American History via Graphic Novel...

The Road to

Revolution!

(The Cartoon Chronicles of America)

(Paperback)

by Stan Mack (Illustrator) and Susan Champlin (Author)

American History via Graphic Novel...whatever it takes to get kids to learn!

I am a firm believer that if we don't know where we came from - we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our forefathers. This book looks at a time in history that formed, shaped and defined who we are as Americans.

This book is recommended for 10-15 year olds - I can remember how hard it was at that age to sit through some history classes. In history class it can be hard to follow - but this romp through history with young Nick & Penny will appeal to their peers today!

Being kids sometimes adults don't think about you as a threat so Penny & Nick are privy to conversations by the British soldiers in the stables where Nick works and in the Tavern that Penny's father owns.

There are several lessons in this book above and beyond the historical - the rebels actually listen to these two kids and their information is deemed trustworthy (even though Nick's past is anything but...)

The illustrations are excellent and give you an insight to daily life and the plight of the colonists.

The Graphic Novel is a popular medium among kids and teens today - so what better vehicle for this gripping and thrilling ride through America's shining moment.

Best In Travel 2009 from Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2009

(General Reference)

By: Lonely Planet Publications

Always Innovative, Exotic and Tempting....

By Reading It All

See all my reviews
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)

I don't think I have ever read a Loney Planet Book that didn't make want to drop everything and travel immediately to that area...this book ignited a major case of wanderlust!!!!

Always Innovative, Exotic and Tempting...how they do it I will never know! To publish a World Travel Guide with the politics and religious turmoil in the world today is a gutsy move. But as always this latest edition from Loney Planet is right on target!

They still feature interesting and exotic locales with "850 Trends, Destinations, Journeys and Experiences for the year ahead".

Innovative and Exotic? in their top 10 Oman, Krgyzstan, Greenland or Algeria!!

Specialized Travel? How about the Saltiest Sites,Top 10 Places to Steal a Kiss, Most Extreme Ancient Sites, Best Ecotrips - the book features 30 Different Top Travel Lists!

The Ultimate Water Traveler is over 50 pages of oceans, rivers, water festivals, polar ice - what more could you want?

Great Gift Idea for the Traveler you know - or the traveler in you!

From The Publisher:
Lonely Planet's Best In Travel 2009 - the best places to go and things to do all around the world right now! Drawing on the knowledge, passion and miles traveled by Lonely Planet's staff and authors, you've got a year's worth of travel inspiration to take you out of the ordinary and into some unforgettable experiences.

Highlights:

•Lonely Planet's cofounder, Tony Wheeler, shares his top travel picks for the year.

•Explore 30 must-go destinations - Lonely Planet presents the top 10 countries, regions and cities to visit in 2009

•Contains 850 travel experiences, from stargazing in the Caribbean to finding the perfect midlife crisis getaway.

•Complete world-view: an annual rundown of every country in the world.

•2009 travel planner - 50 adventures mapped out month-by-month.

•Immerse yourself in water! A special feature showcasing 70 journeys and experiences on, in, through and over water.

Reading It All
See all my reviews
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)


The Funeral Director's Son
by Coleen Murtagh Paratore

More than just a "coming of age" book!

Kip is a normal active "tween" trying to come to terms with the not so normal family business and the expectation that he as the only "son" will one day run it.

To complicate things Kip has a gift...no he doesn't "see dead people" - but he does have an inner voice that gives him an insight into issues that may limit a soul's ability to "sail". Kip learns that there is much more to the people around him when he listens to this voice.

Coleen Murtaugh Paratore must have boys because she "gets" Kip and his friends and the pressures they face in dealing with everyday life! Her writing style is clean and really fun!

From the Publisher: This family business is for life...
In the small town of Clover, when you die, you are put to rest by Campbell and Sons Funeral Home. Unfortunately twelve-year-old Kip Campbell happens to be the only "son" in that title. And that's a problem for him since the funeral home business is the last thing he wants to inherit, even if he has a "gift" for it. See, it just so happens that Kip can talk to the dead. Well, they talk to him, really. They tell him what they need in order to move on to the great beyond. Kip wants to move too. Straight out of Clover. He's about to give notice -- he's done helping the dead -- when he's offered a surprising deal: Find out the secret that is holding back old Billy Blye, and Kip will receive his weight in gold. That would be enough to take him far away from Clover, and Campbell and Sons Funeral Home.

Share a Story - Shape a Future...

http://www.thereadingtub.com/pdfs/share a story flyer.pdf

Share a Story - Shape a Future, A Blog Tour for Literacy (Updated: 1 Mar)

Within the kidlitosphere, the children's literature bloggers comprise and reach a very broad audience. One of the group's greatest assets is its collective, community-minded approach to sharing information and ideas. Through events like blog tours, authors and illustrators have had wonderful opportunities to share their story and their craft. Given the success of tours for "producers," what about an event for and by the people who create and engage their readers: teachers, librarians, parents, and people passionate about literacy?

Voila! Share a Story - Shape a Future is just that event. This is an ensemble effort not only to celebrate reading among those of us who already love books, but to encourage each other to reach beyond ourselves and do it in a way that we are neither judging nor instructing others. This is a venue for communicating practical, useable, everyday ideas.

The event begins March 9, 2009 and lasts one week. Each day we will have a group of bloggers sharing ideas around a specific theme. There are a number of book giveaways and free downloads that will be announced by the various hosts as we get closer to the kickoff. Here is the tour schedule.

Day 1: Raising Readers
hosted by Terry Doherty at Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, the Reading Tub blog

• Finding Time at Home - Tricia Stohr-Hunt @ The Miss Rumphius Effect
• Making Time in the Classroom - Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone
• Helping a Reader in Need (remedial readers) - Sandra Stiles guest post on Scrub-a-Dub-Tub
• It's Bigger than the Book: Building Strong Readers at any Age with a Daily Dose of Read Aloud - Cathy Miller interview on the Share a Story - Shape a Future blog
• Keeping Gifted Readers Engaged - Donalyn Miller @ The Book Whisperer
  

Day 2: Selecting Reading Material
hosted by Sarah Mulhern at The Reading Zone

• The ABCs of Reading: Infants, Toddlers & Preschoolers - Valerie Baartz on The Almost Librarian
• How to Help Emerging Readers - Anastasia Suen @5 Great Books NEW LOCATION!
  
• Helping Middle Grade Readers - Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone
• Booklists and Read Alikes - Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone
• Using Non-fiction - Mary Lee Hahn of A Year of Reading, hosted by the Stenhouse blog
  

Day 3: Reading Aloud - It's Fun, It's Easy
hosted by Susan Stephenson at the Book Chook blog

• Ten Terrific Tips from Read-aloud Queen, Mem Fox - on the Book Chook blog
• Conquering Stage Fright - Interview with Sarah Mulhern/The Reading Zone @ the Book Chook
• Reading Aloud With Kids: A Dad's Perspective - hosted by Steven and Brian at Book Dads: Fathers that Read
• Using Technology for Read Alouds - Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone
• What to Do When the Reading is Done - Aimee Buckner, hosted by the Stenhouse blog
• Reading Aloud with Independent Readers - Donalyn Miller @ The Book Whisperer
  

Day 4: A Visit to the Library
hosted by Eva Mitnick at Eva's Book Addiction blog

• From Cozy to Cool - Library Spaces for Everyone - Eva @ Eva's Book Addiction
• Lions and Marble and Books, Oh My - Betsy Bird at A Fuse #8 Production
  
• How to Make the Library Work for YOU - an interview with Adrienne of What Adrienne Thinks About That conducted by Jules at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• The World Beyond the Library's Walls - Melissa @ Librarian by Day
• ABC Storytimes: Taking the Library Home - Pam Coughlan @ MotherReader
  

Day 5: Technology and Reading - What the Future Holds
is hosted by Elizabeth O. Dulemba at Dulemba.com

• Audiobooks with Bruce Coville of Full Cast Audio and Mary Burkey of Audiobooker
• E-books with Harold Underdown of The Purple Crayon and Sheila Ruth of Wands and Worlds
  
• Podcasts with Andrea Ross of Just One More Book! and Cheryl Rainfield of cherylrainfield.com
• A resource of links to audiobooks, e-books, podcasts and webcasts @ Dulemba.com.
  

Through Share a Story - Shape a Future we hope to build a community of readers, by sharing ideas and encouraging each other. When the event opens on Monday, March 9, 2009, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to join us and share your ideas.

In the meantime, we'd love for you to start spreading the word.

Huge thank yous to Elizabeth O. Dulemba and Susan Stephenson for creating images we can use to promote Share a Story - Shape a Future!

Barnes & Noble's "Discover Great New Writers Award"

The name says it all...the "Discover Great New Writers Award" looks for the best and the brightest among new literary talent.

This award from Barnes & Noble uses a select group of their booksellers, all critical readers who preview hundreds of books by new and underappreciated writers.

In the footsteps of notable past winners that include bestselling authors Gregory Maguire (Wicked) and Jeffrey Eugenides (Middlesex), come the two winners of the 2008 Discover Great New Artists Award:

Fiction - Gin Phillips (The Well and the Mine)

http://snipurl.com/d3kij [search_barnesandnoble_com]

Non-Fiction - David Sheff (Beautiful Boy)

http://snipurl.com/d3kph [search_barnesandnoble_com]