Chicory- My favorite flower. Linnaeus created a wildflower clock back in his day. Each hour had a flower. Chicory opens up around 5:00am and then closes for the day at noon. Nice work if you can get it. Watch for it along the roadside. On cloudy days it doesn't obey its own rule!
Flickr: What a wonderful place to find other people's photos. I don't want to put my personal photos on the web however.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Great books for kids- what's new
I've been reading like a fiend lately to be ready to booktalk teachers and students as the new school year approaches. I've found some absolute gems.
Edward's Eyes by Patricia MacLachlan - coming out on Aug. 28 is a DO NOT MISS! It's great reading for kids who are 8-12 who love reading about families and people and who care deeply about others (and for most grown women.) A heartwrencher. Don't hand this to boys who just want action and adventure.
Johnny and the Bomb by Terry Pratchett- Already published and a really good time will be had by all. Johnny has enough of Everyman in him to make you care about him. His friends are wacky enough that you want to see what they'll do next. Time travel and a bit of history intertwined with his wonderful humor. Here's the book for those boys who don't want to see Edward's Eyes.
Getting Air by Dan Gutman-hmmm....maybe it's a possibility for boys ages 7-10. They would get skateboarding, terrorists, a deep discussion of religion, some education on how to survive in the great outdoors...
Schooled by Gordon Korman - here we go...this is great stuff for males/females alike - ages 9-13.
Our young protagonist is coming off a "farm" where he's lived with his grandmother. He's completely disconnected from the big, wide world until his granny falls from the branch of a plum tree and catapaults him into middle school -8th grade to be exact. Ripe for the plucking himself he is spotted by an alpha male in the school...can you really be yourself and survive in the 8th grade?
Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie - Jordan Sonnenblick - FABULOUS - great pick for girls about 10-14. Meet our protagonist who is really tired of being tagged after by his younger brother.
Until his younger brother has leukemia. The whole world tilts. He still loves to play the drums and he still thinks that girl who sits in front of him is very hot...what a great job Mr. Sonnenblick has done to draw you into this young man's world and make you want to know him.
Edward's Eyes by Patricia MacLachlan - coming out on Aug. 28 is a DO NOT MISS! It's great reading for kids who are 8-12 who love reading about families and people and who care deeply about others (and for most grown women.) A heartwrencher. Don't hand this to boys who just want action and adventure.
Johnny and the Bomb by Terry Pratchett- Already published and a really good time will be had by all. Johnny has enough of Everyman in him to make you care about him. His friends are wacky enough that you want to see what they'll do next. Time travel and a bit of history intertwined with his wonderful humor. Here's the book for those boys who don't want to see Edward's Eyes.
Getting Air by Dan Gutman-hmmm....maybe it's a possibility for boys ages 7-10. They would get skateboarding, terrorists, a deep discussion of religion, some education on how to survive in the great outdoors...
Schooled by Gordon Korman - here we go...this is great stuff for males/females alike - ages 9-13.
Our young protagonist is coming off a "farm" where he's lived with his grandmother. He's completely disconnected from the big, wide world until his granny falls from the branch of a plum tree and catapaults him into middle school -8th grade to be exact. Ripe for the plucking himself he is spotted by an alpha male in the school...can you really be yourself and survive in the 8th grade?
Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie - Jordan Sonnenblick - FABULOUS - great pick for girls about 10-14. Meet our protagonist who is really tired of being tagged after by his younger brother.
Until his younger brother has leukemia. The whole world tilts. He still loves to play the drums and he still thinks that girl who sits in front of him is very hot...what a great job Mr. Sonnenblick has done to draw you into this young man's world and make you want to know him.
Technology
Technology. The word itself is cold and impersonal. Doesn't say much for the process. I am a people and nature person. I think we're on the Earth to connect to living things- plants, animals, people. I looked out my French doors yesterday afternoon and watched a small chipmunk scurry around my deck in search of food. He was soon joined by a hummingbird. The chipmunk ran around the perimeter of the deck and at one point he stopped just under where the hummingbird was hovering. The two were maybe 24 inches apart. They looked at each other. Communication took place. I wasn't sure if it was have you found anything good I should know about or whether it was hey, who are you and are you going to eat all the good stuff? They didn't engage in any sort of warfare. There was just a sort of acknowledgment that each other was there and then the one chipmunked off in search of cherry tomatoes and the other whirred up to milk the anise hyssop.
I stood mesmerized and filled with joy. I planted those plants. I created that world of connections. It was all I could ask for in a day. Not one of us required a machine to accomplish our goals. I guess technology is good because I can share this with others.
I stood mesmerized and filled with joy. I planted those plants. I created that world of connections. It was all I could ask for in a day. Not one of us required a machine to accomplish our goals. I guess technology is good because I can share this with others.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Lost in the library
You know, I really love books -especially books for children - and I really love to share them with children and parents and families that come to visit the library. Everyone I talk to is so pleased to get some guidance on how to pick out decent books for their significant little person.
Recently I had lunch with a good friend who is the former principal of my own children's high school. She is a grandmother of 3. A highly intelligent, highly educated woman. She described trying to go into the public library in the San Francisco area with her two grandsons, ages 18 months and 3 years. Well, one little guy went one way and the other little guy went the other way and here was Grandma trying to pick out a picture book. Picture books are spine out and the titles are disguised. So trying to ferret out a winner proved to be nearly impossible.
She needed a librarian.
So where are the librarians? Well, they're over there putting some young person on NickJr.com or trying to help them print outfits from the Barbie website. They're trying to help someone forward an email or print from their Yahoo account. They're cleaning the pee off the chair at the children's computer.... today we're expected to major in technology.
I think of the little minds who are consuming cheese curl computer games. I would much rather be feeding them something truly nurturing- something that will build them from the inside out. A book.
Recently I had lunch with a good friend who is the former principal of my own children's high school. She is a grandmother of 3. A highly intelligent, highly educated woman. She described trying to go into the public library in the San Francisco area with her two grandsons, ages 18 months and 3 years. Well, one little guy went one way and the other little guy went the other way and here was Grandma trying to pick out a picture book. Picture books are spine out and the titles are disguised. So trying to ferret out a winner proved to be nearly impossible.
She needed a librarian.
So where are the librarians? Well, they're over there putting some young person on NickJr.com or trying to help them print outfits from the Barbie website. They're trying to help someone forward an email or print from their Yahoo account. They're cleaning the pee off the chair at the children's computer.... today we're expected to major in technology.
I think of the little minds who are consuming cheese curl computer games. I would much rather be feeding them something truly nurturing- something that will build them from the inside out. A book.
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