Book Review: Soccer World South Africa

Soccer World South Africa (Explore the World Through Soccer) opens up this country for kids and their parents. It's also recommended at Travel for Kids as a good resource if you plan to travel there. Explore the World Through Soccer is the subtitle and gives you Ethan's view as he travels through South Africa playing soccer.

You'll gain insight into the country and into the role soccer plays there. Co-author Ethan Zohn (with David Rosenberg) is a soccer player and guides you through this country.

There also are activities you can do that are related to the country and soccer.

Have fun exploring!

Creating Children's Container Gardens

Spring is the time of year when children plant container gardens at school. From kindergarten through about third grade, youngsters learn about green and growing things by planting seeds in paper cups or other containers at school.

Often these are planned so they can bring a growing bean plant, or perhaps marigold home to mom for Mother's Day. My daughter did this in elementary school, as did both grandchildren. Then we waited until we were sure the frost was gone before we planted them in the garden outside.

When I substitute teach in these grades, the children always are ready to show me the "gardens" they have growing in the classroom and want to water them so much the plants nearly drown. However, it's delightful to see youngsters so excited about gardening.

Also, check out these Gardening Resources for Families.

Writers Publish Related Books for Youngsters & Adults

Writers are taught to "get the most mileage" from the material we research and write. When we write a book, can we write others in the same vein or related to it? You'll even find this in the children's book writing field.

When I discovered the children's story book, The Quiltmaker's Gift, I didn't realize there were related books with quilt patterns and suggestions. In researching an answer for a reader's question about this book, I discovered more and wrote about them in Follow-up Books for the Quiltmaker's Gift. You may want to check out these books:

The Quiltmaker's Gift
Quilts From the Quiltmaker's Gift
More Quilts From the Quiltmaker's Gift

Books About Daylight Saving Time & Spring

Discover facts and figures (the curious and the ordinary) about Spring and Daylight Saving Time

Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time by David Prerau
Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time by Michael Downing
Crafting Springtime Gifts: 25 Adorable Projects Featuring Bunnies, Chicks, Lambs & Other Springtime Favorites by Tone Finnanger
Time for Change: Setting Clocks Forward by One Hour Thorughout the Year by Mayer Hillman
The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Mary Emma Allen Published in Anthology

Book Bag blogger, Mary Emma Allen has stories featured in the new release, Eternally Yours, an anthology of poetry, light essays, devotions and meditations, edited by Mary Ellen Grisham and published by Xulon Press.

Featuring some of the best Christian writers on the Internet, this book represents work that has appeared in the Eternal Ink E-zine since it’s inception in 1999.

In addition, Mary gives presentations and teaches workshops at schools, libraries, writers’ conferences, and for other groups. Some of her talks include topics such as Alzheimer's and caregiving, quilt history and quiltmaking, New Hampshire history, and writing.

I was pleased when Ms. Grisham selected some of my stories for inclusion in this anthology. It's exciting to encourage and inspire others with my writing.

Happy Valentine's Day from Book Bag Blog

Happy Valentine's Day!

May this be a special day for you.

We have been enjoying Valentine's Day flowers, cards and candy. This was a fun day at school yesterday with the Valentine parties.

Today the children in our household are enjoying it, too.

What have you been doing for Valentine's Day?

Gardening Books & Resources for Families

When I wrote the post at my blog, One Book Two Book, Thoughts of Gardening for Young and Older, I planned a companion one with information about books on gardening that might appeal to families. There are some books and gardening resources that may be of interest:

Gardening with Kids by Catherine Woran and Martyn Cox
Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together with Children by Sharon Lovejoy
Gardening with Children (Brooklyn Botanic Garden All-Region Guide)
In the Garden with Van Gogh by Julie Merberg and Suzanne Bober
Seedfolks, a novel about planting and gardening and neighbors together by Paul Fleischmangh

ToySmith Garden Tote with Tools
The Rumford Gardener Watering Can with 3 Tools
Children's Folding Gardening Seat with Tool Storage

Valentine's Day & Family Fun

Do you and your family participate in Valentine's Day festivities?

This was a fun family day when I was a youngster because Mother made it so. She had been a school teacher and held parties for her students. Thus, she incorporated some of these ideas into festivities for my sister, two brothers and me, even though she was a busy farm wife.

• Mother often decorated a cake with white frosting and red hearts. When we were old enough, sister and I did this for her.
• She helped us with making and addressing valentines for family members. When we were in school we had exchanges there, too.
• Mother planned a special night meal for Valentine's Day, with the cake and fruit for dessert. There was only our family...four children, Mother, Father and the hired man...but we had a joyous time.
• We made decorations to hang around the kitchen (the warmest room in our farmhouse during winter), and name cards for each place setting.

Suggestions for books and other items:

The Night Before Valentine's Day (picture book)
Where Is Baby's Valentine (lift-a-flap book)
My Fuzzy Valentine (Sesame Street Board Book)
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (DVD)
Disney Valentine Assortment

What do you and your family do for Valentine's Day at your house?

Rainbow Fish - Is It Controversial?

Periodically, comments crop up on posts concerning the picture book, The Rainbow Fish over at my One Book Two Book blog. Some readers seem to feel it's a controversial one and spouts socialist propaganda. Other readers see it as a lovely story with a light moral and unique, colorful illustrations.

Perhaps you'd like to check out these posts and let me know what you think.

Interpreting an Author's Meaning - Particularly in The Rainbow Fish

What Does The Rainbow Fish Mean? Is There An Underlying Meaning?

Rainbow Fish Makes a Comeback at Our House


(The Rainbow Fish available at Amazon - link above)

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.

Children's Story Books That Develop Spin-off Appeal

Children's story books sometimes develop wider appeal than simply telling a tale. This is the case of The Quiltmaker's Gift which has evolved into spin-offs that offer quilting patterns.

I'd read The Quiltmaker's Gift to children when I was subsitute teaching and mentioned it on my Quilting and Patchwork blog. A reader inquired where she might find fabric with the Quilter's Gift as a theme.

As I was researching her query (and I haven't found any fabric yet, but asked for other quilters' input), I discovered some books with quilt patterns that accompany the story book, called Quilts from the Quiltmaker's Gift and More Quilts from the Quiltmaker's Gift.

Another quilter read my post at Quilting and Patchwork today and said she checked out these quilt pattern books and discovered they are "must haves." She's going to get one as a gift for a friend, too.

Books to Check Out for Tots through Teens

From time to time, I compile lists of books for young and YA readers. Here are some in categories I've been researching:

Bird Books: Stories, Information & Fun

World War II Books for Children & YA

Controversial Books

When you check out these lists, you'll also find the information about where they're available. Also, you may be able to find most of them in your local library.

Happy New Year's from Book Bag Blog

May 2009 be a wonderful year for you.

It's cold (3 degrees F.) and windy here where I live. (A perfect day for curling up with a good book!)

But we're looking forward to a grand 2009.

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?

Children's Books About World War II

Yesterday, Dec. 7, was Pearl Harbor Day, the anniversary of the attack that caused the United States to enter World War II. I was a child at that time and remember the scary time it was, even though there was no fighting in our country. I often write down my memories for my daughter and grand children and share them with others, too.

I also have found some children's books about young people's experiences and adventures during those times. Here are some children's books about World War II that I've enjoyed and have in my collection:

Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff
The Art of Keeping Cool by Janet Taylor Lisle
The Night Flyers by Elizabeth McDavid Jones (An American Girl History Mystery)
Shadows on the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow
A Boy at War by Harry Mazer (A novel of Pearl Harbor)
The Spy Who Came in from the Sea by Peggy Nolan

A Cup of Tea with JK Rowling!

Tea Party

To celebrate the release of her latest book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, famed author JK Rowling invited approximately 200 school children to enjoy tea with her. What an exciting experience!

Read more about this at my One Book Two Book blog. This book is a spin-off of sorts from the latest Harry Potter book, Deathly Hallows.

I wonder what they had for tea and refreshments. Possibly something with a Scottish influence since this was to take place in Edinburgh.

Giveaways With Gifts for Youngsters

One Book Two Book Giveaways

You'll find a series of giveaways at a blog I co-author with Marcie Pickelsimer, One Book Two Book, running from Dec. 2-7.

Check out the rules and leave comments at the following links. You can enter any or all of the giveaways. These items will make great Christmas gifts for youngsters, too. Enjoy!

Book Swim Giveaway
Readeez DVD Giveaway
Baby Can Read Giveaway
Wii Pop Star Guitar Giveaway
Fly Me To The Moon Giveaway
Giveaway - Celebrity Arthur Book from Speakaboos
Giveaway - Countdown to Bedtime Soundbooks
Giiveaway - ECO Baby Organic Playdough
Baby Potential Teacher Onesie Giveaway
Natural Pod Giveaway
RideMakerz Giveaway
Happy Green Bee Giveaway
Mead Writing Fundamentals Giveaway

Happy Thanksgiving from Book Bag Blog

Happy Thanksgiving

We've been busy this morning getting the turkey ready. Yes, we're having the traditional turkey. My hubby selected it so has been monitoring the preparations. After I made the stuffing ("like Mother used to make!"), I left the rest to him. The engineer in him cooks to precision.

My daughter has been preparing her special recipes to add to our menu. She made her daughter's request of "glop" for breakfast...a combination of bread cubes, eggs, sausage, cheese, and milk. Some of us like that, while others have something else. (We live in a multi-generational home with six family members, a dog, guinea pig, and rabbit.)

Perhaps you'd like to see my Thankful Poem, a project on my Quilting and Patchwork blog.

How about writing your own Thankful Poem this weekend? Or any time of year?

The Rainbow Fish Story...Is It Controversial?

The Rainbow Fish

Whenever we've written about The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister at One Book Two Book, we've received a number of comments, some of them mentioning what a controversial book this colorful picture book is. Apparently to many people, it has underlying social and socialistic meanings. Some agree and others are vividly opposed.

You may want to check out:

What Does The Rainbow Fish Mean? Is There an Underlying Meaning?
Rainbow Fish Makes a Comeback at Our House

I also often wonder how readers, reviewers, so-called experts can determine whether the author has an underlying meaning...unless the writer has mentioned this.

Makes me wonder if anyone reads hidden meanings into my books and stories. It might be interesting to find out!

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen