Before They Pass Away

An awe inspiring new book has been published called Before They Pass Away.  This epic journey explores 29 tribes in the most remote and inaccessible parts of the globe.  This is a remarkable work of art and is unfortunately cost prohibitive for most people and institutions.  However, I highly recommend the website as a learning tool to be used in the classroom and at home.  You will delight in Meeting each Tribe.

The author and photographer beautifully captures the essence of his journey by stating on his website, "There is a pure beauty in their goals and family ties, their belief in gods and nature, and their will to do the right thing in order to be taken care of when their time comes. Whether in Papua New Guinea or in Kazakhstan, in Ethiopia or in Siberia, tribes are the last resorts of natural authenticity."

Click here to view the stunning photos and learn about the tribes.

Sam Silver Undercover Pirate

Skeleton Island and The Ghost Ship introduce young Sam Silver, an ordinary boy who leads a normal life living above his parents’ restaurant. When he finds a magic gold coin, he is sent back in time to a pirate ship that once belonged to his ancestor, Joseph Silver. In Skeleton Island, Sam must befriend the wary, knife-wielding pirates and lead them to buried treasure. In The Ghost Ship, Sam and his crew must face a ghost ship that is causing trouble on the high seas.  These are fun out-loud-reads with Swashbucklers of all ages.

Click here to learn more about Skeleton Island.
Click here to learn more about The Ghost Ship.

Jack Strong Makes A Stand

Jack Strong isn’t particularly noble. He’s not a rebel. He’s not an over- or under-achiever – nor, despite his name, is he particularly strong. He’s just a middle grader who’s tired of being told what to do and being rushed from baseball to cello practice; Junior EMT to Chinese lessons, and from math tutoring to soccer games. Not to mention tennis and karate! He insists his well-meaning parents have overscheduled his life and, when he finds no room for negotiation, he takes his protest to the living room couch and refuses to move.

Good for Jack!  We can all learn from this anti-hero. Enough is enough!  I'm right with Jack and have a good mind to put my foot down and go on strike, too.  What will I cut from my own child's schedule?  Both soccer teams are really important.  Should Girl Scout's be cut or gymnastics?  What about the art camp?  She's such a talented artist.  Should I deny her art lessons?

We can all relate to Jack's predicament.  It is particularly timely as millions of overscheduled kids head back to school and gird for crushing schedules devised by parents determined to make their kids perfect or close to it. With college applications years off, but nevertheless top-of-mind for parents with children in the middle- and high- school years, Jack Strong’s crisis is one we know all too well.

Kids who liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid, will enjoy this story.

This unique book is by Tommy Greenwald.  Tommy is an advertising executive, and also the lyricist and co-creator of the hit Off-Broadway play John and Jen.


To watch the trailer, click here.

To visit Tommy's home page, click here.

After the River the Sun

After the River the Sun is a wonderfully written novel with a moving and intellectually challenging plot.  I'm humbled by Dia Calhoun's mastery of her craft.  This is a great story for boys, girls, and adults.


KIRKUS REVIEW
"A boy draws on Arthurian legend to ease his grief
in this companion verse novel to Eva of the Farm (2012)."
"Having recently witnessed his parents’ deaths from a drowning accident, Eckhart Lyon is sent to live with his uncle Albert, one of his few living relatives, on a trial basis. A gaming expert, the boy is certain he’ll never enjoy his strange uncle’s rural home without modern technology, but he grows to appreciate helping his uncle rebuild his orchard and hanging out with Eva, from a neighboring property. Despite these brief, comforting moments, he struggles with unrelenting guilt, feelings of cowardice and a desire to make his uncle’s house a real home. Calhoun’s precise verse (“Suddenly the stars beating down / were too bright, / the river too loud”) make Eckhart’s anguish palpable. The boy soon likens himself to Sir Gawain, who proved his worth to his uncle, King Arthur, before becoming a knight. Eckhart’s quest for home and courage is a true test, as his uncle grapples with his own grief and despair and will not commit to Eckhart’s future. A sudden tragedy allows the boy to heed the call of bravery, show his knightly spirit and forge a new family.

About the Author:

Dia Calhoun is the author of Eva of the Farm as well as the fantasy novels Avielle of Rhia, The Phoenix Dance, White Midnight, Aria of the Sea, and Firegold. She makes frequent school visits, sings Italian arias, fly-fishes, gardens, and eats lots of chocolate in her spare time. She lives with her husband, two cats, and two ghost cats in Tacoma, Washington.

More Praise For After the River the Sun…
"In After the River the Sun, Dia Calhoun has written a quietly powerful story of a boy who steps out of a fantasy world of knights and monsters into a real-life quest for family and home. Calhoun deals with loss, healing and friendship in language that is both direct and lyrical, making every page of this marvelous book a pleasure to read."
-Frances O’Roark Dowell, author of The Second Life of Abigail Walker and Chicken Boy.

Click here to learn more about Dia and her great books

Martin McMillan and the Secret of the Ruby Elephant

A novel for boys (and girls) interested in skateboarding, travel, and adventure:

Thirteen-year-old Martin and his friend Isabel skate their way through another fast-paced adventure. The 15th century Ruby Elephant is stolen from a special Thai art exhibit at the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, where Martin’s father is curator. The family heads to Thailand with Dr. Sommat, the owner of the statue, and his granddaughter Junya. The figure is part of a mysterious legend that holds the secret to a hidden treasure. With Junya’s help, the friends must decipher a complicated puzzle of clues involving Buddhist symbols and ancient artifacts as they track down an international gang of thieves and try to stay out of harm’s way.

“…The writing is smooth, clear, and entertaining, moving the plot along and coloring in the scenery beautifully without getting bogged down in too much explanation or detail…This is a highly entertaining read, and I look forward to the next in what will hopefully be a long and successful series.”
-- Indie Reader

This unique book is by Elaine Russell.  Visit Elaine’s website for more on the book and be sure to watch the cool slide show by clicking here.

Vertical

For a good summer skateboard read, try Vertical.  Skateboarder Josh Lowman witnesses one of the best skateboarders in town (the local bully) commit a crime. For days he agonizes over whether to tell anyone. Meanwhile, his friendships with a fellow skater, a girl in his English class, and a cool math tutor (a college student who skates) slowly steer him toward a new kind of courage.

Rave:

“I think Vertical is awesome! It felt like I was reliving the early years where my passion for skateboarding was so new, fresh, and profound.”

—Danny Way, three-time X Games gold medalist

“Berend captures perfectly the bravado and angst of teenage boys hooked on wanting to risk it all and terrified of losing something they can’t define. A tightly drawn tale of when to speak out and the cost of friendship, Vertical glides in and out of trouble as deftly as Josh Lowman’s skateboard.”

—Sarah Collins Honenberger, author of the bestseller Catcher, Caught

“Vertical gives you the true feeling of what it’s like to have an obsession with skateboarding.”

—Mike McGill, skateboarding legend

“I really felt a connection to this book and all of the skateboarding parts. It just feels real.”

—Mitchie Brusco, youngest athlete to compete in the X Games 2011 Mega Ramp, first person to land the 900 in Mega Ramp competition

“The narrator’s voice is very authentic. Skating details are incredible. . . . The tension builds gradually and becomes a real page-turner. . . . Teens will appreciate the appeal of day-to-day skating challenges overlaid with larger life challenges. Being a teenager often does feel like being at the top of a large half pipe and what kid doesn’t want to feel that exhilaration of soaring above it all?”

—Laurie Stowell, Ph.D., California State University, San Marcos, Literacy Education

Click here for Vertical

Boys in USA Likely to report they spent no time reading for pleasure

Below is information about an excellent research-based report from Canada.  I found it interesting that boys in USA were most likely to report they spent no time reading for pleasure.

Key findings of the report include:

➢ Reading is associated with cultivating the disposition for civic participation at large;
➢ “Foreign-born Canadians engage somewhat more in reading newspapers and election coverage in newspapers than non-foreign-born Canadians” (p.10);
➢ Later-life avid readers were likely read to at an earlier age than non-avid readers, demonstrating the importance of instilling a joy of reading in school-age children;
➢ Engagement with literature enhances professional efforts (“good readers make good doctors”);
➢ Our definitions of “pleasure reading” and “reading” need to be more broad; there are many deep and comprehensive reading experiences beyond engagement with fiction;
➢ Readers see Internet use as quite different than engaging with a book, even when the online activity involves extended periods of reading;
➢ “Even though reading is typically thought of as a solitary activity, reading and being a member of a group that reads a particular author or collection of books has direct social benefits through social interaction”; (p.17)
➢ Teens in particular identify the importance of working in groups as a key component to fostering literacy;
➢ Evidence supports the idea that giving students control over choosing what they read encourages them to read more;
➢ Because of academic obligation, even students who report that they enjoy reading frequently don’t read texts other than those assigned to them.


Click here to access full report.