
http://www.clothesoffourback.org/sagfoundation beginning August 2, 2010 to view the selections and make your bid to support children's literacy.
 

Thank you






Thursday, August 5, 2010

Help write Loser/Queen, an online interactive serial book

Cammy Hall is what anyone would describe as a loser. She lives with her grandparents and has adopted their way of life . . . right down to the comfortable shoes and early bedtime. And can she help it that she actually likes to knit?

At school, her skills with knitting needles and some yarn go completely unappreciated: People like Bekka Bell reign while Cammy and her best friend, the fearless Danish exchange student Gerdi, watch from the sidelines. Cammy’s used to being an outsider; after years of humiliating moments, her goal is simply to fly under the radar. Then she suddenly starts receiving mysterious text messages that lead her right to all the embarrassing secrets about the most popular kids in school. Cammy never expected to be able to climb up the high school food chain, and the agenda of the texter may be questionable—but how can she possibly give up the chance to be queen?

Loser/Queen is an online interactive serial and a groundbreaking publishing event. The beginning of the story has been written and posted—but it’s up to you to decide what happens next. Cast your vote by 5 p.m. (EST) Thursday night of each week. Then, check back Mondays at 10 a.m. (EST) to see the poll results—and how the story was affected by your choice!

When the voting—and the book—are finished, Loser/Queen will be printed as a paperback and packed with extras from the author… and you will have the opportunity to own the book you helped create.

Visit the Loser/Queen website to read the story so far and to cast your vote to help decide what happens next.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Celebrate World Oceans Day with Dr. Seuss's fish - June 8th

 In honor of 50 years of Dr. Seuss’s One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish entertaining children around the world, Random House Children’s Books, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, The Ocean Project, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) are partnering to celebrate World Oceans Day, held annually on June 8th. Seventy-five AZA accredited zoos and aquariums across the country, and more than 600 Ocean Project partners worldwide will host fun-filled family events inspired by One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, with the goal of teaching children about our ocean’s great diversity of life and the important things we can all do to protect our shared world ocean.
Celebrating the Ocean’s Diversity with One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish!
Participating locations will commemorate 50 years of One Fish fun on or near June 8th with birthday festivities that incorporate the 2010 World Oceans Day theme. “Oceans of Life” celebrates our ocean’s diversity, just as Dr. Seuss celebrated diversity with his colorful characters in One Fish. “From here to there, from there to here, funny things are everywhere.” Children will have fun getting to know the ocean’s funny things with Seussian games and activities. Since the 2010 World Oceans Day honors former La Jolla resident Dr. Seuss, visitors to San Diego County will be able to choose from a host of special events throughout the region, including the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Botanic Garden, SEA LIFE Aquarium, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, and many others. For more information about World Oceans Day, and to find events and materials, visit The Ocean Project Website

Random House Children’s Books is publishing a special 50th anniversary edition of ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH (Random House / 978-0-394-80013-4 / April 27, 2010 / $8.99 / Ages 5–8 / 72 pages) Originally published in 1960, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish remains a beloved Seuss favorite and has sold over 9 million copies to date. With fantastically funny creatures, this Beginner Book teaches the concept of reading with easy rhyme and identifiable illustrations. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish takes children on a wildlife adventure and, like all of Dr. Seuss’s books, makes learning to read fun.

World Oceans Day brings local attention to the global issue of climate change and its impact on ocean and animal life. The Ocean Project (TOP) advances ocean conservation in partnership with zoos, aquariums, and museums and leads efforts to promote and coordinate World Oceans Day worldwide. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of accredited zoos and aquariums in the areas of animal care, wildlife conservation, education, and science

Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books and novels, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. Random House is also the longtime home of the beloved and bestselling Dr. Seuss books, which continue to make learning to read fun for millions of children everywhere. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG, a leading international media company. Explore the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss at Seussville.com.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises LP protects the integrity of the Dr. Seuss books while expanding beyond books into ancillary areas. This effort is a strategic part of the overall mission to nurture and safeguard the relationship consumers have with Dr. Seuss characters. Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) said he never wanted to license his characters to anyone who would “round out the edges.” That is one of the guiding philosophies of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Audrey S. Geisel, the widow of Dr. Seuss, heads Dr. Seuss Enterprises as President.

About Dr. Seuss
Theodor “Seuss” Geisel is quite simply the most beloved children’s book author of all time. The 44 books he wrote and illustrated under the name Dr. Seuss (and others that he wrote but did not illustrate, including some under pseudonyms such as Theo. LeSieg) have been translated into 30 languages and have sold hundreds of millions of copies. Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents and, to this day, his beloved books make learning to read fun for kids everywhere. Dr. Seuss’s long list of honors includes the Pulitzer Prize, eight honorary doctorates, and three Caldecott Honors. Works based on his original stories have won three Oscars, three Emmys, three Grammys, and a Peabody. For more information about Dr. Seuss and his works, visit www.seussville.com.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

New children's book by John Grisham is released today

Today John Grisham's new book for children Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, is on sale. Here is a synopsis of the book.


In Theodore Boone, we follow the adventures of a 13-year-old, amateur attorney who unwittingly becomes involved in a high-profile murder trial. The book takes place in the small city of Strattenburg. There are many lawyers in town, and though he’s only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he’s one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk—and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom. But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much—maybe too much—he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth. 



Penguin books has two websites dedicated to Theo. www.theodoreboone.com is a full website where kids can explore Theo’s office and the clues he’s gathered for his latest case, and a courtroom where they can learn about what goes on during a trial, funny laws, and send a Mad Libs-type “summons” to their friends! www.whoistheoboone.com is a little bit more mysterious, but no less fun to explore.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Letters About Literature





Yesterday I read about a competition called Letters About Literature. For the competition young readers had "to write a personal letter of reflection to an author whose work somehow inspired them or changed their view of the world or themselves." I only wish I had had the opportunity to write such a letter when I was in school! This year 69,000 young readers from all over the U.S participated in the writing contest, which is a reading promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with Target. The winners of the 2009-2010 competition wrote to (among others) Francisco Jimenez, who wrote "The Circuit," Laura Ingalls Wilder who wrote the Little House books, J.D.Salinger who wrote "The Catcher in the Rye," and Dr. Seuss, who wrote numerous books for readers of all ages.


Here is one of the winning letters, which was written by Reagan Nelson, a 6th grade student in Spokane Washington.




Dear Laura Ingalls Wilder,
Change is something many people are afraid of, but I know it can be wonderful.  It is something I have never looked at in the same way since reading your book Little House on the Prairie and meeting Laura.  My house burned down when I was seven, and I almost died in the fire.  Since that night my dad rescued me from my burning bedroom, things were never the same.  People have always described the fire as a great tragedy that hit our family, but I have never viewed it that way.  Like Laura on the prairie, this was a time when I was faced with big changes.  My family had no home to live in and not even our clothes to wear.  But Laura taught me that life’s challenges can be viewed as a great adventure, something to be thankful for even, and this is a view I have chosen to adopt in my own life. 
Laura’s life is full of challenges.  Laura’s family is faced with the move to land that they work hard to settle on, but later learn they have to vacate after all of their hardship and effort.  They are overcome by sickness.  They even lose their dog, Jack.  Laura never lets these events get the better of her.  She feels the sadness and the disappointment but she becomes stronger because of them.  Just last year, my Dad and I were hit by a truck while driving in our car to the garden store.  Our car was wrecked, but we were not hurt badly.  When we had to walk and take the bus everywhere in the snow for four months because we did not have a car, I thought of all the things that happened to the Ingalls family, all of the times they had to move because something was not working.  This gave me a tremendous amount of strength and hope.  Things always got better for the Ingalls, and through it all they had each other just like I have my Mom and Dad.
What Laura taught me most is that I can either be frightened or mad at life, or I can choose to view change as an opportunity to learn some valuable lessons.  One of the most important lessons I learned from Laura and the Ingalls is that the challenges I face have to be greeted with gratitude.  After the car accident when we had to walk everywhere, I started to think how thankful I was that I could walk.  I realized that the car accident could have taken that away from me.  I also realized that everyday, when I walked with my Dad, we spent time together and shared stories that I will always remember.  The fire took our house and all of my clothes and toys away, but I still had my family and my pets, which is everything in the world that mattered to me.  Just like in Little House, when Mr. Edwards brought Laura and Mary Christmas presents through the snow from far away, people were so kind and gave us all sorts of things.  And folks at my school were so generous and caring.  I never knew complete strangers could care like that.  This was a gift.
It doesn’t really matter whether you like change or not, whether you embrace it or run the other way.  It is sometimes wonderful, sometimes disappointing and often frightening, but it is always happening.  Little House showed me that life is nothing but transition, and change is inevitable.  The Ingalls knew this, and your book showed me I can rely as they did, on family, faith and community to get me through.  I have learned that wherever the greatest challenge exists in my life is where the greatest growth is too.  Little House on the Prairie taught me that it isn’t the tough times that define us, but rather our response to the challenges we face which makes us who we are.  And that is the real gift for which I thank you. 
Sincerely,
Reagan Nelson

Here is another winning letter that was written by Kaitlyn Krassalt, an 11th grader from Moscow in Idaho. I must confess that this letter made me smile and sniffle:

Dear Dr. Seuss,
First off, I would like to say that I have not been traumatized by any specific event, nor am I struggling with self-identification, suffering from a rare disease, dealing with the loss of a close family member, managing dysfunctional family issues, or stressed about fitting in with the stereotypical teenage crowd that roams the halls of every high school in America. I have not yet needed the help of your books to get through an especially rough patch in my life, mostly because I haven’t had any especially rough patches yet. I do, however, pay close attention to current issues and I am very aware of the problems that have created conflict among and within social groups throughout the world. In turn, I also spend a lot of time babysitting young children who have just boarded the Reading Railroad, allowing me to revisit the same books I enjoyed at their age.
Having become accustomed to books that lack pictures and require an analytical search for a deeper meaning hidden by the author, it is refreshing to step back into the shoes of my six-year-old self. I thoroughly enjoy returning to the worlds of the Sneetches, the Whos, and Cats in the Hats that made their way into my imagination with their tongue twisting dialogue and fascinating adventures. I have often wondered, since reading such stories, if our world is, in fact, a tiny speck on a clover just waiting to be protected by a fun-loving elephant named Horton.
I have waited on a rainy day for a cat in a striped red-and-white hat to waltz into my living room and sweep me off my feet, searched for a Wocket in my pocket, and tried with all my might to read with my eyes shut. It was not until I reentered the colorful universes created between the covers of your books that taught me how to sound out my vowels and string together consonants that I realized these stories were more than just fun. To be completely honest, I was shocked to discover that the stories I loved dealt with such real world issues as racism and social status. I had always thought of the thin books on the shelf as silly stories meant to teach kids the basics of the English language and instill such morals as sharing, saying please and thank you, and always being nice to others.
Upon further inspection, it became evident to me that such stories were not only meant as a lesson for the children learning to mind their p’s and q’s, but also a wake up call for the observant adults in charge of insuring their children’s education. The star-bellied sneetches were no different than the plain-bellied sneetches, despite the advice of Sylvester McMonkey McBean. The sneetches got so mixed up in their star-swapping that they could no longer remember who was supposed to better than the other. The Whos, who were so small they would barely be heard, were forced to join together just to fight for their cause—and the smallest Who, of course, made the biggest difference of all. It was the smallest who had the loudest voice, allowing their speck to be heard by Horton’s doubters and saved from a terrible fate. 
I was thrilled to uncover such morals, even though they had always been there, unhidden and as obvious as the manners-based morals I had once assumed to be the only message on the page. The blatant reminders that our society is not the center of the universe, which are only subtle to the unassuming beginning reader, were inspiring to be found in such a format. Because of your stories, I was motivated to voice my opinions in essay contests, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars: Voice of Democracy contest in which I received the second place prize. As the daughter of a police officer, it was evident to me that they were not getting the recognition they deserved as veterans of very similar situations to those faced by other military branches. I felt the contest was a prime outlet for my opinion. I have also been able to use my newfound voice in articles I have written for local newspapers. It has become apparent to me that sometimes our method for letting our voice be heard is not always practical, but is always possible.
You have proven again and again that no matter what our message is, and no matter what our means of displaying our cause, it is always possible to let the world know how we feel, despite how small we think our voice may be. Upon rediscovering your stories, which have always remained close to my heart simply because of their sentimental value, I was reminded of my voice and its possible impact in the world today. Thank you.
Kaitlyn Krasselt


You can see more of the winning letters here on the Letters about Literature website. 

Monday, May 10, 2010

Children's Book Week is May 10th to May16th

This is what the folks on the Children's Book Week website had to say about this wonderful event:

Since 1919, Children's Book Week has been celebrated nationally in schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs, private homes -- any place where there are children and books. Educators, librarians, booksellers, and families have celebrated children's books and the love of reading with storytelling, parties, author and illustrator appearances, and other book-related events.
It all began with the idea that children's books can change lives. In 1913, Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, began touring the country to promote higher standards in children's books. He proposed creating a Children's Book Week, which would be supported by all interested groups: publishers, booksellers, and librarians.
Mathiews enlisted two important allies: Frederic G. Melcher, the visionary editor of Publishers Weekly, and Anne Carroll Moore, the Superintendent of Children's Works at the New York Public Library and a major figure in the library world. With the help of Melcher and Moore, in 1916 the American Booksellers Association and the American Library Association cooperated with the Boy Scouts in sponsoring a Good Book Week.
In 1944, the newly-established Children's Book Council assumed responsibility for administering Children's Book Week. In 2008, Children’s Book Week moved from November to May. At that time, responsibility for Children’s Book Week, including planning official events and creating original materials, was transferred to Every Child a Reader, the philanthropic arm of the children’s publishing industry.
Also in 2008, the Children's Book Council created the Children's Choice Book Awards, the only national child-chosen book awards program, giving young readers a powerful voice in their own reading choices.
The need for Children’s Book Week today is as essential as it was in 1919, and the task remains the realization of Frederic Melcher’s fundamental declaration: “A great nation is a reading nation.”
You can find ideas for Children's Book Week on the CBW website here (for children) and here (for teens). Happy Children's Book Week.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Storyline Online has a new book!

In the past I have written about Storyline Online, a program created by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. Storyline Online is a online streaming video program featuring Screen Actors Guild members reading wonderful children's books aloud. The tiles that have done so far include Stellaluna, Guji Guji, the Polar Express, and Somebody Love you Mr. Hatch. Each story includes activities for children to do, and lesson ideas for teachers. Yesterday I got an email from them that I would like to share with you.


Dear Storyline Online Friends and Family,

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our newest story, the classic Harry the Dirty Dog, read by the treasured Betty White. We will be premiering the story on Friday, May 7th at 10am (Pacific) with a special introduction from another wonderful actress, Betty’s dear friend Valerie Harper.

We hope all educators, parents and grandparents will be able to join us for this special launch and watch our newest story with their students, children and grandchildren the moment it goes live. Immediately following the premier, the story will begin streaming at www.storylineonline.net and, along with several activities, will be available 24 hours, 7 days a week for all to view.


Harry the Dirty Dog was written by Gene Zion and illustrated by two-time Caldecott Honor winner Margaret Bloy Graham over 50 years ago. We are delighted that HarperCollins has given us the opportunity to share this story with you. There have been many requests to feature classics for young children and we are pleased to add yet another quality story to our library of books.

Please know that funding remains a concern for this important effort in the SAG Foundation’s Children’s Literacy Initiative and that we are truly grateful for your encouraging comments and financial assistance. As we continue approaching companies and organizations to underwrite Storyline Online, we will try to fulfill the many requests and suggestions we receive from teachers, parents and children around the world.

From all of us at the SAG Foundation, thank you!

Remember to visit us at www.storylineonline.net on
May 7th, 10am (Pacific).


Read On!

I hope you take a look on Friday, and don't forget to look at the other books that they have in their library.

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