Niagara Falls
|
BROTHERS' BREAKFAST
July 1, 2008
It happens once a month in Erie Pennsylvania. Six brothers, a few cousins and many wives, all more than 70 years of age, converge on Peggy's, a storefront restaurant in the Liberty Plaza. They meet to talk politics. They talk about their children and grandchildren. They talk about their latest surgeries and who has the newest knee or hip. They talk about days gone by and days to come. They share brotherly comaraderie for two hours, then promise to meet again the following month.
Eggs and bacon, cheese omelettes, short stacks and high stacks of pancakes with butter and hot maple syrup, and hash browns and toast, glasses of orange juice and tomato juice cover the table. YUM!
I'm talking about the Figurski Brothers and here you can meet some of them.
Here are Ben & Phyllis Ferguson.
|
Rosie and Buttercup
Written by Chieri Uegaki
Illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch
Publisher: Kids Can Press
ISBN-10: 1553379977
Ages: 3 to 7
Review and lesson plans by
Donna O'Donnell Figurski
It’s as old as time. It’s happened to me and I’m sure it’s happened to you . . . unless, of course, you are an only child. Sibling rivalry rears its ugly head in almost all families. Oh, Rosie, no doubt, loved her little sister, Buttercup. She couldn’t wait for her to be born. She couldn’t wait to have her as a playmate. She wrote songs for her and played the silly sock game with her. But, as Buttercup grew older, Rosie’s sisterly loved waned. She grew tired of Buttercup’s demands, her noise, her “stuff” strewn all over the room. Sometimes Rosie just wanted to be alone. Rosie was furious when Buttercup almost freed Eenie and Meenie, Rosie’s prize crickets, from their cage. What was Buttercup thinking? So, it was no surprise when Rosie decided to give her little sister, Buttercup away. Wouldn’t you?
But Rosie didn’t expect a funny squeezy feeling to fill her chest as she left Buttercup with Oxford, the babysitter, who lived down the street. And that squeezy feeling just wouldn’t go away . . . no matter how hard Rosie tried to squeeze it out. Rosie didn’t expect to miss Buttercup, but she did! The talcum powder scent reminded her of her pesky little sister. So did the silly socks hanging out of the dresser drawer. Rosie knew what she had to do. She filled her pillowcase with her sun-dried dandelion puffs and set Eeenie and Meenie’s cage on top of Buttercup’s stroller and trudged off to Oxford’s house. She had to get Buttercup back even if it meant giving away her favorite things in the entire world. Rosie hoped that her treasures would be a good trade for her little sister.
Well, I never gave my sisters away, nor my brothers for that matter, but I can relate to how Rosie felt. Little siblings can be pests sometimes. But, if you can wait . . . long enough for them to grow up, you may just have a friend for life . . . and you won’t have to give away your stash of sun-dried dandelion puffs.
FROM the MOUTHS of KIDDLE CRITers: a critique group
“Rosie liked it when she was an only child,” said Timmy.
“But, when Rosie first knew she was going to get a baby sister named Buttercup, she was very excited,” said Mikaela.
Jewel nodded. “Rosie was happy at first,” she said.
“She liked having a sister,” Timmy said, “Until . . .”
“ . . . Until Buttercup started to copy everything that Rosie said,” interrupted Mikaela.
“Rosie was annoyed,” said Timmy. “I don’t know if Rosie realized that Buttercup was copying her or just trying to get on her nerves.”
“Buttercup wasn’t old enough to realize that copying someone isn’t a very nice thing,” said Jewel. “But Rosie didn’t know that.”
“Rosie used to like Buttercup,’ said Mikaela, “but she got tired of her and gave her away.”
“ . . . To Oxford,” explained Timmy.
“Rosie knew it was wrong to get rid of her little sister so she could have her parents and all of her things to herself,” said Jewel.
Mikaela nodded. “I think Rosie was feeling jealous because Buttercup got more attention,” she said.
“But, it was wrong,” said Callie.
“She shouldn’t have done that,” insisted Jewel. “Rosie is like me,” she continued. “Buttercup is like my sister.
Buttercup sounds like a pain, but she’s really sweet.”
“When Rosie gave her sister away, she got a little tingle in her chest,” said Callie.
“ . . . A squeezy thing,” said Abby. “But I don’t think it was very little because if she were using her arms to stop it, it wouldn’t be that little.”
“And, Buttercup probably felt sad to never see her sister again or her mom or dad . . . only this Oxford dude,” said Jewel. “It would be really upsetting for a little kid like that to be abandoned.”
“I wouldn’t give my baby sister away . . . even if I had a sister . . . which I don’t because I’m an only child,” said Abby.
“If I gave my little sister away, my parents would get M-A-D,” said Jewel. “They would make me apologize to my sister and they would make me apologize to them and to the person I gave her to. Then I would be grounded,” she said. “ But I would miss her. I would miss her, indeed!”
“I would miss her too,” said Abby who is Jewel’s little sister’s friend.
Lawrence looked thoughtful then said. “When my sister went to camp, I missed her . . . in two days.”
“Soon, Rosie kind of missed her little sister, too,” said Mikaela.
“She started to miss somebody to play with,” said Jewel.
Mikaela nodded. “She wanted to sing songs to her. She wanted to play the sock game,” she said.
“And she didn’t want the puffy feeling to come back,” said Abby.
“So, I think Rosie changed her mind because she felt kind of lonely. The house was kind of empty. She felt sad. She had nobody to play with,” said Mikaela. “At first she was very happy because Buttercup wasn’t there, but if you really think about it . . . well, she probably missed the crying and the annoying stuff,” she said.
“I think Rosie felt sad that she gave away Buttercup,” mused Callie.
“So Rosie traded her favorite things (to Oxford), her crickets and sun-dried dandelion puffs because she loved her sister more than anything,” said Abby.
Mikaela agreed. “She actually loved those things, but she loved Buttercup better. Rosie could always get new crickets or dandelion puff balls,” Mikaela said. “But she could never get a new sister.”
(Note: “Rosie and Buttercup is a book for brothers and sisters who fight,” suggests Jewel.)
TEACHER TALK
FLOWER/ANIMAL MATCH: Language Arts/Science
Flowers are pretty. They smell pretty. They look pretty. They even have pretty names. Many newborn babies are named after flowers. There are cartoon characters named after flowers. Remember Petunia? She’s Porky Pig’s girlfriend. Book characters are named after flowers, too. Everyone knows Chrysanthemum, the little mouse in Kevin Henke’s book by the same title. Then there are names like Pansy and Lily and Violet and even Blossom. There are Rose and Daisy and Poppy and Peony. See how many flower names you can find. Then try the activity below for some very “flowerful” fun.
- Brainstorm as many flower names as you can think of. Record on chart paper. (See list below.)
- Brainstorm as many animal names as you can think of. Record on chart paper.
- Hang charts in room for easy viewing.
- Next give each child a pre-made book with ten pages. (4.5” x 6”) Use manila paper for the inside pages and construction paper for the covers)
- Have children choose ten flower names and ten animal names from each chart and write their choices on paper. Use the same beginning letters.
- Examples:
- Blossom Bunny Daisy Duck Jasmine Jackrabbit
- Lily Lion Poppy Piglet
- After their work has been checked for accuracy, they may write their choices in their books. (One flower/animal combination per page)
- Last, they may illustrate their books.
Flower Names:
Angelica, Aster, Blossom, Chrysanthemum, Cynara, Dahlia, Daisy, Daphne, Gay, Ginger, Holly, Hyacinth, Iris, Jasmine, Lily, Marguerite, Narcissus, Peony, Petunia, Poppy, Rosa, Rose, Scarlet, Sienna, Tansy, Veronica, Violet
(More names can be found at the following site:
Baby Name Rant: Flowers and Plants
FLOWER WORD SCRAMBLE: Language Arts/Science/Math
- Cut out one-inch squares of construction paper.
- With a black marker print one letter from Buttercup and Rosie’s name on each square.
- Then make teams of children. Place 2, 3, or 4 children on each team.
- Give each team a set of letter squares.
- Children use the letter squares to make new words. Each word is scored by how many letters are in the word. (See example below.)
- Set a timer for approximately five minutes.
- The team with the either the most words or the highest score wins.
Ex.: B U T T E R C U P R O S I E
(C P B T E S R U U E R O T I)
Toe 3 Prose 5
Race 4 Cute 4
Butter 6 Bus 3
SUGGESTED WEBSITES:
(Although I examined these websites and found them to be very helpful, please use them at your own discretion.)
It's My Life; Sibling Rivalry Attention and Approval
Sibling Rivalry
Illinois Early Project: Helping Siblings Get Along
SUGGESTED BOOKS:
I'd Rather Have an Iguana by Heidi Stetson Mario
Vera's Baby Sister by Vera Rosenberry
Good As Goldie by Margie Palatini (Author)
Fine As We Are by Algy Craig Hall (Author)
The Tale of Pip and Squeak by Kate Duke
How To be A Baby . . . By Me, The Big Sister by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Sue Heap
|
Maranda McCarthy, Marketing Specialist at Picture Window Books says:
 Donna,
Thanks for the review on If You Were a Conjunction. We
are so glad to hear that you enjoyed working with it. It has been a
well received series for us. Thanks again for taking the time to let
us know your feelings about the book.
February 2007
Maranda McCarthy, Marketing Specialist at Picture Window Books says:
Donna,
Thank you for the information. We appreciate your comments and I am glad to hear you enjoyed working with the book. It is one of my favorites from our Spring 2007 collection. Please let me know if you need anything in the future.
March 2007
Dotti Enderle, author of Grandpa For Sale says:
Thanks Donna. We've gotten several reviews, but this is by far the best and most unique. You can't imagine how much I cherish it.
Dotti
May 2007
Shari Dash Greenspan, editor Grandpa For Sale says at Flashlight Press says:
Hi Donna,
I forwarded your email to Dotti, Vicki and Kyle. Hopefully they'll all respond to your KiddleCRITers. I loved their comments on Grandpa for Sale (I always love to hear their reactions to our books.)
Thanks for the beautiful review and great activities. I've already posted them to our site and linked to smartwriters.
All the best, Shari
May 2007
Meish Goldish, author of Gorillas says:
What a beautiful review!!! You have no idea how good it makes me feel knowing that the kids liked the book so much and got so much out of it! Thank you!!
Thanks again, Donna. You are THE BEST!!
Meish Goldish
July 2007
|
J. Johnson, Sales & Marketing Assistant for Seeing Red at Picture Window Books says:
Thanks for sending us the review on Seeing Red for Picture Window Books! It was fun to see what the kids had to say about our book.
J. Johnson
(April 2008)
|
 Elizabeth Rusch, author of A Day With No Crayons says:
Yeah, this IS great!
So here's a note for the kids:
Hey KIDDLE CRITers, I loved reading your comments on my book A Day With
No Crayons. You really got what I was trying to do in the story --
Liza's passion for colors, her sadness and anger at having her crayons
taken away, the joy when she discovered color all around her, and her
amazing creativity making art with things from her everyday life. I
hope you all enjoy discovering and playing with all the color in YOUR
world!
Liz Rusch
And for Donna: What a fun review! I loved your take on the book -- and
reading the kids' reaction was such a delight. The lesson plans were
terrific, too. Could I put the review etc on my website? I have a
section of resources for teachers...
All the best,
Liz
(March 2008)
Tara, publicist at Raab Associates says:
Hi Donna,
This is fantastic. I just cc'd you on the e-mail I sent to the author regarding your review. Also, I've sent an internal e-mail throughout our office for everyone to see. Please let the CRITters' know how much we enjoy their comments and input!
Thanks again!
Tara :) Publicist
Raab Associates
(March 2008)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
|
Enter Niagara Falls content here.
|
Seeing Red: The Planet Mars
Written by Nancy Loewen
Illustrated by Jeff Yesh
Publisher: Picture Window Books
ISBN: 978-1-4048-3953-3
Ages: 7-12
Seeing red, makes me think of strawberry licorice, a fire engine racing down the street, a ladybug, a plump, juicy tomato, and, of course, Mars. Mars the fourth planet from the sun is called the “red” planet. And there’s a good reason for that. Its soil contains the reddish metal called iron. Mars can be seen in the night sky from Earth with the naked eye. It’s our neighbor.
Mar’s landscape is similar to that of Earth. It has rolling hills, canyons, and mountains. It has north and south poles and they are cold, really cold. But, then most of the planet, Mars, is cold. It is pretty far from the sun, you know. Its temperature can be as cold as minus eighty degrees. Brrr! I’m not packing my swimsuit for a vacation there anytime soon. And even if I did, it would be a pretty lonely time. Scientists believe there is no life on Mars—at least they haven’t found any yet. So, all those stories you might have heard about aliens or Martians . . . well don’t believe them.
But, you can believe the cold, hard facts that you read in Seeing Red The Planet Mars written by Nancy Loewen and illustrated by Jeff Yesh. You can believe that Mars has many dust storms and that it is a very bright light in the night sky. You can believe that two moons, called Deimos and Phobos orbit Mars. You can believe that a Martian day is just thirty-seven minutes longer than an Earth day, but a Martian year is nearly twice as long as an Earth year. Go ahead believe!
And if you ever hear about Marslings or Earthtians . . . well, that’s a different story. Keep an open mind and ask any of Mrs. Figurski’s Kiddles.
This review can also be seen on: Smartwriters .
|
|
Read more...
|
A Day With No Crayons
Written by Elizabeth Rusch,
Illustrated by Chad Cameron
Publisher: Rising Moon
ISBN: 0873589106
Ages: 4-8
What do wild watermelon, tropical rain forest, dandelion, and neon carrot have in common?
Think pink . . . and green and yellow and orange. Think colors! When I think of colors, I think of fruit and vegetables. I think of the hundreds of color strips in the paint store. I think of bundles of yarn balls nestled on craft store shelves. And . . . I think of crayons.
The thought of crayons hurtles me back to memories of being six again. I think of the little yellow box filled with eight crayon colors, standing so tall. I remember their warm, waxy smell, and the soft and shiny feel of those slender sticks of magic. And, when I tug at the edges of my mind, I can uncover the utter disbelief of a day with no crayons. Truly unbearable! So, it’s not hard to understand Liza’s despair when her mother takes away her bucket of crayons . . . all because she drew a beautiful mural on her bedroom wall. Imagine!
But, Liza was not thwarted for long. Color was the essence of her being, and she soon realized that her world was as colorful as her crayons.
As Liza wandered through her neighborhood, she discovered the hues of brilliant orange tiger lilies, deep purple blackberries, laser-yellow dandelions, jungle-green blades of grass. Somehow each color smears itself on her pant legs, making them a rainbow delight. Hmmm!
Liza also discovered that a muddy, brown stick and an old, red brick could color her world, too. She used gray-green pebbles to make an ocean and pink rhododendron petals to create a glowing sunset.
As Liza crawled into bed that night, she surrounded herself with even more color . . . outrageous orchid and magic maize pillows. Her pink and blue blanket on her purple bed, her red skis and striped scarf and black and white soccer ball all flooded Liza’s world with color. What a world of color Liza discovered the day her mother took her crayons away!
Look for a complete review of this book at SmartWriters .
|
|
Read more...
|
AARON MITCHELL and DAVID
March 2006
Here is David with a professor friend of his, Dr. Aaron Mitchell. Aaron is the Department Chairman for the Microbiology Department at Columbia University.
This picture was taken on March 7, 2006, which was David's first day back to work after the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) he suffered on January 13, 2005. It was a long-awaited day. It was a happy day!
David and Aaron are outside the office of Dr. Gerald D. Fischbach, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine for the College of Physicians and Surgeons. David was officially welcomed back by both Aaron and the Dean. An article and a picture can be seen at IN VIVO The Newsletter of Columbia University Medical Center. (scroll down)
When David was an inpatient at Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation, Aaron visited David at least once a week, but more often twice, or three times. He was a welcome face at the door. I loved his quirky sense of humor and his quick smile. David and Aaron discussed scientific research and the goings-on in the labs at Columbia, but mostly Aaron kept David apprised of his students' progress. Aaron's visits continued at our home after David was released from Kessler until his return to his lab.
Before David's trauma, I hadn't know Aaron well. Sure, we met at dinners to honor retirees or at parties to celebrate a student's successful thesis defense. I was occasionally invited to a dinner in Manhattan with other professors and their spouses when the department was hosting a speaker, but at the end of the day, the professors scattered to the edges of the tri-state area. Columbia's position in the northwest corner of Manhattan did not make socializing easy. Though the circumstances were unfortunate through which I got to know Aaron, I am very glad I did. He is an intelligent, kind, and sensitive man and I am so glad that he has become a good friend to both David and me.
|
|
JUDY & STEVE THAU
Summer 2007
Judy and I are always just an email away--keeping track of how each of us is doing and how our husbands are progressing. Though David and Steve both suffered brain traumas, they were both affected so differently.
David and Steve were only cubicles away in Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and only a wall separated them at Kessler. Does that tell you something? I think these men were destined to meet. Oh, they met in the hallways at Kessler and they shared the same therapy times, but neither David nor Steve remembered each other. So, Judy and I decided it was time for them to meet . . . in "REAL" time.
One sunny Sunday afternoon in August 2007, Judy and Steve came to visit. Judy and I were really looking forward to seeing each other, but I  think that David and Steve had some reservations. They shouldn't have. They became instant friends. That Sunday afternoon we all relived our nightmare days at Columbia and Kessler. It was painful. It was humorous. It was cleansing.
It's now three years since David and Steve began the journey of climbing out of the abyss of traumatic brain injury. David's anniversary of re-life is on January 13th. Steve's is January 31st. Both men are strong. Both have a burning desire to become well again. AND . . . they will!
CONGRATULATIONS to both of you! AND . . . thanks for the fight!
|
APARNA, VIKRAM, ESHAAN, and KRISH VASISHT
November 2007
It was a strange way that I met Aparna and her husband, Vikram. But, I know it was supposed to be.
Several months after David’s trauma, around June of 2005, I received a phone message. A woman’s voice asked to speak to me about tutoring her son in Spanish. I thought she must be trying to get help for her high school student who needed extra help, and I thought it must be a mistake.
I can handle 1st grade Spanish and even 2nd or 3rd, but I knew I was no match for high school level Spanish. Even though I had majored in the language in high school and college, and had recently returned from Puebla, Mexico where I studied all things Mexican for five weeks, I knew I couldn’t teach advanced Spanish. And then since I was so overwhelmed with David’s care, and preparing to go to Santa Cruz, California with him for more therapy for what turned into six weeks, I’m afraid I was rude and never returned Aparna’s call.
Aparna didn’t give up. There was a message on my machine when I returned home in late August and an email shortly after that. I was put to shame. When I finally contacted her she told me she learned of me through lesson plans I had written for my graduate studies course with the Oregon State University. Aparna explained that Eshaan, her four-year old son, really wanted to learn Spanish. I agreed to meet her and, Eshaan.
Over tea at Aparna’s house I picked up a blue block and said, “azul.” Eshaan repeated. I pointed to a yellow one and he mimicked my “amarillo” perfectly. I continued with verde, rojo, blanco, negro, and anaranjado. Then he ran off to play in the adjoining room. When Eshaan returned after fifteen minutes, I called out the colors to him in English. He told them to me in Spanish. He stole my heart. I fell in love.
After that Eshaan came to my house for about thirty minutes each week and we sat on the floor with flash cards spread between us. “Muestrame el perro,” I said. He pointed to the dog. (el gato/the cat; el cerdo/the pig; la luna/the moon) We counted how many cards he won (the ones he knew instantly) and the ones I won. (the ones he took more than a second to call out) We stood at the window talking about los arboles/the trees, el cielo/the sky. We sang to the songs on the computer—Los Pollitos Dicen. We practiced shapes and numbers and the days of the week. And no matter how tired I may have been after teaching school all day, I brightened when Eshaan came through my door. He made me smile.
Eshaan doesn’t study with me anymore. He’s learning Spanish in his first grade classroom. But we still see each other--either at his house or mine when we go there for a visit or he and his parents come to ours. Aparna and Vikram and Eshaan and his little brother, Krish, have become very dear to David and me. I’m so glad that Aparna persisted in contacting me and didn’t let my unintentional rudeness stop our budding friendship.
|
People come from all over the world to visit my site.
I love to know from where they come. Maybe you will, too.
|
Farmer Cap
Written by Jill Kalz
Illustrated by Sahin Erkocak
Publisher: Picture Window Books
ISBN: -13: 9781404831391
Ages: 5 to 7
Farmer Cap . . . to say he is a little strange, a little off-center, and a lot eccentric is being kind. He is like no farmer I have ever met. Of course, you can count on half a hand the number of farmers I know. But, I’ve read the Farmer in the Dell and he seemed kind of normal, except, of course, for letting the cheese stand alone, but that is a whole other issue.
Actually, Farmer Cap’s weirdness is what makes him stand out among farmers. It’s what makes him so funny and so interesting and so, so lovable. While other farmers plant corn and tomatoes, green beans and potatoes, or pumpkins and watermelon, Farmer Cap plants Popsicles and spaghetti. Now if he could only grow chocolate chip cookie-dough ice cream or malted-crunch chocolate bars . . . YUM!
What I love about Farmer Cap is not his green flip-flops or the funny feather poking out of his cap, his knobby knees, or his silly grin, but his innovative, curious, quirky mind . . . and his strength. I love his strength and his confidence--his belief in himself. When all his farmer friends looked on with skepticism and doubt, Farmer Cap stood his ground! He didn’t let his fellow farmers dissuade him. He didn’t let his fellow farmers discourage him or stand in his way. Farmer Cap had conviction! Farmer Cap reminds me of two other characters, named Suki and Monique, whose books are also reviewed in my column called, Teacher’s Pets. (See below) Farmer Cap also reminds me of a character named, Kanona Prattsby, (my book, not yet published) who with her gumption, strength, and determination changes a whole town to make it a brighter and more fun place to live. She and Farmer Cap would make a great couple. Put their minds together and who knows what to expect. They just could make the world a nicer place.
Farmer Cap, Suki, and Monique (and hopefully someday Kanona) are gifts to young readers. They shout be yourself. Stand up for what you believe. Don’t be afraid to think for yourself. Be strong!
And so, hats off to you--I mean . . . Caps off to you, Farmer Cap! And if you ever feel like growing jelly beans or chocolate mint cookies or sour cream/onion potato chips or grape soda pop, or piping hot buttered popcorn, or . . . well, you get the message . . . call me!
Look for a complete review of this book at SmartWriters .
|
|
Read more...
|
Hope you liked all of my brothers and sisters!
|
Flowers . . . pink, yellow, blue . . .
so pretty to look at
so sweet to smell
purple and
 orange and
red and green
and pink and yellow and blue!
|
People come from all over the world to visit my site.
I love to see from where they come. Maybe you will like it, too.
|
|
ARIZONA HOT SPOTS
(click on icon for current weather)
COTTONWOOD, ARIZONA
PHOENIX, ARIZONA PRESCOTT, ARIZONA PAYSON, ARIZON  
BISBEE, ARIZONA
SIERRA VISTA
NEW MEXICO
(click on icon for current weather)
ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
 
TAOS, NEW MEXICO
NORTH CAROLINA in the MOUNTAINS
(click on icon for current weather)
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
CALIFORNIA my heart's desire
(click on icon for current weather)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA
NEW YORK the City That Never Sleeps
(click on icon for current weather)
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
|
A Little Peace
Written by Barbara Kerley
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Book
ISBN-13: 978-1426300868
$16.95
Ages: all ages
Peace—a simple word that packs a lot of wallop. For me peace is a comfortable place, a quiet space, the absence of car motors, the hum of air conditioners, or the whir of the refrigerator. Peace is being curled up by the fireplace with a good book or lying in the sand at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California. Peace is feeling the warmth of the sun or marveling at the millions of stars twinkling in the night sky of Taos, New Mexico. Peace is stilling my mind.
For many war-torn countries, peace is an illusion, a memory of times gone by. Fighter planes fill their skies, landmines explode with an unexpected step, bombs whistle by night or day. The heart can’t find peace when the mind is filled with fear. In the mid sixties, Jackie De Shannon sang “What the World Needs Now.” She sang of love. She could have been singing of peace. And, the world does need peace! It saddens and horrifies me to know of all the children born under the bomb, who have never known peace in their lives.
Peace, so hard to achieve and so illusive can start with just a smile, a nod, a wave of the hand, says Barbara Kerley in her new book entitled, A Little Peace. Signs of peace can be found anywhere . . . in the marketplace, at the beach, at school or at play. The pictures from around the world . . . Albuquerque, New Mexico, Fengdu, China, and Kabul, Afghanistan were some of the more touching photos depicting peace. My favorite was the four-year-old girl with face uplifted in song from a neighbor state of Ohio.
Give a smile. Get a smile. Wave a wave. Reach out and spread a little PEACE!
Look for a complete review of this book at Smartwriters
|
|
Read more...
|
|
MISSING ZAC
September 14, 2007
Dear Holen,
It is with much sadness I write this. I am so very, very sorry. Uncle David and I feel for you deeply. We only knew Zac for a short time, but we were happy that we did. Please know that we love you very much--always have! 
I know you are a strong young woman (jumping in your car and heading out to New Orleans to reconstruct the city after Katrina's devastation) and now you must be strong again to pick up the pieces of your own fractured and fragmented life and reconstruct them . . . over time. And, it will take time. Keep your fond memories of Zac close to your heart and near in your mind. They will help you through this unbearable and unbelievable time.
I was going to send flowers, but thought you might be able to use money instead. I did, however, buy a small bunch of red carnations, which I placed in front of my fireplace in Zac's memory. Though I was not able to come to California to be with you, I wanted a constant reminder of the nightmare that you are experiencing. The carnations keep you in our constant memory. It's my little way of being a part of your life so far away.
If you ever want to talk or want to come stay with us for a while to help ease you over this huge hurdle in your life, please call me. You are welcome.
With so much love,
Aunt Donna & Uncle David
|
Fix-It Duck (Board book)
Written and illustrated by Jez Alborough
Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Publishers
ISBN-13: 978-1933605302
$7.99
Ages: 1-8
Fix-It Duck is no ordinary duck. He means well, but whenever he is near—LOOK OUT! Bad luck seems to follow this duck. When a drop of water falls into Duck’s tea—that’s bad luck. When Sheep’s window won’t close—that’s bad luck. Sheep’s jeep’s flat tire is bad luck, too. But, when Sheep’s house rolls into the pond, that’s the toughest luck of all.
Fix-It Duck doesn’t seem to mind, though. He’s oblivious of the havoc he leaves in his wake. He’s a jolly guy and only wants to be of help to his pals. But a friend like Fix-It Duck can be a little hard on a friendship. Sheep, Goat, and Frog sit on the shore of the pond looking devastated as Fix-It Duck, with hammer in one hand and tool kit in the other, plunges into the water to fix Sheep’s upended, soggy mobile home, which is mobile no more! Thanks to Fix-It Duck!
With a simple drip of water in a teacup, a lot of duck bad luck, some funny rhyme and a brilliant palette, Jez Alborough created a very funny book. And though I love Fix-It Duck, if I ever see him heading to my house, I am going to pull my blinds and lock my door tight. Sorry Fix-It Duck! I’m calling Handy Andy, my favorite fixer-upper.
Look for a complete review of this book at Smartwriters
|
|
Read more...
|
|
MORE LONG LOST COUSINS
I introduced my cousin Eddie and his wife, Tami, above. Linda, Melanie, and Lisa are three of Eddie's sisters. They are long, lost cousins, too. I re-met Linda and Melanie last summer (2006) when they visited in Erie. This summer Cousin Lisa joined the picnic my sister, Judy and her husband, Bob organized at their home. Michelle and her daughter made the trip, too. It was fun to take trips down memory lane -- trying to remember--yes trying to remember.
Kathy Spinelli (also above) is another Pavlik sister. The only missing sister is Diane in Florida. Hopefully, someday, I will re-meet her, too.
Hi, I'm Linda.  |
I'm Melanie. |
Call me, Lisa. |
I'm Michelle. Linda is my mom. |
PAVLIKS -- one way or another. |
 My name is Jessica. Michelle is my mama and Linda is my grandma.
|
|
GORILLAS
Written by Meish Goldish
Publisher: Bearport Publishing Company
ISBN 13: 978-1-59716-369-9
ISBN 10: 1-59716-369-4
$23.96
Ages: 6-12
When I think of gorillas, I think of wild, jungle beasts. My guess is that most folks do, too. Gorillas are massive animals. Some males stand as high as six feet and weigh as much as six hundred pounds. That’s a lot of gorilla! Though gorillas are intimidatingly huge and look rather fierce, most gorillas are peaceful, non-aggressive animals, unless provoked, of course.
They live in the lowland rain forests or mountain cloud forests of central Africa. Gorillas live in family groupings much like humans and they are very social creatures. In Meish Goldish’s book, entitled Gorillas, you can learn so many facts. He tells how Diane Fossey, an American zoologist, studied gorillas for nearly eighteen years. She went right into the jungle and did just what the gorillas did. She scratched her head, beat her chest, made their sounds and even ate the same foods they ate . . . like leaves and twigs. Gorillas also eat rotten wood and small animals, but I bet that Fossey didn’t go that far. I know I wouldn’t . . . even in the name of science. But, she did gain their confidence, which allowed her to study these giant mammals.
Goldish tells how Binti Jua, a gorilla who lives in the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, saved a three-year old child who fell into her cage. He tells how Bongo, a Columbus Ohio Zoo gorilla, grieved when his partner, Bridgette, died and how he cared for their young son, making the infant’s bed of hay each night. Goldish also writes about how Koko, a gorilla who lives in the San Francisco Zoo, learned sign language using (ASL) American Sign Language. She can sign more than 1,000 words and understands more than 2,000 words.
Say no more, Meish Goldish has convinced me that gorillas are intelligent, sensitive, and caring animals. But, he also frightened me. No, not of six hundred pounds of gorilla, but that the gorilla species has become endangered. There are only about 740 gorillas alive today. Now, that’s a scary thought! Poachers encroach upon gorilla habitats and capture and kill them for their meat, called bushmeat, and they use their body parts for souvenirs. That’s an even scarier thought.
You can see these gentle beasts in their natural habitat in the Bwindi Forest National Park in Uganda by booking one of their many safaris. If you can’t go in person, then click on Gorillas to view a video by Tanya Petersen to see gorillas doing what gorillas do. Me? I’ll be going to the Erie Zoo in a few weeks and heading straight to the gorilla exhibit to see Samantha—the Queen of the Zoo.
This review can also be seen on: SmartWriters
|
|
Read more...
|
LOVE THE BABY
written by Steven L. Layne
illustrated by Ard Hoyt
Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company, Inc.
ISBN: 1-58980-392-
$15.95
Ages: 0-5
“Help me love the baby!” “Help me love the baby!” Everybody said it. Mama said it. Papa said it. Even Nana said it. Can you believe Nana said it too? Little Rabbit was happy when Baby came home from the hospital. Who wouldn’t be? Little babies are pretty exciting, especially when you’ve waited for nine months for that little brother or sister to arrive. Most children think - instant playmate! But when Baby came home from the hospital on that day that the flowers were blooming, Little Rabbit realized that the Baby was no playmate – no playmate at all! He couldn’t do anything - unless you counted crying. He did that plenty well. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, Mama and Papa and Nana, yes, even Nana, gave Baby all of their attention. So what would you expect? How could Little Rabbit love the baby? Jealousy abounded! Frustration swelled! Anger overwhelmed! His world turned upside down when his new baby brother arrived.
I’m the oldest of four younger siblings, so I am an expert on sibling rivalry. My world turned upside down four times, so I understand exactly how Little Rabbit was feeling. You would think I would have gotten used to it, but I didn’t – well . . . not until the last baby arrived. I was a lot older too, already thirteen, when my youngest sister, Sanner, came home from the hospital. I think my maternal instincts were in place by then and I loved having her around – still do! I think Little Rabbit’s tender instincts were aroused when late one night no one heard Baby crying – but he did. When he tiptoed into Baby’s room and tummy-tickled him just like Mama had tummy-tickled him when he was a baby, and when he sang the scrub-a-dub song to Baby and Baby sang along, and when Little Rabbit read his very favorite book to Baby and Baby fell softly to sleep, Little Rabbit knew he didn’t have to pretend anymore. Little Rabbit knew that he really did love the Baby! And what’s more – he knew Baby loved him, too.
Look for a complete review of this book at Smartwriters.com
|
|
Read more...
|
Rrrribbet!
Rrrribbet!
Rrrribbet!
Just hopping by to tell you that the new Teacher's Pets Frog
logo was created by my friend, Sheryl Lloyd.
OK! so I'm not hopping --
just sitting here absorbing these good books and you can too. There's
plenty of good reading where these came from. Keep on scrolling to find
a lot of "ribbetting" tales.
Hoppy Reading!
|
GRANDPA FOR SALE
written by Dotti Enderle and Vicki Sansum
illustrated by T. Kyle Gentry
Publisher: Flashlight Press
ISBN-13 9780972922586
ISBN-10 097292258X
$15.95
Ages 4-8
For five hundred dollars, Lizzie imagined the exquisite tree house she could buy. For one thousand dollars, she could buy a small boat with her own name engraved on both the front and the sides. Imagine -- the S. S. Lizzie!
As Mrs. Bradley Larchmont the Third raised her offer to buy Lizzie’s Grandpa, who was sleeping peacefully and unaware (or maybe not so unaware) on the old Louis XVI settee in Oldman’s Antique Store, Lizzie’s mind went crazy -- a new Lavender Dream Bedroom Set for five thousand dollars, her very own ice cream shop, with every flavor ever made, with chocolate chips, and sprinkles and hot fudge for ten thousand dollars. It was mighty tempting, but Lizzie said, “No Deal!”
As Mrs. Larchmont raised the money for Lizzie’s Grandpa, her offers became more and more difficult for Lizzie to refuse. Lizzie was torn as she imagined all she could buy with that money. But when, through gritted teeth, Mrs. Larchmont said her final offer was fifty thousand dollars, Lizzie dug in her heels and insisted that Grandpa was not for sale. After all, what fun would a tree house, a boat, or even an amusement park be without Grandpa there to enjoy it with her. I have to agree with Lizzie. There is no amount of money to replace a grandpa.
I remember when I was in college; I lived with my grandparents in McKeesport, Pennsylvania for two months, while I waited for a dorm room to open up. Although the commute was fifteen miles to Pittsburgh every day -- each way, via walking, bus, train, and then more walking, I loved it! It was a great time! Living with my grandparents was the best! My grandpa, I called him Poppy, treated me like a princess. (So did my Gram!) There is nothing like a grandpa . . . and I have to say it again, “There is no amount of money to replace a grandpa,” . . . or a Poppy either.
In Grandpa For Sale written by authors, Dotti Enderle and Vicki Sansum and illustrated by T. Kyle Gentry, Mrs. Larchmont certainly figured out that Lizzie’s Grandpa was not for sale, but I can’t help but wonder if she ever realized that money cannot buy everything. It can’t buy health or friends. It can’t buy which way the wind blows, or when the sun shines. And as Paul McCartney and John Lennon and the Beatles sang so many years ago, “Money can't buy me love!” But the even greater music in Grandpa For Sale was the sound of the cash register on the last page when Lizzie pushed the big red button– Ding! NO SALE!
HEY, did I see a twinkle in Grandpa’s eye?
Look for a complete review of this book at Smartwriters.com
|
|
Read more...
|
NANCY and ANDY MCDONOUGH
Summer 2007
Where did the time go? Every time I see or think of Nancy that thought races through my mind -- sort of the way the time has raced by since we met. It was a long about way, but an interesting story. 
I was a student in the Education Department of William Paterson University. My dream of becoming a teacher was near reality. Okay, I'll start at the beginning.
I didn't always want to be a teacher. In fact, I was never overly fond of school. I always did well, but I do remember struggling over those times tables in 3rd grade. Anyway, when my daughter, Kiersten, started pre-school, a co-op in Claremont, California, I was required to spend time in the classroom helping out. It was fun. Then when we moved to Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California and Kiersten began 1st grade, I volunteered in her classroom. Her teacher, Fran Barker, was amazing! Fran suggested that I apply for the 1st grade assistant teacher job next door. I did . . . and I got the job. This was the beginning of my new career. Gone were my jobs as receptionist for the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Rochester. Gone, too, were the combs and brushes and blow dryers - the tools of my trade while I was a hairdresser. My new tools were pencils and books and addition flash cards. My favorite fruit was -- you guessed it -- apples. well, not really. My favorite fruits are cherries, blueberries and sweet clementines, with no seeds.
I worked for one year in 1st grade with Lauralie Stanton. Then tearfully, I told her that David and I had to move back to the east coast. (David was offered an assistant professorship at Columbia University.) Lauralie made me promise to go back to school/college to become a teacher. Her words, "You are a natural born teacher!" sent me racing to enroll in the education program at William Paterson University as soon as David and I settled into our new home in Tenafly, outside of New York City.
I wanted desperately to be in the classroom and I needed to go back to college. So . . . I did both. I worked as an assistant teacher from 8:00am to 4:00pm for two years in Englewood, New Jersey, while going to school at night. I won't say it wasn't hard. It was! But I needed both of these things so badly that David made it home by 6:00pm three nights a week. He took care of our two children, Kiersten and Jared, then aged nine and four years old, so I could travel nearly an hour to go to classes. Summers were a little easier. My third year I took the dreaded math class. I knew I could never pass this class, that I would fail miserably, and I would NEVER become a teacher. But, to my surprise I had the most amazing instructor. I'm sad that I don't even know her name, but she made algebra fun and I loved it. I not only passed the course, I got an "A." It matched all the other "As" I got, (except for the one "B") and I graduated Magna Cum Laude. I was ready for student teaching.
Since I was already working as a teaching assistant in a 1st and 2nd grade combination class at Stillman School in Tenafly, New Jersey, I worked out a deal with William Paterson. They allowed me to student teach in the morning and continue with my assistant job in the afternoon. This was perfect! I was in a classroom all day for a whole year. What was even more perfect was that my student teaching mentor was Nancy McDonough. Nancy was wonderful! She was, and still is, a very serious teacher, who loves teaching children, watching them grow, and helping them to expand their minds. She is energetic. She is creative. She is a teacher with very high standards and she is a model for other teachers. BUT, best of all she is my very good friend.
Our friendship spans from our days in the classroom in the early 1980s to the present. Now Nancy and her spouse, Andy, and David and I meet every few months for dinner to catch up--to talk about the old times, to plan for the new times, and to wonder where all the time has gone.
|
Harriet Tubman Hero of the Underground Railroad
written by Lori Mortensen
illustrated by Frances Moore
Picture Window Books
978-1-4048-3103-2
$17.95
Ages 5-9
Everyone loves a hero! Someone to look up to! Someone who can do
superhuman things! Someone who accomplishes deeds that you wish you
could!
Superman was a hero, a comic book hero, created by Siegel and Schuster
in 1938. Mighty Mouse came on the scene only four years later, in 1942,
with the imagination of I. Klein. Mighty Mouse’s refrain, "Here I come
to save the day," brought hope to many a distressed cartoon character.
As a child I loved Nancy Drew. She was my hero. I couldn’t get enough
of her. She was self-confident. She was feisty. She was courageous and
brave and honest and independent and strong. She wandered haunted
mansions and traveled deep, dark tunnels to find truth; and I read
every book I could l lay hand to. Rosa Parks was a hero in 1955. She
changed the way our country viewed black people. Her refusal to give up
her seat on a bus resulted in a Supreme Court ruling, which said that
segregation on buses was unconstitutional.
Harriet Tubman was a hero, too, and Lori Mortensen and Frances Moore
give readers a glimpse into her world as they depict the timeline of
Harriet Tubman’s life in their very touching, yet poignant book titled,
Harriet Tubman Hero of the Underground Railroad.
Imagine being whipped because a baby in your care cried! Imagine
yourself as the caregiver and you, only five years old. Imagine life as
virtually a prisoner, without bars, living on a plantation in the Deep
South! Harriet Tubman didn’t have to imagine. That was her reality!
That was her life. But when Harriet was about thirty years old, she
escaped from her life of slavery - on the Underground Railroad.
You might imagine that Harriet would be happy enough to be free of the
South, but she couldn’t forget the horrors of life as a slave. She also
couldn’t forget her family, still enslaved by the masters of the great
plantation. So Harriet returned to the south nineteen times more to
lead 300 slaves to freedom, including members of her family.
Yes, Harriet was a hero. She was a super woman. She “came to save the
day” for many black people. She was strong and brave and courageous as
she traipsed through the darkness of night, mile after mile, leading -
guiding her passengers (slaves) to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
She paved the way for Rosa Parks, too. Yes, Harriet Tubman is a hero,
but she is not only a hero of the Underground Railroad, she is a hero
for all people all over the world. She made a difference!
Look for a complete review of this book at Smartwriters.com
|
|
Read more...
|
IF YOU WERE A CONJUNCTION
written by Nancy Loewen
illustrated by Sara Gray
Picture Window Books
1-4048-2385-9
$25.26
Ages 7-10
Conjunctions may seem like pretty insignificant words. You can’t get an
image of them like you can with other words, like . . . baby OR teddy
bear OR a warm summer day at the beach, BUT conjunctions play a very
important role in our language.
They NOT ONLY join single words together, like . . . liver AND onions,
BUT ALSO connect two sentences together. They join clauses, too,
BECAUSE it sometimes makes a sentence sound better. NEITHER nouns NOR
verbs could ever take the place of a conjunction, ALTHOUGH I’m sure
they would like to. Conjunctions are like glue. They hold thoughts in
sentences together.
You might think conjunctions are mighty helpful words AND you would be
right. Though they are usually pretty small words, they are busy words
with very long names -- Connector, Coordinating, Correlative,
Subordinating. BUT, don’t let their names scare you. Just pick up If You Were A Conjunction
written by Nancy Loewen and illustrated by Sara Gray. Ms. Loewen, with
her fun sentences AND Ms. Gray, with her silly illustrations will make
learning conjunctions fun.
Look for a complete review of this book at SmartWriters.com.
|
|
Read more...
|
Hi, my name is Donna O'Donnell Figurski.
I love children's books,
all kinds.
BUT, I especially love picture books.
I love to read them.
I love to write them.
AND now . . .
I love to review them.
I have authored the column, TEACHER'S PETS on
SmartWriters.com since 2002.
My reviews have a different twist than do most book reviews I read. I work with a team of elementary-aged school children, called KIDDLE CRITers, who review books with me. We meet about once a month after school to read and discuss newly published children's picture books. The KIDDLE CRITers team consists of about seven to fifteen children ranging in ages from 6 to 12 years old. They are enthusiastic critics and one section of my online review, called FROM the MOUTHS of KIDDLE CRITers, includes the insightful and sometimes hilarious comments by the children.
Donna O'Donnell Figurski
Author, Educator and Book Reviewer
Since I am also a first grade teacher, I design lessons for teachers to use with the books I review. This section is called, TEACHER TALK. I also suggest additional books, as well as two or three websites, which teachers may use to compliment the reviewed book. Of course, there is also my review.
The complete review can be found at SMARTWRITERS.com. Look for TEACHER'S PETS in the sidebar under FOR EDUCATORS. See you there.
Donna
P.S.
If you would like to have your book considered for review by the KIDDLE CRITers review team, please contact me at
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Although I cannot promise that every book will be reviewed, I will try my best to feature as many books as possible.
|
 Kaya with her new glasses.
She says, "Guess what.
I got my glasses!!!!!!!!.
Isn't that great?
It seems like the world's opening up because I can see everything
much
more
clearly.
|
This Christmas David and I decided to stay home. No hours spent searching for airline tickets. No hours spent trying to pack. No hassles with limos, airport crowds, or hotel rooms. It was a good decision.
Our son, Jared, called a few weeks before the holiday to announce that he was going to come home for the holidays. He planned to stay a week. That was perfect!
 Worth a 1,000 Words!
|
| That's MY son! That's MY Dad!
|
Therapy can be fun! Well . . . Sometimes.
If David can't be behind the wheel of a race car,
this is next best. With his unsteady hand though,
I think Jared has the advantage.
|
Okay, Mom!
Enough pictures, already!
|
 |
 |
You said you wanted ONE more picture. Will this do?
Okay, so maybe I did take a LOT of pictures. But, Jared lives in
Santa Cruz, California and we don't get to see him all that much.
So, I DID take a lot of pictures!
It was a nice Christmas. Jared helped out a lot with some little
things around the house - and some big things, too. My garage
looks a lot better.
We also went car shopping together. Time to upgrade the wheels.
We went out to dinner a few times and brought food in. AND,
I made a turkey dinner with all trimmings for Christmas Day.
_____________________________________________________________________
|
|
They say to bring in the new and . . . oops, I think they meant "RING."
Too late!
Since I thought the saying went to "BRING" in the new, I did! I brought a new car into to my life and into my driveway. A Ford ESCAPE!
It's Tungsten Gray - so pretty!
AND . . . here it
is.
It was sad to see my TRIBUTE go.
I had it for six years and it never
gave me any trouble, but it was time to smell new leather. Nothing like
a new car smell!
So, farewell to my TRIBUTE.
I hope someone else will
love it as much as I did.
I KNOW THEY WILL! 
______________________________________________________________________
|
PATTY WILLIAMS STREIPS
June 2006
This is my friend, Patty Williams Streips. I call her Trisha. No one else does. Only ME!
Trisha and I met in Rochester, New York. She was the secretary for the Microbiology Department at the University of Rochester. My husband, David, and I lived in Rochester for four years right after we were married, while David did his graduate work in the Micro Department at the U of R. You can read more about Trisha on my WIND River page. Below is a poem I wrote for my . . .
GIRLFRIEND
Though we don’t talk on the telephone,
Or see each other every day.
Our hearts, our minds, our souls,
Are not so far away.
You know I’ll be here for you.
And I know you’re there for me.
A friendship likes yours and mine,
Is treasured eternally.
You are my friend; and I am yours.
Oh . . . the secrets and joys we share!
I send my love, girlfriend,
To remind you that I care.
With love and wishes
for a happy birthday!
1/05/07
Donna
|
|
JUDY
Summer 2006
This is my friend, Judy. I met Judy around the middle of January 2005 in the waiting room of Columbia Hospital's Neurological Intensive Care Unit. I had already been living David's Traumatic Brain Injury nightmare for about two weeks. Judy was fresh to it . . . to her very own nightmare with her husband, Steve. I saw pain and fear in Judy's eyes, and I hoped I could somehow ease some of her pain by letting her know what I had already learned. And . . . so we talked.
Judy's husband, Steve, was only a few cubicles away from David. Steve was suffering from a Traumatic Brain Injury, too. Judy and I soon discovered that we each met our husbands at a very young age. We were only teenagers.  AND, as I did with David, Judy knew immediately, that she was going to marry Steve. A kinship began between Judy and me.
Two weeks after meeting Judy, with a few tears and hugs and a lot of wishes for luck, we said goodbye. David was being transferred to Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation in East Orange, New Jersey. Since Judy and Steve were from New York, it was likely that Steve would be moved to a rehabilitation center in the New York area. I didn't know when Judy and I would see each other again, but we vowed to do so.
So one night, about a month later, when I saw Judy's face through the tiny window of the doors of the Neuro Ward at Kessler, I was so excited. Whenever Judy was not by her husband's side, or I by David's, we had time to talk once again. The therapists were even kind enough to schedule David's and Steve's therapies at the same time so that Judy and I could spend time together, too.
Now we each have our husbands home again and Judy and I talk on the phone or email each other - trading news of our husbands' latest healing accomplishments. We both agree that our lives have desperately changed. They have been turned upside down and inside out. And, although our families and friends are kind and sympathetic to our new
lives, and try to understand, it's impossible for them to truly comprehend the depth of how life
has changed for us. It's not easy to leave behind our fairytale lives. -- Meet prince! Marry prince! Live happily ever after! -- Okay, so the "happily ever after" part of the story has been altered, but we are both striving to make that happen again -- and we will succeed. We are strong women!
Although Judy and I met under the direst of circumstances, I am so grateful that she is a part of my life and that we have become friends. Lots of hugs, Judy!
(See Popovers Cafe in the background on Amsterdam Avenue in New York City. Judy and I met there for lunch a few months ago and we talked and talked and talked . . . for hours. I love their Eggs Benedict Arnold - black forest ham, fried eggs and lemon hollandaise sauce. YUM! Double YUM!)
|
WHO LIKES THE SNOW?
written by Etta Kaner
illustrated by Marie Lafrance
Kids Can Press
ISBN: 978-1-55337-842-6
ISBN: 1-55337-842-3
$14.95
Ages 4 – 7
Snow tumbling from the sky
Flakes big and small.
I wonder why they’re whirling by?
I wonder where they’ll fall?
Snow flakes, snowballs, snow angels, snow forts and snowmen, or to be politically correct snow people, make up the wonderful world of snow. When snow falls, it can turn the most drab looking neighborhood into a magical place – a winter wonderland. But what is snow? Fluffy white stuff that tumbles out of the sky . . . Yes! Slippery, "slidey" stuff that blankets the ground and makes it hard to walk . . . Yes! But, it’s oh so much fun for children to play in. Oh so much fun for them to toss in the air and feel its wetness, its coldness on their faces, to feel it melt on their tongues. Snow can light up a night or it can turn the world silent, as flakes gently glide to the ground. It can rage - only as a blizzard can rage - and shut your world down.
Who likes the snow? That’s a good question. It can be answered in so many ways. Children like it. Skiers and snowboarders like it. Sometimes I like it, too, as I watch the flakes drift, swirl, dance through the air as they make their way from cloud to earth. As long as I can stay toasty warm behind double-paned windows with a fire dancing in the hearth behind me, then I like it. Some folks are not so fond of snow, and why would they be, as they inch along the highway at ten miles an hour or as they rub their aching backs after shoveling pounds of the heavy white stuff from their walks and driveways. That’s no fun.
WHO LIKES THE SNOW, written by Etta Kaner and illustrated by Marie LaFrance, examines all good reasons to like snow, but Ms. Kaner adds an extra dimension to her story by asking the “I wonder” questions. Questions that children everywhere are always wondering about. I wonder why it snows? I wonder what a snowflake looks like? I wonder where the snow goes when it melts? These are just some of the questions that are answered in this book. Lift the flap to find the answers to all kinds of snow mysteries and maybe you can think up a few “I wonder” questions of your own. Go ahead try it. On the next snowfall, sprawl out in the snow, sweep your arms and legs back and forth and create your own personal snow angel. Then let your mind drift to the wonders of snow.
This review can also be seen on: SmartWriters
|
|
Read more...
|
 THE WOMEN IN DAVID'S LIFE
These are the women in David's life. They come and they go. They come with hopes and dreams -- some to collect that piece of paper at the end of their work conferring their Ph.D. degrees; some as postdocs to enhance their learning. And they go . . . to new labs to carry on their work as postdoctoral fellows or assistant professors.
Sarah Greene, research technician
Brenda Perez, most recently called Dr. Perez
Valerie Weaver-Grosso, postdoc
Donna (me) staying put – not going anywhere
Galadriel Hover-Miner, graduate student
Sarah Clock, graduate student
|
|
| |
|
FORMER STUDENTS -- COLLEAGUES -- FRIENDS
Brenda with some of David's former students.
Paul Planet, Brenda Perez, Scott Kachlany, Oliver Jovanovic
|
Oliver Jovanovic and David
Oliver received his Ph.D in 2002 after completing
his graduate work in David's lab.
|
Here are Mladen Tomich and Sarah Greene raising a glass to toast their
friend and colleague, Brenda. Both Mladen and Sarah are currently in
David's lab. Mladen is doing his postdoc, while Sarah is a research
technician.
|
Alice Prince
was a postdoc in David’s lab a long time ago in the 1980s.
She is now a physician, a Professor of Pediatrics and a Professor of Pharmacology at Columbia University.
Alice has remained a friend in our lives and she’s the first one we call in any medical emergency. |
|
December 2006 Update.
David’s comment, “SO THERE!” tells it all. He will not give up. He will battle this. His persistence is doing him well. It’s slowly doing him well, but at least we are recording improvement. David went back to work full-time in September . . . on a trial basis - his neurologist agreed. Going to lab each day is proving to be the best therapy of all for David. Remember, I said that although David’s cognitive brain is unaltered, his physical disabilities continue to challenge him. He is still not able to move around in the outside world unassisted.
Each day after David returns from Columbia, he spends time on his computer working on lab-related jobs while practicing his keyboarding skills, and another two hours are spent doing therapy exercises. We hope that all of these activities coupled with time will eventually make David better. It takes months to realize even the smallest changes and we measure the change by looking backwards.
David’s posture has become more erect and his shoulders have evened out. He’s not quite so lopsided - well, except for his crooked little grin – that still is, but there is improvement there, too. His continues to make progress with his balance and walking. There has been some improvement in his vision since his eye surgery in May, but unfortunately, the miracle I/we had hoped for did not happen. So we must wait longer for his eyes to repair themselves and hope that they will. David’s neuro-ophthalmologist was so excited on our last visit when David quickly passed the depth perception test, which he was unable to do only three months prior and that gave us our carrot of hope. The ataxia in his right hand is becoming more controlled as David forces that hand to work. He still isn’t ready to pick up a glass with that hand, but he is getting pretty good at opening doors.
So, all in all, there is progress, though it is progressing at a snail’s pace. And, so we celebrate every step along the way, no matter how small. Since September, David and his students have written an NIH grant and have published two papers in the Journal of Bacteriology. No easy feat! But on December 1st there was a milestone to celebrate. David graduated his seventeenth student from his lab. Brenda Perez, who has been a graduate student in David’s lab for about six years, completed her thesis work. She defended her thesis and received her Ph.D. Brenda continued her work while David was in the hospital. She and David’s other graduate students and postdocs visited him in the hospital to discuss their work with him. After he was released, these lab meetings took place at our home with David trapped on the couch. This makes Brenda’s Ph.D. accomplishment so much sweeter.
|
|
|
The BEFORE poster!
Still a wee bit nervous.
|
The AFTER poster.
Conquering the World. |
|
|
CONGRATULATIONS, Brenda!
CONGRATULATIONS, David! | | |
|
Church on Amsterdam
