New and Fabulous Olive and Patch by Claire Freedman tells the story of a little boy who has just moved from a small town to the big city. And he is lonely. But life perks up when he finds Patch the dog. The only problem is, Oliver knows Patch must have an owner who loves […]
I am sitting on the couch thinking about a blog topic for today. I look down at my dog who is lying next to me, attached at the hip (well, thigh). My constant companion (when I am home). Always ready to dance at my joys and lick away my sorrows. So, here’s to you, Rafa, […]
This week, we’ve been looking at reading poetry. You also might want to get kids excited about writing poetry. Enter the Poetry Slam. What is a poetry slam, you might ask. It’s an opportunity for writers to read their own poems in front of a live audience. This can be done in the form of […]
New and Fabulous Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson uses rich poetic language to tell stories from her childhood. A sample from the poem The Ghosts of the Nelsonville House: Look closely. There I am in the furrow of Jack’s brow, in the slyness of Alicia’s smile, in the bend of Grace’s hand… Beautiful. Pegged […]
I often commiserate with others about avoiding poetry. A lot of poems seem so obscure. It’s like staring at an abstract modern painting and trying to decide what it means. I can feel some ultra intellectual snob looking over my shoulder in a condescending way, exhaling a long exasperated sigh at my cluelessness. But if […]
Sitting in the thick of election season reminds me of how powerful democracy can be. We are such an unruly and diverse collection of citizens with passionate opinions that run the gamut of political thought. And we have set up a framework for reaching consensus that gives each adult – the high and the low, […]
Barack Obama Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama, illustrated by Loren Long is not about a president but is written by a President. The book gathers children and great leaders, one by one, until we see them together forming the many facets of our country. It makes the connection […]
I was torn about today’s blog. After all, today is Valentine’s Day. Happy Valentine’s Day to all! And tomorrow is President’s Day. And there’s lots to say about both. What to do? Decisions. Decisions. Meshing Valentines Day and President’s Day So here it is. I always think expansively about Valentine’s Day, not limiting myself to […]
I read a little story recently that has stuck with me, particularly in light of the annual Chinese New Year focus on family. You can read the whole story, which is by Jeffrey Davis, at http://www.inspire21.com/stories/familystories/1000Marbles. I will just summarize here. Life is Hectic Two men were talking about the hectic nature of modern life. […]
Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin is my favorite book on Chinese New Year. The pictures are vibrant, awash in color. And the story really captures the importance of family as they come together to participate in various rituals that are traditionally part of this holiday. Right now it’s selling on amazon in […]