Wednesday Word: Plethora

Part of Speech:

noun

Definition:

excess, superfluity, abundance

Usage:

Students could participate in a plethora of extracurricular activities and clubs available on the school campus.

Read Across America

Today is Read Across America! It was established by the National Education Association (NEA) as an “annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading.” The celebration occurs each year on or around the birthday of Theodor Geisel—better known as Dr. Seuss—born on March 2, 1904.

The program highlights the importance of literacy in childhood development and reminds adults to encourage children to read every day. Children who are introduced to books and reading at an early age are more likely to continue reading throughout their lives. Research has shown that children who read often are better readers and do better in school. So, grab a book!

The NEA and state teachers’ associations offer a plethora of ideas for celebrating. Here are just a few things that you can do with a child today!

Read! Pick out a book—or two, or three, or more—and sit with a child and read. Read the book to the child, have him or her read it to you, or take turns reading. Don’t forget to examine the illustrations and use different voices, expressions, and intonations to help your child understand and engage in the story.

Create! Make some bookmarks or bookplates for your favorite books. There are many online resources with printables to color and cut, or you can start from scratch and make your own with plain paper, stickers, ribbons, and more.

Cook! If you have a little chef around, then use the kitchen to get him or her even more excited about stories. How do green eggs and ham really taste? Whip up some “Cat in the Hat” cupcakes.

Play! Act out a favorite story with your drama queen or king. To make it even more fun, take out some costumes or raid the closets. Simple hats, ties, scarves, and shoes can really help you to “become” the characters. Of course, tiaras and jewels, if you have them, add some sparkle.

Write! Read or think about a favorite story and help your reader write a new ending or a book review. If you have an enthusiastic writer, have him or her write a modern version of a classic story or write a completely original story.

Talk! Make sure to discuss books with the other readers in your home, especially teenagers. Talk about the parts of the story, like the characters, setting, conflict, climax, resolution, message, etc. Discuss what you liked or didn’t like about a book. Talk about the differences between a movie and the original book from which it was created. Open dialogue about different genres, book censorship, or storyline trends.

Below are links to even more online ideas and resources to help you celebrate today. Happy reading!

National Education Association (NEA)

California Teachers Association (CTA)

Seussville
Storyline Online

Wednesday Word: Rigmarole (also Rigamarole)

Part of Speech:

noun

Definition:

a complex and sometimes ritualistic procedure

Usage:

Tired from our long day, we skipped the evening rigmarole and went straight to bed without baths or bedtime stories.

The Future of Publishing

Sometimes we must embrace the understanding that the only thing certain is change. This seems true as we examine the future of publishing and book sellers.

In October 2010, The New York Times ran an article about the decline of picture books from the perspective of book sellers. In December 2010, Publisher’s Weekly (PW) followed up with a contrary response from the publishing industry. Key points to these discussions included the economy, parent expectations, and technology.

In tight economic times it’s easy to understand that families have less money to spend on anything more than necessities. However, what do we value as necessary, and have those views changed? The PW article tells the story of a man who bought his daughter a $14 picture book. The man made minimum wage, didn’t really have the money to spend at the time, and immediately regretted the purchase. However, he returned to the store later to say, “I read that book every night to my little girl. She laughs. That’s the best $14 I ever spent.”

It appears that the value we place on books may be changing. If a parent decides to spend $14 on a book, then the next question becomes which book? Does he buy the picture book or a more advanced chapter book in an attempt to push little Jane to a “higher” level of thinking? Without realizing it, the picture book may be dismissed as babyish. We are starting to see a shift in thinking as many parents mistakenly classify picture books as those appropriate only for ages zero to three, when in fact picture books are aimed at children ages zero to eight. As parental expectations rise, the simplicity with which complex messages can be conveyed through a picture book may be devalued.

Finally, we cannot ignore the role that technology has played in the changing book world. With ever-increasing electronic book and telephone application markets, we see the toll technology is taking on traditional book publishers and retailers. This week, it was reported that Border Books has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and expects to close more than 200 stores nationwide.

The electronic book industry began with an adult/young adult audience; however, we are seeing that children’s publishing is exploring and developing electronic options for youth. I was attending a meeting for parents at my child’s elementary school recently. In front of me sat a young couple with a preschooler. The young child twisted, turned, and tapped at a electronic tablet for longer than I expected her to sit still while the room full of adults carried on a discussion. I couldn’t see the game she was playing, but it was clear that it held this pre-reader’s attention—without any adult interaction—for at least 20 minutes. Within the next one to two years I suspect she’ll use that tablet to begin learning letters, to begin forming words, and to begin reading.

A bad economy, consumer responses, and technological advances have obviously played a part in the changes taking place within local bookstores. We really are not sure what to expect in the future of publishing. How will it look in five, ten, fifteen years? Will we miss the cool crisp feel of the page turning beneath our fingertips as it’s replaced by the quick flip of a fingerswipe across a screen? I guess we’ll have to embrace change and wait for time to tell.

For more reading pleasure, check out these online articles referenced in my commentary:

Publishers Weekly: "Don't Write the Obit for Picture Books Yet" (December 12, 2010)

Kats and Blogs: "The Decline of Picture Books?" (October 8, 2010)

The New York Times: "Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children" (October 7, 2010)

Wednesday Word: Hiatus

Part of Speech:

noun

Definition:

a break or interruption in the continuity of a work, series, activity, etc.

Usage:

After a two-month hiatus, the writer felt refreshed and resumed work on her novel.

TodaysMama and GameStop

TodaysMama and GameStop are giving away great gifts this holiday season, and to enter their giveaway I’m sharing this meme with you.

Holiday Wish List 2010:

1. What is your holiday wish for your family?

I wish for my family to embrace the joy and hope of Christmas and carry it into our lives each and every day.

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition?

We open presents, eat Monkey Bread for breakfast, and play with our new stuff.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?

I would love a laptop of my own and a new coffee maker. Oh, joy!

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?

There is a neighborhood near us where every house on the block puts up elaborate outdoor Christmas decorations. We like to drive through each year to see the beautiful displays. We also like to decorate our own house, bake cookies, and make treats.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?

We played lots of games growing up—Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, Sorry, Trouble, Parcheesi, Yahtzee, and card games. My mom never turned down a request to play Chinese Checkers or Scrabble. (I miss Mom!)

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?

We continue lots of family traditions like hanging stockings and leaving cookies for Santa. We’ve created new family traditions, too, like opening new pjs on Christmas Eve.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip?

I’m a Southern California girl so I’d like to go almost anywhere for a white Christmas!

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?

We’d love an XBOX 360/Kinect with Kinect Sports, some new Nintendo DSi games like Wipeout the Game, and some new Wii games like Disney Sing It Party Hits.

Check out the links to enter the giveaway at TodaysMama and to shop online at GameStop.

Wednesday Word: Inveterate

Part of Speech:

adjective

Definition:

firmly established by long persistence; confirmed in a habit

Usage:

She was an inveterate gossip and a habitual liar.

Thankful Tree

I know it’s December 1 and everyone is ready to move on to Christmas, but I have one more Thanksgiving thing to share. This year my family created our own version of a Thankful Tree. It’s a really simple, cheap, and fun fall craft for the whole family. It’s a great way to think about and share all the things for which you are grateful. You might want to consider making one with your family.

First we ripped brown paper bags (grocery and lunch bags) down the seams to open them. Then we rolled and twisted them to create the tree trunk and branches. We used packing tape to adhere the twisted pieces to the sliding glass door creating a tree form. (You could do this on a wall or on a poster board, too.) Then we printed fall leaves on colored construction paper—yellow, orange, red, green, and brown. We cut out the leaves, and each family member wrote one or more things for which he/she was thankful on each leaf. This gives younger children an opportunity to practice writing, and even the littlest ones can draw pictures. The kids added the leaves to the tree with scotch tape.

We had lots of duplicate ideas on our leaves—friends, family, food, shelter, clothing, health, freedom, etc. We kept our leaves for next year so we can add some of the little things for which we’re thankful—ice cream sundaes, naps, rainbows, hummingbirds, etc.

Cute, huh? I have to tell you that the entire family looked at me like I was crazy when we started this project, but by the end they all loved it. My husband even said that it was his favorite fall decoration.

You could easily adapt the idea for other events. How about a snowman made of snowflakes with wishes for the New Year? Get creative!

Find new ways to get your family thinking, creating, and writing. If you create something like this or have a new idea, I’d love to hear about it. Please leave a comment!

I found the inspiration for our tree on Tip Junkie {one of my favorites}, which had a link to My Insanity where Kendra gave instructions for creating a Gratitude Tree. I used an autumn leaf template from Holly at Creating Cupcakes. Thanks for the great stuff, ladies!

Giving Thanks

Our church supports Empowering Lives International (ELI), an organization that helps poverty-stricken families in Africa. ELI has shared with the congregation the great need of the people they work with, as well as the small ways that we can help. For example, the church helped build a school, which provides one meal a day for the students. Most days the children eat porridge; however, Tuesdays and Fridays are special, because on those days the children get a meal of rice and beans instead of porridge. Those are the days they look forward to in anticipation.

How many of us can say we would look forward to a meal of rice and beans?

To gain some small understanding and empathy for the situation, the pastor invited us to eat rice and beans for the three days leading to Thanksgiving. Rice, beans, and water. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. My family was understandably apprehensive. Rather than set ourselves up for inevitable failure (sorry, Pastor), we decided that we would eat only rice and beans on Wednesday.

We started our day well with both a breakfast and a lunch of white rice and pinto beans. We added some salt and pepper, and we all drank water. By 2 p.m. the kids were hungry. I gave them a snack of rice with a little margarine added. By 5 p.m. we were cranky, had headaches, and were beginning to experience some impaired functioning. (My son, who is only 8, had to eat a granola bar to bolster his courage and commitment.) For dinner, I made a plentiful amount of rice and beans, and the children drank milk instead of water. We had mixed emotions about the meal—we were hungry and yet the food seemed bland, monotonous, and unappetizing.

Our conversation that evening was not. We discussed what we thought life must be like for the African children and their families. We wondered what that kind of life does to the body, mind, and spirit. We discussed how truly fortunate we are and how we take so many blessings for granted. We discussed hope for those families and ourselves.

On Thursday, we prayed, we gave thanks, and we feasted. Everything tasted richer. Was this because we deprived ourselves? No. It was because we embraced the meaning of giving thanks—thanks to a Father who has so fully blessed us.

If you’d like to find out more about sharing your blessings with others, visit Empowering Lives International.

Wednesday Word: Reverence

Part of Speech:

noun

Definition:

honor or respect felt or shown; deference

Usage:

They bowed their heads in reverence and prayed.

Andrew Smith on Teen Reading

Andrew Smith, author of the new book The Marbury Lens, recently gave a speech and part of it was published last week on Macmillan Children’s Publishing blog.

What he said might sound a little familiar. One key point he made was that it’s okay to let kids choose what they want to read. In fact, he said that if adults let teens make their own choices, then they might read more. Further, if they read more, then we wouldn’t label them non-readers and buy into the myth that they hate to read. Frankly, how many times have you heard a parent or a teacher say about a teen, “Oh, he hates to read.”? Far too many times.

Andrew Smith says that assuming a kid hates to read (because we’ve told him to read a book that’s good for him) is like “assuming a kid hates to eat because he doesn’t like Brussels sprouts.”

My tween daughter is an avid reader. On almost any Saturday, she may begin and end her day reading in bed. However, despite her bookworm status, she has not liked every book she’s read. {Gasp!} In truth, most of the books she has not really liked have been assigned by teachers. That’s okay! That means she’s thinking critically about literature. That’s what we would hope for, right?

My teen daughter, on the other hand, has taken a lot longer to find her inner bookworm. Being a people-pleaser, she has searched diligently for the inherent good in the books she’s been assigned—to no avail. After failed attempts to connect with assigned reading, I think she started to believe she wasn’t a reader, because she didn’t like what she was reading. I'm glad she’s not a quitter. She finally hit her stride just recently—when she found books that she enjoys, books that excite her, books that hold her interest.

Do my daughters read the same books? Nope. My tween likes historical fiction (and broccoli), and my teen likes fantasy (and tomatoes). You know what, though? They are both readers (and veggie eaters)! Can I get a hallelujah?

Now, I’m not going to say that I’m all that because I posted about this topic last month. What I’m trying to say is that maybe, just maybe, there is something to this idea of letting kids choose their own books after all. And maybe, if we stop force-feeding them the stuff that’s good for them at an early age, they will acquire a taste for reading on their own—and eventually enjoy some Brussels sprouts.

If you’d like to read more of Andrew Smith’s eloquent argument, visit the MacKids blog.

Mrs. Nelson's Toy & Book Shop

Mrs. Nelson’s Toy & Book Shop is an independent, family-owned bookstore in San Dimas, California. The store opened in 1985 with the goal of “helping parents inspire a love of reading in their children.” Having just celebrated its 25th anniversary, the bookstore has built a reputation for carrying a wide selection of children’s books and toys, as well as offering story times, crafts, workshops, contests, and fabulous author and illustrator events.

If you live in or around San Dimas, then you won’t want to miss Mrs. Nelson’s After-Thanksgiving Sale! The store will be open on Friday, November 26 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It is offering 25% off all regular-priced merchandise and 30% off clearance items that day.

Mrs. Nelson’s knowledgeable staff can help you find the perfect books and toys to delight the little ones in your life. Be sure to add Mrs. Nelson’s to your shopping itinerary to wrap up some good reads for the holidays!

Dr. Seuss Gift Ideas

Continuing the gift-giving theme this week, here are two fantastic options for Dr. Seuss fans!

Kohls Cares

Kohls is offering selected Dr. Seuss books for only $5. Selections may now include:

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
• Oh Say Can You Say?
• There’s a Wocket in my Pocket!
• Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose

In addition, you can purchase a plush character to accompany most of the books for only $5. Are you doing the math? You can give a child a ridiculously cute gift this holiday season for only $10. And (here’s the big deal) you’re doubling your giving because 100% of the net profit is donated to support kids’ health and education initiatives across the nation.

Borders

Through December 28, 2010, Borders Rewards members can get a great deal on selected Dr. Seuss books—buy 2, get a 3rd one free. Depending on availability, selections may include favorites like The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Party Edition, and many more.

Enjoy your weekend, and be sure to visit again on Monday for more gift opportunities and ideas!

First Book Gift Ideas

As I mentioned earlier this week, First Book is a non-profit organization that provides new books to children in need. I also discussed their partnership with Barefoot Books and your opportunity to shop Barefoot to support First Book.

Well, here are two more ways to give this holiday season and help First Book.

1. Gift Membership

Give the gift of reading with a gift membership to the Children’s Classics Collection, a Book-of-the-Month club. You choose the duration (3, 6, or 12 months), and each month the gift recipient will automatically receive a classic tale chosen by expert editors. The Children’s Classics Collection series begins with The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

Other available collections include: American Presidents, Love Finds You, DVD Romance, Baker’s Bookshelf, and Stephen King.

A donation of $1 for each book in your series will go to First Book.

2. Gift Donation

If a book club membership isn’t the right option for you, then consider making a gift donation to First Book. Just $20 provides 10 books to introduce the joy of reading to a first-time reader. Plus, every dollar donated to First Book through December 31, 2010, will be matched with one more book!

Consider making a donation in honor or memory of someone else. My husband and I did this for our children. We made a donation in each of their names. For Christmas, we wrapped a new book for each of them along with their donation card. They were young and a little puzzled when they first opened the donation cards, but once we explained that their “gift” was to share a wonderful story with another child, our children experienced some of the essence of Christmas. It was a great way to help them realize that it's even more rewarding to give than to receive.

If you're looking for a way to give back this holiday season, check out First Book!

Wednesday Word: Gregarious

Part of Speech:

adjective

Definition:

liking companionship; sociable

Usage:

Because of her gregarious personality she made friends quickly at her new school.

Barefoot in November

The holiday season is approaching rapidly, and most people are in the midst of gift planning. Some have finished their shopping and started wrapping, while some of us are just sharpening our pencils and starting our shopping lists. If you’re like me and you need a little help, then breathe a sigh of relief because it's here.

Yesterday, I told you about Operation Christmas Child, a great way to give to a child in need. During the days ahead, I will share some additional gift-giving opportunities and ideas with you.

This one’s great, but (for those procrastinators out there) you better hurry!

First Book is a non-profit organization that provides new books to children in need. They have partnered with Barefoot Books, an independent children’s book publisher, to encourage you to “go Barefoot in November to help First Book.” During November, Barefoot Books will donate one book to First Book for every purchase made.

It seems to me that’s twice the giving! Just visit Barefoot Books online to browse and make your selections. If you’re having trouble deciding, take a look at these two books for your own little prince or princess:

The Prince’s Bedtime

(Ages 3-7)

Written by Joanne Oppenheim

Illustrated by Miriam Latimer

Narrated by Jim Broadbent

The Princess and White Bear King

(Ages 5-11)

Written by Tanya Robyn Batt

Illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli

Narrated by Miranda Richardson

These books are offered with story CDs and you can listen to the entire story online before making your purchase. Are you afraid of getting a blank stare that could occur when he or she unwraps a book? Then consider pairing a book with another small gift—in this case, maybe a soft blanket or a polar bear puppet. This will ensure the smile you deserve for placing a book in the hands of a child—or two!

Happy shopping!

Operation Christmas Child

I know this isn’t the type of thing I usually discuss in my posts, but I have to share this wonderful opportunity.

Our church is participating in Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan’s Purse program that delivers Christmas gifts to children in need all over the world. Participants merely fill a shoebox with small toys, school supplies, hygiene items, or other small gifts, and a prayer for the recipient. A $7 donation is requested for each box to help cover shipping and other project costs. The boxes will be collected this week, November 15-22, and delivered to a delighted child along with the news of God’s love.

My daughters, along with their Girl Scout troop, will be filling one shoebox for a girl, and my son will be filling one shoebox for a boy.

We know how tight things are for most families right now—ours included. However, we think this is a powerful reminder to be grateful for all that God has given us and a small way to share God’s grace.

If you are interested in participating or finding out more about this program, please visit Samaritan’s Purse online.

What a great way to begin a season of thanksgiving and joy!

Blog Hopping for Jane

I went a little crazy with the blog hopping tonight, but I have a great excuse. Two words: Jane Yolen!

I started with Alice Pope’s SCBWI Children’s Market Blog. Alice {tease} posted about Martha Brockenbrough’s SCBWI pre-conference interview with Jane Yolen.

Then I immediately went to Martha Brockenbrough’s blog to read the entire interview. Fabulous! You have to read about Jane’s BIC and HOP! Martha references a previous, longer interview with Jane on another blog, so off I went again.

From Martha’s, I hopped over to Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast for a wonderful, in-depth interview with Jane.

Finally, I leaped into Jane Yolen’s website {a little piece of kid lit heaven}.

I have loved Jane Yolen since I read {and re-read} her book Take Joy: A Book for Writers. My son and I love her How Do Dinosaurs . . . books! However, that only scratches the surface of the 300+ books Jane has written. As an accomplished author and poet, Jane Yolen has been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America. She’s pretty amazing!

Take a hop on over, and have a look for yourself!

Wednesday Word: Aposiopesis

Aposiopesis

(a-poe-sigh-uh-PEA-sis)

Part of Speech:

noun

Definition:

sudden breaking off of a thought in the middle of a sentence as if from unwillingness or inability to continue speaking

Usage:

Despite her anger, aposiopesis prevented her from saying something she would regret.

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo. Have you heard of it? If not, it stands for National Novel Writing Month, an annual (November) writing project that encourages writers around the world to write a complete novel (50,000 words) in one month. The goal is about quantity, not quality.

What?

Whoa, I lost some of you, huh? Yeah, I know. It’s a strange concept to wrap your head around for the first time.

NaNoWriMo started in 1999 with 21 writers as a movement to get writers, well, writing. Now in its eleventh year, thousands of writers will join the task this month. The project offers support to writers including regional meetings, online resources, a separate project specifically for young writers, and a kick-in-the-pants approach. For those who need to feel connected to a sense of community, this might be just what you need. If it sounds interesting, check out the website!

NaNoWriMo is an interesting idea, and I admire the optimism of the concept and the enthusiasm of the participants. However, I am an introverted, deliberative processor. I prefer a quiet, solitary writing environment, and I need time to ponder and process—everything. Instead, I am going to embrace the underlying concept of productivity and set my own writing goals.

No matter what style of writer you are, I hope you will be motivated to start—and keep—writing!