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Tuesday Tales – The Creature From My Closet Series

Posted on January 21, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

It was like lightning stuck me when I was working at the book fair at school a few months ago. A book on one of the shelves caught my eye. I immediately look a photo of it to send to TechyDad, and started to check it out on my phone. What I found was that The Creature in My Closet was a series of books by author Obert Skye. The book sitting on the shelf was actually the second book in the series, so I opted not to purchase it at the time. When I went home that evening, I showed NHL the photo of the book, along with the other two books online.

My reluctant reader was begging me to get the books to read. When The Creature in My Closet: Wonkenstein arrived, my fifth grader could barely be pulled away from the book. I actually had to tell him to stop reading a few times because it was time for dinner, time to go to school, or go to bed. For what I believe was the first time, NHL got up in the morning and went right to reading his book. Before I knew it, he had finished Wonkenstein and was ready for the second book Potterwookiee (Harry Potter meet Star Wars). Over winter break, I was amazed to see my kiddo devour the second book. He begged me to get the third book in the series. While waiting for it, he went back to another series that is a spoof of characters that he enjoys. It is hard to explain what the series is about and why I really want to read it as well. Here is a video with the author that will make you understand why kids of all ages will enjoy.

Yes, what is not to love about books that combines Willy Wonka/Frankenstein, Harry Potter/Chewbacca, and Pinocchio/Dracula. NHL is finishing up Pinocula right now and he mentioned that a fourth book is coming out. He is right. In September 2014, Katfish will be released. Can you guess what combination of characters is coming?

If you guessed Katniss from The Hunger Games and Ariel The Little Mermaid, you would be correct. I really, really, really need to catch up so I can talk with NHL about these books and be ready for the next book release later this year.

What book has your child read recently that you want to read? As always, Tuesday Tales is all about sharing our love of books. Please let me know what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else.

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books Tuesday Tales

Tuesday Tales – The Last Snowman

Posted on December 17, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

The beautiful thing about story telling is that a simple life event can be inspiration. This is exactly what happened when JC Little, also known as The Animated Woman, decided to draw and tell the story of The Last Snowman. I had read about the book coming out, but one day TechyDad was talking with JC on Twitter and mentioned it would be perfect for Tuesday Tales. The rest is history, thanks to a review code being sent. Oh and just an FYI, once the print copies are available I will be paying for my own to add to our library.

If you are not familiar with JC, I have written about her Pickle Weasel app before. While the app is a lot of fun, JC’s blog is where she shares funny and sometimes more serious tales with her amazing animations. I mean come on, only JC can write about mammograms and squished boobs. More recently her post about self-publishing being similar to giving birth seems fitting with this post. Her blog is actually where The Last Snowman first appeared in a shorter format. Now, it is expanded and better than ever. You can purchase the eBook in Kindle format and the print version is coming soon.

What I love about JC’s book is you can read the it and immediately take on her emotions as the mother looking at her teen daughter building a snowman.

As you read along, you can see the shift from pure story retelling, to a mother and daughter trying to hold onto some joys of childhood before becoming an adult. I could tell you more, but too much would really ruin the story. JC’s beautiful illustrations of that day and bigger life story truly give readers a lot to think about. Don’t be fooled, this book is not simply for mothers and their teens. I read the book with both of my young boys, and they really enjoyed the story of The Last Snowman as a picture book. This book would be a great talking point to use with teens, parents, and others that are going through a major life shift. I know I can not wait to see the next book from JC Little and hope that the birthing process is a little easier now that her first has been born.

What is your favorite post by JC Little on The Animated Woman? If you have never read any, what are you waiting for?! As always, Tuesday Tales is all about sharing our love of books. Please let me know what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else.

Disclosure: As noted above, I received an eBook copy of this book from JC Little to review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

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bloggy friends books Tuesday Tales

Thanksgiving with Pete the Cat

Posted on November 25, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

My youngest son, JSL, is in first grade and has fallen in love with a cat that does not make me sneeze. Last year, while searching for a book at the Book Fair, he asked to purchase a Pete the Cat book by Eric Litwin. He recognized it from his kindergarten classroom. From that day on, we all became big fans of Pete. We would sing along with the songs and smile while reading thanks to the illustrations by James Dean. Over the summer, we added some new I Can Read! books about Pete that are written and illustrated by James Dean. JSL adores those, but I was looking forward to some new holiday books that were coming out.

Pete the Cat – The First Thanksgiving is by Kimberly and James Dean. We begin the book while Pete is getting ready to perform in his class’s Thanksgiving play. He is nervous about his role as a Pilgrim and his friend Callie tells him to do his best. The rest of the book shares scenes from the play that Pete and his classmates are in. Pete the Cat and his Pilgrim friends head to the New World in 1620. We see their voyage, learn about the landing at Plymouth Rock, and watch them plant crops with the help of Squanto.

The familiar illustrations by James Dean take us into the world of Pete the Cat. We see Pete’s familiar face throughout the book. While the story is cute and does tell the tale of the first Thanksgiving and Pete’s experience in a play, there is something missing. When I asked JSL what he thought of the book (he read it with Nana), he said it was alright. He love, love, loves the original Pete the Cat books, so I was a little shocked. As I read the book, I started to understand why my little guy lost some of his enthusiasm. Sure Pete was there, but his fun loving, groovy style was missing. While the Dean story is nice, it was not the literary style that we had grown to love thanks to Eric Litwin. If you are a Pete the Cat fan, I am sure you will like seeing your friend in this book and will enjoy it in your book collection, but know that groovy, hip, and happening Pete is taking on a new more mature role.

Have you read Pete the Cat books? Which is your favorite and why? I would love to know what you think and if you have other Thanksgiving stories that you read during the holidays.

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books

Tuesday Tales – Public School Advocacy and Diane Ravitch

Posted on November 5, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Being an advocate trying to save Public Schools means that I am constantly doing research, reading, and learning new things. As a teacher, I love finding new authors and adding to my knowledge base. Of course, sometimes the items that I read are depressing. They remind me that the system that is crumbling before my eyes took decades to get this way and has many layers of political strategies from both parties behind it. Some of the reading has also explained a lot about my college years when I was studying to be a teacher in New York State.

My green laces are a symbol the Lace to the Top movement that is to remind everyone that our children are more than a score on a test. So much of the emphasis in schools around the country these days is about data. Companies are using our children as guinea pigs rather than allowing teachers to prepare them for the future. One of the biggest advocates for public schools is Dr. Diane Ravitch. Ravitch is a historian of education and also served as Assistant Secretary of Education and Counselor to Secretary Lamar Alexander from 1991 to 1993 during the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Over time, Dr. Ravitch’s views have changed about education reform and now she fights to try to stop the destruction of the system that she insists is not failing. Her book The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education (2010) was an eye opener. It really explained my life as a student growing up in the ‘80s and then why the NYS Standards were such a huge part of my life during my college years.

As the kids were starting back to school in September, a lot of people in the groups I belong to were talking about Dr. Ravitch’s new book that was due out.

Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools is the book that I am currently reading. Dr. Ravitch wrote this book to respond to critics of her last book. The premise of this book is to take on the myths that surround the public education system and share how reformers continue to neglect and worsen the problems of poverty that plague schools districts. Dr. Ravitch was on The Daily Show once again last week where she talked with Jon Stewart. This is the segment that aired on the show. Please note her green laces in hand.

Jon continued to talk with Dr. Ravitch after the taping and included the video on The Daily Show’s website. In addition to this, Ravitch also blogged about the experience.

You can hear more of Dr. Ravitch talking on her panel discussion with Melissa Harris-Perry on MSNBC. Her words truly are powerful and serve as an eye opener once you understand the history and what the reform movement really is trying to do.

I will write more about Reign of Error once I finish reading the book. Have you ever read books about a topic that are you an advocate for? I would love to hear your experience. As always, Tuesday Tales is all about sharing our love of books. Please let me know what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else.

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books Educational Tuesday Tales

Seeking the Inner Voice of Autism

Posted on October 21, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

As a parent of a child with autism, I often wish I could understand how my son sees the world. There are differences and if I understood them more I could not only help NHL at home, but communicate this to others that work with him on a daily basis at school. For years before we had answers and our diagnosis, I struggled. The level of frustration for both NHL and me was clear and it hurt not knowing how to help my own child. The reality is that I can’t beat myself up because I simply did not understand and TechyDad and I searched high and low for medical professionals to give us more answers. Once we knew that we had an Aspie, we regrouped and started to parent differently. Each day, we put one foot in front of the other and take it one moment at a time. As I noted the other day, sometimes you just need to laugh or you will cry.

Several weeks ago, I remember seeing Jon Stewart mention a book that was flying off the shelves that he adored. Then my mother mentioned a post from my cousin on Facebook. Both were referencing the same book, The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida and introduction by David Mitchell. When I read that it was written by a 13 year old boy and was his inner voice as a child with autism, I knew that I had to read it.

I picked up the book at our local library the other day, but I have to tell you that I will be buying a copy. While I have not finished the book just yet, it is phenomenal. The introduction alone is a power house and then you begin reading the translation of this amazing young Japanese boy with autism. His words hit me hard. My son is just a few years younger than he is. I can imagine in time that these may be thoughts in his mind. More than anything, I stopped to think about our life, things that happen here, and how these words could be used. I envisioned making reminder cards for people and suggesting to some to read this rather short and powerful book. Higashida answers questions throughout the book like Q13 Do you prefer to be on your own? My heart broke reading his answer. Anxiety and knowing that things usually go wrong in social situations often make him (and likely my son) stay to themselves. Rather than be flustered, worry about what others think (causing them trouble as he says), and not knowing how to respond in a social situation they often end up on their own.

Here is part one of interview that Jon Stewart had with David Mitchell on The Daily Show that will give you a taste of what the book is really about.

As you can see, so many myths of autism are crushed thanks to this one amazing child. The level of empathy he has reminds me of my son and I have to admit I now worry that he sees too much in my world as an autism advocate. Forgive me for cutting this short, I am off to finish reading because I do believe there will be much more to share soon. I encourage everyone to take some time to read this book because it is a life changing book.