Showing posts with label Nonfiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nonfiction. Show all posts

Saturday, December 16, 2023

Student Saturday: Surviving Sharks and Other Dangerous Creatures by Allan Zullo

 


Genre:  Middle Grade, Nonfiction
Student Reviewer: Elijah S.

This book talks about ten stories about different animals attacking humans and how those humans survived those terrifying encounters. All ten chapters had different stories and different animals. These animals consisted of sharks, elephants, bears, snakes, wolves, alligators, bulls, monkeys, moose, and cougars. In the situation for the bears, the person had to punch the bear several times to get it off of him. In this situation I would’ve tried to poke the bear’s eyes because I think it would have ran away sooner. I would recommend this book to adventurous people who like to go out to woods and oceans so that they know what to do if they were in situations with these dangerous animals. In my opinion, I love this book because it's very interesting and I love animals books so if I had rate this book a one out of ten it would definitely be a ten out of ten.


Saturday, December 2, 2023

Student Saturday: The Art of War by Sun Tzu

 


Genre: Adult, Nonfiction, History, Leadership
Student Reviewer: Zachary M.


The Art of War is one of the most influential books in the world. It has helped many a general achieve a decisive victory that changed the tide of the battle against all odds. Its author, Sun Tzu, was allegedly a Chinese general and strategist who lived in between the years 771 and 256 BCE. While he is credited as the author of the Art of War, there is little proof of him participating in any battle or even existing. But none of this is as important as the contents of the texts, as the knowledge and wisdom found within it are rich and true.

The Art of War is not just about how to strategize in battle, but about how to be a proper leader and solve problems in general. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to be better at leading others and organizing, and anyone simply looking for something intellectual or philosophical to read. One personal connection I have with the book is that I use it to help me lead student run organizations like TSA (Technology Student Association). Overall, this book is a phenomenal read and I personally insist on getting a copy that has a commentator making notes about everything Sun Tzu says because they often share relevant quotes and anecdotes that further enhance your understanding of what the enigmatic text is really trying to say.

Saturday, July 15, 2023

Honeybee Rescue by Loree Griffen Burns: a review and personal connection

 


Genre:  Nonfiction, all ages
Source:  I purchased a copy

Review:

This is a wonderful book about rescuing bees.  The man who found bees in his garage was a beekeeper. He noticed the bees and realized that one of his hives had split. That means when a hive gets to big to support all of the bees, the queen and half of the bees leave and find a new home.  The man called in someone who specializes in bee rescues.  Being a beekeeper doesn’t mean if you find a swarm somewhere that you know what to do to capture them and put them in a box. Most beekeepers do not rescue bees. If you would like to know more about bee rescues then read this book. If you would like to learn more about bees, then read this book and check out the references in the back of the book.  This is a nonfiction picture book that people of all ages will enjoy.

Personal Connection:

I found out about this book through Kate Messner's introduction of guest authors for Teachers Write. Since she doesn’t charge anything for the three weeks of writing lessons, she asks that we consider supporting  the authors by purchasing their books.  I try to do this every year. I usually purchase books for middle grades and young adults since I teach eighth graders.  When I saw this beautiful picture book I knew I had to have it. 


 You see, about seven or eight years ago my husband started keeping bees. It started with being invited to a bee club meeting to learn about bees. Then he bought his first hive of bees.  From there it escalated.  Not only does my husband keep bees, he rescues bees like Mr. Nelson in the book. Some of the best honey we have ever gotten has come from hives he has rescued.

The house I grew up in had honey bees living in one of the walls. Every year we would have someone come out and smoke the bees out, and every year they were back. I now know why that happened.  When we sold the house to move to Florida the living room wall bowed outward. Honey was seeping through the wallpaper.  I was afraid of those bees, because every time I mowed I would be attacked.

When my husband started keeping bees in the backyard I wanted nothing to do with them. I would sit in our yard swing and watch him. He started telling me what he was observing. I started going closer and closer to the hives until one day he mentioned that I didn’t seem to be afraid of the bees. He was correct. I had lost most of my fear. I soon learned how much I enjoyed them when I was sitting in our yard swing reading, while he trimmed a bush. When he tossed a branch away a group of bees flew out. He quickly got a box, put a couple of waxed frames in it. He tried to find the queen. I walked over with my camera capturing it on video. He suddenly pointed out that the hand I was capturing in the video was my own. I had stuck my fingers gently into the midst of those bees and was moving them aside trying to help him find the queen. He found her and put her in a queen clip, and put the clip inside the box.  I stood amazed as I watched the bees walking right into the box because they could smell her pheromones. I have not participated in any bee rescues. I have on occasion gone with him and watched him remove a swarm with his bee vacuum. I am constantly asking him questions, buying him books and even talking to my student about bees. This is a great way to teach anyone about bee rescues.




Saturday, May 30, 2020

Egmont Key A History by Ronald H. Thompson and Carol Thompson



Genre:  Non-fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Egmont key is a place I have wanted to visit since I was in college. My history class was going to take a field trip to Egmont one Sunday. Unfortunately due to church and my job I was unable to go. I had to write a paper about it. This was difficult because there isn’t a whole lot written about this island.  Egmont can only be reached by boat. Originally it was the home of Fort Dade and a lighthouse.
The book is full of history.  However, like other resources I have found on Egmont Key. I felt it was somewhat lacking. I guess if I truly want to learn about it then at some point I am going to have to take time to visit the island.

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Death March Escape: The Remarkable Story of a Man Who Twice Escaped the Nazi Holocaust by Jack J. Hersch





Genre: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir
Source: I received an advanced copy from Netgalley. The opinions expressed here are my own.



I have never been able to read a book about Holocaust survivors without getting emotional. As an eighth grade English teacher we have a unit that touches on the Holocaust. When I taught ninth grade English we read Night and other stories about the Holocaust. I have over the years met only one survivor. The only part of her story that stuck with me was the death march she was taken on. To me this is more terrifying than the camps. You may wonder why. In this case the author’s father had the realization that they would soon be freed by the allies. How many of them lost all hope when they were removed from the camp and taken on these long death marches?
The author’s father was like many survivors who talked about their imprisonment, treatment and survival while leaving out so much. I have always wondered why they did this. Were they trying to spare their family the pain that they still felt?
After learning from a relative that a picture of his father at a  death camp was up on a website, Jack sets off on a journey to fill in the blanks of his father’s life.  He eventually walked the same path his father took. He wanted to understand his father’s experiences. It is my opinion that you can walk the path your parent’s took and learn so much more than you  originally knew. I also believe that unless you were actually there that there is no way you can completely understand the horrors.  This is a non-fiction story that I highly recommend. We need more voices to tell these stories as the survivors are all beginning to die off. Who will be left to speak for all those who lost their lives during these horrible year?

Friday, January 26, 2018

Stop the Slip: Reducing Slips, Trips and Falls by Thom Disch



Genre: Non-fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.


When I was asked to read and review this book I said yes not because this is a topic I just can’t get enough of. I said yes because my mother who lives with us has had several falls.  Two years ago  she fell  just three days after I got home from a rehab facility where I had been recuperating from double knee replacement.  The root that tripped her was smaller than one-eighth inch in diameter.

According to the author falls are often seen as humorous, until it happens to you. Studies show that there are more falls among the young due to the fact that the older people try to be more careful because of the high risk of injury.

The author also gave excellent advice for reducing the risk of falls and injuries.  Footwear has been one of the major causes of slips. People prefer to look fashionable instead of worrying about safety by wearing shoes that may be less fashionable and yet safer.

The author not only gives us authentic situations in which we can see ourselves and others. He gives tips for preventing some of these slips and falls. Some of them seem common sense. Some of them are things we never think about.  How many people think about the possibility causing them to slip or fall? Very few. We see our pets as our companions. A co-worker of mine fell two days ago, tripped up by her dog. She ended up in the ER.  Some things can be prevented if we pay closer attention when we walk. Several years ago while walking to our school’s office I stepped on the metal surrounding our outdoor mat and flipped my ankle breaking it.  I was in a rush and not paying attention to where I was walking. I actually had a book in my hand. This is distracted walking. It cost me eight week in a wheelchair.


The author has provided several resources to  help you. One of those is a home Audit checklist. This is a valuable book. The information provided could save a life or prevent a fall.  I am recommending this book to everyone because slip and fall is not an older person’s problem. It is an every person problem.

Friday, December 29, 2017

Off the Grid: My Ride from Louisiana to the Panama Canal in an Electric Car by Randy Denmon



Genre: Adult, Nonfiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review.



Talk about courage, these men, Randy Denmon and Dean Lewis, have it. I would never attempt to do what they did. He and a friend took an electric car, a Tesla S and drove it from Louisiana to the Panama Canal. What terrified me were the very things they had to worry about. A lot of these countries have drug lords. They also had to worry about to deal with policemen who did things their own way. For me the scariest thing was not knowing where they were going to be able to get electric to power their car. They took all kinds of plugs and extension cords. The Tesla sits real low to the ground. This was also a problem for them. They were not always driving on real smooth roads.  There were treacherous mountain roads. There were roads full of potholes, bumps, and other problems like volcanoes.  The book, for all of the issues they faced is very upbeat due to Randy’s attitude/sense of humor.  As much as I loved the book and knew things had to turn out okay, since they made it back to write the book, I worried for them and their safety the entire time.  This was definitely different from what I usually read. That is probably why I enjoyed it so much. I could live through their trip without having to do the physical traveling, from the safety of my own home.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Nefertiti the Spidernaut: The Jumping Spider Who Learned to Hunt in Space by Darcy Pattison


Genre: Children's Picture Book, Nonfiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Darcy Pattison has written a wonderful and informative story about a spider who went to space.
Nefertiti was a Johnson Jumping Spider. She was chosen because she was the largest of her siblings. They wanted to see if she could adapt to zero gravity to hunt in space. They sent along a food supply of fruit flies.   She not only learned to hunt in space, but when she returned to Earth, she needed to learn to change her hunting methods. I never realized how smart spiders  were until I read this true story. I believe, like all of Darcy’s books, this is another great book that should be in all classrooms.
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Two Beautiful Nonfiction Books

How They Became Famous Dancers – Anne Dunkin
Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Nonfiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review the opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a wonderful book. My daughter loved dance and at one time was enrolled in eight different dance classes. She could tell me about many of the people who shaped dance in recent years. This book takes us way back to Louis the XIV. This book is the story of twelve dancers who cover the year from the early 1600s to the year 2000. I had not heard of many of these dancers. Their passion for dance was so strong they let nothing stand in their way. In addition to the biographies, at the end of each chapter was a section called “Create a Dance”. This section allows you the reader to create a dance in the style of the dance you had just studied. This is a book I will put on my shelves once I have shared it with my daughter.



Galloping to Freedom: Saving the Adobe Town Appaloosas – Carol J. Walker
Genre: Nonfiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.


After reading this book I’ll never look at or think about wild horses in the same way. This is the story of a rescue of Americas wild horses as captured through beautiful photographs of the photographer. The photographer was able to take pictures of these horses in the wild, when they were captured and when they were resettled onto safe sanctuaries. Thanks to her photographs many horse families were kept together. Unfortunately when she checked in on some of the horses she learned that some of the mare had given birth in such crowed corrals that the foals did not survive. This is a story of sadness and hope. The sadness as we see progress taking away the lands of those who had the right to live there, the wild horses. It is also a story of hope as we see several people who cared enough to set aside areas that would be safe sanctuaries. I think one of the saddest things was that they sterilized all of the males. This means in some cases the end of the line of those fine stallions. Sometimes I read books like this and wonder why God put humans over animals if we were going to treat them the way we do.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Fire in the Ashes – Jonathan Kozo


Genre: Adult, Nonfiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expessed here are my own.


Jonathan Kozol has written another book that looks at those who are less fortunate than many. He has followed the lives of many inner city children. He has shown us that society has in many ways hindered them, yet many of them have survived to go to college and find their way out of this hell that was created for them. As he exposed some of the areas and conditions that these children have had to live through, society moved them to areas that really were not much better and often put them in harm’s way even more. Kozol’s stories are heart-wrenching and often hopeful as we follow these lives and wonder how they managed to survive. A man like this does this from the goodness of his heart. He truly cares. You can feel this as you read the book. He doesn’t judge people. He just tells their stories.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Fat Free For Life: 13 Principles for Guaranteed Weight Loss and Ultimate Health by Braxton Cosby DPT


Genre:  Nonfiction, Self-help
Source: I purchased a copy

If you are looking for a book that will help you set and keep your weight loss goals, then look no further. This book focuses on the whole you. In his book Braxton starts off talking about a time he had to face a persistent painn. It hampered his ability to do things. He finally realized he was dealing with fear. The fear of the pain was so real in his mind that it prevented him from moving forward.. He learned to move past the fear and the pain.  When I read that I really needed to hear it. I had stopped working out. I am facing double knee surgery  in about three months.  The procedures they had tried on my knees had stopped working. A few hours on my feet meant almost unbearable pain, so the idea of working out, doing my therapy, using my recumbent bike was out the window. When I realized that it was the fear of the pain that was keeping me from doing what I knew I needed to do, I took action.  After working out on my bike I realized that the knees actually felt better.

Through this book the idea that I had to have a solid plan and  be willing to execute that plan ws reinforced. I loved that Braxton reinforced my Christian beliefs that I must get my strength from god because this is definitely the hardest battle I've had to face. One of my favorite parts of this book is the "Cosby Corner" found throughout. He had one named "Why You Shouldn't Trust Yourself". He made a point that saying "I'll have just one" wo't work. I laughed because I knew how true this was. When i decided to make changes in the way I ate, I made a conscious decision to never eat another cream horn. This was before I decided to throw out ALL sugar.  I told my husband of my decision and he said he would help me by justing letting me have one. I reminded hi the last tie he said and did that I ate all six of them in one hour. There are some foods that I had to make totally off limits because I can't trust myself to eat just one.

Another important chapter to me ws Chatper 9 "Buddy Up"
this chapter encourages you to find an accountability partner. this is so important. When I began my journey into eating a Paleo Diet my husband not only supported me but joined me. He decided we would all eat this way. My83 year-old  mother lives with us and has lost 17 pounds just by eating what we eat.  After I finished my 30 day challenge with Braxton Cosby, I joined a challenge at school with some of my fellow teachers.  The motivation and lessons I learned from this book is what I will pass on to my friends and colleagues when I recommend this book to them.

So I have to ask you. Are you ready to set and keep your weight loss goals? Then purchase this book and get started.

Friday, July 17, 2015

A Mixed Bag of Children's Books

Just as Special by 3Evoke
Genre: Children, Picture Book
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a book that was written to encourage children who have no father at home. However, it could work just as well for those who have no mother. The idea behind the book is to start a conversation with children and let them know that they are special whether they have one, two, or multiple parents. Mason sits on his porch watching his best friend play with his father and wonders why he isn't as special. His mother comes to get him for lunch and the conversation they have lets him know how special he really is.  Mom doesn't tell him about the people in his life she encourages him to talk about all of the different men in his life who help and encourage him.  This should be a book that is read in every home, not just single parent homes.






Not Just a Princess by Mary Lee
Genre: Children, Picture Book
When Mia's dad wakes her up saying, "Good morning, Princess!" Mia decides she doesn't want to be a princess. She wants to be a jungle animal, a pirate and so much more. Children often feel defined y the pet names we give them. This book encourages them to be who they want to be every day.



Princess Nancie by Leela Hope
Genre: Children, Picture Book
Pricess Nancie loved to create mudpies and other messes.  What she hated most was being told she had to wear nices dresses. She decides she doesn't like all the rules so she walks out on her balcony and tells her people there will be no more rules.  When her kingdom falls  into chaos will she see the error of her ways?  This is such a great and simple book for teaching children why it is important to have rules.




Wanoo the Sorcerer by Francois Bissonnette
Genre: Children, Picture Book

Naloo the young Eskimo girl who lives in Nunavut goes to visit her friends the Zirons. When she arrives she meets up with Wanoo the young sorcerer. Three year old Wanoo has gotten much better at his magic since learning from the 170 year old Tarzi.  The most valuable lesson Wanoo learns from Tarzi is that no matter what you try to do you must practice and persevere even when you feel you are not making much progress This is what I really like about this author's books, the encouragement children get, the small life lessons from each book.


My Pet Raptor by A.J. Cosmos
Genre: Children, Picture Book
A.J.Cosmo is another of my favorite children's book authors.  He has a fun way of teaching a lesson to children without them knowing they are learning a lesson.  In this book a young boy is followed home by a Raptor. He begs his mom to let him keep it since he wants his own pet.  His mom finally tells him he can as long as he takes FULL responsibility for all of its actions. He agrees.  This are okay for a very short time. As each thing the raptor does gets bigger and bigger things.  The boy soon realizes that maybe a raptor is not a very good pet.  He then must decide what to do with him so that everyone is happy.  A great book for teaching responsibility, not only for owning a pet, but also for learning how to make decisions about what pet would be best for your family.




Sharks by Rose Leo
Genre: Children, Nonfiction, Picture book
Rose Lee has brought to children the life of sharks.  In her informative book she tells the reader about the different kinds of sharks, their looks, habitats and what they eat.  This book is great if you just want to share a book with a child or for the child's first foray into researching sharks. I found the book to be very informative and a pleasure to read.  I definitely recommend this nonfiction book.
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Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Teach Your Children God's Message by Patricia Allen McCuen



Genre:  Adult, Non-fiction
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:
God sternly and plainly stated, "You have to go back and tell." Somehow, I understood and already knew. I still did not know how I knew, but I knew and even replied, "Yes. I know. I have to tell." Shortly after leaving her fiance parents home located in Derry, PA, Patricia Allen and her fiance were crushed by a fully loaded coal truck. Patricia left her body twice at the scene of the accident. In the hospital when Patricia again left the pain of her severely injured body, she was held by God. She was shown a message she is to tell. Patricia's interpretation of what she was shown is not a new message but of one that is being greatly ignored. Teach the Child. "And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deuteronomy 11:19). Society suffers greatly by ignoring this message. How this message is shown gives an insight into the understanding of the Connections between God, Humanity, and Children.

My Thoughts:
This was a very inspiring book.  This is the story of a young girl named Patricia who was involved in  a terrible auto accident.  Her fiance is killed.  Three times she leaves her body and is  sent back by God. Why? To tell others that we are to tell children about God.  This book is full of hope and inspiration.

Friday, June 12, 2015

The Kidney Sellers by Sigfrid Fry Revere



Genre:  Adult, Nonfiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.



I’m not sure what I was expecting when I agreed to read this book. This is the story of a woman from the west who ventures to Iran to check out their kidney donor system. Here in the U.S. if you need a kidney transplant you go on a waiting list, then dialysis and play the waiting game.  If you are lucky enough you survive until someone dies that matches you, and you get their kidney. According to Sigrid Fry-Revere, Iran has a system that has a waiting list of people wanting to donate their kidney. According to the author, there are government incentives for this. Would this work in the United States? I’m not sure.  I know this has been in the news lately and I’m not sure where I stand on the issue.  Maybe that is because I don’t personally know anyone in that situation. However, this was an interesting read on this subject.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Draw in Perspective By this Weekend by Liron Yankonsky



Genre: Informational, Art
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I’ve always had an issue with perspective. Tht may be because no onne has ever taught me. The author shows step by step how to do this. The pictures, instructions and explanations make it easy to learn. There are a lot of examples. The only art class I’ve ever taken was for elementary art. It never covered shading or light source. However, the one project we had to do, my professor pointed out, in front of my fellow classmates, my perspective and light source were wrong but didn’t explain why, or how to fix it.  I was well aware that the picture was wrong but couldn’t figure out on my own why.

Since I’ve found this book and his method was so helpful I am willing to check out his other books. We need more people willing to take what some of us consider to be so difficult and point out ways we can understand it and realize that with practice it is not all that difficult.



Visit my websites:
VeganShape.co.il - An Israeli website aimed at vegan athletes and bodybuilders.

Lironyan.com - My personal blog.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Journey to Wilderness: War, Memory and a Southern Family's Civil War Letters – Frye Gaillard


Genre:  Civil War History
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:
Oh, this terrible war," wrote Thomas Gaillard. "Who can measure the troubles -- the affliction -- it has brought upon us all?" To this real-time anguish in voices from the past, Gaillard offers a personal remembrance of the shadow of war and its place in the haunted identity of the South. "My own generation," he writes, "was, perhaps, the last that was raised on stories of gallantry and courage, an admiration of the dashing generals who led our fighting men into battle, and whose heroism was undiminished by defeat. Oddly, mine was also the one of the first generations to view the Civil War through the lens of civil rights--to see, often quite reluctantly, connections and flaws in southern history that earlier generations couldn't bear to face.

My Thought:
The author used letters from her own ancestor to create this book.  This is the most realistic depiction of of what it was like to be on the battlefield.  No movie could ever depict how horrible this war was. It was made clear in the letters that you did what you had to do to survive. Franklin Gaillard spoke of what it was like when he entered the war.  He said the sight of blood and dead men turned his stomach.  Then in a letter to his father he wrote that thirst would do funny things to you. He gathered canteens and found one on the body of a dead man. It was covered in blood. His thirst was so bad he tipped it so that he was pouring from the side with no blood on it and drank.  He also spoke about the likes told throughout both sides.  When he brought water to the injured, captured enemies they were surprised. They had been told how vicious the Confederates were. It was heart wrenching to read a letter to a young son telling him what he wanted from him in case he should be killed.  Even from the war front fathers tried to mentor and teach their children.


These letters give the reader a look into the life of just a few soldiers and their family members during this trying time.  We look at the way they lived, their spiritual life and in some cases the way they died. This is  an excellent source that should be required primary source reading in schools.  I am grateful I was given the opportunity to read and review this book.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Student Saturday: Heroes of the Holocaust by Mara Bovsun Zullo Allan



Student Reviewer Logan C.
Genre:  Non-Fiction

This story took place in Europe uring the time of Hitler and the Holocaust. The main characers are Jews in hiding and Non-Jews willing to help them.

The major plot points are the survival or capture of the various people involved. The brutality of the Nazis was peppered throughout the book.
A connection that I have is that I hope that if I were in a situation like that I soulc bd zabl to help. I would recommend this book to history lovers, but prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster.  I hated this book because of the horrible truths that it revcealed. It is horrible that people could be so cruel to each other

Monday, March 23, 2015

Kindness Wins by Galit Breen


Genre: Non-Fiction, Informational, Teens and Adults
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I originally agreed to read and review this book because it sounded like something I needed on my school shelves.  I had no idea how right I would be.  This book was written after two major events in
 the author's life.  The first event involved an article she had written for The Huffington Post. She suddenly found herself a victim of cyberbullying.  The second event was her daughter wanting to post things to social media.  Because of her previous experience she realized how important it was to teach her daughter social responsibility on social media.   This review came at a most opportune time in my school year.  We recently had a group of kids making negative comments to each other through something as simple as clapping.  Clapping toward a person was the same thing as calling them a very negative name.  When I spoke to each of my classes and explained that this was a form of bullying and would not be tolerated and that administration had been alerted to this form of bullying it stopped, or so I thought.  Two days later a young lady asked to show me her Instagram. She was upset by the next level these students had taken the clapping.  They were told to mention the name of the person and to send the clap on through to their followers to gather claps.  She was very disturbed by this.  For this reason I am glad I read the book this weekend.

This book has taught me a parent of grown children and a teacher several things.  First I need to make sure I check and double check my own responses.  I need to take time to address my students on the issue of social responsibility on social media.  I've seen several of them on Facebook and I have had private conversations about what they are posting.  It seems that I should just assume that not all parents are going to teach their children and I will do so. This week is our last week before Spring Break and end of the quarter.  I am going to dedicate one of those days to this lesson.

Lessons can be taken straight from her table of contents.  We must always remember that there is someone on the other side of the screen.  One of the most important things she talked about was not talking about someone's body.  That means good or bad.  My favorite was Chapter 6, "If You Wouldn't Say It or Show It to Your Mama, Keep It Offline". This is the one I am going to start my class with.  I need to remind my students that "The Internet Isn't Permanent, But It Is Public and It Is Loud" (Chapter 8).  Students don't think about this at all. Chapter's 9 and 10 are the other two that I find so important to discuss with my students.  Chapter 9 is called "Just Because You See It, Doesn't Mean It's Yours".  Kids seem to have a real problem, as do some adults, understanding this. Finally, Chapter 10 teaches that we are responsible for every word we write online.  Just because we post something as anonymous doesn't mean we aren't responsible.  I guess I've always figured if I was ashamed to put my name to it then I didn't need to post it.  

This is a book that all parents and teachers should read and share with their kids.  It is probably one of the most valuable books around.  It teaches lessons that not only kids but adults need to know as well.





About the Author
Galit Breen was a classroom and reading teacher for ten years. She has a master's degree in education and a bachelor's degree in human development. In 2009, she launched a career as a freelance writer entrenched in social media. Since then, her work has been featured in various online magazines including Brain, Child, The Huffington Post, TIME, and xoJane. Breen lives in Minnesota with her husband, three children, and a ridiculously spoiled miniature golden doodle. You can learn more about Galit by visiting:


Tuesday, February 24, 2015

When I Grow Up I Want to Be…A Nurse



Genre:  Children’s Non-fiction
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is the third book I have read in this series.  This one holds a special meaning for me. My oldest sister was a nurse.  From the time we were little girls she always wanted to be a nurse.  When she went off to nursing school she would send her nursing books home for me to read. She’s gone now and that made this book that honors nurses special to me.


The main character in this book is Amber.  She loves spending time with her friends.  However, her friends love to play soccer.  They try to get Amber to play with them.  She has all kinds of excuses why she doesn’t want to.  She says it is boring, they get sweaty and she might get hurt.  Her mother encourages her to try anyway. Once Amber starts playing she learns how much fun it is. During one of the games Amber collides with another girl and she breaks her arm.  When she learns she must go to the hospital she is scared.  Most of what she is scared about is the unknown.  She has a wonderful nurse named George who explains everything that is going to happen to her.  She tells him she could never be a nurse because of her fears.  He explains that nurses get used to a lot of things to overcome those fears.  Throughout her visit she learns more.  The book gives you a great look at the different types of nurses and their jobs.  I love the way the book is not just illustrated but has real pictures of nurses in action.  These are very popular books on my nonfiction shelf at school.  A lot of kids won’t try nonfiction because they seem too long or too boring.  However, they love these books because they learn a lot and they are interesting.  I hope to be able to read and review more in this series in the future.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Letters From the Way by Barbara V. Anderson





Genre: Non-fiction, travel book
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This book is a collection of letters the author sent to friends while walking two paths called "pilgrim paths". The first path took her through France.  It seems there are many "pilgrim paths".  The next trip started in France and ended in Spain.  Along the way she writes letters to friends explaining what she is experiencing and her thoughts on everything that pops into her mind.  I loved when she said, "sometimes we have to get lost to get found." Part of her journey was her wanting to try to find out if God exists and if he would speak to her on these walks.  Raised Catholic, she didn't want to take at face value what the church had to say.  She wanted something more personal. Did she find it?  You'll have to read the book to see.  The letters, along with the beautiful pictures that pepper the pages of the book, make this a book I would recommend to anyone interested in learning more about walking through other countries.  I really enjoyed this book.  I had students picking this book up and they were interested in reading it.  I do have to add an update to this  post before it goes live. I learned from a couple of students that they thought the French teacher would be interested in this book because she is from France.  Besides, it mentioned the word sex twice and they didn't want to read the book after that.  I guess I am a little more open minded as there was nothing wrong with those two references and I am sure they hear worse on TV.  However, as sixth graders I know some of the parents would not approve.  So today I gifted the book to the French teacher who said she would put it on her shelves in the classroom after she read it.  We both agree it is a great asset to any classroom.