Racism Takes a Toll on Kids’ Mental Health

“We know that children who experience poor health and well-being are less likely to engage in education, employment and other activities that support them to lead healthy and productive lives, and to participate meaningfully in the community. – Naomi Priest

Most adults and they can probably recount an instance of blatant or subversive racism. Equipped with life experiences and coping mechanisms, most adults are able to deal with racism in healthy ways that are not destructive.

A new study is suggesting that the youngest victims of racism may have a difficult time understanding and processing someone disliking or even hating them because of the color of their skin.
Racism, also sometimes called racialism, is generally defined as actions, practices, or beliefs that consider the human species to be divided into races with shared traits, abilities, or qualities, such as personality, intellect, morality, or other cultural behavioral characteristics, and especially the belief that races can be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to others, or that members of different races should be treated differently.

The exact definition of racism is controversial both because there is little scholarly agreement about the meaning of the concept “race”, and because there is also little agreement about what does and doesn’t constitute discrimination. Critics argue that the term is applied differentially, with a focus on such prejudices by whites, and defining mere observations of racial differences as racism.

On the flip side, some sociologists have defined racism as a system of group privilege. In Portraits of White Racism, David Wellman has defined racism as “culturally sanctioned beliefs, which, regardless of intentions involved, defend the advantages whites have because of the subordinated position of racial minorities”. Challenging the notion that racism consists simply of prejudice in the minds of individuals, this book argues instead that racism is a set of culturally acceptable beliefs that defend the advantages whites have obtained in American society.

In the same vein, sociologists Noël A. Cazenave and Darlene Alvarez Maddern wrote an article called “Defending the White Race: White Male Faculty Opposition to a White Racism Course” in the journal Race and Society. In it, they  define racism as “…a highly organized system of ‘race’-based group privilege that operates at every level of society and is held together by a sophisticated ideology of color/’race’ supremacy.

Racist systems include, but cannot be reduced to, racial bigotry. Sociologist and former American Sociological Association president Joe Feagin argues that the United States can be characterized as a “total racist society.”

Recent research shows that racism takes a toll on kids’ mental health.  Most of the racism experienced by children and teens involved discrimination by other people, rather than institutional or systemic racism, according to the findings.

The review also revealed an increased risk of poorer birth outcomes among children whose mothers experienced racism during pregnancy.
Most of the studies included in the review were conducted in the United States with participants aged 12 to 18. Of the racial/ethnic groups included in the studies, the three most common were blacks, Hispanics and Asians.

“We know that children who experience poor health and well-being are less likely to engage in education, employment and other activities that support them to lead healthy and productive lives, and to participate meaningfully in the community,” lead researcher Naomi Priest, of the University of Melbourne in Australia, said.

“Traditional” American Culture: Benign and Wholesome or Inherently Racist? says:

Police harassment and brutality directed at black men, women, and children are as old as American society, dating back to the days of slavery and Jim Crow segregation. Such police actions across the nation today reveal important aspects of . . . the commonplace discriminatory practices of individual whites . . . [and] white dominated institutions that allow or encourage such practices.

Racism in the form of discrimination infests society today. A case in point is that blacks have traditionally suffered from higher rates of unemployment than whites. In June 2009, black unemployment was 15.3 % compared to an 8.8% unemployment rate for whites. Do blacks simply not take the initiative that whites do to find work? Studies indicate that, in actuality, discrimination likely contributes to the black-white unemployment gap.

In 2003, researchers at the University of Chicago and MIT released a study involving 5,000 fake resumes that found that 10% of those featuring “Caucasian-sounding” names were called back compared to just 6.7% of those featuring “black-sounding” names. Moreover, resumes featuring names such as Tamika and Aisha were called back just 5% and 2% of the time. The skill-level of the faux black candidates made no impact on callback rates.

Moving toward solutions
In a Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom,    a radical analysis of contemporary classrooms, MacArthur Award–winning author Lisa Delpit develops ideas about ways teachers can be better “cultural transmitters” in the classroom, where prejudice, stereotypes, and cultural assumptions breed ineffective education. Delpit suggests that many academic problems attributed to children of color are actually the result of miscommunication, as primarily white teachers and “other people’s children” struggle with the imbalance of power and the dynamics plaguing our system.

Other People’s Children is a must-read for teachers, administrators, and parents striving to improve the quality of America’s education system. The book is is a paradigm-shifting, highly acclaimed exploration of the cultural slippage between white teachers and students of color.

“This reminds us that parents need to be sure that their children are getting valuable and self-affirming messages outside of the school system, which sometimes hurts them more than helps them,” said Dr. Boyce Watkins, author of The 8 Principles of Black Male Empowerment. “Our children sometimes find themselves so spiritually degraded that they in turn become intellectually crippled for life. We cannot accept this outcome.”

Dr. Watkins recommends that all parents teach their children outside of school and also give them lessons that strengthen their self-esteem. He says that parents should take their children online and have them write short reports on Black historical figures and events, as well as read biographies of successful African Americans.

The Eye of Minds: first book in The Mortality Doctrine, hyperadvanced technology, cyberterrorists, gaming beyond your wildest dreams . . . and your worst nightmares.

It’s in the future, but I really don’t want people to think of this as dystopian. It’s not. The world is basically in fine shape. But virtual reality technology has gone through the roof and most people are obsessed with it. Like I said earlier, the line between what’s real and what’s not gets blurred, which sets the stage for some fun twists and mind-bendy stuff. I think my fans will have a good time with it. – James Dashner

From James Dashner, the author of the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, comes an all-new, edge-of-your seat adventure. The Eye of Minds is the first book in The Mortality Doctrine, a series set in a world of hyperadvanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming beyond your wildest dreams . . . and your worst nightmares.

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.

And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team. But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.

“In Dashner’s futuristic series starter, virtual life offers Michael opportunities to escape the real world,” reads a review in Booklist.

He spends most of his time on the Virtnet, playing Lifeblood Deep with his virtual friends Bryson and Sarah. Now, haunted by his daytime experiences, he needs them more than ever. What Michael fears most comes true: Virtual Network Security tracks him down, but not to chastise him for wrongdoing; rather, they want his hacking skills to get to Kaine, a gamer who is causing terrible tragedies. Michael and his friends begin the trek into the hand-to-hand combat warfare game Devils of Destruction, but with the virtual death of his friends, Michael finds himself alone in his quest. Harrowing evil and dastardly demons place themselves in his path, and he almost capitulates to the pain and exhaustion. What awaits him in the bowels of the game hangs over readers’ heads with each page turn, raising a constant question: Who is human and who is not? In typical Dashner style, this is quick and involving, with the main frustration being the wait time until the next book. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Dashner’s Maze Runner trilogy was huuuuge. With a video game, author tour, and major outdoor advertising, this could be even huger.

The Cybermen are Back in Doctor Who: “Nightmare in Silver!”

In Doctor Who, Season 7 Part 2, Ep. 7  “Nightmare in Silver, ”

Hedgewick’s World of Wonders was once the greatest theme park in the galaxy, but it’s now the dilapidated home to a shabby showman, a chess playing dwarf and a dysfunctional army platoon. When the Doctor, Clara, Artie and Angie arrive, the last thing they expect is the re-emergence of one of the Doctor’s oldest foes. The Cybermen are back!

Doctor Who is a British science fiction television program produced by the BBC. The program depicts the adventures of a Time Lord—a time travelling, humanoid alien known as the Doctor. He explores the universe in his ‘TARDIS’, a sentient time-travelling space ship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, a common sight in Britain in 1963, when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, the Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right wrongs.

The show has received recognition from critics and the public as one of the finest British television programs, winning the 2006 British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series and five consecutive (2005–10) awards at the National Television Awards during Russell T. Davies’s tenure as Executive Producer. In 2011, Matt Smith became the first Doctor to be nominated for a BAFTA Television Award for Best Actor. In 2013, the Peabody Awards honoured Doctor Who with an Institutional Peabody “for evolving with technology and the times like nothing else in the known television universe.”

The program is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running science fiction television show in the world and as the “most successful” science fiction series of all time—based on its over-all broadcast ratings, DVD and book sales, and iTunes traffic.  During its original run, it was recognised for its imaginative stories, creative low-budget special effects, and pioneering use of electronic music (originally produced by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop).

Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary is now updated with all the latest information on all your Doctor Who favorites! The book goes beyond the story lines to examine the characters, aliens, weapons and curiosities that are all in a day’s work for the Doctor. Entries are illustrated with annotated photography and specially commissioned cross-section artworks.

The book updates the entries of Davros and his Daleks, the rhino-headed Judoon and the Doctor s companions Martha Jones and Captain Jack. Forty additional pages introduce and explore all-new characters like the formidable Donna Noble, the Family of Blood and their Scarecrow Henchmen, the warmongering Sontaran and the childlike, but deadly, Toclafane.

Doctor Who is a significant part of British popular culture; and elsewhere it has become a cult television favorite. The show has influenced generations of British television professionals, many of whom grew up watching the series. The program originally ran from 1963 to 1989. After an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production in 1996 with a backdoor pilot in the form of a television film, the program was relaunched in 2005 by Russell T. Davies who was showrunner and head writer for the first five years of its revival, produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff. Series 1 in the 21st century, featuring Christopher Eccleston as the ninth incarnation, was produced by the BBC. Series 2 and 3 had some development money contributed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), which was credited as a co-producer. Doctor Who also spawned spin-offs in multiple media, including Torchwood (2006) and The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007) – both created by Russell T Davies, K-9 (2009), the four-part video series P.R.O.B.E. (1994), and a single pilot episode of K-9 and Company (1981). There also have been many spoofs and cultural references of the character in other media.

Eleven actors have headlined the series as the Doctor. The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show as regeneration, a life process of Time Lords through which the character of the Doctor takes on a new body and, to some extent, new personality, which occurs when sustaining injury which would be fatal to most other species. Although each portrayal is different, and on occasions the various incarnations have even met one another, they are all meant to be aspects of the same character. The Doctor is currently portrayed by Matt Smith, who took up the role after David Tennant’s last appearance in an episode broadcast on 1 January 2010.

A Bad Case Of Stripes: An inspiring Children’s Book with a Positive Message

“With technology developing at a record pace and kids mastering iPads before they’re even out of diapers, it’s more important than ever to instill the love of reading in our children,” writes Julie Handler, co-founder of Positively Positive:

Although it’s never too late, the importance of getting kids to develop a love for reading early on often correlates with a love for learning, a passion for lifelong reading, and so many other positive traits that ultimately lead to the empowerment needed for success.

In our home we have acquired quite the collection of literary gems — in fact, we have more books than toys. I’ve happened upon wonderful books in all kinds of random places, so I’m always on the lookout. Of course, the library is always a great option, which we frequent at least every other week — a ritual which we started before the girls could even walk. Another one of my favorite places to find amazing books is museum bookshops. You would be surprised at the treasures you may come across there.

My favorite book from Handler’s list of 50 Inspiring Children’s Books with a Positive Message, is  A Bad Case Of Stripes, written and illustrated by David Shannon.

Camilla Cream loves lima beans, but she never eats them. Why? Because the other kids in her school don”t like them. And Camilla Cream is very, very worried about what other people think of her. In fact, she”s so worried that she”s about to break out in… a bad case of stripes!

“On this … book’s striking dust jacket, a miserable Betty-Boop-like girl, completely covered with bright bands of color, lies in bed with a thermometer dangling from her mouth,” wrote one reviewer.  “The rainbow-hued victim is Camilla Cream, sent home from school after some startling transformations: ‘when her class said the Pledge of Allegiance, she turned red, white, and blue, and she broke out in stars!’ Scientists and healers cannot help her, for after visits from “an old medicine man, a guru, and even a veterinarian… she sprouted roots and berries and crystals and feathers and a long furry tail.” The paintings are technically superb … The doe-eyed girl changes her stripes at anyone’s command, and only nonconformity can save her. When she finally admits her unspeakable secret … she loves lima beans … she is cured. Shannon (How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball) juggles dark humor and an anti-peer-pressure message. As her condition worsens, Camilla becomes monstrous, ultimately merging with the walls of her room. The hallucinatory images are eye-popping.”

School Library Journal called it:

A highly original moral tale acquires mythic proportions when Camilla Cream worries too much about what others think of her and tries desperately to please everyone. First stripes, then stars and stripes, and finally anything anyone suggests (including tree limbs, feathers, and a tail) appear vividly all over her body. The solution: lima beans, loved by Camilla, but disdained for fear they’ll promote unpopularity with her classmates. Shannon’s exaggerated, surreal, full-color illustrations take advantage of shadow, light, and shifting perspective to show the girl’s plight. Bordered pages barely contain the energy of the artwork; close-ups emphasize the remarkable characters that inhabit the tale. Sly humor lurks in the pictures, too. For example, in one double-page spread the Creams are besieged by the media including a crew from station WCKO. Despite probing by doctors and experts, it takes “an old woman who was just as plump and sweet as a strawberry” to help Camilla discover her true colors. Set in middle-class America, this very funny tale speaks to the challenge many kids face in choosing to act independently.

Shannon’s over-the-top art is sensational, an ingenious combination of the concrete and the fantastic that delivers more than enough punch to make up for the somewhat heavy hand behind the story, and as usual, his wonderfully stereotypic characters are unforgettable. The pictures are probably enough to attract young browsers (Camilla in brilliant stripped glory graces the jacket), and the book’s irony and wealth of detail may even interest readers in higher grades.

Booklist said:

Camilla, who loves lima beans but won’t eat them because it’s not cool, finds that deferring to others isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, her desire to please and be popular causes her some spectacular problems: she suddenly breaks out in stripes, then stars, then turns “purple polka-dotty” at the behest of a delighted classmate. Her weird mutations, which stymie doctors and send the media into a frenzy, become more and more extreme until she finally blends into the walls of her room–her lips the red-blanketed mattress on her bed, her eyes the paintings on the wall. Will she never be herself again? Shannon’s over-the-top art is sensational, an ingenious combination of the concrete and the fantastic that delivers more than enough punch to make up for the somewhat heavy hand behind the story, and as usual, his wonderfully stereotypic characters are unforgettable. The pictures are probably enough to attract young browsers (Camilla in brilliant stripped glory graces the jacket), and the book’s irony and wealth of detail may even interest readers in higher grades. Try this for leading into a discussion on being different.

David Shannon is the internationally acclaimed creator of more than thirty picture books, including NO, DAVID!, a Caldecott Honor Book and his second NEW YORK TIMES Best Illustrated Book of the Year. In addition to three more David picture books, Shannon’s bestsellers include TOO MANY TOYS; HOW GEORGIE RADBOURN SAVED BASEBALL (newly released in 2012); A BAD CASE OF STRIPES; DUCK ON A BIKE; ALICE THE FAIRY; and GOOD BOY, FERGUS! A native of Spokane, Washington, he is an avid fisherman. He and his family live in California.

Teaching Young Adults About Communism

What are some resources for teaching kids about Communism?
How can we help them understand this phenomenon, which is often referenced in newspaper columns, on television and other popular media?
For example,  “May Day, celebrated on May 1, has a storied history that goes back to pre-Christian times celebrating Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, and later on as the first day of summer, writes Richard Larson in the Idaho State Journal. “It was in essence, an innocuous pantheistic celebration of the old aphorism of ‘April showers bring May flowers,’ celebrated in different ways around the world.”

That tradition changed dramatically however, after the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago. In synoptic terms, what started as a peaceful gathering in support of striking workers on Tuesday May 4, 1886, ended as a violent precursor to leftist destructive demonstrations. As police attempted to disperse the crowd, someone threw a bomb at police. The blast, and subsequent gunfire, resulted in the deaths of seven police officers, four civilians, and numerous injuries. Investigations led to eight anarchists convicted of conspiracy, with seven of those sentenced to death for their involvement.

The Second International, also known as Socialist International, memorialized the events of the Haymarket Affair by declaring May Day, or May First, an international labor and socialist holiday. Thus, International Worker’s Day became May Day, a celebration of labor and socialism. The significance of this historical connection between ideologically aligned entities cannot be overstated.

Consequently, May Day has become an excuse for labor, socialist, communist, and anarchist groups to demonstrate, destroy property, occupy parks, and denounce capitalism, free enterprise, and America’s founding principles. This may seem inconsequential history, but it establishes the core ideological alliance of political elements whose objectives remain inextricably intertwined in contemporary American politics.

One of my favorite books for high schoolers is Communism: A History (Modern Library Chronicles) by Richard Pipes. With astonishing authority and clarity, Pipes has fused a lifetime’s scholarship into a single focused history of Communism, from its hopeful birth as a theory to its miserable death as a practice. At its heart, the book is a history of the Soviet Union, the most comprehensive reorganization of human society ever attempted by a nation-state. This is the story of how the agitation of , two mid-stratenineteenth-century European thinkers and writers, led to a great and terrible world religion that brought down a mighty empire, consumed the world in conflict, and left in its wake a devastation whose full costs can only now be tabulated.

The book is strategically short. Not a word is wasted in its mere 194 pages. Teachers and parents can engage young people with this text because it is very enjoyable and easy to read, yet dense with insight.

Finding Joy in the The Pythagorean Theorem

Read this article  on Daily Kos from Mar. 18 2012
Read this article on the Idaho Press Tribune website from Mar. 22, 2012
Read this article on Yahoo! from March 26, 2012

Pythagorean Theorem may be the best-known equation in mathematics. Its origins reach back to the beginnings of civilization, and today every student continues to study it. What most nonmathematicians don’t understand or appreciate is why this simply stated theorem has fascinated countless generations.

I first met Alfred S. Posamentier in 2001, when he was the Dean of Education at City College in New York. The energy level of his intellectual engagement with my work is part of an experience I will never forget.

In his entertaining and informative book, The Pythagorean Theorem: The Story of Its Power and Beauty , Posamentier, a veteran math educator, makes the importance of the Pythagorean theorem delightfully clear.

The Pythagorean theorem has attracted interest outside mathematics as a symbol of mathematical abstruseness, mystique, or intellectual power. Scores of references to it can be found in literature, plays, musicals, songs, stamps and cartoons. It can be introduced to students during the middle school years and becomes increasingly important during high school. It is not enough to merely state the algebraic formula for the Pythagorean Theorem.

According to University of Georgia graduate student Stephanie Morris:

Students need to see the geometric connections as well. The teaching and learning of the Pythagorean Theorem can be enriched and enhanced through the use of dot paper, geoboards, paper folding, and computer technology, as well as many other instructional materials.

The Pythagorean theorem or Pythagoras’ theorem is a relation in Euclidean geometry among the three sides of a right triangle (right-angled triangle). In terms of areas, it states:

In any right triangle, the area of the square whose side is the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares whose sides are the two legs (the two sides that meet at a right angle).
The theorem can be written as an equation relating the lengths of the sides a, b and c, often called the Pythagorean equation:  a^2 + b^2 = c^2\!\,  where c represents the length of the hypotenuse, and a and b represent the lengths of the other two sides.

The theorem is named after the Greek mathematician Pythagoras, who by tradition (only) is credited with its discovery and proof. The theorem has numerous proofs, possibly the most of any mathematical theorem. These are very diverse, including both geometric proofs and algebraic proofs, with some dating back
 thousands of years. The theorem can be generalized in various ways, including higher-dimensional spaces, to spaces that are not Euclidean, to objects that are not right triangles, and indeed, to objects that are not triangles at all, but n-dimensional solids.

Posamentier begins his book with a brief history of Pythagoras and the early use of his theorem by the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Indians, and Chinese, who used it intuitively long before Pythagoras’s name was attached to it.

He then shows the many ingenious ways in which the theorem has been proved visually using highly imaginative diagrams. Some of these go back to ancient mathematicians; others are comparatively recent proofs, including one by the twentieth president of the United States, James A. Garfield.

After demonstrating some curious applications of the theorem, Posamentier then explores the Pythagorean triples, pointing out the many hidden surprises of the three numbers that can represent the sides of the right triangle (e.g, 3, 4, 5 and 5, 12, 13). And many will truly amaze the reader.

Next, Posamentier turns to the “Pythagorean means” (the arithmetic, geometric, and harmonic means). By comparing their magnitudes in a variety of ways, he gives the reader a true appreciation for these mathematical concepts.

The final two chapters view the Pythagorean theorem from an artistic point of view–namely, how Pythagoras’s work manifests itself in music and how the Pythagorean theorem can influence fractals.
This lucid presentation and gift for conveying the significance of this key equation to those with little math background will inform, entertain, and inspire the reader, once again demonstrating the power and beauty of mathematics!

Made Me a Story … Still Got It

When I am working with children in schools, I always remind them that one of the great things about writing is that it always stays with you.

The poem Things by Eloise Greenfied summarizes the feeling:
It includes the words:

Bought me some candy  …
Ain’t got it no more
… Made me a poem
Still got it

Click here for the full text of the poem.

So what a joy it was to find this heartwarming story that I wrote back in 1992 when I was working as a reporter for The Morning Call in Allentown, PA.

February 21, 1992 | by MICHAEL R. STRICKLAND, The Morning Call

Ten wheelchair-bound people last night were rolled up a closed-off St. John Street on their way to hear songs, jokes and words of inspiration at a service that honored three people who had made a major contribution to bettering their lives. The procession went from Good Shepherd to Grace Lutheran Church of Allentown.

The Rev. Daniel G. Gambet, president of Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales, quoted Mother Theresa, saying, “Electric wire is useless unless the current passes through it and lights up the world,” at the seventh annual Raker Memorial Award Service, named for the founders of Good Shepherd. … Gilbert E. Castree, a 78-year-old resident of Allentown, said his 15 years as a member of Good Shepherd’s board of trustees have been the best of his life. Stricken with polio, meningitis and pneumonia all at age 9, Castree gave testimony to the human spirit by going from being handicapped to playing high school football.
“The feeling you get volunteering here is unlike the feeling you get anywhere else,” Castree said. “The many years have meant more to me than I could ever express.”

Read: Good Shepherd Bestows Honors On Three Who Made Difference
Hat Tip to The Morning Call for keeping their archives public, going back so many years.

And I remind young learners that “even when archives are no longer there, your story always is.”
___
See this recent related article on the topic of faith in the public square, from the Idaho State Journal.

The Urban Liason Magazine Provides Great Writing Samples for Intermediate, Secondary and College Students

I have been fortunate to use The Urban Liaison Magazine with my various writing and communication classes for several years.
The writing is snazzy, clear, correct and concise. It taps into themes and issues that are important to all types of consumers. By using a local angle, the essays and wonderful graphics keep my students engaged and provide powerful springboards for discussion.

This  bi-monthly, community lifestyle magazine features the entire Treasure Valley, from Boise to Weiser. We offer complementary magazines to our readers which are distributed to over 700 businesses throughout the valley.

And during this time of massive cutback in education, you can’t beat the price for these classroom materials:

READ THE URBAN LIASON SUMMER ISSUE FOR FREE.

Cheryl Richard, publisher and founder, created the first 12 page magazine 4 years ago with the goal–to be a support system for the small businesses of downtown Nampa. In three short years the magazine expanded to include all of Canyon County. After the expansion into Weiser last year, plans to expand the magazine into Boise quickly began. The UL magazine is now between 68-72 pages. This immense growth is based upon the UL’s insistence upon their guiding philosophy–to be a support system to small businesses.
She wrote:

Our advertisers are promoted with a variety of ad options within our magazine and the magazine is also posted on our website and Facebook page. The featured stories in every issue are powerful tools that generate awareness for our advertisers business’s which brings new customers into their doors. Along with advertising in the magazine, the Urban Liaison will feature your business in our online directory, and provide a variety of posts and referrals through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, which aim to educate our followers about our advertisers.

The magazine is centered around telling our advertisers story; as a result all of our advertisers who purchase a half page ad or larger,  that commit to the magazine for 6 issues  will  receive a story on their business! The additional articles feature interesting, positive pieces on our local community which includes non profits, events, festivals, music, and other local talent. While reading through each issue you will be inspired by our insistence on Local Living. We are the leader in Support Local in regards to print media.

The Urban Liaison features some of the most talented writers and graphic designers in the Treasure Valley which results in a beautiful, creative, and innovate product that will capture the story of your business in a way that resonates with readers. We offer the lowest prices in the valley for a full color, glossy, high end magazine. We’re one of very few publications that print 15,000 magazine per issue, with the intention to print 20,000 by next year, as advertising allows.

The sole reason behind the magazine’s existence is to act as a voice for local business owners. A place to brand themselves, and create an image of their business, without breaking the bank during the process. If you want to brand your business and educate the consumers in the Treasure Valley, the Urban Liaison Magazine is the perfect solution to your marketing needs!

The Warrior’s Heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Courage

“It’s no small feat to make a difference in somebody’s life, and Greitens has written a book that is a fitting honor to all the people who made a difference in his. By sharing these stories with young readers, he now has a chance to make a difference in a few more.”- The New York Times
Regarding The Warrior’s Heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Courage, by Eric Greitens,

 Amazon reviewer By Ken C.  said:

The episodic nature of this book will make it a popular title on the nonfiction shelf. Greitens first talks about his experiences with boxing lessons and humanitarian trips to Bosnia, Rwanda, and Bolivia. Each serves as concrete evidence of the author’s self-discipline and commitment to others. And each is depicted in Greitens’ spare, straightforward writing style.From these early missions, the book moves into Greitens’ long road to becoming a Navy SEAL. The reader is treated to snapshots of many of his comrades and the training regime they suffered to become one of these rare warriors. Though never heavy-handed, Eric Greitens also uses the people he meets as character examples — men that inspired him. Young people should be moved by these examples, as well as by Greitens’ call to action at the end of the book, where he asks that they answer the call to serve by volunteering and making their world (country, town, school, neighborhood, family) a better place.

In this adaptation of his best-selling book, The Heart and the Fist: The education of a humanitarian, the making of a Navy SEAL, Eric speaks directly to teen readers, interweaving memoir and intimate second-person narratives that ask the reader to put themselves in the shoes of himself and others. Readers will share in Eric’s evolution from average kid to globe-traveling humanitarian to warrior, training and serving with the most elite military outfit in the world: the Navy SEALs. Along the way, they’ll be asked to consider the power of choices, of making the decision each and every day to act with courage and compassion so that they grow to be tomorrow’s heroes. Sure to inspire and motivate.Here are some quotes from the book, along with a few of my thoughts:

Pg. 5″Like many American kids, I grew up learning about a world populated by heroes…. I worried that all the corners of the Earth had been explored, all the great battles fought…..My fear was that I’d miss my chance at a meaningful life.”

What little kid doesn’t dream of making a difference? What little boy or girl doesn’t dream of being the hero or heroine.  Whether they dream of being a policeman or firefighter, the momma or the one who breaks the spell, every child dreams of having the power to make a difference.

Pg. 6His parents had told him,  ”perhaps since kindergarten–that I should work hard so I could go to a place called college.  College, they promised, was the ticket…. I imagined the ticket as something golden and shiny, like a ticket for a train that would hurtle me to a place filled with adventures.”

I identify with this because my parents wanted their children to go to college and I dreamed of it.  As a parent, I encourage my children to prepare themselves for college and love to hear their dreams of the things they can do and become.

Pg. 137Eric hits it right on the head when he said of applying for a Rhodes Scholarship,  ”…I had high hopes.  Doing humanitarian work overseas, I realized it isn’t enough to fight for a better world: we also have to live lives worth fighting for.”

How true.

Pg 176-177In Eric’s observation, “Many of the guys grew up in a culture where they’d inherited ideals about manhood from beer commercials and sitcoms.  And whether the men they saw on TV were portrayed as overgrown and selfish boys, or as wimps and goofballs, the men who came to BUD/S knew—even if they didn’t articulate it–that there had to be more to being a man than that.” Eric illustrates the need that many young people feel in our society face.  Too many young men and women need role models like the one Eric describes in his book: “Senior Chief Salazar…..was the eptiome of an excellent trainer.  Every man in our class admired him…..That day on the beach …..he said, “You know what, guys?  I want to tell you something about that it means to be a real frogman.”  ”If you’re a real frogman,” he said, “then every time a woman leaves your side, she’ll feel better about herself.”

Amen!I plan to read this book to my children because it shows a wonderful example of a life well-lived. The work demonstrates the kind of effort that we should each give to living and serving our country and each other.  It also has many excellent observations and insights on the nature of service and about acting with courage and compassion.

The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up For Others … plus other books and resources

“Every child deserves the opportunity to have a successful early learning experience, which is the foundation for becoming a lifelong learner,” writes Bob Sornson, PhD, author of The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up For Others. “My work with the Early Learning Foundation is all about helping parents and schools be more effective building the skills and behaviors that help kids be successful.”

Juice Box Bully is part of my effort to teach kids to stand up and speak up for themselves and others, build healthy classroom and school cultures, and make the world a better place! Only by building safe and connected cultures will we get rid of the bullying behaviors that harm children. Punishing bullies is not enough. We must teach our children a better way.

Have you ever seen a bully in action and done nothing about it? In Juice Box Bully, the kids at Pete’s new school get involved, instead of being bystanders. When Pete begins to behave badly, his classmates teach him about “The Promise”. Will Pete decide to shed his bullying habits and make “The Promise”?
Bullying behaviour comes in many shapes and sizes, and being bullied in childhood can have lifelong effects, according to author Dr Sabina Dosani in Bullying (52 Brilliant Ideas) to Keep Your Child safe and Happy. Recent UK research indicates that 1 in 4 primary school children and 1 in 10 secondary school children are bullied at least once a term. Bullying makes children lonely, unhappy and frightened. Tackling bullying and its side-effects can be a very delicate business, and each case is unique. Often parents don’t know anything is wrong until events overtake them, or they can’t think of the best way to help their child survive the experience. Being armed with the right information about bullying, recognising the symptoms to look out for, and knowing effective ways of breaking the cycle of abuse can be crucial factors in ensuring your child deals with their tormentors in a calm, positive and proactive way. In Bullying Dr Sabina Dosani has put together 52 brilliant ideas to enable parents to help their children survive being bullied and become stronger and more confident people as a result. Including advice on identifying different types of bully, clever tips for not reacting to taunts, self-defence ideas for increased confidence and methods to take the wind out of a bully’s sails, Bullying will help you to help your child find their own empowering way to take control of the situation and rid themselves of the fear that being bullied can bring. In Bullying Dr. Sabina Dosani has put together 52 brilliant ideas to enable parents to help their children survive being bullied and become stronger and more confident people as a result.

In Tease Monster: A Book About Teasing Vs. Bullying (Building Relationships), when One-of-a-Kind”is laughed at by Purple for being weird and Green playfully calls One a klutz after tripping on the stairs, is the Tease Monster to blame? With words of wisdom from Mom about the Tease Monster, One discovers that teasing is part of life. And not all teasing is the same. One learns that laughing at someone (mean teasing)has a hurtful bite, but laughing with someone is alright when it’s not done out of spite. This the newest book in the Building Relationships series by Julia Cook.
Author Julia Cook has a phenomenal gift of writing books for children! Her books teach important life skills and are written through a child’s view of the world,” wrote Erin E. Bowden, M.S., Elementary School Counselor.
As an Elementary School Counselor, I have incorporated many of Julia’s books into my curriculum and must say Tease Monster is a powerful relationship-building tool. Children will quickly learn the power of words, how people hear things in different ways, and the importance of laughing with someone not at them. Tease Monster should certainly find its way onto your bookshelf if you’re a parent, school counselor, teacher, social worker, psychologist, or pediatrician.
*****
Social issues: About one fourth of all students from elementary age through high school are the victims of bullying and harassment while on school property because of their race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion or sexual orientation. Unfortunately the primary reason for bullying is due to something that may set themselves apart from the norm.
According to recent statistics, ‘gay and lesbian teens are two to three times as more likely to commit teen suicide than other youths.’ The Bullying Statistics website continues:
About 30 percent of all completed suicides have been related to sexual identity crisis. Students who also fall into the gay, bisexual, lesbian or transgendered identity groups report being five times as more likely to miss school because they feel unsafe after being bullied due to their sexual orientation. About 28 percent out of those groups feel forced to drop out of school altogether. Although more and more schools are working to crack down on problems with bullying, teens are still continuing to bully each other due to sexual orientation and other factors. 

In a … survey about gay bullying statistics, teens reported that the number two reason they are bullied is because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender expression. The number one reason reported was because of appearance. Teens are at a pivotal point in their young adult lives when they are trying to find out who they are and who they are about to become as adults. This is why being teased, bullied and harassed is something that could negatively affect a person’s self-esteem and view of themselves for the rest of their life.
In fact, about 9 out of 10 LGBT teens have reported being bullied at school within the past year because of their sexual orientation, according to the most recent gay bullying statistics. Out of those numbers, almost half have reported being physically harassed followed by another quarter who reported actually being physically assaulted.  Unfortunately most teens who experience bullying of any kind are reluctant to share their experience or report the incident to a teacher or trusted adult. Even more unfortunate are the gay statistics that report a lack of response among those teachers and school administration. According to a recent statistic, out of the students that did report a harassment or bullying situation because of their sexuality, about one third of the school staff didn’t do anything to resolve the issue.

Here are some other numbers:

• About 42 percent of kids have been bullied while online with one in four being verbally attacked more than once.
• About 35 percent of kids have been threatened online.
• About 58 percent of kids and teens have reported that something mean has been said about them or to them online.
• Other bullying statistics show that about 77 percent of students have admitted to being the victim of one type of bullying or another.
• The American Justice Department bullying statistics show that one out of ever 4 kids will be bullied sometime throughout their adolescence.
• 46 percent of males followed by 26 percent of females have admitted to being victims in physical fights as reported in one report of bullying statistics by the Bureau of Justice School.

Other bullying facts:

• As these bullying statistics indicate, bullying is just getting worse in American schools. Many studies have shown that increasing domestic violence at home are leading to an increase in bullying online and at school.
• Researchers note that one way to help begin to lower these bullying statistics is to tell an adult when it is happening.
• According to the i-Safe American survey of students bullying statistics, about 58 percent of kids admit to never telling an adult when they’ve been the victim of a bullying attack.
• Another way to stay safe from bullies is to inform the school if the attacks are taking place on school property or have something to do with the school.
• Ignore messages sent by cyber bullies.

See also: Bullying 101: The Facts About Bullying, by E.M. Lemus. Are you tired of sitting idly by while bullying becomes more and more frequent in the lives of our young people? The statistics around bullying are staggering. This book will provide information that you need to stop being a bystander and become a key player in helping to end the bully cycle. Learn about the different types of bullying, how to identify it and the laws that currently surround this epidemic by becoming a part of the revolution that says enough is enough.
As an added bonus, the last chapter will give you specific information regarding your state’s laws and what actions they are taking, if any, to combat this issue.

Books by Michael Strickland That Celebrate the African American Experience

Families: Poems Celebrating the African American Experience

Family relationships are explored and affirmed in this joyful anthology of poems celebrating the diversity of African American families. Michael Strickland, has collaborated with his mother, noted educator Dorothy Strickland, to bring us this warm collection. Rich and powerful poems by Eloise Greenfield, Lucille Clifton, and others are rooted in deeply felt values of belonging and mutual respect.

From Publishers Weekly

Using works by Lucille Clifton, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes and other African American poets, this determinedly upbeat collection focuses on happy childhood experiences-getting hugs and kisses, going on family outings and saying a tender good night. The poems selected are rarely representative of the poets’ best writing; moreover, they tend to stereotype pretty little girls and big strong boys. The larger problem, however, is that in “celebrating the African American experience,” the editors try to be both inclusive and exclusive at the same time. Little here suggests either the uniqueness or the variety of black culture; conversely, the Stricklands’ own initial poem extolling “all kinds of families” and poems that applaud children of “every color skin” seem at odds with the uniformly black faces Ward depicts in his acrylic paintings. But even though the focus is blurred, many teachers and parents will welcome the volume for its use of an African American cast in paying tribute to middle-class family values. Ages 5-8.

• Age Range: 5 – 8 years
• Grade Level: 2 – 3
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Wordsong (February 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563975602
• ISBN-13: 978-1563975608
• Product Dimensions: 0.1 x 7.8 x 10.8 inches

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-A fine collection of 23 poems that feature African-American families. Youngsters’ voices come through vibrantly in these traditional and contemporary works that express the joy, sorrow, and excitement of childhood. Gwendolyn Brooks’s “Andre” is about a boy who dreams of having to choose new parents; Eloise Greenfield’s “Missing Mama” poignantly expresses a child’s sorrow at the death of his mother; and Lindamichellebaron’s “Hugs and Kisses” is a delightful selection about a boy’s hidden approval of his mother’s affection for him. Other poems are by Arnold Adoff, Lucille Clifton, Nikki Grimes, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, Naomi F. Faust, Julia Fields, and E. Alma Flagg. Black characters are depicted in the attractive acrylic illustrations, and some poems express themes directly related to African-American culture; however, the verses represent and impart universal feelings and moments, making this a book to be shared and enjoyed by all children.

Haircuts at Sleepy Sam’s

From Publishers Weekly

Three brothers take a Saturday morning trip to Sam’s barber shop in this affable if slim story, narrated by the youngest sibling. Though their mother sends them with a note instructing the barber not to trim her sons’ Afro cuts too short on top, the boysAand SamAhave a different style in mind. Strickland, who has compiled several poetry anthologies for children, shapes credible dialogue and gives his narrative a bouncy cadence: awaiting their turn in the barber’s chair, the brothers “watch the men cut hair and talk, cut hair and joke, cut hair and argue, cut hair and laugh, cut hair and boogie to the oldies on the radio.” Holliday’s (First by Secondhand) 1970s’ palette underscores Mom’s old-fashioned ideas and the barbers’ banter about boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Rendered with airbrush and pastel chalk, his pictures showcase the animated expressions of the characters with close-to-photographic clarity against faded backgrounds of chartreuse, mauve and beige. Ages 4-8.

• Age Range: 4 and up
• Grade Level: Preschool and up
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press; 1st edition (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563975629
• ISBN-13: 978-1563975622
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-It’s Saturday morning and haircut time for three African-American brothers. While their mother insists on natural Afro cuts, the boys yearn for the contemporary shorter styles worn by their friends. Readers follow the children as they walk to Sam’s Barbershop where they give Sam the envelope from their mother that contains instructions and money for the haircuts. Three barbers work on the siblings and when they are finished, the boys have the haircuts they wanted. The pastel and airbrush illustrations lend a light, cheery tone and portray a lively community. The photographic quality of the facial expressions invites readers to join in the joking and horseplay at the barbershop. Both the first-person narrative and the illustrations reveal the close-knit relationships of the brothers and their surroundings. The text flows well and is a good choice for reading aloud. For similar books, see Margaree King Mitchell’s Uncle Jed’s Barbershop (S & S, 1993) and Natasha Tarpley’s I Love My Hair (Little, Brown, 1997).
Shawn Brommer, Southern Tier Library System, Painted Post, NY

African-American Writers: A Dictionary

A timely survey of an important sector of American letters, African American Writers, examines a multitude of black cultural leaders from the eighteenth century to the present as it focuses on novelists, essayists, scholars, activists, critics, teachers, poets, playwrights, and songwriters. Biographical information covers important events in a writer’s life, education, major works, honors and awards, family and important associates, and more. Includes illustrations, bibliography, and index.

From Library Journal

This unique title profiles several hundred African American fiction and nonfiction writers from Colonial times to the present. The table of contents lists the authors alphabetically and then divides them into 17 categories (novels, short stories, slave narratives, etc.) and nine themes (Folktales, the Harlem Renaissance, Trickster Tales, etc.); authors whose work spans several categories are listed separately under each. The profiles themselves, presented alphabetically and ranging from a paragraph for less well known writers like Ai Ogawa to three pages for writers like Ralph Ellison or Terry McMillan, are both biographical and critical, although the amount of criticism varies. Included in each entry are the writer’s birth and death dates, the categories into which he or she fits, and any pseudonyms. Black-and-white illustrations, references, genre lists, a comprehensive index, and chronologies of the writer’s life dates and of African American literary firsts complete this impressive title. Hatch, a freelance writer, and Strickland (creative writing, Boise State University.) are to be commended; no other single work seeks to include all past and present African American writers of significance in such an affordable format.

• Series: Literary Companions (ABC)
• Library Binding: 484 pages
• Publisher: ABC-Clio Inc (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874369592
• ISBN-13: 978-0874369595
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.3 x 1.7 inches

From Booklist

Finding information about African American writers has always entailed searching in a variety of resources. Children\rquote s writers, political writers, poets, songwriters, novelists, and speechwriters are covered in different sources, some easy to find, others not. Information about some writers, such as Toni Morrison and Phillis Wheatley, is readily available. Information about other, more obscure writers, such as Abby Fisher, who authored the first published cookbook by an African American woman, is harder to locate. And unearthing facts about those who penned comic strips, compiled bibliographies, or wrote scripts or political columns is even more challenging.
This very complete and readable dictionary helps to meet that challenge. Spanning the entire history of African American expression, it covers more than 530 individuals, including writers of commercials, hymns, newspaper editorials, and rap songs along with screenplays, novels, autobiographies, essays, and poetry. Publishers, editors, and patrons of the arts are included as well. Entries vary from just a sentence for actor Laurence Fishburne to 10 pages for Richard Wright. A handful of important movements, publications, and genres (e.g., Harlem Renaissance, Negro Digest, Spirituals ) are also treated.
Each author entry begins with the author’s birth name, followed by pseudonyms or alternative names and birth and death dates if available, as well as the genres appropriate to the individual. In addition to biographical facts, the editors have included information about what inspired the authors to compose their works, in the hope that the volume would be a springboard for further investigation or even a source of ideas. Cross-references are in bold type, and each entry ends with abbreviated source references. The book is sprinkled with photographs and concludes with an appendix of writers by genre, a chronology of writers and a chronology of  firsts, full bibliographic references, and an index.

The Club

… And

Shells Gold

Reading levels are inviting to reluctant readers.
- Each series features a multicultural cast of characters with strong group friendships.
- Engaging plots deal with peer rivalry, mystery, virtual reality, and much more!

The Club:

• Age Range: 10 and up
• Grade Level: 5 and up
• Series: Summit Books
• Paperback: 119 pages
• Publisher: Perfection Learning (August 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789155427
• ISBN-13: 978-0789155429
• Product Dimensions: 0.3 x 4.2 x 6.6 inches

From About.com:
If you have kids or teens who are reluctant readers because they read below grade level and can’t find books they can read that interest them, try some of these hi-lo books. The Hi-Lo reading lists focus on books at the reader’s interest level (“Hi” stands for “high interest”) but written at a lower reading level (“Lo” stands for “low readability,” “low vocabulary,” “lower reading level”) to encourage reading. Kids and teens reading below grade level are more apt to want to read a book if it is not only at their reading level but also at their interest level.

• Shell’s Gold:
• 
  
• Age Range: 10 and up
• Grade Level: 5 and up
• Series: Summit Books
• Hardcover: 117 pages
• Publisher: Perfection Learning (August 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756908558
• ISBN-13: 978-0756908553

A hi-lo book, broadly defined, is a title that offers highly interesting subject matter at a low reading level, according to Publisher’s Weekly. A number of publishers have focused on producing these books, though they often take slightly different approaches to creating the products that best fit a particular market. The abiding goal, says Arianne McHugh, president and co-owner of Saddleback Educational Publishing, “is to offer age-appropriate content—something that will grab [readers'] interest—at a readability level that is accessible.” As examples, McHugh notes that for a struggling reader in middle school or high school, although The Hunger Games would generate enormous interest, it would be a discouraging undertaking. On the other hand, “You can’t give them Clifford; we don’t want to embarrass them,” she says. Somewhere in the middle is the book that’s just right, she says.

African-American Poets (Collective Biographies)

This book This book profiles the lives and work of ten African American poets: Gwendolyn Brooks, Haki R. Madhubuti, Rita Dove, Eloise Greenfield, Langston Hughes, Imamu Amiri Baraka, Maya Angelou, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Phillis Wheatley and Nikki Giovanni.
From School Library Journal:
Gr 7-12. ‘Ten African Americans are highlighted in these essays. Each 7-to-10 page sketch contains basic biographical information about the poet, showing how the African-American experience affected their work, along with a portrait (usually a photograph) and one of their poems. The writers range from former slave Phillis Wheatley to contemporary authors such as Maya Angelou, Eloise Greenfield, and Rita Dove. Also included are Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Nikki Giovanni. The clear, focused writing makes this a solid choice for reports, especially in multicultural units.‘

Mastering Basic Grammar and Usage for the ACT

As you’ve probably already gathered, the English Test will never explicitly ask you to name a grammatical error, reads SparkNotes.  “But in order to identify and fix errors, you should know what they are. While you’ll often be able to rely on your ear to detect errors, many of the questions will ask you to fix phrases that are fine for spoken English but not for formal written English.”

***

The ACT test description states:

Spelling, vocabulary, and rote recall of rules of grammar aren’t tested. See sample questions or read tips and strategies.The test consists of five prose passages, each one accompanied by multiple-choice test questions. Different passage types are included to provide variety.
Some questions refer to underlined portions of the passage and offer several alternatives to the underlined portion. You must decide which choice is most appropriate in the context of the passage.
Some questions ask about an underlined portion, a section of the passage, or the passage as a whole. You must decide which choice best answers the question posed.
Many questions include “NO CHANGE” to the underlined portion or the passage as one of the choices.
The questions are numbered consecutively. Each question number corresponds to an underlined portion in the passage or to a box located in the passage.

Several  grammar issues, appear on the ACT English Test, including:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement
2. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
3. Pronoun Cases
4. Verb Tenses
5. Adverbs and Adjectives
6. Idioms
7. Comparative and Superlative Modifiers

RECOMMENDED READING: Grammar Workbook for the SAT, ACT, and More, by George Ehrenhaft Ed.D.

A solid command of English grammar is a prerequisite for success when students take the SAT, ACT, and other college entrance tests. This workbook presents a detailed grammar review with dozens of practice quizzes and exercises to sharpen students’ skills. It begins with an explanation of grammatical terms and their functions. It then describes the 24 most common mistakes made by students and shows how to avoid them. Prominent among them are lack of agreement between subject and verb, misuse of pronouns, faulty parallel structure, and faulty punctuation. A final chapter focuses on advice and instruction for writing error-free SAT and ACT essays. This workbook is filled with sample questions exactly like those found on both the SAT and ACT, and comes with fully explained answers.

FURTHER RESOURCES:
Pronoun Case Quiz (Guide to Cases of Nouns and Pronouns with two quizzes) http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cases.htm
Verb Tense Quiz: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/tenses/tenses_frame.html

Tales of the Kingdom offers fast-paced action and exciting storytelling with a enduring Christian message

Action, intrigue, and danger follow Scarboy wherever he goes, especially in the Enchanted City, where the “imperfect” are cast away and orphans are enslaved. Scarboy manages to escape the evil Enchanter to safety in Great Park, but has yet to confront his greatest fear—and he’ll need enormous courage to conquer it!

An exciting series from best-selling authors David and Karen Mains,  the gold-medallion award-winning Tales of the Kingdom offers fast-paced action and exciting storytelling with a enduring Christian message.

 

Enjoy the beautiful, full-color illustrations as these classic allegories teach kids and adults the importance of trusting God as they unveil fundamental truths about good and evil.

 

This book is 95 pages of unforgettable stories in durable hardcover binding, enhanced by 12 full-color, full-page illustrations from renowned artist Jack Stockman. These popular, but hard to find books have gone for up to $60 a piece on Ebay! Get your keepsake copies today, which you can read with your family for many years to come.

 

An amazon reviewer wrote:

 

I heard these stories when I was very very young, and now as a grown man, they bring tears to my eyes. I almost wish I was a Christian because these stories are so beautiful. How blessed are those who know Christ.

 

Another said:

 

These classic allegorical tales are ones I grew up reading, and they continue to be meaningful to me now as an adult and someone who can share them with the children around me. I have just taken my Wed. night Bible class of 1st – 3rd graders through this book and they all became fans. It is easy to draw out Biblical truths from each chapter that can be applied for young ones and grown ups alike!
The 12 chapters tell the story of Hero, a young man who escaped with his brother from the wicked Enchanted City. Taking refuge in Great Park, his world is changed by those who love and serve a King he has never seen. He lives with funny old Caretaker, who can control the weather and create new life, and his gentle wife Mercie. Hero struggles because he cannot see the King and does not understand this love all around him.
Other stories involve Princess Amanda, a girl who has the uncanny gift of seeing. But gifted ones can still fall prey to temptation and see disastrous consequences. We also learn about a juggler whose count is different than those around him, the baker who loved bread, two noisy knights, and a girl named Dirty. Each one is meaningful, entertaining, and challenging for the readers.
We are taking off on the second book in this series, “Tales of the Resistance,” next in our class …

Kingdom Tales Trilogy
In the tradition of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein come these heartwarming allegories of good and evil from best-selling authors David and Karen Mains. Your entire family will be entranced as Scarboy and his friends boldly follow the one True King to overcome the evil Enchanter and his tenacious hold on the oppressed residents of Enchanted City. These books are Gold-medallion award-winners and we’re the only place where you can receive “signed” autographed copies of these beautiful picture books. Order your complete set of the Tales of the Kingdom trilogy.

The Tales of the Kingdom Trilogy includes three books: Tales of the Kingdom, Tales of the Resistance and Tales of the Restoration, by authors David and Karen Mains. Each book in its original format was enhanced with beautiful full-color illustrations…which is what you will receive…plus these titles are all autographed by the authors. The series has been the recipient of two Gold Medallion awards.

Michelle Witte: “Big Isn’t Always Better”

The following is an excerpt from a blog entry by Michelle is an author, editor, and literary agent Michelle Witte,  “Publishing is in flux,” Michelle writes.  “Anyone who pays attention to the industry knows that. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With change comes opportunity, and some of the smaller independent publishers out there are in a prime position to innovate and try different strategies that the big guys don’t have the flexibility to do. So today I’d like to highlight some of the smaller publishers I see doing exciting things, and as I specialize in kidlit, these are all publishers of children’s or young adult books.”

Carolrhoda Lab

I’m a big fan of the deeply distinctive books that editorial director Andrew Karre selects for this YA imprint of Lerner books. Since his tastes run similar to mine—dark, quirky, weird, awesome—I’ve paid special attention to their offerings over the past few years. More than that, though, is Karre’s vision of what makes good literature for teens, and his ability to bring that out in writers. (Note: They don’t accept queries from unagented writers.)

Some of the most innovative titles in YA are coming from Carolrhoda Lab, including R.J. Anderson’s Ultraviolet, told from the perspective of a girl who feels colors and tastes words (an actual condition called Synesthesia), and that isn’t the weirdest aspect of the novel, by far. The imprint also published the US edition for one of my favorite books ever, Savannah Grey by Cliff McNish.

Read the full story here.
Follow Michelle on Facebook.

Dear America: Down the Rabbit Hole by Susan Campbell Bartoletti Feels Like Reliving History

In the spring of 1871, fourteen-year-old Pringle Rose learns that her parents have been killed in a terrible carriage accident. After her uncle Edward and his awful wife, Adeline, move into Pringle’s family home — making life unbearable for her and her younger brother, Gideon — Pringle runs away with Gideon to Chicago, seeking refuge from the tragedy, and hoping to start a new life. She becomes a nanny for the children of a labor activist, and quickly finds herself caught up in a web of intrigue and lies. This is just part of the adventure of Dear America: Down the Rabbit Hole by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. Then, when a familiar figure from home arrives, Pringle begins to piece together the devastating mystery of what happened to her parents, and realizes just how deadly the truth might be. But soon, one of the greatest disasters this country has ever known — the Great Fire of Chicago — flares up, and Pringle is on the run for her life.

“The many apt allusions to Alice in Wonderland, Pringle’s cherished gift from her mother, elevate and deepen the story as, more than once, Pringle’s life is turned upside down, and things are often not what they seem to be,” according to Kirkus Reviews.

Bartoletti’s writing is always clear and at times elegant. She creates a very likable young protagonist and paints this endearing character against a well-drawn historical backdrop. Her entry in the Dear America series brilliantly weaves the high-action historical diary tale into the whirlwind of events surrounding the Chicago Fire of 1871.  The book also includes the general labor unrest that was taking place at the time.  This wonderful and captivating story is a great choice for teens as well as adults.
As the pages turn, it feels like you’re reliving history.


The author writes:

I often tell aspiring writers to write about what you like, to write about what you know, to write about what you’d like to know, and to write about what you don’t like and don’t understand.
You see, the acts of researching and writing and telling stories help me to stretch and to grow and to make meaning. It helps me understand difficult subjects and ideas.
If you know my body of nonfiction work, then you know that I’ve spent the last twenty years researching and writing and thinking deeply about difficult and heart-breaking subjects such as child labor, the Holocaust, the Third Reich, famine and war, and the Ku Klux Klan.
In my work, I explore the lives of those who were victimized, exploited, disenfranchised, and silenced. I like to explore the ways that these people’s lives were greater than the pain and violence and injustice that they suffered. I like to explore the ways these people became active agents in their struggle for change — and for survival and for the survival of their loved ones.

Those who suffered violence and injustice and hatred were not passive victims.
Given my interests, it may seem obvious that I would tell Pringle’s story through one of those lenses. After all, that’s what I did in my first Dear America book, A Coal Miner’s Bride.
I like to expose gaps and contradictions. I appreciate irony. Perhaps that’s the best way to explain how Pringle showed up on the page, as the daughter of a wealthy mine owner who railed against the workers’ attempts to unionize and strike for better wages and living conditions.

A book always surprises its writer, and there were many other surprises along the way. For example, when I began writing, I didn’t realize the full extent of my interest in the lives of children with disabilities and the fact that their stories are often marginalized or missing completely from the historical record. I didn’t know that Pringle’s younger brother Gideon had Down syndrome. That storyline emerged as I began to explore Gideon’s character more.
And yet, I know where I found the inspiration for Gideon’s character: from a family friend named Sal Angello. Sal was born with Down syndrome in 1947.

I first met Sal when I was sixteen and grew to know him and his family well over the coming years. Little did I know that I was collecting seeds for a character named Gideon. Perhaps the best compliment comes from Sal’s amazing sister, Rose Marie Crotti, who says about the book: “Susan captured Sal’s sense of humor and life qualities that were unique to him.”
Sal’s family was not wealthy, as Gideon’s family is in the story, but Sal led a rich life. He died before his sixty-third birthday in 2010.

Bartoletti’s lively prose and strong characterizations kept me turning the pages. And I absolutely loved sharing the brave  heroine with my daughters. As School Library Journal said: “Whether readers recognize the date of the Great Fire or not, the foreboding sense of tragedy looms over the city, creating suspense in the center of Pringle’s conflicting emotions.” Packed with multiple historical events and an engaging personal story, readers are in for a special treat with Down The Rabbit Hole.

Winning personalities come to life in Big Buddy Biographies

Recommended Reading: Lindsey Vonn: Olympic Champion (Big Buddy Biographies)

Winning personalities come to life in Big Buddy Biographies! This dynamic group of kid-friendly sports standouts, singing sensations, television and movie superstars, and even First Kids will inspire young readers. Each book highlights a person’s background, claim to fame, and dreams for the future. Colorful graphics, oversized photographs, and short, engaging sentences and paragraphs will encourage reluctant readers to dive into these fascinating lives! Included are table of contents, Did You Know facts, glossary with phonetic spellings, and index. Big Buddy Books is an imprint of ABD0 Publishing Company.

Who is Lindsey Vonn?
Lindsey Caroline Vonn is an American World Cup alpine ski racer who competed with the United States Ski Team. She has won four overall World Cup championships – one of only two female skiers to do so, along with Annemarie Moser-Pröll – with three consecutive titles in 2008, 2009, and 2010, plus another in 2012.
See: Lindsey Vonn: Olympic Champion (Big Buddy Biographies) Library Binding, by Sarah Tieck
Vonn won the gold medal in downhill at the 2010 Winter Olympics, the first ever in the event for an American woman. She has also won six consecutive World Cup season titles in the downhill discipline (2008–2013), four consecutive titles in Super G (2009–2012), and three consecutive titles in the combined (2010–2012). Vonn is one of six women to have won World Cup races in all five disciplines of alpine skiing – downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom, and super combined – and has won 59 World Cup races in her career through the end of the 2013 Alpine Skiing World Cup.

Only two ski racers have more World Cup victories in their careers, Annemarie Moser-Pröll of Austria with 62 and Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden with 86. With her Olympic gold and bronze medals, two World Championship gold medals in 2009 (plus three silver medals in 2007 / 2011), and four overall World Cup titles, Vonn has become the most successful American skier in history. Vonn received the Laureus World Sports Awards Sportswoman of the Year for 2010. She was also honored again as the USOC’s sportswoman of the year for 2010.