Check Out This Week's Obama Writing Tip at One Book Two Book

Mary Emma's Writing Tip of the Week

Each Sunday, I try to post a writing tip at my One Book Two Book blog. This week, since we've just experienced the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, I gave some suggestions for writing about this occasion.

For some ideas, check out Mary Emma's Writing Tip - What Did You Think of the Inauguration?

The World of Abraham Lincoln & His Connection to Obama's Inauguration

With so many references to Abraham Lincoln, during Barack Obama's Inauguration festivities, it might be helpful to have some resources so youngsters can learn more about our 16th President. He was criticized during his term in office and was blamed for mistakes in the Civil War fought at that time.

Yet he was important to the black people because he issued the Emancipation Proclamation giving the slaves their freedom. Also, his leadership ensured that our country stayed together.

Abraham Lincoln for Kids: His Life & Times with 21 Activities (For Kids series) by Janis Herbert
A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln (Picture Book Biography) by David A. Adler
A. Lincoln and Me by Louise Borden
Abraham Lincoln and His Family Paper Dolls by Tom Tierney
You Are There: Abraham Lincoln's Greatest Moments: The Emancipation Proclamation/The Gettysburg Address (DVD) starring Walte Cronkite and Paul Birch
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation: The End of Slavery in America by Allen C. Guelzo
Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America by Garry Wills
Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln (The Story of the Gettysburg Address) by Jean Fritz
Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips (One of my favorite books about Lincoln)
Emancipation Proclamation Silk Necktie (produced for the NY Historical Society from Lincoln's handwritten original)

Obama & Presidency Books to Inform Young Readers

Whether you voted for Obama or not, he has become the President of the United States. As such, he'll affect our lives, our country and the world. So that the you and your youngsters can keep abreast of current happenings regarding the Presidency and the 44th President, I've compiled a few books and resources here.

Barack Obama, President for a New Era (Gateway Biographies) by Marlene Targ Brill
Barack Obama: Our 44th President by Beatrice Gormley
Barack Obama: Out of Many, One (Step Into Reading) by Shana Corey
Michelle Obama: Meet the First Lady by David Bergen Brophy
The U. S. Presidency (Our Government) by Muriel L. Dubois
The American Journey of Barack Obama by the Editors of Life Magazine
The Story of Abraham Lincoln by Patricia A. Pingry
Time Line Presidents Presidents Learning Placemat
Presidents of the USA Floor Puzzle

Do you have any favorite books about Obama, the Presidency or other Presidents?

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's " Take" on Literary Fiction for Children & Adults

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This is the Place, The Frugal Book Promoter, and The Frugal Editor, ponders why so much sci-fi, fantasy and romance is published, but less and less literary fiction? I think you'll enjoy her ideas. Even though Book Bag Blog deals mainly with books for youngsters and teens, Carolyn's guest post may set you thinking.

For me the real topic is this: Why is it that literary fiction seems to be losing readers? The only reason my literary novel This Is the Place sold well in 2001 (at least for a first novel) is that I am also a marketer and took lots of time nurturing the sales and thinking of angles that would appeal to large segments of readers (yes, like the romantic aspect, that it is based on a true story, etc)

Here are some reasons I think literary work is not being read, in no particular order:

• Literary fiction (including poetry) isn't being published, at least not in the numbers it was published in the past.
• 
  Publishers are assigning their marketing dollars to their top authors and stars and very nearly ignoring their midlist people. In fact, they aren't building midlists in any genre as they once did which doesn't bode well for publishing in general as the big names age and retire.
• 
  Our education system isn't encouraging critical thinking or reading.
• 
  Our education system is failing to teach reading/vocabulary building, etc. at a level required by many literary novels. So must we dumb-down our literary writing?
• 
  Evidenced by the way our culture votes for their leaders, it doesn't much value anything intellectual. No matter what your politics I think we writers might agree that Obama's critical thinking, speaking and writing skills might be an encouraging sign for the future.
• Parents are busy working to bring two, three and even four incomes. That doesn't leave them enough time to participate in their own children's educations.

Please don't forget to discuss the sorry state of poetry. I read recently that even poets aren't buying books or chapbooks of poetry. Sorry, I can't find the article in my files.

Carolyn's web site: How To Do It Frugally.

Censorship of Books and Internet - Is This the Solution?

Do you express concern when someone tries to tell you what books you and your children can and can't read? Are you concerned about what's out there on the Internet that your children might discover. So should the Internet have more government control?

Books and Internet provide information for children and adults. Should the government control what we read and see? Or is that the responsibility of the parents?

Aaron Brazell provided an interesting post at Technosailor, UK Plans to Keep Kids Safe on the Web, Ignores History, about this topic, sparked by a proposal by the British Cultural Secretary. The Secretary has more control of the Internet in mind and expresses the desire that the US, when Barack Obama becomes President, will join him.

At Technosailor, you'll find some "food for thought," so that you don't accept this idea blindly.
I've also posted at One Book Two Book, Government Control of Books and Internet - Do You Agree? and at Obama Alert, More Control of Our Children and Our Lives?

What do you think?