Last spring, the Gulf Coast Oil Spill had us all wondering about the oil gushing into the water and being brought to shore by either waves or storms. What effect did it have on the animals? How did our young children see this event?
A great new children's book by well known author Carole Marsh has just been released. This charming story unfolds at the beginning of the oil spill when some young pelicans are out on a morning's adventure. They soon find something is amiss with the appearance of the Dark Shadow and its effect on a young pelican friend.
Children will eagerly follow the pelicans' plight as they get a helping hand from the local children who are assisting the oil covered pelicans.
This story brings the headlines of the summer to a level where young children can understand the events of the oil spill on the environment. Followed by a photo documentary by a Gulf Coast girl named Erin, students will learn how our environment and wildlife were affected by the spill.
The book has wonderful reproducible activities for children as they explore the environment. Marsh has once again brought educators and parents a wonderful resource tool for our children.
The book is available through Gallopade International at www.gallopade.com.
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Change your view of the world... read "The Kite Runner"
Sometimes books can powerfully change the way you view certain aspects of your world. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini was such a book for me.
I'll confess, when a friend of mine sent me Klaled Hosseini's two books, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, I wasn't particularly looking forward to reading them. She had spoken glowingly of both books earlier and included a note in the books telling me that The Kite Runner was the first, but if I only had time for one to please read A Thousand Splendid Suns. My genre of choice in reading is usually mystery, science fiction and similar. However, timing is everything and I ran out of books the day after I received the pair. I figured I'd give them a shot. I hate to start with the second in what I thought at the time was a series, so I picked up The Kite Runner thinking I'd force myself to get through it if needed (that written by a person who would read a shampoo bottle if nothing else were available...).
To steal a partial line from Hosseini's second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, which I have just begun... I read with enchantment.
When I put the book down I had a different view of my world. I spent half a lifetime in someone else's shoes and my own shoes didn't quite fit the same.
Hosseini drew me into the mind of young Amir giving me glimpses of life in Afghanistan before the Taliban, the Russians and others changed an entire culture. I saw the United States through Amir's eyes as he and his father adjusted to the loss of more than just a comfortable way of life. The book carried me through roughly thirty years of tumultuous and sometimes horrific history, past September 11th, then back around to a bit of hope.
The Kite Runner is more than just a story about a changing world, it's a story of relationships and growth. It's simply written yet powerfully riveting. It slightly knocked my comfortable world of it's axis a bit, giving me a little bit better understanding of another culture on a personal level.
Hosseini is an excellent storyteller. After reading The Kite Runner, I can't imagine that A Thousand Splendid Suns could be better, but I'm in the process of finding out! I'm on page 5, I'll let you know what I think when I finish.
The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
Riverhead Books
Published by the Penguin Group
I'll confess, when a friend of mine sent me Klaled Hosseini's two books, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, I wasn't particularly looking forward to reading them. She had spoken glowingly of both books earlier and included a note in the books telling me that The Kite Runner was the first, but if I only had time for one to please read A Thousand Splendid Suns. My genre of choice in reading is usually mystery, science fiction and similar. However, timing is everything and I ran out of books the day after I received the pair. I figured I'd give them a shot. I hate to start with the second in what I thought at the time was a series, so I picked up The Kite Runner thinking I'd force myself to get through it if needed (that written by a person who would read a shampoo bottle if nothing else were available...).
To steal a partial line from Hosseini's second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, which I have just begun... I read with enchantment.
When I put the book down I had a different view of my world. I spent half a lifetime in someone else's shoes and my own shoes didn't quite fit the same.
Hosseini drew me into the mind of young Amir giving me glimpses of life in Afghanistan before the Taliban, the Russians and others changed an entire culture. I saw the United States through Amir's eyes as he and his father adjusted to the loss of more than just a comfortable way of life. The book carried me through roughly thirty years of tumultuous and sometimes horrific history, past September 11th, then back around to a bit of hope.
The Kite Runner is more than just a story about a changing world, it's a story of relationships and growth. It's simply written yet powerfully riveting. It slightly knocked my comfortable world of it's axis a bit, giving me a little bit better understanding of another culture on a personal level.
Hosseini is an excellent storyteller. After reading The Kite Runner, I can't imagine that A Thousand Splendid Suns could be better, but I'm in the process of finding out! I'm on page 5, I'll let you know what I think when I finish.
The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
Riverhead Books
Published by the Penguin Group
Monday, August 31, 2009
Book Review: Other Places - A Family's World War II Experience in Germany and the US
Author Ria Veeren takes readers back to World War II and the struggles of one Dutch family in Other Places. The story is her story as she tells of her immigration to America in 1948 and also of the events which led to her immigration.
Of interest in the book are parts of her family's life in Holland and in Germany during World War II and her father's role in providing for his family during a time of war. Excerpts from her father's, Jack Veeren, diary will appeal to those who have an avid interest in history. The elder Veeren, a photographer, served as in interpreter for the Americans immediately after the war.
Those of who have never lived through a war or have the memories shared by the greatest generation will benefit from learning about the effects of a war on everyday people. Other Places is this experience for one family and worth reading.
Staff Report
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Of interest in the book are parts of her family's life in Holland and in Germany during World War II and her father's role in providing for his family during a time of war. Excerpts from her father's, Jack Veeren, diary will appeal to those who have an avid interest in history. The elder Veeren, a photographer, served as in interpreter for the Americans immediately after the war.
Those of who have never lived through a war or have the memories shared by the greatest generation will benefit from learning about the effects of a war on everyday people. Other Places is this experience for one family and worth reading.
Staff Report
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Book Review: defining Twilight; Enticing Teens to Learn
"Quick," I said to my teenager. "Define futilely." The eyes that bore back into mine were blank, almost oblivious to my question. "Are you woolgathering?"
"What is this?", asked the teenager who was now experiencing grave misgivings over the decision to walk in to the room with me as I sat reading.
So began my excursion into defining Twilight by Brian Leaf, a delightful book chock full of vocabulary words. What's the deal?
The Twilight book series by Stephenie Meyer has been the latest rage among teens and young adults for a couple of years now. The movie is seen on a regular basis at my house as others descend in droves. The books are so popular that I've walked in and found the teens playing Twilight Trivia or reciting favorite lines of the movie. The books are kept close as a reference so the kids can be sure of their facts.
I admit I had seen the movie, but had not taken time to actually read the book. When asked to review defining Twilight, I knew I had to bite the bullet and jump head first into the land of chaste vampires. The Twilight book was fun to read, and it was full of wonderful words not commonly used by teens today. Do they understand the meanings?
Enter Leaf's defining Twilight, and it's a match made perfect for any student studying to take one of the college entrance exams. Leaf has provided an entertaining way to use the Twilight book as an aid to learning vocabulary. It's a great concept. Read the page in the book, and define the word. There are also quick exercises to use to complement learning the definitions.
It sure beats digging out the old Digests I had to use when I was studying for the SAT. Perhaps I would have scored better on the standardized tests of my day if someone had made learning the vocabulary more pertinent to the times.
Leaf will release his second book in the Defining series in October. I can't wait to see the words he defines and introduce them to my teen.
Staff Report
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
"What is this?", asked the teenager who was now experiencing grave misgivings over the decision to walk in to the room with me as I sat reading.
So began my excursion into defining Twilight by Brian Leaf, a delightful book chock full of vocabulary words. What's the deal?
The Twilight book series by Stephenie Meyer has been the latest rage among teens and young adults for a couple of years now. The movie is seen on a regular basis at my house as others descend in droves. The books are so popular that I've walked in and found the teens playing Twilight Trivia or reciting favorite lines of the movie. The books are kept close as a reference so the kids can be sure of their facts.
I admit I had seen the movie, but had not taken time to actually read the book. When asked to review defining Twilight, I knew I had to bite the bullet and jump head first into the land of chaste vampires. The Twilight book was fun to read, and it was full of wonderful words not commonly used by teens today. Do they understand the meanings?
Enter Leaf's defining Twilight, and it's a match made perfect for any student studying to take one of the college entrance exams. Leaf has provided an entertaining way to use the Twilight book as an aid to learning vocabulary. It's a great concept. Read the page in the book, and define the word. There are also quick exercises to use to complement learning the definitions.
It sure beats digging out the old Digests I had to use when I was studying for the SAT. Perhaps I would have scored better on the standardized tests of my day if someone had made learning the vocabulary more pertinent to the times.
Leaf will release his second book in the Defining series in October. I can't wait to see the words he defines and introduce them to my teen.
Staff Report
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
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