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\f0\fs26 \cf0 1 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 7, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Holiday stories never get old
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 All I want for Christmas is No Junk.
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\f0\fs26 Junk is suitable for Halloween, Valentine's Day and maybe birthdays, but what if Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa were held to a higher standard?
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\f0\fs26 Toys are fine, but only toys that lead children to learn, grow and wonder.
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\f0\fs26 Gifts that keep on giving, such as family memberships to the Children's Museum and the S.C. Aquarium, are perfect, especially if they come with the promise to take the children to these great places.
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\f0\fs26 Books are ideal for any occasion, but not just any book. As I read through the stack of new Christmas books, I label many of them "junk." I don't mean that a book has to have an enduring moral lesson - also known as the "kiss of death." Silly books and funny books are high on my list. My point is that some books are pointless and leave children with nothing.
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\f0\fs26 This year, two of my favorites come under the heading "what's old is new."
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\f0\fs26 "The Quiltmaker's Gift" by Jeff Brumbeau and lavishly illustrated by Gail de Marcken is the picture book I recommend year after year. It has nothing to do with holidays and everything to do with the true spirit of giving.
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\f0\fs26 "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," the classic tale written by E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816 and illustrated by Gail de Marcken is new this season. From the jacket cover: "Stunning and gorgeous illustrations capture this spellbinding tale of adventure, honor and family."
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\f0\fs26 This is the original story that Tchaikovsky adapted for his ballet.
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\f0\fs26 The text is extensive, more than one sitting for most children ages 7 and up. It's worth the investment of time, especially for children who will experience the ballet. (Also for children who are attending the ballet: "Beautiful Ballerina" by Marilyn Nelson illustrated with photographs of dancers from the Dance Theater of Harlem and "First Ballet" by Deanna Caswell, a simple picture book that gives children an overview of what to expect at the theater.)
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\f0\fs26 In 1902, L. Frank Baum, famous author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," wrote a story called "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus." In 2009, this story has been brought back to life, retold by Janeen R. Audi and illustrated by Charles Santore. This wonderful tale "explains" every detail of Santa lore, from his childhood to the stockings and reindeer. The story is long but captivating. For children ages 6 and up, it could be a family tradition to read this in segments on the nights before Christmas.
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\f0\fs26 I struggle to resist the ever-increasing pressure to be a card-carrying Luddite. I'm already a card-carrying AARP member. Sometimes the two overlap. In my defense, there are young parents who cleave to the traditional.
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\f0\fs26 Also in my defense, next week's column will be all about "new" books for the holidays. (I think I can ... I think I can ...)
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at fran
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 2 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 23, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Thankful for books' messages
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 454 words
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\f0\fs26 Thanksgiving is dear to my heart because it's an occasion set aside specifically to give thanks.
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\f0\fs26 Many of our children are swamped with stuff, but their focus is on more and bigger stuff. Why give thanks for what you have when you already have it? The energy goes into acquiring more. Ideally, we could start teaching children to want what they get, rather than getting what they want. I'm a long way from this goal myself, but the point is to be moving in that direction-however slowly!
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\f0\fs26 "Thanks and Giving All Year Long" by Marlo Thomas is still my perennial favorite. The book is full of stories, poems and songs about being thankful. Tiger Woods and Mel Brooks are among the many famous people whose work is included in this collection.
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\f0\fs26 "A Book of Thanks (All of Me!)" by Molly Bang is a new picture book. A child expresses thanks for feet, hands, head and heart and all the ways his body helps him. He gives thanks for his feelings and ends with: "And right now I also know that I am part of this whole world - this universe. And this is my home and I am ALIVE. And this whole universe is inside all of me! What a wonder." Philosophy for preschoolers.
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\f0\fs26 "Giving Thanks" by Jonathan London is illustrated with beautiful paintings by Gregory Manchess. A father walks through the woods with his son, saying "thank you" to all of nature from frogs to mushrooms. The boys says, "To me, it's a little embarrassing to say thanks to trees and things. But Dad says it becomes a habit; it makes you feel good." And the boy learns the habit from his father.
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\f0\fs26 On the lighter side, "I'm a Turkey" by Jim Arnoskey tells children all about wild turkeys and includes an original song that can be downloaded from the Web. "I'm No Turkey" by Hans Wilhelm is a sweet and funny beginning reader book that's perfect for the season. " 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving" by Dav Pilkey is always popular with children and probably is beloved by vegetarians.
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\f0\fs26 For the historical perspective, a good start is "Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving" by Laurie Halse Anderson. Sarah Hale was an amazing crusader for many worthy causes, including schools for girls and the abolition of slavery. Her campaign to save Thanksgiving lasted through four decades, five presidents and the Civil War.
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\f0\fs26 "Samuel Eaton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy" by Kate Waters is illustrated with photographs by Russ Kendall that authentically depict life in the 17th century. The book includes a glossary and additional information about Plimoth Plantation and everyday life from clothing to the rye harvest.
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\f0\fs26 A thought for the season from American TV writer Larry Gelbart: "Thanking is just one letter away from thinking."
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 November 23, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 3 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 16, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Read original 'Pooh' before new sequel
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 352 words
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\f0\fs26 You don't tug on Superman's cape
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\f0\fs26 You don't spit into the wind
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\f0\fs26 You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
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\f0\fs26 And you don't mess around with Jim, da do da do ...
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\f0\fs26 - "Don't Mess Around With Jim" by Jim Croce.
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\f0\fs26 This old song started running through by brain when I saw the press release for "Return to the Hundred Acre Wood," by David Benedictus.
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\f0\fs26 After 80 years, this is the first authorized sequel to A.A. Milne's "Winnie-the-Pooh" and "The House at Pooh Corner." Before protesting with, "Say it isn't so!" and "How could they?" I grudgingly read the book ... and enjoyed it.
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\f0\fs26 Now, with slightly guarded enthusiasm, I recommend the book. It's not the real thing, but it's closer than many other sequels that butchered the originals.
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\f0\fs26 Reviews range from "wonderful" to "dreadful." I think my best advice is to enjoy the "real" Pooh books before reading this one. If it offends you to deal with Christopher Robin growing up and going to school, not to mention the introduction of a totally new character, limit yourself and the children you love to the first two classics.
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\f0\fs26 "The Mitten" a picture book by Jan Brett is celebrating a 20-year anniversary as a beloved children's classic.
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\f0\fs26 Along comes "The Mitten" by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock. This strikes me as a case of "tugging on Superman's cape," but you be the judge.
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\f0\fs26 "Black Beauty," the classic chapter book by Anna Sewell, is now in picture-book format adapted by Sharon Lerner and illustrated (lavishly, gorgeously illustrated) by the renowned Susan Jeffers. Jeffers has illustrated this book previously, but this version is better suited to children ages 5 to 7.
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\f0\fs26 A lot of plot happens in a short space, some of which may require explaining. I think the best reason to read this book to children is that it may lead them to read the "real" book.
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\f0\fs26 In a way, it takes temerity to "adapt" a classic such as "Black Beauty," but it could be for a greater good.
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\f0\fs26 My advice is to stand by, be forewarned and brace yourselves. Now that "Where the Wild Things Are" is a movie, absolutely anything can (and probably will) happen.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 November 17, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 4 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 9, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Usborne Books durable, fun
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 338 words
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\f0\fs26 Usborne Books are suddenly front and center on my radar.
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\f0\fs26 I found my first one ("Trucks: Usborne Touchy Feely") at a Goodwill Store.
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\f0\fs26 I bought it to read to a
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\f0\fs26 1-year-old grandchild who had been blase (in that casual way that only babies can
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\f0\fs26 manage) about all his other books. He got hooked on "Trucks," and I got hooked on Usborne.
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\f0\fs26 The board books are built to last even with rough handling and chewing. My grandchild and I have tested them rigorously.
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\f0\fs26 Many touch-and-feel books have small surfaces for touching, but these books present generously large surfaces for those tiny hands that can't aim very well.
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\f0\fs26 Although the materials include the customary fur and cloth, they also include surfaces I haven't seen in other books.
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\f0\fs26 Corrugated and raised-dot vinyls and other interesting lumpy and bumpy materials make every page interesting and fun.
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\f0\fs26 Usborne may be best known for their toddler titles, but their lineup includes more than 2,000 fiction and nonfiction titles. Some of their titles for older children are Internet-linked and Internet referenced.
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\f0\fs26 There also are wipe-clean activity cards ("50 Secret Codes," "100 Things for Little Children to Do on a Trip"). Whether it's lift-the-flap "On the Beach," "First Experiences: Going to the Doctor," "Phonics Readers: Fat Cat on a Mat" or a picture book from Australia called "Sophie's Big Bed," the unifying feature is quality.
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\f0\fs26 Unlike most publishers, Usborne conducts book fairs, fundraisers, matching grant programs, book shows and teacher appreciation. Usborne books also are available through bookstores and online.
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\f0\fs26 The Web site www.thebook
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\f0\fs26 afair.com invites visitors to "Shop for a Cause," with proceeds from book purchases contributing to books for Florence Crittenton and Lowcountry Orphan Relief. For more specific local information, contact {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:andrea.demille@gmail.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 andrea.demille@gmail.com}}
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\f0\fs26 Is this a column that looks like an advertisement, or an advertisement that looks like a column?
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\f0\fs26 Whichever, whatever, you'll understand my over-the-topping when you meet these books.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at fran
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 November 9, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 5 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 2, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Skullduggery' fast-paced series
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 316 words
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\f0\fs26 Publicists crowd my e-mail with pitches for new books.
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\f0\fs26 Some I consider standard junk mail and delete without opening. Some are interesting enough that I request a copy of the book for review. Occasionally, this review copy turns out to be an absolute "Wow!" of a book that I'm sure kids will enjoy. Brandon Mull's "Candy Shop War" and "Fablehaven" are in that rare, golden category.
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\f0\fs26 "The Skullduggery Pleasant" series by Derek Landy was pitched in an e-mail as page-turning, witty fantasy featuring a skeleton detective and his sidekick, a regular human girl. I was hooked by the description, and hooked, lined and sinkered by the actual book: "Scepter of the Ancients."
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\f0\fs26 "The Daily Telegraph" of London calls it, "A delight. Full of character, black humor, and great fun." The New York Daily News says it's "A fast-paced, movie-ready read."
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\f0\fs26 I wholeheartedly agree with those descriptions. I advise readers to take a deep breath before they begin because the plot moves entirely too fast to allow breathing while reading.
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\f0\fs26 The book is recommended for kids ages 10 and up.
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\f0\fs26 Violence mixed with humor is part of the attraction.
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\f0\fs26 After one of many scenes of carnage, "Skullduggery" vanquishes the villain and says, "I'm placing you under arrest for murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to
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\f0\fs26 commit murder, and, I don't know, possibly littering."
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\f0\fs26 Besides violence, another heads-up for parents is that the text includes some words such as "damn." Why, I don't know. I think I would tell kids they're allowed to read these words, but not repeat them. If it makes parents feel any better, the book is included in Oprah Winfrey's reading list for kids.
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\f0\fs26 The books are especially recommended for young people who like the "Bartimaeus" series by Jonathan Stroud and the "Artemis Fowl" series by Eoin Colfer.
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\f0\fs26 "Harry Potter" fans will also recognize this book as belonging to their genre.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 November 3, 2009
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 6 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 26, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books scare up Halloween fun
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 417 words
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\f0\fs26 'Monster Madness" is "a Halloween story with a pop-up surprise" that's recommended for children ages 4 and up.
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\f0\fs26 A certain 1-year-old was so entranced by this book that he listened to it countless times and then tore off the witch's head as a little souvenir. I call that a genuine product endorsement.
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\f0\fs26 The cover of this board book has a button to push that activates a moving window complete with lights flashing and a witch cackling. All the characters - witch, vampire, ghost, spider, skeleton - look happy and friendly and totally nonscary. This is perfect for even the youngest wannabe goblins.
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\f0\fs26 "Halloween," a board book by DK Publishing, also is gentle fun for little ones. The book is designed so that each page reveals more color photographs of various lanterns, costumes, jack-o'-lanterns, trick-or-treat bags and candy.
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\f0\fs26 "And Then Comes Halloween" by Tom Brenner is a picture book for children ages 3-6. The text links the seasonal activities of autumn to Halloween activities. The descriptions remind me of idyllic Halloweens of yesteryear: "Dart past bushes casting spooky shadows, sweep past clumps of moaning monsters, and lug your bursting bag to the next house, and the next."
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\f0\fs26 "J is for Jack-O'-Lantern: A Halloween Alphabet" by Denise Brennan-Nelson answers questions we might never have thought to ask. What is the origin of saying, "Trick-or-treat"? From where did we get the tradition of wearing costumes? This book is appropriate for children ages 4-10.
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\f0\fs26 "Horrid Henry and the Scary Sitter," an easy chapter book by Francesca Simon, follows the pattern of all the hilarious Henry books. It's a compendium of every sort of trouble a kid could devise, presented in four short stories. The first story, "Horrid Henry Tricks and Treats," would be the perfect instructional read-aloud for what not to do.
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\f0\fs26 Another easy and funny chapter book to read aloud is "Junie B., First Grader: Boo ... and I Mean It!" by Barbara Park.
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\f0\fs26 Don't forget Halloween poetry. "Skeleton Bones and Goblin Groans: Poems for Halloween" by Amy E. Sklansky is a good place to start. "The Bat" is printed upside down: "Upside down hangs the bat. There's really nothing wrong with that."
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\f0\fs26 Each poem is illustrated with artwork made from beads.
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\f0\fs26 As a child, Halloween was my favorite day of the year. My parents stayed home to hand out candy while my brothers and I spent hours roaming the neighborhood long after dark. Now Halloween is safer and saner, but let's keep it at least slightly scary.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 7 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 19, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children can get their fill of Halloween all year long
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Halloween all year round. Now there's a scary thought. As I read children's book after children's book, all featuring supernatural creatures and powers, I'm wondering when this trend will die a natural death. Or at least die back down to just being a small part of what's available for children.
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\f0\fs26 The best-selling "Goosebumps" series by R.L. Stine has been around for a long time. Children (especially boys) love it, some parents ban it and some libraries won't include it in their collections because it's too controversial.
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\f0\fs26 I like the series and especially like how many kids will read these books when they're not much interested in any others.
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\f0\fs26 The "Scream Street" series by Tommy Donbavand is a new collection of easy chapter books for kids ages 8-10. With titles such as "Fang of the Vampire" and "Blood of the Witch," plus free collectors' cards included in each copy, these books hit the popularity button with full force.
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\f0\fs26 The main characters are a reluctant werewolf, a boy who wants to be a vampire and a mummy girl. The plots are the ageless fight of good against evil. These unusual main characters are the good guys. In fact, they are so good they may desensitize the young readers to the fear usually associated with "monsters."
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\f0\fs26 "Malice" by Chris Wooding is the most creatively scary book I've ever read. It might be more terrifying for a parent than for a child, but it's frightening nonetheless. I guess that kids from the fifth grade through middle school are the intended audience. The story combines text with pages of "comics."
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\f0\fs26 In the story, kids can get hold of a ritual that will take them away into Malice, the terrifying world that exists inside a terrifying comic book. (I realize I'm overusing the word "terrifying," but you'll understand if you read the book!)
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\f0\fs26 As a parent, the scare is in knowing that some kids just can't resist the lure of the unknown: whether it's a ritual or drugs or whatever. The kids who do "gather the right things and say the right words" disappear. The few who return are brainwashed and can remember nothing of what happened in the intervening time.
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\f0\fs26 Malice is replete with danger and predatory "beasts." Some children are killed. Some children survive on the horrible gruel that's provided and live hopeless, listless lives. Except, of course, for our heroes. These three children have taken on the double duty of breaking out, as well as destroying the evil that brought Malice into existence. And, yes, there's a sequel called "Havoc" that will be coming soon.
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\f0\fs26 "Prophecy of the Sisters" by Michelle Zink, for ages 12 and up, is described as "a brooding, haunting tale of an ancient struggle between living and dead." The most horrible aspect of the book is that two sisters, one good and one evil, are battling each other.
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\f0\fs26 "The Monsterology Handbook" by Dugald A. Steer is a straightforward "curriculum" that catalogs "beasts" of Earth, water, air and semihuman beasts. Although this could scare off a child's socks, it would scare them off in an academic sort of way.
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\f0\fs26 Halloween: It's not just for Oct. 31 anymore.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 8 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 12, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books teach children proper place for animals
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 307 words
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\f0\fs26 My skepticism-o-meter lunges into high gear whenever I hear that a celebrity has written a book. Some are wonderful. Many are awful. I wonder about all the good books by unknown authors that are overlooked, in favor of bad books by celebrities that get lots of press.
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\f0\fs26 "Finding Susie" is a new picture book written by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. It survived my skepticism test. The story is based on Justice O'Connor's childhood experiences growing up on a remote cattle ranch in the American Southwest.
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\f0\fs26 For 10 years, she was an only child and wanted a pet to keep her company. She tried a turtle, a rabbit, a coyote and a bobcat. Each animal helped her to understand that wild animals are meant to stay in the wild. When she finds Susie, a stray mutt that actually smiles, she realizes that "a dog is about the best pet I could have." "Chico" is another picture book by O'Connor that tells about her adventures on the ranch with her horse.
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\f0\fs26 "Where Should Turtle Be" by Susan Ring is also a picture book that explores where an animal belongs. A sea turtle hatches on the beach. Instead of heading for the ocean, he's distracted by artificial lights and accidentally heads in the wrong direction. He tries being a box turtle in the woods. He tries being a painted turtle in the pond. He tries being a diamondback terrapin in the salt marsh. He isn't happy until he reaches the sea.
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\f0\fs26 With beautiful illustrations by Laurie Allen Klein and simple rhyming text, children will learn a whole lot about turtles and their habitats. They can learn more with the "For Creative Minds" activities in the back of the book and online activities at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.SylvanDellPublishing.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.SylvanDellPublishing.com}}. Sylvan Dell books are also available in "ebook" format. This is an exciting new concept that you can explore on the Web site.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 13, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 9 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 5, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books show feisty, spirited girls
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 378 words
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\f0\fs26 At a recent conference, several editors of children's books made up a panel to advise wannabe authors. They cited all the discouraging statistics about how many thousands of manuscripts are rejected for every one manuscript that's accepted. We knew that.
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\f0\fs26 What I didn't know was that editors are looking for picture books about girls who are feisty, full of spirit, independent and strong-willed. Sugar is off the table. Spice reigns supreme.
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\f0\fs26 New picture book titles reflect this trend. "Harriet's Had Enough!" by Elissa Haden Guest is described as "a charming story of misbehavior, fury, and forgiveness that will be very familiar to anyone who has ever gotten into an argument with a loved one."
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\f0\fs26 This book is bursting with love and could serve as a model for what to do in the unhappy wake of a family blow-up.
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\f0\fs26 "Beatrice Doesn't Want to" by Laura Numeroff is the story of a little girl who refuses to be interested in books. Her brother plunks her down in story time at the library and leaves her fuming. She glares out the window until the story catches her attention, and then she's hooked on books.
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\f0\fs26 In "Martha Doesn't Say Sorry" by Samantha Berger, the youngster does a lot of the right things, but apologizing isn't one of them. Her patient parents don't give cookies or piggyback rides or hugs to children who don't say, "I'm sorry."
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\f0\fs26 At first, Martha decides that she doesn't need any of those things anyway. Then she thinks it over and makes the right decision. "Martha's family is glad Martha says sorry. Deep down, Martha is glad, too."
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\f0\fs26 "Maggie's Monkeys" by Linda Sanders-Wells is about the youngest child in a family. Her parents and older sister cater to her vivid imagination. When Maggie announces that a family of pink monkeys has moved into the refrigerator, only her brother is frustrated by this disregard for reality. Even when the brother gets fed up with the charade, sibling love and loyalty triumph.
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\f0\fs26 In another era, Harriet, Beatrice, Martha and Maggie probably would have been labeled stubborn and intractable.
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\f0\fs26 I think that now these girls (I started to write "young ladies") are admired for knowing their own minds. To paraphrase the bumper sticker, well-behaved girls don't make history. For whatever that's worth.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at fran
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 6, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 10 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 28, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books a fun way to teach colors
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 432 words
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\f0\fs26 The concept of color is difficult for many children to grasp and difficult for many parents to teach.
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\f0\fs26 Children probably would sort it all out by themselves eventually, but learning colors is a preschool ritual - and we all know that rituals are to be respected, regardless of whether they make sense.
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\f0\fs26 By 18 months, babies usually can distinguish among colors even though they can't name them. Traffic lights are great learning tools because they're ubiquitous and they're very cooperative and predictable about changing. Toddlers, little prisoners in their car seats, are a captive audience for any treatise on colors you wish to share, especially if you're stopped at red.
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\f0\fs26 Other great ways to teach colors (if it's not fun, forget it) are songs, art activities, color flashcards, foods, games and books. Do Web search on "How to Teach Colors," and you'll be swamped with possibilities.
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\f0\fs26 "I Can Eat a Rainbow: A Fun Look at Healthy Fruits and Vegetables" by Annabel Karmel is such an exuberant, colorful, delicious-looking board book, babies and toddlers will want to devour the pages themselves. Colors come to life in apples, oranges, corn and cucumbers and little animals made from fruits and vegetables. Health experts tell us we can stay healthy by eating a "rainbow" of food. Here it is.
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\f0\fs26 "Rock and Roll Colors" by Salina Yoon is designed to rivet the attention of even the youngest child. It's about the size and shape of a box of watercolors. For the color red (for example), the left-hand page is a red brick wall with the word "red." The facing page has cut-out shapes of a strawberry, three open circles and a ladybug. When the book is "rocked," a red disk rattles back and forth, up and down the line of cut-outs. So simple, and yet the sound and the movement combine to be mesmerizing. This board "book" is sturdy enough to withstand serious learning (and chewing).
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\f0\fs26 "Toys" by Little Scholastic is a combination of book, puzzles and flash cards. (In our house, the removable flash cards would be under the sofa cushions in the first 30 seconds, but perhaps your house is more organized.) The book is recommended for children 1-3 years, but even younger children are attracted by the bold color and movable parts. Little Scholastic has a terrific Web site at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.littlescholastic.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.littlescholastic.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 There's are lots of good reasons not to stress about your child learning colors. The most important reason not to stress out is that if you use up all your stress now, you won't have any left for shapes, the letters of the alphabet, learning to read and the times tables.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 September 29, 2009
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 11 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 14, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Taking a lesson from hurricanes
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 361 words
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\f0\fs26 Hurricane season predictions used to get my full attention.
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\f0\fs26 After years of believing those forecasters knew something I didn't know, I now think they're guessing. Even if they were exactly spot-on about the number of storms, most of us prepare for storms in general in different ways than we prepare for them in particular.
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\f0\fs26 Hurricanes are serious, and we need to take them seriously. I just get exasperated with the media when it bludgeons us with information that isn't useful - information that they lead us to believe is vitally important.
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\f0\fs26 Children need information, solid not scary information, to prepare them for hurricanes. They need to know the family emergency plan. They need to understand how a hurricane is formed, how it moves and the kind of damage it can do. "Storm Tracker: Measuring and Forecasting Weather" by Allison Lassieur and "Earth's Wild Winds" by Sandra Friend are two good books for a start.
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\f0\fs26 Children also need lots of reassurance. "Two Bobbies: The True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival" by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery is the poignant and riveting account of a blind cat and a hearing-impaired dog that survived the hurricane "by lending each other a paw." Whenever I think of Hurricane Hugo, I remember the spirit of cooperation and caring that came on stronger than the storm. I nominate this book as an official and essential part of hurricane preparedness.
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\f0\fs26 "Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship" by Isabella Hatkoff is a picture book about the unlikely bond between a baby hippopotamus and a 130-year-old male tortoise that occurred after the tsunami of 2004. The animals swim, eat and sleep together. The hippo follows the tortoise as though it were his mother. Of all the timely messages in this book, I especially like the important point that good things can come out of terrible disasters.
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\f0\fs26 The sequel, "Owen and Mzee: Language of Friendship," includes information about Kenya, the tsunami and the park where the animals live. Color photos in both are outstanding and compelling.
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\f0\fs26 Hurricanes and other ravaging storms happen. Take advantage of their lessons.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 September 15, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 7, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reading about employment on Labor Day
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 418 words
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\f0\fs26 'The Report on the American Workforce, 2001," presented (using your tax dollars) by the U.S. Department of Labor, is more interesting than I expected.
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\f0\fs26 Page after page and statistic after statistic "prove" that working conditions in the United States greatly improved over the span of the 20th century. On this Labor Day 2009, it's interesting to contemplate how working conditions for Americans will change in this new century.
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\f0\fs26 As in the previous century, technology and other factors will obliterate some jobs and create others. Perhaps the relevant question to ask children now is, "What do you want to be when you grow up, provided that job still exists or it hasn't been moved to India?"
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\f0\fs26 I have one grandchild who is fascinated by every aspect of cleaning, his specialty being vacuuming. Since there always will be dirt, I'm betting that child has a ready-made vocation (unless he moves on to another area of interest).
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\f0\fs26 At the turn of the 20th century, about 38 percent of the labor force was involved in farming. Now it's closer to 3 percent. But we do need farmers, and we may need more farmers as organic farming continues to grow in popularity. If you want to plant the seed (so to speak), John Deere, the famous tractor and equipment manufacturer, has a series of lively books illustrated with color photographs of the huge machines. "Plow! Plant! Grow!" tells the story of planting in a shaped board book with very few words. "The Big Book of Tractors" is the same colorful format written for children ages 3-5. Other titles include stickers and flaps.
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\f0\fs26 After the wheat is grown by the farmer, who will bake it into bread? (Echoes of the "Little Red Hen.") "Bread Comes to Life: A Garden of Wheat and a Loaf to Eat" by George Levenson is "a celebration of the staff of life." From the back cover: "This book tells the story, in all its glory, of the sowing, growing, reaping, threshing, milling, mixing, kneading, shaping, rising, baking, and breaking of the whole grain bread." Bakers may be in hot de-mand.
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\f0\fs26 "Miss Little's Gift" by Douglas Wood is a poignant memoir (in picture-book format) of the second-grade teacher who absolutely insists that he learn to read. Despite the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder that caused his struggles and hampered his progress, Wood becomes an avid reader. Hopefully, books like this will encourage children to aspire to be teachers.
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\f0\fs26 Labor Day is the perfect time to celebrate the American worker - past, present and future.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 31, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Fun, silly books inspire humor
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B9
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Mary Had a Little Lamp" by Jack Lechner is a laugh-out-loud picture book.
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\f0\fs26 Mary had a little lamp -
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\f0\fs26 The bendy gooseneck kind.
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\f0\fs26 And everywhere that Mary went
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\f0\fs26 She dragged the lamp behind.
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\f0\fs26 Mary is never embarrassed or apologetic about her unusual companion. She takes it to school, to the zoo, to a wedding, to a baseball game, but not to camp. When she returns from camp, the lamp stays on the shelf and readers may suppose that Mary has recovered from her appliance affection.
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\f0\fs26 Readers will be surprised, and very entertained, by the ending.
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\f0\fs26 I like this book because it's funny and because Mary has terrific self-confidence and spunk.
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\f0\fs26 "Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem" by Mac Barnett is also a funny picture book. Billy's parents threaten to give him a blue whale if he doesn't clean his room, brush his teeth or finish his baked peas. Billy, unworried, ignores their threats because he knows that blue whales are "the biggest animals in the world, ever. It's not like you can just have one delivered to your house overnight."
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\f0\fs26 Ahem. The next morning, there's a blue whale blocking Billy's front door. His mother says, "That not just any blue whale, Billy. That's your blue whale. And it's your responsibility to take him wherever you go. Now, hurry up and get moving."
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\f0\fs26 The care and feeding of a blue whale puts any kid's chores in a whole new perspective. There's a lot of information about blue whales and a lot of problem solving.
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\f0\fs26 Children may feel genuine sympathy for Billy (not to mention the whale) but they'll still be smiling.
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\f0\fs26 Funny books are important books. A sense of humor doesn't just happen, it needs some help to develop. When I was in elementary school, my father entertained me with poems by Ogden Nash: "When called by a panther, don't anther." Laughing together creates bonds. Silliness and humor are desirable family values. There's a correlation between being smart and having a sense of humor.
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\f0\fs26 "Imogene's Antlers" by David Small is a wonderfully absurd picture book with a surprise ending. "Sody Sallyratus" by Joanne Compton is delightfully ridiculous. "Adventures of Cow" and "Adventures of Cow, Too" by Lori Korchek are perfect nonsense for preschool children.
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\f0\fs26 Serious and heavy come unbidden. Silly and light require pursuit.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 17, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Back to school a laughing matter
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 431 words
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\f0\fs26 Back to school may be no laughing matter for a large segment of the population (both child and adult), but I'm laughing out loud thanks to several new back-to-school books.
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\f0\fs26 "Junie B's Essential Survival Guide to School" by Barbara Park is written for children ages 6-9. It also could become a cult classic for older kids who may appreciate a few hilarious reminders about grades: "Do not bury your report card in grouchy Mrs. Morty's yard and cover it up with dirt." And rules: No butting people in the stomach with your head, even if you're pretending to be a bull. And adults in charge: "This is just a fact of big people. Big people are bossy." The book is spiral-bound and includes plenty of space for students to record their own notes.
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\f0\fs26 "I Don't Want to Go to School," a picture book by Stephanie Blake, is about as forceful, simple and funny as a book can be. Simon the Super Rabbit has no intention of going to school and reiterates "No way!" at every opportunity. His parents are upbeat, loving and unmovable in their determination.
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\f0\fs26 At the end of the first day, "when Simon's mother arrived to pick him up, she said, 'It's time to go home, my
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\f0\fs26 dear.' Simon answered ... 'No way!' "
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\f0\fs26 "Wilson and Miss Lovely" by John Stadler is about a little bunny who has just completed his first week of school. He loves his teacher and can hardly wait to get back in class. Here the plot thickens and becomes mysterious. Why is Wilson the only student at school? What is the huge scaly green thing that keeps following him? Lift the flaps of this sweet, funny story and celebrate the silly ending.
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\f0\fs26 "Superhero School" by Aaron Reynolds is a funny, cautionary, picture book tale proving that everyone needs to learn math. Leonard, who can slam baseballs into orbit and clobber a giant lava monster, is excited about attending Superhero School. He fully expects to be learning how to leap tall buildings. To his chagrin, his teacher (The Blue Tornado) focuses on multiplication, division and fractions. When the ice zombies invade and kidnap the teachers, Leonard and his classmates are able to rescue them with the help of their math skills. Ice zombies - one more reason that math is important.
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\f0\fs26 And don't forget the poetry! "Messing Around on the Monkey Bars and other School Poems for Two Voices" by Betsy Franco is a light-hearted romp through a student's day.
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\f0\fs26 To start out, "We're gobbled up by a beast with wheels ..." On the playground, "I'll trade my little green iguana for my little sister Donna!"
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\f0\fs26 School: Even if you can't love it, you can laugh about it.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 August 18, 2009
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 10, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books may help children as they start school
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 365 words
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\f0\fs26 Despondent or jubilant. However you might feel about it, school will start.
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\f0\fs26 "Nico and Lola - Kindness Shared Between a Boy and a Dog" by Meggan Hill is the perfect story for young children to hear as they start a new school year. Yes, the story is about a boy and a dog, but the "lessons" are universal and the photography by Susan M. Graunke is captivating.
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\f0\fs26 "Being kind is smiling at someone new." "Being kind is showing concern for others."
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\f0\fs26 "Being kind is being a good listener." "Being kind is treating others the way you want to be treated." I love this book! There's more at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.nicoandlola.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.nicoandlola.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 "Spoon" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is another perfect book to begin the school year because it addresses differences and the strengths found in those differences.
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\f0\fs26 "The Dunderheads," a new picturebook by Newbery Medal winner Paul Fleisch-man, also addresses the different strengths of kids. It's very funny, depending on your sense of humor. "Never," shrieked Miss Breakbone, (the terrifying teacher who hates kids) "have I been asked to teach such a scraping-together of fiddling, twiddling, time-squandering, mind-wandering, doodling, dozing, don't-knowing dunderheads!"
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\f0\fs26 The "dunderheads" take issue with her insult and form a team comparable to "The Five Chinese Brothers" or "Ocean's Eleven." This book may be a little long and complicated for first-graders, but it will intrigue second- through fourth-graders.
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\f0\fs26 Francesca Simon's "Spider School" is one of my favorites because it's funny. Laughter is an effective way to deal with anxiety. Unfortunately, "Spider School" is one of those oldies but goodies that may not be readily available. "The Teacher From the Black Lagoon" by Mike Thaler is a similar genre.
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\f0\fs26 For children starting preschool, there are some excellent picturebooks that introduce them to this new experience. My favorites are "First Experiences: My First Day at Preschool" by Roger Priddy and "Maisy Goes to Preschool" by Lucy Cousins.
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\f0\fs26 I wish they came with guarantees, but your child still may wail when you leave that first fateful morning. Please don't ask me how I know.
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\f0\fs26 May this school year be the best ever for both adults and children.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 August 11, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 3, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books help beat boredom
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 305 words
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\f0\fs26 Suggestions for the summer doldrums:
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\f0\fs26 "Let's Do Nothing" by Tony Fucile is a picture book about two boys who've exhausted their interest in sports, baking, board games and all the other options. They decide to challenge themselves to do nothing. To accomplish this feat, they make some funny attempts to act like statues, like trees, like buildings - nothing works. Their "Eureka" moment hits them when they realize it's impossible to do nothing. They happily abandon their quest to do nothing and race out the door to do "something!" Where was this book when our children were little?!
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\f0\fs26 "Blackberry Banquet" by Terry Pierce is a delightful picture book about all the animals that eat and enjoy blackberries. Blackberry picking is free entertainment with delicious rewards. And it's time-consuming, which is a plus. (Chiggers and thorns are part of the package. There's no such thing as a totally free lunch.) Our children have picked countless gallons in the North Carolina mountains. There are also vines here and there in the Lowcountry.
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\f0\fs26 "America's Forests: Guide to Plants and Animals" by Marianne D. Wallace is an excellent introduction to America's ecosystems for children 8-13. Bored with the backyard? Branch out to the forest. Other books in this series include "America's Wetlands" and "America's Seashore." Get out!
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\f0\fs26 "Adventures With the Parkers" are books by Mike Graf for children 8-12. This is an award-winning series that explores popular national parks and provides information about the wildlife, the ecosystems and first aid. "Ridge Runner Rescue" takes place in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and would be a great book to read in the car en route to your doldrum-busting adventure.
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\f0\fs26 As for me, summer is never long enough. Perhaps the heat has reduced my ability to reason.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 August 4, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 27, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Lure kids to read and show it's worth time and trouble
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 414 words
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\f0\fs26 Reading is reading. Obvious, if not profound.
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\f0\fs26 Although the ultimate reading goal may be analyzing long complicated treatises, it may begin with short bursts of reading. Many kids, especially reluctant readers, need to be convinced that reading is worth the time and trouble.
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\f0\fs26 Adults need to drop the bread crumbs that will lure them into reading. Clobbering them with a full loaf of bread (so to speak) will be overwhelming and defeat the purpose. Summer reading lists are packed with full loaves, nary a crumb in sight.
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\f0\fs26 "The National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010" to the rescue! Did you know that you are 250 times more likely to be killed by lightning than by a shark? Did you know that some dinosaurs had 1,000 teeth? Did you know that Popsicles were invented by an 11-year-old and that ketchup was originally sold as medicine? That's the kind of reading that keeps kids reading.
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\f0\fs26 This "Almanac," for kids 8-12, is paperback, with more than 500 photographs and crafts, games, jokes and recipes interspersed with the facts. Don't leave for vacation without it.
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\f0\fs26 "Ask Me Anything: Every Fact You EVER Wanted to Know" is a larger hardback book by DK Publishing (one of my all-time favorite publishers) for children 8 and up. As the press release says, "Since 2006, DK Publishing has revolutionized children's reference publishing ... with books that understand and mirror their Twitter-minded, YouTube-watching, iCarly-obsessed world ..."
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\f0\fs26 Exactly!
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\f0\fs26 This book is a little more factoid-heavy than the "Almanac," but its format blends full-color style with substance in the form of "lively lists, fascinating facts and curious questions and answers." For instance, "Did you know that astronauts have played with 50 different toys in space, including a yo-yo and a boomerang?" "Why do cats have fur?" "Why does your head flop when you sleep?" "Who were the Vikings?"
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\f0\fs26 On a lighter note, "Stink-o-pedia: Super Stinky Stuff from A to Zzzzz" by Megan McDonald is a funny fact book for kids 5-9, based on the popular "Stink" series. Kids might just need to know that the sound of the tornado in the movie "Twister" was made by a moaning camel. And hippos don't sweat, they slime. This book also includes advice about how to annoy an older sister and quiz questions about other "Stink" books.
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\f0\fs26 With the time-honored "Guinness Book of World Records" and hilarious "Big Book of Boy Stuff" by Bart King, these books create interest and excitement about reading - and learning.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 July 29, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 20, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Summer reading lists could use revamping
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 265 words
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\f0\fs26 If elected to be Queen of the World, I promise to use the powers invested in me to revitalize summer reading lists.
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\f0\fs26 "Revitalize" is giving these lists the benefit of the doubt because I doubt that they've ever been "vital" in the first place. Generally speaking, just to see these lists deepens my conviction that somebody out there wants kids to hate reading.
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\f0\fs26 My public high school didn't have a reading list. We barely had reading. I borrowed lists from my private school friends and devoured "Crime and Punishment," "Madame Bovary," "Of Human Bondage" and all the other weighty tomes that are still being inflicted on students. I loved those books and think my life was enriched by them. However, I already loved to read. My reading was voluntary. Kids like me are going to read those books even when they're optional.
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\f0\fs26 I think that the average summer reading list is a mistake for students who don't enjoy reading and are coerced into reading specific titles. Last year, I was impressed by Ms. Sharpe's reading list at Charleston Collegiate that included relatively current titles such as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey. Those fortunate students!
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\f0\fs26 For high school, I'm not suggesting that the books have to be easy. I am advocating books that are interesting and challenge students to learn new concepts and/or information. In case there's still someone who's not yawning, I recommend:
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\f0\fs26 Nonfiction:
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\f0\fs26 --"Three Cups of Tea."
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\f0\fs26 --"Same Kind of Different as Me."
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\f0\fs26 --"The Devil in the White City."
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\f0\fs26 --"Raising the Hunley."
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\f0\fs26 Fiction:
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\f0\fs26 --"The Secret Life of Bees."
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 13, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Classic literature remains in demand
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 The English language edition of Pravda recently published a scathing indictment of (no surprise) the United States, headlined "American Capitalism Gone With a Whimper."
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\f0\fs26 The writer, Stanislav Mishin, cites Americans who know more about the dramas on TV than the dramas in D.C. and who care more about their rights to eat burgers than their constitutional rights.
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\f0\fs26 He takes issue with the churches that are "scandalously liberalized" and "the politicized and substandard education system based on popular culture, rather than the classics."
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\f0\fs26 Sakes alive!
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\f0\fs26 I read the story twice, looking for a point I might rebut, and settled on the classics. Lately I've been impressed by the number of children's books ("classics" depending on how you define the term) that are being reissued.
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\f0\fs26 So there, Mr. Mishin. In the modern publishing world, driven by the bottom line, these books wouldn't exist unless they were being bought. And presumably read. Although I can't prove that they're read in schools.
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\f0\fs26 Candlewick Press has brought out beautiful, beautiful editions of some old favorites. "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett is full of charming illustrations by Inga Moore. "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens is illustrated by P.J. Lynch, who evokes all the ghosts and goodwill that make this tale memorable over generations. "Don Quixote" by Miguel De Cervantes is illustrated by Chris Riddell with a quirky wit that brings the book vividly to modern life.
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\f0\fs26 Oxford University Press says it is publishing Oxford Children's Classics that "bring together the most unforgettable stories ever told." The titles include "Black Beauty," "Anne of Green Gables," "The Jungle Book" and "Treasure Island" (all hardcover, $9.95).
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\f0\fs26 "The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast" by Alan Aldridge and William Plomer is another reissued treasure. It was inspired by the 1807 poem by William Roscoe and was a best-selling visual fairy tale when it was published in 1973. This new edition contains all the original text and illustrations plus new material. The "Nature Notes" are a book in themselves. It's for children 6 and up.
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\f0\fs26 "Mrs. Katz and Tush" by Patricia Polacco was originally published in 1992 and reissued in 2009. Maybe it's a stretch to deem it a classic, but Oprah Winfrey recommends it. An African-American boy, a Jewish widow and a kitten form indelible bonds. For children 5 and up.
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\f0\fs26 Old is OK. And sometimes a whole lot better than OK.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 6, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Bug Party helps teach kids
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Bugs will swarm to your outdoor party in South Carolina.
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\f0\fs26 So ... why not make it look like it was all your idea and invite them? In fact, you could make bugs the centerpiece of your celebration and call it a Bug Party.
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\f0\fs26 Workman Publishing provides everything you need, except the bugs. "The Bug Book: An Illustrated Field Guide and Activity Book" by Hugh Danks, Ph.D., is a small, easy-to-tote paperback that explains "How to Catch, Identify, and Care for Insects and Other Creepy Crawlies."
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\f0\fs26 The "Bugs Fandex Family Field Guide" by Sarah Goodman fans out into a very handy bug identification reference. Ants to scorpions are illustrated with color photographs and described succinctly, but with plenty of detail.
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\f0\fs26 Workman Publishing also produces "My Bug Journal," the "Bug Identification Chart," and an official "Bug Bottle" with holes punched in the lid and a ruler for measuring bugs.
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\f0\fs26 A few weeks ago, about a dozen 2- to 3-year-olds gathered around me on their classroom rug. We paged through "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "The Very Busy Spider," and other books about "bugs" that they already knew and loved. I explained that we were going on a bug hunt, which is sort of a scaled-down version of a full-blown bug party. They ohhh-ed and ahhh-ed over the "Bugs Fandex" and "The Bug Book."
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\f0\fs26 Although they were very anxious to get hunting, we took time to agree that we would stay together in a little patch of woods. We further agreed that children would get a grown-up's approval before picking up any bug. I gave each child a baby food container modified for bug comfort and keeping. Our first job was to find some green leaves to put in the container. Our second job was to find and capture a bug. A fun and funny time was had by all. We identified as many bugs as we could, and then released the bugs into the wild so they could go back to their lives and their jobs. And their mamas.
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\f0\fs26 For older children staging a real Bug Party, there could be bug races, bug beauty contests, bug jokes, bug juice, bug cup cakes - whatever! Adults might worry about a child getting bitten or stung (bug spray is recommended), but at least we never have to worry about a shortage of bugs.
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\f0\fs26 After such a party, there will be a group of puzzled and wobbly bugs wandering to their rightful homes. We salute these little unsung heroes for providing (however unwittingly and/or unwillingly) educational entertainment.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 29, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Happy birthday, happy reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Long before green was keen, birthday parties at our house were junk free and sugar free. I was the Pariah Mama and proud of it. Lonely, but proud.
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\f0\fs26 Now the Web overflows with ideas for green celebrations. Healthy, fun food and earth-friendly decorations are easy to find. Then there's the nonplastic gift. Books are a great idea, especially books about birthdays!
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\f0\fs26 "Happy Birthday to You! The Mystery Behind the Most Famous Song in the World" by Margot Theis Raven is a new picture book for children ages 6-8. As many times as I've sung that song, I've never stopped to think about who might have written it.
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\f0\fs26 This book tells the true story of the Hill sisters in Louisville, Ky., in the late 1800s. As part of their pioneering efforts in early childhood education, they wrote simple, easy songs that would teach children through play.
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\f0\fs26 The tune to "Happy Birthday to You" first was used to sing the welcome song "Good Morning to You." It was copyrighted in 1893 as "Good Morning to All," but the birthday words were not included in the copyright. The song traveled to the Chicago World's Fair and was a singing telegram as well as a song on Broadway. In 1935, the Hill sisters finally obtained a copyright by going to court. So much for "simple." Who knew, until now.
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\f0\fs26 The Picture book "Happy Birthday to You!" by Dr Seuss is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a "Party Edition" in a bright foil cover. Since 1959, this book has sold more than 650,000 copies. That number speaks for itself.
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\f0\fs26 "Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!" Yes! That's exactly the sentiment I want to express to a child on her birthday. Thank you, Dr. Seuss.
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\f0\fs26 "Dr. Seuss's Happy Birthday, Baby! With Seussian Stuff to Touch, Spin, and Sniff" is "based on and inspired by Dr. Seuss's 'Happy Birthday to You.' " This interactive book is the latest addition to the Dr. Seuss Nursery Collection.
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\f0\fs26 And here comes your cake,
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\f0\fs26 Which was baked just for you.
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\f0\fs26 Happy Birthday, dear baby!
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\f0\fs26 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
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\f0\fs26 And Happy Reading as well!
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 22, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book chronicles a family's ordeal
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 410 words
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\f0\fs26 'The Year We Disappeared" is a riveting, true story written by a father, John Busby, and his daughter Cylin Busby.
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\f0\fs26 Tragedies like the Sofa Super Store fire and the deputy who was killed responding to a routine call near Smoaks raise our consciousness and appreciation for the men and women who risk their lives to keep their communities safe.
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\f0\fs26 This book gives us an up-close and personal look into the life of a police officer and his family after he is shot while on night duty. Father and daughter alternate chapters, so the reader understands both the child and adult perspectives. "All locations, dates, events, and people in this book are real. Some names have been changed."
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\f0\fs26 John Busby was driving his police car in his peaceful little hometown on Cape Cod when he was blasted in his face with a shotgun at close range. The shots were intended to be the end of Officer Busby. Instead, they marked the end of anything "normal" in the Busby family's life.
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\f0\fs26 Immediately after the shooting, even before the ambulance arrived, Officer Busby managed to write "not an accident." He also wrote the name "Ray Meyer," who was the only person Busby could think of who would want him dead. He knew Meyer hated him for being an honest cop. He knew Meyer's criminal history and the crimes of which he was capable. Busby suspected that Meyer, an accomplished arsonist, would kill his family and burn down his house that night while the police were concentrating on Busby's shooting. So the last thing Busby wrote was, "Polly and the kids - not safe."
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\f0\fs26 Starting that night, the Busby family was under 24-hour armed guard. The police escorted the children to school. Friendships were strained to breaking points. Stress and fear dominated every aspect of their lives.
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\f0\fs26 Of all the frustrations and stress, the worst was that Ray Meyer was still free. And despite increasing evidence that he was the assailant, nobody seemed to be doing anything about it.
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\f0\fs26 Woven throughout this account of a family's hardships, bravery and eventual "disappearance," is the story of exactly what it's like to be on the police force in a small town. There are good guys and bad guys on the force itself, and some thoroughly bad guys committing crime after crime. Staying honest and uncompromised is a full-time job in itself.
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\f0\fs26 Even reluctant readers, especially boys from eighth grade up, would be drawn into this book.
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\f0\fs26 P.S. The ending is unexpected - and excellent.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 15, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Getting ready for a new baby stressful for siblings
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 536 words
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\f0\fs26 When our daughter was 2, her perfect little world was blown to smithereens by the arrival of twin baby brothers. In the world of perfect parenting (which never has and never will exist), my husband and I would have prepared her for this cataclysmic event so that she received these 24/7, totally self-absorbed intruders with grace and joy. Hah!
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\f0\fs26 In retrospect, we might have learned a lesson from the London Blitz and sent her to live in the tranquil countryside until the siege subsided.
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\f0\fs26 To be fair to myself, I did try to prepare her. I was also trying to prepare myself! We talked about the new babies and read all the books that were available in the '70s. Our favorite was "Darcy and Gran Don't Like Babies" by Jane Cutler. This is a story about a grandmother and grandchild who don't look forward to the new baby, but change their minds after the birth.
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\f0\fs26 Now there is a range of picture books on the topic of imminent arrivals. Online, you can browse for titles at the Charleston County Public Library under "babies," or try the more extensive Bank Street Children's Library.
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\f0\fs26 Even children as young as 1 year can grasp the big idea of a new baby. I enthusiastically encourage parents to talk about the coming event and urge their children to talk and ask questions. For the very young, "Mama, What's In There?" by Diane Muldrow is perfect. In board-book, lift-the-flap format, baby animals ask their mamas what's inside their big tummies. In the last illustration, children are asking, "Mama, what's in there?" She says, "Inside is your new baby sister or brother!" Under the flap is a tiny baby.
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\f0\fs26 "First Experiences" is a terrific board book series by Priddy Books, illustrated with large color photos. "Our New Baby," "It's Potty Time" and "My First Day at Pre-school" are titles grouped in one volume. These "stories" are reassuring, informative and fascinating for toddlers. Our copy is dog-eared, which is the ultimate badge of endorsement.
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\f0\fs26 Among the most recent arrivals (in books about new siblings) is "Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for a Baby?" by Barney Saltzberg. I like this book because it mirrors what's actually happening in our family. Our 3-year-old grandchild has an 8-month-old brother who can't walk or eat pizza, just like the new baby in the book. The baby can, "sleep, drink ... and cry." And as the older brother discovers, "He can be my little brother." This is a simple, whimsical book for children ages 2-5.
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\f0\fs26 "What a Good Big Brother!" by Diane Wright Landorf is another new picture book that's simple and specific about what older siblings actually can do for the new baby. This gentle, realistic and humorous book shows that children can soothe infants with their very special touch.
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\f0\fs26 "Always Room for One More" by Matthew Price is a story about the happy chaos of adding animals to a family. The animals are concealed under flaps, which makes it fun for children to try to remember which is where. It's also a good way to prepare a child for adding to her family. Her dad does decline to have an elephant, but "... Mommy says there's always room for one more."
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\f0\fs26 We won't stop a child's world from being rocked, but we can try to ensure that it's rocked gently.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 8, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Make summer reading fun
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. B8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'America doesn't have a school problem. It has a summer vacation problem." This is quoted from "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell.
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\f0\fs26 Year-round schools are a hot debate topic, partly because of research that shows students losing academic ground after being out of school for the summer. Kids who read four or more age-appropriate books over the summer are less likely to succumb to this "Summer Slide."
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\f0\fs26 South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford has accepted the role of Reading Ambassador for South Carolina to encourage children to accept the summer challenge of reading four books. Scholastic has donated 500 books for fourth- and fifth-graders in the state to take home and read before school starts.
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\f0\fs26 Many children say they don't read because they can't find books they like. I feel their pain. As a librarian and a parent, I know it's a labor intensive process to find the right book for the right child at the right time. Success requires both knowing the child and knowing the books and taking time to listen to preferences.
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\f0\fs26 Since everyone knows you can judge a book by its cover, let the child loose in an actual bookstore or library. Let her handle the books, leaf through the pages and read the blurbs on the covers. Buying books is a good investment because children who own books are more likely to succeed in school.
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\f0\fs26 If you have to depend on children's reading lists, whom are you going to trust?
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\f0\fs26 I recommend your own judgment for both the books and the source of the list.
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\f0\fs26 Many students have assigned lists. Enough said, but it's very important for each child to have lots of choices for the titles and the genres. School reading lists usually are posted on the school Web site and often are available at bookstores and libraries. For parents looking for Lexile and AR levels of titles, thereadingwarehouse.com includes that information for all the books.
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\f0\fs26 Parents looking for lists have an overwhelming array of choices.
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\f0\fs26 I'd start with your local public library. I trust these people! In Charleston County, the children's librarians compile a list of their favorite titles divided into age groups from preschool through the fifth grade. These lists are available in hard copy and online. A local perspective matters because reading preferences vary geographically. Maybe not a lot, but some.
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\f0\fs26 Online sites vary widely in the quality of suggestions. One of my favorites is PBS.org/parents. Click on the "Education" pull-down menu and click on "Bookfinder." More than 1,400 titles are annotated and accessible by age, book theme and book type (read to self or read aloud).
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\f0\fs26 Scholastic.com/summer includes lists for all ages and excellent resources for parents, teachers and librarians. Children can join one of the Summer Challenge teams, read books, play games and earn points for their team.
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\f0\fs26 The Children's Book Council (cbcbooks.org) and International Reading Association (reading.org) also are excellent resources.
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\f0\fs26 Regardless of what you choose or how you choose it, enjoy the whole blooming process. Read with your child, take books with you on outings, participate in summer reading programs at your library, read daily at a specific time, connect books to your summer activities - and furthermore, have fun.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 1, 2009 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books offer messages of peace
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Until 1968, Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30. In a Memorial Day Address in 2002, the Veterans of Foreign Wars declared: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed a lot to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."
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\f0\fs26 Not only do I concur, I'm guilty of being nonchalant. My mother was horrified that I was married on Memorial Day. Rather than being a day to remember and decorate the graves of Americans who died in wars, the day often is celebrated as the beginning of summer fun.
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\f0\fs26 I'm not weighing in on the why's and wherefore's, should's and shouldn't's. I'm simply trying to honor the memories of our soldiers by recommending books for children that advocate peace and nonviolence. As Mahatma Gandhi said, "To teach
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\f0\fs26 real peace in this world, we have to begin with the children."
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\f0\fs26 "The Three Robbers" by Tomi Ungerer is a reissued picture book that originally was published in German in 1968. Kids love this story! Fierce robbers rob and rob and rob until these hardened criminals steal a little orphan girl. This child inspires them to abandon crime and establish an orphanage. And a little child shall lead them ...
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\f0\fs26 "The Enemy: A Book About Peace" is a picture book fable by Davide Cali and Serge Bloch. It reminds me of "All Quiet on the Western Front" in that it sends a powerful, irrefutable, anti-war message. Although war is a heavy subject for children, this simple story shows that the "enemy" is a real person, not a faceless beast.
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\f0\fs26 "Spoon" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is a picture book about a spoon that envies knives, forks and chopsticks. The book is superficially simple, but profound in its message. Spoon learns to value what he has and who he is. How much correlation is there between violence and dissatisfaction: wanting what somebody else has? I'm guessing a lot!
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\f0\fs26 "A Child's Garden: A Story of Hope" by Michael Foreman is summarized as, "A simple, beautifully illustrated tale of healing and renewal ... (that) ... pays gentle tribute to the human spirit." Two children live on different sides of a barbed-wire fence that's been built across a landscape devastated by war. In this bleak world of rubble and soldiers, the children nurture a vine that gives them hope for the future.
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\f0\fs26 Depending on what we teach the children, peace may be only a generation away.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 26, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Shadow' play can entertain
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'The Lonely Shadow" by Clay Rice is an unusually special picture book for children ages 4-8 and the adults in their lives. The Lonely Shadow, like all the rest of us, is looking for something and someone who connects with him. He sings:
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\f0\fs26 I have no you
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\f0\fs26 You have no me,
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\f0\fs26 you and me
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\f0\fs26 we have no we,
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\f0\fs26 but if I find you
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\f0\fs26 and you find me,
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\f0\fs26 happy we will always be.
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\f0\fs26 The book is illustrated in full color with Rice's acclaimed hand-cut silhouettes. Pat Conroy describes Rice as "a pure Low Country product who combines great talent with soul and passion." For more than 30 years, Clay Rice has carried on the silhouette tradition of his world-famous grandfather, Carew Rice. His and his grandfather's work is included in the permanent collection of the South Carolina State Museum. Also, Clay Rice is an accomplished singer and songwriter, which is reflected in the lyricism of the text in "The Lonely Shadow."
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\f0\fs26 On Sunday, Rice will be cutting silhouettes 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry. There will be a book launch 6-8 p.m. for "The Lonely Shadow," which will include an author signing, art display and wine reception.
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\f0\fs26 From "The Lonely Shadow," it's a natural progression to read "My Shadow" by Robert Louis Stevenson. ("I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me ...")
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\f0\fs26 And then "Peter Pan," who lost his shadow and had to have it sewn back to his feet.
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\f0\fs26 And while you're on the subject of shadows, you might play shadow tag on a sunny day. Or create shadows with lamps and flashlights. Or show your children how shadows change and how they're affected by the time of day. Has your child discovered that the only way to (temporarily) disconnect from her shadow is to jump?
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\f0\fs26 Shadows are mystical and magical. Scientific and sometimes scary. And fun for free.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 19, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Don't always judge by cover
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 502 words
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\f0\fs26 Read any good books lately?
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\f0\fs26 I'm pleased to report that I've read a bunch of good books lately, and it's been almost by accident.
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\f0\fs26 I routinely judge books by their covers, even though I fervently preach against this nefarious practice. Artwork can turn me on or off. I'm also mightily influenced by the endorsements (blurbs) on the back of the cover. If the book has received a starred review from a reliable reviewing source, or if an author I like has something good to say about the book, I will want to read that book.
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\f0\fs26 "Melonhead" by Katy Kelly has one of those book jackets that divulge no clues. Well, except that if a 10-year-old boy's name is "Melonhead," the book is unlikely to be too serious. In fact, this book is hilarious! Melonhead and his best friend have loving parents, super friends, great teachers and wonderful neighbors. Despite this enviable support system, they "progress" from one passel of trouble to the next, all of which they create themselves.
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\f0\fs26 Several of their "situations" evolve from their efforts to complete a school science project. Students are working alone or in pairs to produce an invention from recycled items. There's a chapter in which the boys are holed up in the bathroom with sheets of plaster-covered fabric that they're using to create an E-Z on, E-Z off cast. If you aren't the parent who pays for the plumber to unstop the drain, or the hospital to cut off the cast, it's laugh-out-loud funny. For ages 9-12.
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\f0\fs26 "Tumtum and Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall" by Emily Bearn is a 500-page volume that contains "three thrilling tales of daring and wit." "Deep inside the broom cupboard of Rose Cottage, two mice live in grand style." They live in such comfort and plenty, they reach out to help the humans who also live in Rose Cottage.
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\f0\fs26 These stories are sweet, gentle and charming. The tales would be perfect for young children who are ready to listen to longer read-alouds. No nightmare material here. Even the excitement is gentle excitement. When I say the stories are "old fashioned," I mean that as a compliment. For ages 4-7.
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\f0\fs26 "Miley Cyrus: Miles to Go" by (of course) Miley Cyrus was an unlikely choice for me. I'm completely out of the "Hannah Montana" loop and know nothing about the life and times of this rock-star famous kid. I really liked this book and learned to respect the superstar as a person, which defied my presuppositions.
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\f0\fs26 For all her amazing success and status, she writes about a very down-to-earth life. She dearly loves her family. She writes openly about her faith and the strength she draws from it. Young readers will sympathize/empathize at the recounting of Miley's harrowing experiences with being bullied in elementary school. When she writes about being chosen for "Hannah Montana," she makes it clear that it was an arduous process with an outcome that was anything but certain. For ages 10-15.
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\f0\fs26 Occasionally, I put aside my principles and do what's right. (i.e., Forget the book jacket and read the book anyway!)
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\f0\fs26 E-mail {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 12, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books can inspire love of horses
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 I have several close friends who are extreme horse people. (My term, not theirs.) They love talking about horses, riding horses and taking care of horses.
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\f0\fs26 One of my friends tried to explain how she'd fallen in love with horses when she was in first grade. Her mother thought riding was dirty and dangerous, but her grandmother encouraged riding. Her mother was fond of reminding her that the fami-
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\f0\fs26 ly was paying for her riding instead of buying new draperies.
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\f0\fs26 My friend believes the horse phenomenon is a girl thing. (Statistically, she's correct.) She likens it to Girl Scouts, in the respect that caring for a horse teaches responsibility and requires the learning and doing of tasks. She believes that caring for and loving a horse keep girls from growing up too fast. She mentions that she read everything she could find about horses: "Black Beauty," "National Velvet," "My Friend Flicka," "The Black Stallion" and "Misty of Chincoteague," to name just a few.
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\f0\fs26 Advocates of riding point out that most girls are only one-tenth the size of a horse. Riders have to learn to out-think the horse because the horse is so much bigger and stronger. Riding is also credited with building girls' confidence and encouraging them to be competitive. In the Olympics, there are only two sports in which women and men compete as equals. One is riding. The other is yachting.
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\f0\fs26 Whether a child rides horses or wishes she rode horses, there's plenty of new reading about horses. For very young children, "My Pony" by Susan Jeffers is perfect. A little girl yearns for a pony "more than anything else in the world." The child uses her imagination and her artistic talent to make her dream come true. Ages 3-5.
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\f0\fs26 "Pony Island" by Candice F. Ransom is a fictional picture book based on the true story of the Chincoteague ponies that live on Assateague Island. The rhyming text and unusually bold artwork by Wade Zahares make this a very special book that tells an amazing story. Ages 4-7.
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\f0\fs26 "Black Diamond and Blake" by Deborah Blumenthal is also a fictional presentation of a true story. This book is based on the first horse rescue program that began more than 20 years ago. The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation formed a partnership to pair the horses with the resources of the correctional system. Ages 5-7.
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\f0\fs26 "The Horse Diaries" is a new series from Random House. "Elska" by Catherine Hapka and "Bell's Star" by Alison Hart tell stories from the point of view of the horse and provide information about the history and unique traits of each horse. The illustrated paperback format is very appealing. Ages 8-12.
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\f0\fs26 "Ariel's Journey" by Doug Kane and Christy Wood combines horses, a group of bickering teenage girls and an adventure that demands the best from everyone in facing unforeseen danger and terrible magic. Ages 11 and up.
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\f0\fs26 "Chancey of the Maury River" by Gigi Amateau is a classic horse story about an abandoned albino Appaloosa that finds a home with a girl named Claire. As the horse begins to lose its vision,
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\f0\fs26 Claire and her horse train as a therapeutic team. Ages 10 and up.
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\f0\fs26 "A Horse of Her Own" by Annie Wedekind tells the story of a girl named Jane who loves horses, but can't afford to buy a horse of her own. Jane is devastated when the horse she loves the most is sold to another girl. That's when her trainer asks her to help with an out-of-control chestnut warmblood. The book is exciting as well as sensitive to issues of friendship and coming-of-age that are important to young girls. For ages 10-14.
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\f0\fs26 For a book about the real joys and sorrows of ranch life, written by Mackie d'Arge, who actually lives on a ranch, try "Lifting the Sky." Ages 12 and up.
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\f0\fs26 Even a child who doesn't love horses may begin loving them after reading these books.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 5, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books celebrate Hispanic culture
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Alicia, Ezbaide, Juan Miguel, Edgar, Jose, Jovanni, Juan and Jackie are among my top favorite children of all the hundreds of children I've known. And when Edwin gets a little older, I'm sure he'll be one of my favorites as well. Their mothers are sisters, and they live a few blocks apart.
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\f0\fs26 Over the past 10 years, these families have taught me a lot. (Unfortunately, they haven't taught me Spanish, but that's my own fault.) The children are cherished and almost interchangeable in the sense that they feel loved and welcomed in both homes.
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\f0\fs26 They look out for each other, include each other and take responsibility for each other. The first time I invited Alicia and Ezbaide to my house to bake cookies, they very politely explained that it wouldn't be fair for them to come without their siblings and cousins. Thus began our joyful relationship. My friends and I see most of the children for homework and hanging out once a week.
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\f0\fs26 To encourage an academic burst of energy, I promised one of the boys an incentive gift of his choice. I figured he would choose a bike. Instead, his paramount wish was to join a recreation department soccer team - along with his siblings and cousins. All of those children have flourished as team members and players. Two of the boys have won scholarships to play on a traveling team.
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\f0\fs26 I could tell at least a hundred stories to make my point that these Hispanic families are an asset to our community and that they enrich my life. So with great enthusiasm, I celebrate Cinco de Mayo in particular and Mexican culture in general.
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\f0\fs26 "What Can You Do With a Rebozo?" by Carmen Tafolla is available in a paperback bilingual edition. For children ages 4-6, this bright, vibrant, rollicking picture book makes the case that rebozos, traditional scarves or shawls, are an essential and endlessly versatile fact of life. There are rebozo facts and activities in the back.
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\f0\fs26 "What Can You Do With a Paleta?" by Carmen Tafolla is a lighthearted look at how the paleta, a Mexican frozen pop treat, spices up life in a child's barrio. For children ages 3-6.
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\f0\fs26 "Mama Goose: A Latino Nursery Treasury," edited by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy, is "a warm introduction to Latino folklore for English speakers and a trove of familiar favorites for Spanish speakers." Whimsical, delightful lullabies, riddles, proverbs, jump-rope songs and tall tales make this a comprehensive, bilingual folklore collection. For all ages.
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\f0\fs26 "P is for Pinata: A Mexico Alphabet" by Tony Johnston is a picture book with so much information it could be used for research. For example, the letter "Q" is for quetzal, a type of bird. There are a few lines about the quetzal in large type and three paragraphs about the quetzal in smaller type. For children ages 4-10.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 May 6, 2009
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 28, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Poetry month uplifting for children
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 "I believe the world is beautiful
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\f0\fs26 and that poetry, like bread, is for everyone." Roque Dalton
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\f0\fs26 April is National Poetry Month. No yawning, please!
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\f0\fs26 Poets.org is a Web site with many ideas for celebrating and enjoying poetry. It's all free, entertaining and uplifting, perfect for the gloms of 2009. At the very least, if you're reading poetry, you aren't reading economic news.
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\f0\fs26 Sign up for an e-mailed "Poem-A-Day" to get your daily dose of poetry. Check out the National Poetry Map to see what's going on where. My favorite option is the "Life Lines Contest" where people write about the ways that specific lines of poetry had impact on their lives.
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\f0\fs26 People who are prejudiced against poetry tend to think the stuff is high-brow nonsense. I almost never "understand" the poems in the "New Yorker" magazine or the poems Garrison Keillor reads on NPR. Even as an English major, iambic pentameter isn't a touchstone for my life. However, "... poetry, like bread, is for everyone." There are poems for all of
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\f0\fs26 us.
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\f0\fs26 South Carolina is fortunate to have Marjory Wentworth as poet laureate. Not only has she written and published poetry, she's a cheerful, friendly and enthusiastic advocate for poetry. (She also wrote a wonderful children's book titled "Shackles.") Marjory is living proof that real poets are real (approachable) people.
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\f0\fs26 Children have a natural affinity for poetry. First they fall in love with the Mother Goose rhymes. Then they may progress to Shel Silverstein's "Where the Sidewalk Ends." Silly poems, serious poems and in-between poems are out there for children. Check the poetry section (811) in the children's section of your library.
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\f0\fs26 "A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms" by Paul B. Janeczko uses the poems themselves to demonstrate the poetic forms. In this lively and colorful book, there are forms and poems for every child.
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\f0\fs26 Consider this couplet by Ogden Nash:
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\f0\fs26 "In the world of mules
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\f0\fs26 There are no rules."
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\f0\fs26 Or this haiku called "Spring Rain" by Buson:
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\f0\fs26 "In the rains of spring'
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\f0\fs26 An umbrella and raincoat
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\f0\fs26 Pass by, conversing."
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\f0\fs26 The book includes a long list of forms familiar (sonnet, ode) and unfamiliar (aubade, clerihew.) The poets are also
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\f0\fs26 a combination of old and
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\f0\fs26 new. The books concludes with user-friendly "Notes on the Forms." I really like this book.
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\f0\fs26 For more information about poetry, "R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet" by Judy Young defines terms and gives children a background sort of working knowledge of poetry.
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\f0\fs26 For plain laughing-out-loud fun poetry, especially for picky eaters, try "Food Hates You, Too and Other Poems" by Robert Weinstock. Take a bite of a poem called "Pernicious:"
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\f0\fs26 "Who cares if a fish is nutritious?
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\f0\fs26 Please tell me if it is delicious!"
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\f0\fs26 "Loose Leashes" by Amy Schmidt is a book of poems illustrated with color photos of dogs surfing, ice skating, cooling off, you get the picture. "The Cuckoo's Haiku and Other Birding Poems" by poet and birder Michael Rosen is an accurate, lovely introduction to the joys of bird-watching.
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\f0\fs26 Poetry: Don't leave childhood without it.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 April 29, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 31 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 21, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Kids learn to conserve from books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 531 words
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\f0\fs26 More challenging than herding cats: trying to convince a 3-year-old that saving water is something he wants and needs to do.
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\f0\fs26 He understands all my words, but the words don't resonate with his view of reality. Water pours out of faucets. All anybody has to do is turn the handle. There's quite obviously no shortage, no chance of running out.
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\f0\fs26 I'm not a believer in the reason "Because I said so," but it's tempting as a short cut. This child sees the cisterns (trash cans) that I use to catch rain water from the roof. He helps to water plants using that water. And yet ... this doesn't translate to saving water inside. Or even outside for that matter. In the face of abundance (of anything), it's difficult to convey need.
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\f0\fs26 Earth Day (April 22) reminds us that we all should be making the effort to conserve, whether we see the need or not. Considering the magnitude of the stakes, it's never too early or too late.
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\f0\fs26 "The New 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth" by The Earthworks Group was first published in 1990 and sold more than a million copies. Each of the 50 "things" includes "Take a Guess," "Did You Know," "What You Can Do," "Amaze Your Friends" and "See For Yourself." From "The No-Garbage Lunch" to "For the Birds," this is a lively, can-do format that also includes eco-experiments and Web sites.
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\f0\fs26 "True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet" by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin is the third book in the "True Green" series published by National Geographic. It's a great place to start dialogue and action because the authors emphasize that even one kid can make a difference. The book empowers youngsters with information on our planet's declining health. Ideas for action are divided into chapters including "At School," "On Vacation," "With Friends" and "Buying Stuff." There's a glossary, an eco-quiz and pages of Web sites.
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\f0\fs26 "Recycle This Book: 100 Top Children's Book Authors Tell You How to Go Green" edited by Dan Gutman is divided into sections for home, school, community and the world. It's fun to look up favorite authors and read their advice. Jon Scieszka (author of "The Stinky Cheese Man") hates plastic bags and calls them "witch's drawers."
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\f0\fs26 "Earth in the Hot Seat: Bulletins From a Warming World" by Marfe Ferguson Delano is part of National Geographic's "Preserve Our Planet." This book, for fourth-graders and up, clearly explains global warming. The brilliant color photographs and "bulletin" format are compelling and will keep kids interested. There's an index and a list of further resources.
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\f0\fs26 And for that recalcitrant 3-year-old? "Michael Recycle," a picture book by Ellie Bethel, promotes recycling in rollicking rhyme. After a visit from this unusual super hero (green cape and colander hat), "They (townspeople) also began The 'Be Greener Campaign.' They grew their own kumquats and saved up the rain."
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\f0\fs26 If you agree with the general opinion expressed in this column, don't honk. Just recycle the newspaper.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 April 24, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 14, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books find fun in beaches, gardens
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 374 words
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\f0\fs26 Spring! Beaches and gardens are calling, partly because they are what they are, and partly because they are very low-cost entertainment.
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\f0\fs26 "Mr. Gator Hits the Beach" by Julie McLaughlin will delight all the young fans of "Hungry Mr. Gator" and "Mr. Gator's Up the Creek." In this story, a loggerhead sea turtle invites Mr. Gator to visit her home in the ocean. Oops! Lowcountry children know that the ocean is no place for an alligator.
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\f0\fs26 They'll laugh at Mr. Gator's misadventures and cheer when he returns to his creek. As always, the colorful, whimsical illustrations by Ann Marie McKay are exactly right.
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\f0\fs26 The book includes information about sea turtles, amazing facts about alligators, a glossary and a map of the South Carolina coastline. McLaughlin will sign copies of her new book 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Magnolia Gardens and 3-5 p.m. the same day at Barnes & Noble in West Ashley.
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\f0\fs26 "A Turtle Named Caretta" by Ruth Paterson Chappell is the perfect story to read to young children before they hit the beach this summer. In this cautionary tale, a boy digs in the sand where signs clearly say, "Keep Off Dunes" and "Turtle Nesting Area." Caretta the loggerhead drags herself onto the beach to say, "Stop, little boy! Can't you read that big sign? You'll destroy something precious. That something is mine."
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\f0\fs26 The book closes with the parts of a loggerhead sea turtle for children to learn and piece together and "Web Sites of Interest."
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\f0\fs26 "And the Good Brown Earth" by Kathy Henderson is an exuberant picture book for children age 3 and up. A grandmother and her grandchild tend their garden through the seasons. At harvest time, "There were Gram's plants standing tall and ripe and lush. And there were Joe's, higgledy-piggledy, tangly, FANTASTIC!" Gardening with children is fun and frolic if the adult is willing to learn from the child - or at least indulge the child.
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\f0\fs26 When our children were little, they each had their own small plot of dirt and their own choice of seeds. I remember the raccoons that liked to take one bite out of each ear of corn. I remember the joys of digging and getting dirty. Lucky for us we weren't trying to feed the family because I don't remember any harvest.
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\f0\fs26 Sand and/or soil. Enjoy!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 April 15, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 7, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book focuses on unity during Passover
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 436 words
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\f0\fs26 'The Yankee at the Seder" by Elka Weber is a compelling children's picture book set in the South at the close of the Civil War.
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\f0\fs26 Quoting from the jacket cover: "This true story about a Jewish Yankee soldier joining a Southern family's Passover meal shows how common values can overcome even the most divisive differences. Gathered around the Seder table, the group discusses what it means to be free - a subject as relevant today as it was during the War Between the States and during the Exodus."
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\f0\fs26 As with the celebration of Easter, the date of Passover changes from year to year. This year, the first night of Passover is April 8. The ritual Passover Seder is an important means for transmitting the Jewish faith from generation to generation. The feast is held in homes, and it's customary to invite strangers and/or people who don't have their own place to celebrate.
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\f0\fs26 The reading of the Haggadah, the story of the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt, is a primary part of the evening. The Jewish people were enslaved by the pharaoh until God sent the 10th plague that spared (passed over the doors that had been marked) Israelite babies but killed all the Egyptian first-born sons. Themes of praise, thanksgiving, slavery and freedom are interwoven.
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\f0\fs26 There's inescapable, but unspoken, irony in "The Yankee at the Seder." Slavery in the South isn't compared to the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt. The young Southern boy, angry about the loss of the war, wants to know how his mother could even think of inviting a Yankee into their home.
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\f0\fs26 His mother reminds him that his family begins Seder every year the same way: "All who are hungry, let them come and eat; all who are in need, let them join us for the Passover meal."
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\f0\fs26 After the soldier returns to his home in the North, he sends gifts to the family that welcomed him to their Seder in the South. One of the gifts is a silver goblet inscribed in Hebrew with the words from Leviticus that are written on the Liberty Bell: "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof."
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\f0\fs26 This is an important book. Not an easy book, but an important one for all children ages 7 and up. Like other really good books, this will generate questions from children. That's the good news. Passover terms are included at the front of the book. "The Real Story" with photographs of the "real" people follows the story. "Passover, the Festival of Freedom" explains the festival and its components.
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\f0\fs26 The author says, "I hope that this book makes it a little easier to focus on the things that unite us, and not the things that divide us."
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 April 8, 2009
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 31, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books help children make sense of world
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 386 words
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\f0\fs26 Just the facts.
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\f0\fs26 Children are curious about virtually everything, including their bodies, gender differences, pregnancy, their birth and how in the dickens babies are made. We want to affirm and encourage their curiosity, but their questions require some delicate diplomacy. What information is age-appropriate? How much information is too much information?
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\f0\fs26 "It's Not the Stork! A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends" is a New York Times best-seller by Robie H. Harris. It has the answers for children (and parents) age 4 and up. Some of the information is appropriate for 3-year-olds. Even if a child isn't verbalizing the questions, I can almost guarantee that the questions are floating around in every little kid's head. This would be a good book to have on hand for that inevitable day when the questions surface. Or to use proactively, if that's your preference.
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\f0\fs26 The book is user-friendly, with cartoon-ish drawings by Michael Emberly. It's straight-forward, but also humorous and gentle. Each short chapter covers one specific topic, so it's easy to skip any part for which a child isn't ready. Other books in this series are "It's So Amazing" for age 7 and up and "It's Perfectly Normal" for age 10 and up.
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\f0\fs26 For facts on a completely different but timely topic, there's "Making Cents - The Nuts and Bolts of Money and a Whole Lot More" by Elizabeth Keeler Robinson. I especially like this book because it makes the connection between work and money. Although this connection should be obvious, it often isn't!
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\f0\fs26 The children want to build a clubhouse. First they find a penny, enough to buy a penny nail. By collecting recycling, they earn a nickel, which will buy 5 nails or a wood screw. They pick fruit, wash windows, put on a yard sale and find other ways to earn money. Through their work, the original penny grows to be a hundred dollar bill. They build their clubhouse and celebrate their achievement.
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\f0\fs26 The actual coins and bills are illustrated as they accumulate, so even very young children can count and learn. For older children, the higher math (10,000 penny nails for a hundred dollar bill or 5
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\f0\fs26 cans of house paint) and the work ethic keep the story building.
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\f0\fs26 Children will recognize that this could be a true story, maybe even their own story.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 24, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Only you can write these life stories
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Approximately nine months from now, we'll be facing the annual challenges of holiday gift-giving. Ready?
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\f0\fs26 Ha, ha! Except it's not that funny.
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\f0\fs26 Last year, the best gift I gave took a year to produce. Although I'm not a photographer, I started in January and took pictures of a grandchild through the year.
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\f0\fs26 In winter, he's shaking an inch of red sprinkles on each Valentine cookie. In spring, he's playing Big Bad Wolf (aka Three Little Pigs) in the backyard. In summer, he's painting the sidewalk with a paint brush and water. In fall, he's "helping" his grandfather rake (those pesky) live oak leaves."
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\f0\fs26 For most of the photos, I added a caption. For instance, in one picture, he's sitting in his high chair. Broccoli is served on his tray, but he's ignoring it and playing with his phone. The caption: "Forget this green stuff. I'm calling out for pizza."
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\f0\fs26 Yes, it took months. But it entertained me.
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\f0\fs26 "BioBinder Cherished Memories: The Story of My Life" is a more organized approach, for adults to share their histories. The completed history would make an important, original and timeless gift. As Mark Twain said, "There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside the dullest exterior, there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy."
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\f0\fs26 The publishers of the BioBinder list 101 valid reasons to chronicle your life story. Oprah Winfrey sums up the rationale: "I urge you to pursue preserving your personal history to allow your children and grandchildren to know who you were as a child and what your hopes and dreams were." And are! The binders are available at regular bookstores as well as directly from {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.BioBinders.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.BioBinders.com}} or call 800-791-8071.
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\f0\fs26 "The Wonder of You: A Book for Celebrating Baby's First Year" by Nancy Tillman is based on the best-selling picture book "On the Night You Were Born." It's more organized than my haphazard photo book and creates a history of everything from baby's first smile to which toys were "hot." There are a lot of baby books out there, but do consider this one.
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\f0\fs26 For Christmas last year, a dear friend gave me copies of "Grandmother Remembers: A Written Heirloom for My Grandchild" for each of my grandchildren. This gift illustrates that "turnabout is fair play." Instead of giving the completed history, the giver puts the job of writing on the receiver. These books inspired me to write details that wouldn't have crossed my mind. "The fashion rage" when I was a young woman (miniskirts) should spark hilarity, especially if I include a picture.
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\f0\fs26 These are books only you can write.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 17, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Picture books connect kids, nature
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D3
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Animals and children are a natural combination. They seem to fascinate each other.
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\f0\fs26 Bears and beavers, rabbits and raccoons: It hardly matters.
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\f0\fs26 Several new picture books featuring animals are fiction based on fact. In a sense, they're didactic, but they're delightfully didactic.
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\f0\fs26 "On a Road in Africa" by Kim Doner is the story of traveling in the community to collect donations for the babies at the Nairobi Animal Orphanage. The story is based on the work of Chryssee Perry Martin, an animal rescuer who feeds monkeys, buffalo, cheetahs and others. The poetry of the book depicts everyday life and includes some of the vocabulary of the area. The book closes with photos of the real people and animals of the Nairobi Animal Orphanage. This is a wonderful book for children age 3 and up.
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\f0\fs26 "Sparrow Girl" by Sara Pennypacker is a fictional presentation of "The Sparrow War" that took place in China in 1958 when Chairman Mao Zedong declared war on the birds he blamed for eating too much of the wheat crop. Once the sparrow population was decimated, the locust population grew to plague proportions and contributed to a famine that killed millions of Chinese.
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\f0\fs26 In the story, one young school girl objects to the war on sparrows and is told that "her brain is as small as a sparrow's." Eventually, she persuades her brother to rescue some birds that she hides and protects at her own peril. I'm enthusiastic about this book because the story is compelling, it illustrates the interdependence of species, and it shows what one determined child can accomplish. At the end of the book, an "Author's Note" explains "The Sparrow War."
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\f0\fs26 "How Many Baby Pandas" is classified as nonfiction. It's a counting book as well as an introduction to The Woolong Giant Panda Breeding Center. The pandas are (predictably) adorable. Children count as the pandas are born, nap, climb, drink milk, play, chew bamboo and rest. The last "how many" question is the most important: "How many baby pandas live wild and free?" The book closes with additional information about pandas, a glossary and Web sites. There's also a group photo of all 16 panda cubs born in 2005 at the Woolong Center.
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\f0\fs26 Such a big wide world out there, and even young children are invited to marvel.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 10, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Good gimmick worth a thousand words
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 The Guinness Book of World Records is my gold standard of books to entice readers, regardless of how reluctant.
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\f0\fs26 When I was a school librarian, I left copies lying around on tables where the kindergartners, the day porter, cool fifth-grade boys and everyone in between would pick it up and become absorbed.
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\f0\fs26 Guinness still has that power, but it also has some rivals nipping away at its (proverbial) heels.
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\f0\fs26 Sports Illustrated Kids "In Your Face 3-D: The Best 3-D Book Ever!" by David Klutho may very well be the best 3-D book ever. Kids clamor over it, which is a bit of a problem because it comes with only one pair of paper 3-D glasses. With a minimum of text and the maximum number of photos, anyone who opens the books is immediately drawn into the action.
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\f0\fs26 Bull fighting and basketball, golf and gymnastics: Its all there in "unique sports images that have incredible realism and depth."
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\f0\fs26 Klutho is a veteran photographer with Sports Illustrated who began taking pictures when he was in eighth grade. The book has won the highest honor from the National Parenting Publications Awards for Children's Products.
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\f0\fs26 Aspiring to become a spy? "Spyology: The Complete Book of Spycraft" by Spencer Blake will attract even amateur snoops from about fourth grade up. A working Codex Cryptotron surrounded by gold letters, numbers and symbols with a red plastic center serves as the cover of the book. There are instructions on how to use this gadget to make and break codes as well as how to gather information, blend in, run a spy network and (if the unthinkable happens) escape. Under "Confidential Information," the books advises would-be secret agents that "... in many cases, spying is an illegal activity."
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\f0\fs26 For preschoolers, lenticulars are definitely an attention-getting device. Lenticular printing, which is often seen in novelty items like "Cracker Jacks" toys and on big advertising billboards, is also featured in children's books like "My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Colors and Shapes Discovery" by Thea Feldman. Lenticulars give the illusion of depth. As readers change the angle of the page, the image appears to move and change.
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\f0\fs26 For little kids, it's magic. And fun. Eggs hatch (and unhatch), picnics appear (and disappear).
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\f0\fs26 "By tilting the book and watching the full-color photos magically change, young readers will begin to understand the many shapes and colors of the natural world."
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\f0\fs26 Never underestimate the magnetic attraction of a good gimmick.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 3, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books offer tips for handling bullies
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 One afternoon, I looked out the kitchen window just as our children got off the school bus. As they meandered up our driveway, I could see that one of the boys was crying. He managed to wipe away all trace of tears by the time he got to the house. I was anxious to know what was making him sad, but didn't want to embarrass him in front of his siblings.
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\f0\fs26 So after snack time when he went to his room, I followed him. I'd been studying communication skills (active listening, etc.) and tried every technique I'd learned. No luck. He wasn't divulging anything. He patiently put up with my efforts for 15 minutes and then made an excuse to go downstairs. I felt like Parent Failure No. 1. When he got to the stair landing, he turned around and said, "Mom, thanks for caring about me."
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\f0\fs26 Twenty-five years later, I still get tears in my eyes when I remember that child's sadness that I couldn't "fix." Much later, (years later) he told me that a neighborhood kid was bullying him. I knew that kid, and could well imagine his ability to terrorize others.
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\f0\fs26 If only my son could have explained his predicament, I would have taken action to prevent further damage. But my son didn't want to "tattle," and therein lies the crux of many bullying situations.
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\f0\fs26 Bullying was alive and well before our children hit elementary school, and it's still thriving today. "Chrissa" by Mary Casanova, published by American Girl, addresses this very serious problem. Chrissa is trying to make friends in a new school, but three girls in her class systematically harass her. Chrissa doesn't want to tattle. She remains miserable and silent until another girl is victimized. At that point, she confides in her mother and the bullies are confronted and punished. The book closes with actual letters from girls who are being bullied and helpful responses from the editors at American Girl.
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\f0\fs26 "Stand Up for Yourself and Your Friends: Dealing with Bullies and Bossiness, and Finding a Better Way" by Patti Kelley Criswell is a companion book that's also published by American Girl. It includes a pull-out called "Ten Big Truths About Bullying for Parents."
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\f0\fs26 This powerful little book is right-on succinct and specific. One page explains "Telling vs. Tattling." Other topics include "Being a Good Bystander" and "Caring for Friendships." The book gives kids positive ideas for maintaining their own self-esteem. It also points out that some adults are bullies.
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\f0\fs26 "Children's Books About Bullies and Bullying" is an impressive resource at the Web site About.Com. It lists books such as "Oliver Button is a Sissy" by Tomie dePaola and includes comprehensive information about bullying.
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\f0\fs26 Bullying has been around for as long as anyone can remember. And that's entirely too long.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 24, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Small actions can make big changes
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference" was written by Katie Smith Milway, who has coordinated community development programs for Food for the Hungry International and was a delegate to the 1992 Earth Summit. This is the children's book I've been waiting for since I read about microfinance in the "Wall Street Journal" more than 10 years ago. Milway definitely has the credentials to write this "persuasive story of how reaching out to help someone with a small loan can have a big impact."
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\f0\fs26 "One Hen" is about a boy who lives in a small town in Ghana. He and his mother survive by gathering and selling firewood. When the boy receives a small loan, he buys a hen. He sells the extra eggs and buys more hens. He earns enough to pay his school fees.
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\f0\fs26 After he finishes school and college, he gets a bigger loan to establish a successful poultry farm. Along the way, he loans money to others.
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\f0\fs26 Kojo, the boy in the story, is based on a real person who "really did change his community and now is helping others do the same through a microcredit lending program." In a section called "The Real Kojo," he says, "I often tell people that when I was young and struggling, somebody gave me a chance. All I want to do now is to be part of something that gives young people the same break I received."
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\f0\fs26 Other sections at the close of the book are called "What can you do to help?" and "Making changes in the world, one person, one family, one community at a time ..."
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\f0\fs26 In addition to the resources included in the book, there's an excellent Web site at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.OneHen.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.OneHen.org}}. (This Web site isn't listed in the book, probably because it was developed after the book was published.)
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\f0\fs26 The story is compelling as simply a story, but the Web site points out that it's also a teaching tool for everything from world geography and community service to math and economics. There are activities for younger and older readers.
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\f0\fs26 My favorite section of the Web site is "Kids Can Change the World," which describes kids who did exactly that. Kids are encouraged to research other children who changed the world and think of ways they can change the world themselves.
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\f0\fs26 When I first read about microfinance, I was struck by the perfect simplicity of such a concept. I was convinced that it could abolish poverty. One of our children who majored in economics joined the Peace Corps after college and worked with a similar program in Central America. He found that the practice of microfinance (as opposed to the concept) is neither simple nor perfect.
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\f0\fs26 However, these small loans offer some of the best, brightest, and most straightforward hope currently available in the Third World.
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\f0\fs26 One hen. Limitless inspiration.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 17, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Kids' books focus on black history
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 I'm a big proponent of Black History Month. I understand the controversy over the "need" for such a month, and I understand the advantages for everyone - black, white and/or in-between. One advantage is the opportunity to focus on children's books that depict our history of black people in America.
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\f0\fs26 "Shackles" is a poignant and important new picture book by South Carolina Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth, beautifully illustrated by Leslie Darwin Pratt-Thomas.
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\f0\fs26 "Poignant" because it tells the story of young boys who are sad and confused when they unexpectedly dig up a pair of shackles in the backyard of their Sullivan's Island home.
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\f0\fs26 "Important" because the "story reminds us of a piece of American history that is too often forgotten or overlooked." Horrifying but true, many slaves who survived the Middle Passage were placed in quarantine in the "pest house" on Sullivan's Island until they perished or were offered for sale. This is a story for children everywhere, but especially children in South Carolina. Thank you Marjorie and Leslie!
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\f0\fs26 "Almost Invisible: Black Patriots of the American Revolution" by Kate Salley Palmer gives children an overview of racial attitudes prevailing during the Revolution and thumbnail sketches of some of the most important black heroes, both slave and free. Each sketch is a compelling story that could be a book in itself. Some black soldiers earned their freedom, some were paid, some received nothing whatsoever. In 1855, Harriet Beecher Stowe (a famous abolitionist) wrote that African-American patriots of the Revolution were unusually generous because they fought for "a nation which did not acknowledge them as citizens or equals."
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\f0\fs26 "Duke Ellington: His Life in Jazz With 21 Activities" by Stephanie Stein Crease is an informative and lively book for both jazz aficionados and novices. Crease covers social and technological forces of the period, Ellington's early influences and lifelong colleagues, and the birthplaces of American jazz. A wide variety of jazz-inspired, multidisciplinary activities are interspersed with the text.
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\f0\fs26 "Down Sand Mountain" by Steve Watkins is a deeply thoughtful chapter book for kids from middle school on up. This bittersweet story re-creates a segregated Florida town in the 1960s. It made me laugh and it made me cringe. The segregation and the marginalization of "Negroes" were simultaneously subtle and blatant. Young people will identify with the middle school protagonist who is mystified by the underlying forces that govern his world. The book is reminiscent of "To Kill a Mockingbird." From me, that is high praise, indeed.
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\f0\fs26 Yes, Obama has been elected. Yes, progress has been made. Yes, we need to keep on learning. Books are a big part of this effort.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 10, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Go wonderfully wild on Lincoln
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, publishers have gone wonderfully wild.
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\f0\fs26 Last week, I wrote about three of the excellent new books for younger children. This week, I'm waxing rhapsodic about two new books for older students and adults. Both could be coffee table books, except that your guests would get so involved in the books they'd be completely distracted.
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\f0\fs26 "Lincoln Through the Lens: How Photography Revealed and Shaped an Extraordinary Life" by Martin Sandler is a photo essay that presents an entirely different way to consider familiar information about a familiar personage. Photography was the new technology of Lincoln's time, and he employed it as a tool to help him achieve the presidency.
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\f0\fs26 More than 100 photographs, interspersed with cogent and interesting text, tell Lincoln's remarkable story. There is a picture taken during Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address in which John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators are faces in the crowd. There's a photo of his assassins hanging from the gallows. On a lighter note, there's a letter from an eleven-year-old girl who had seen a photo of a clean-shaven Lincoln taken in 1860 shortly before the presidential election. She tells Lincoln that "his face is so thin," he should grow a beard because "all the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President. ..." By late 1861, Lincoln had grown a full beard that would be a distinguishing characteristic for the remainder of his life. The book includes further reading, Web sites, sources of the quotations that begin each chapter and an index. Long before Marshall McLuhan said it, "The medium is the message."
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\f0\fs26 "The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary" by Candace Fleming is a lively compendium of photographs, drawings, cartoons, newspaper clippings, engravings, everything a family might include in their personal family scrapbook. The book is accurately described as a "museum on the page."
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\f0\fs26 The history of the country is interwoven with the Lincoln's family history. The book begins with the vastly different early lives of Abraham and Mary. In the chapter on their engagement and marriage, Mary's sister is quoted as saying, "Unsuitable. Opposite in nature, and education and raising. They had no feelings alike. They were so different they could not possibly live happily as man and wife."
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\f0\fs26 Revealing snippets like this abound throughout the book and keep it consistently interesting. There are funny stories about the Lincoln children's mischief in the White House as well as the last chapter, "Blind from Weeping." The book includes a Lincoln timeline, notes, Web sites, bibliography and an index.
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\f0\fs26 From Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: "That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 3, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Lincoln legacy lives in new books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Think of all the presidents who've come and gone and whose names (much less deeds) few can remember. Then think about Abraham Lincoln. On his 200th birthday, shortly after our first black president took the oath of office using the Lincoln inaugural Bible, the 16th president still looms large and commands respect and admiration.
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\f0\fs26 One cold, rainy afternoon I had the pleasure of reading through five new books about Lincoln published to commemorate the 200th anniversary of his birth.
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\f0\fs26 "Abe's Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln" by Doreen Rappaport is an important and outstanding picture book for second-graders on up. Each set of pages presents a powerful illustration by Kadir Nelson, short paragraphs that chronicle Lincoln's life, and a Lincoln quote. The book opens with, "If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. I cannot remember when I did not think, and feel so."
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\f0\fs26 On the pages that chronicle the Emancipation Proclamation, the quote is, "In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free." In describing the weary end to the Civil War, there's a quote from Lincoln's second inaugural address: "With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds." Many of Lincoln's words strike me as being truer now than ever before.
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\f0\fs26 "Abraham Lincoln for Kids: His Life and Times With 21 Activities" by Janie Herbert is packed with excellent information as well as the hands-on projects that will make the information come alive. Kids can read about the Lincoln family's log cabin, examine the photographs and drawings, and then follow the directions to build a log (craft stick) cabin. The book is recommended for ages 9 and up.
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\f0\fs26 In the chapter that describes the Lincoln-Douglas debates, there are instructions for how kids can organize their own debate. In the chapter where Lincoln's son Willie makes a scrapbook, there are instructions on how to make a Civil War scrapbook. Other engaging activities, all matched to Lincoln's life, include how to campaign, learn Morse Code, paint a panoramic backdrop, and use surveying techniques to create a treasure hunt.
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\f0\fs26 Learning is extended with "Abraham Lincoln Sites to Visit," "Web Sites to Explore," and a bibliography and index.
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\f0\fs26 "Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall Thin Tale" by Deborah Hopkinson and John Hendrix is a lightweight picture book for children ages 4-8. This story about Lincoln is recounted in many places. As a child who hadn't learned to swim, he fell into the rushing waters of Knob Creek and was rescued by his friend, Austin Gollaher. The point is that "what we do matters, even if we don't wind up in history books."
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\f0\fs26 More next week.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 27, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Real girls will like this book series
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Is there a child anywhere on the globe who prefers to read about reality rather than fantasy? A child who would rather read about families than fairies? Apparently so.
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\f0\fs26 The new "Go Girl!" series is written for 7- to 10-year-old real girls and has more than 1 million copies in print in Australia. I like these books. They call themselves " 'The Baby-Sitters Club' for the 21st Century."
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\f0\fs26 They remind me of the "Junie B. Jones" series because it's about things that really could and really do happen. As an adult, I need to remember that tiny things can loom enormously large to a child.
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\f0\fs26 In early elementary school when I first started spending the night with friends, I worried about how the water would taste at a different house and what would happen if I didn't like the food. The "Go Girl!" books have plots that encompass problems of this magnitude. The protagonists survive!
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\f0\fs26 In "Sleep-Over" by Rowan McAuley, Olivia (the overnight guest) tries to hurry with the ketchup so she can pass it along. When Olivia hits the bottle hard, ketchup splats out all over her plate, and her friend's brothers give her a hard time. For Olivia, dinner is a "disaster." The beauty of this book is that Olivia does live through the various embarrassments and even manages (overall) to have a good time. Between the lines of the stories, children are learning to cope with the vicissitudes of outrageous fortune - and everyday ups and downs that happen to everyone.
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\f0\fs26 From the "Go Girl!" advertising: "Each book introduces a new unique girl as the main character, with girls from previous 'Go Girl!' books reappearing as friends and classmates. The story lines are based on four important aspects of the daily lives of girls today: family, friends, school and sports."
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\f0\fs26 Of course, there is a Web site at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.mygogirlseries.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.mygogirlseries.com}} with bookmarks and other fan club items, information about the books and the characters, and all things "Go Girl!" The site struck me as being refreshingly simple.
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\f0\fs26 And, no worries. "Zac Power," a companion series for boys also imported from Australia, will be available this fall.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 13, 2009 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Fascinating look at world of science
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 'Phenomena: Secrets of the Senses" by Donna M. Jackson proves that truth is stranger than fiction and that sometimes "truth" can be scientifically proven to be fiction.
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\f0\fs26 For middle schoolers on up, this book models scientific inquiry. Chapters begin with a phenomenon, the phenomenon is explored from different points of view, and based on the evidence, the reader may draw her own conclusion. The main point of this fascinating book is that "Technology is changing the way we make sense of our world - and subsequently, the way we interact with it."
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\f0\fs26 For example: A woman's dog persisted, day and night, in licking a mole that had developed on the back of her thigh. Even though the woman was a nurse, and even though her doctor removed the mole only to "play it safe," the mole turned out to be life-threatening melanoma. Are dogs able to sniff out cancer? For three weeks, scientists at Pine Street Foundation in California trained five dogs to detect lung and breast cancer from samples of people's breath. The dogs identified lung cancer breath samples with 99 percent accuracy. They identified breast cancer breath samples with 88 percent accuracy. The researchers say, "The dog's brain and nose is currently one of the most sophisticated odor detection devices on the planet. Technology now has to rise to meet that challenge."
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\f0\fs26 A psychic named Annette Martin had a vision of a dead female. When she went to the police, a detective realized that some of her information matched details of a current murder investigation that had not been revealed to the public. Ms. Martin told the police that the murderer was a man who took a lot of pills and that they would find him a year later wearing white. That is exactly what happened. Events like these probably explain why a 2005 Gallup poll found that 75 percent of Americans believe in some aspect of the paranormal. The rest of the chapter explores some paranormal hoaxes and research exploring paranormal phenomena. Richard Wiseman, a psychology professor, did research from which he concluded that ... "psychics were no more accurate than ... students (in helping to solve crimes) and that neither group performed at above-chance levels."
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\f0\fs26 Can animals predict natural disasters? Can you trust your intuition? Is there such a thing as coincidence? Can dreams predict the future? What's going on with people who see colors when they hear music, taste food or smell odors?
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\f0\fs26 What about Esref Armagan, the blind artist who paints in color with the depth and perspective of a sighted person? Have you heard about the technology that converts video images into highly complex sounds that blind people can "see?"
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\f0\fs26 There are sections on further reading (including one of my favorite books "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" by Malcolm Gladwell), a glossary, source notes and an index.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 30, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Start the year resolute about reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 When our children were growing up, we had a family tradition of a festive New Year's Eve dinner and then a declaration of resolutions. We'd take turns going around the table while I made notes so we could check later in the year to see if anyone actually was resolute about the resolutions.
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\f0\fs26 This happy little family time invariably descended into chaos. Even though there was a hard-and-fast rule that no one, no how, could make resolutions for another person, the temptation was irresistible. These unsolicited suggestions were unilaterally unkind. So hilarious as to temporarily halt the proceedings, but unkind.
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\f0\fs26 I heard about one family (far away and long ago) in which the sons "suggested" that their older sister should get a date. After audibly ruminating over possibilities for the lucky guy, they announced that the "Tidy Bowl Man" was probably her best (and quite possibly her only) option. After hearing that story, I resolved to celebrate the next new year with anything but resolutions. That resolution has been easy to keep.
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\f0\fs26 It's just easier to make a resolution for someone else. And being slow to learn my lesson, I herewith present a resolution and (at no extra charge) the means to make it stick.
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\f0\fs26 We all know that reading aloud is one of the most important things we can do for our children. Blah, blah, blah. But no self-respecting, harried, hassled parents have time. Or think they have time.
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\f0\fs26 So, if you were to resolve to read aloud to your children, vacation is the perfect time to start. Reading to your children before bedtime, when bedtime is more flexible and less stressful, works. By the time school starts, you could be into the reading routine the way you're into the tooth-brushing routine.
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\f0\fs26 "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon is the book to choose if you want to incite a rebellion. If you want this resolution to become reality, choose "The Candy Shop War" by Brandon Mull. Good luck reading just one chapter a night.
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\f0\fs26 The plot gallops, thickens, swirls, dances and pulls the listener headlong into a magical adventure stuffed full of breathless action.
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\f0\fs26 Four very likable fifth-graders (one girl, three boys) are the protagonists. The sweet, elderly woman who opens a local candy store gives them rock candy that makes them weightless, and other amazing treats, in exchange for doing her "favors." She is not what she seems. Their friend the ice-cream truck driver also is not the person he pretends to be. Add in some bullies, a battle for lost treasure and some truly ingenious thinking.
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\f0\fs26 The book is replete with cautionary tales, but your children will absorb them without rolling their eyes a single time. Although there are dangerous situations, the book is appropriate even for first-graders. If it were a movie (and it probably will be), it would be rated G.
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\f0\fs26 Mull also wrote the "Fablehaven" series, which will keep the reading-aloud ball rolling.
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\f0\fs26 Call Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 23, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Heartwarming picture books spread the spirit of holidays
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 The holidays bring out the best and worst, more or less. Whether it's Hanukkah, Christmas or Independence Day, there's invariably something that makes us cringe, and something else that gladdens our hearts. Something so creative we're struck by wonder and admiration, or something so cheap and cheesy we roll our eyes in exasperation.
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\f0\fs26 Children's holiday books fit this description of extremes. Do publishers think that, in the holiday spirit, discerning readers find vapid junk acceptable? A rhetorical question.
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\f0\fs26 Moving right along, I'll accentuate the positive. Three picture books for children ages 5-8 top my personal list:
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\f0\fs26 --"The Quiltmaker's Gift" by Jeff Brumbeau is my favorite book for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and any other gift-giving occasion because it's all about giving without mentioning any holiday at all. An obsessively acquisitive king learns the joy of giving from an old woman who makes quilts to give to people who need them. The book is lavishly, gorgeously illustrated by Gail de Marcken. If you only buy one book ...
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\f0\fs26 --"Christmas in the Trenches" is based on the song by respected folksinger John McCutcheon. It's the true story set during World War I when, "For a brief time the enemies stopped fighting and behaved as friends. As many of 100,000 soldiers are assumed to have participated in what became known as the 'unofficial Christmas Truce.' " A grandfather tells the story to his grandchildren when they ask him to describe his favorite Christmas. The book is beautifully illustrated by Henri Sorenson and includes a CD of McCutcheon reading the story and singing "Silent Night" and his song, "Christmas in the Trenches."
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\f0\fs26 --"Great Joy," the first picture book by Newbery Award-winning author Kate DiCamillo, is the story of a child's compassion for an organ grinder and his monkey, who are out on the cold street on the night of the church Christmas pageant. This book is beautifully illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Silver Donkey" by Sonya Hartnett is a chapter book for children in the third grade and up. It's a perfect read-aloud. French children find a blind English soldier, whom they secretly feed and help to return across the English Channel. It's a story of courage and loyalty, told with such eloquence and simplicity that it seems classic, and may well achieve that status. The soldier tells the children tales about his Silver Donkey, including the donkey in Bethlehem, the Christmas story told in a new way. Although the book is clear about war being horrible, the tale is gently told, accessible to young people.
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\f0\fs26 Other time-honored tales, perfect for read-loud are "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Park and "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas, which ends with, "I said some words to the close and holy darkness, and then I slept."
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\f0\fs26 May we all experience such a peaceful close to a frenetic season.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 16, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Volume of holiday books astonishing
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Is it possible to be reastonished? As in astonished all over again?
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\f0\fs26 Last December, there was a towering stack of new holiday books. I was astonished.
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\f0\fs26 This year, there's a whole new towering stack of holiday books. I'm reastonished.
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\f0\fs26 Partly, I'm surprised that authors can find anything to write that hasn't been written before. Partly, I'm perturbed about some of the junk that gets published. But mostly I'm delighted every year by a rose among the thorns, a wonderful book (or books) waiting to be sifted out of the stack and appreciated.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Cole Family Christmas" by Jennifer Liu Bryan with Hazel Cole Kendle is the perfect new read-aloud Christmas book for children 6 and up. If you start this week, you could read one of the nine chapters each night. And your Christmas will be enriched.
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\f0\fs26 This unsentimental, full-of-fun, true story, written by a grandmother and granddaughter, recounts the Christmas of a coal miner's family in the early 20th century. As a very special treat, all nine children are invited to choose a gift from the "wish book" - a mail order catalog - and write a request to Santa. An intense snowstorm prevents the gifts from being delivered, but the gifts exchanged by the family were far more meaningful, memorable and important than gifts from any store.
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\f0\fs26 At the close of the book, there's an epilogue that gives information about the family and a photograph of the family in 1919. A portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to the Berea College Appalachian Fund. Like "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Park, this is a short chapter book that will be enjoyed year after year.
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\f0\fs26 --"Jake the Ballet Dog" by Karen LeFrak is a lighthearted look behind the scenes of "The Nutcracker" when a dog comes to watch the rehearsal and performance.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Christmas Bears" by Chris Conover is a happy, gentle book for the youngest children. The simple story with spare rhyming text is full of the familiar Christmas traditions. Children will notice that each bear is different. There's a polar bear, black bear, brown bear, moon bear and other charming bears. The bears and their friends - a cardinal, snowy owl and reindeer - are pictured and labeled on the inside of the front and back book covers. On a world map, children can locate where each of these creatures live. (It's educational. Don't tell.)
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\f0\fs26 --"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry is splendidly illustrated by P.J. Lynch in this 2008 version. Although it's not a children's story per se, it's a classic story that children deserve to hear and know. It might be argued that the story is outdated. I would counter that we need this story now more than ever to put some perspective into the wild, wild world of gifts. Some of the language is old-fashioned ("Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name ...") but not inaccessible.
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\f0\fs26 --Last but not least is "Stanley the Christmas Tree: A Wish Come True" by R.E. Hughes. Stanley is bought by grandparents who have to change their plans and leave town for Christmas, abandoning Stanley next to the trash cans. Along comes a man who can't afford a Christmas tree for his family and takes Stanley home. "The children shouted as they danced around Stanley. 'We prayed for a tree and God heard our prayers!' "
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\f0\fs26 If I'd been one of the Three Kings, my gift would have been a book.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 9, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books can 'teach' peace to children
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 "Peace can only last where human rights are respected, where people are fed, and where individuals and nations are free." - the Dalai Lama
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\f0\fs26 "There is no way to peace; peace is the way." - Gandhi
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\f0\fs26 "There never was a good war or a bad peace." - Ben Franklin
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\f0\fs26 "I do not want the peace that passeth understanding. I want the understanding that bringeth peace." - Helen Keller
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\f0\fs26 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (Dec. 7) and Human Rights Day (Dec. 10) are part of an effort to steer our consciousness toward creating peace.
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\f0\fs26 Anyone who has ever encouraged a 2-year-old to share anything knows that teaching "peace" can be difficult to impossible. Yet it's never too early (or too late) to start.
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\f0\fs26 "God's Dream" by Archbishop Desmond Tutu is a picture book that provides the perfect place to begin with young children. Although the words are gentle and few, the message is a strong statement of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning author's message of forgiveness and empathy. From the book: "God dreams about people sharing. God dreams about people caring. God dreams that we reach out and hold one another's hands and play one another's games and laugh with one another's hearts."
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\f0\fs26 "How to Heal a Broken Wing" by Bob Graham is a picture book that uses very few words to powerfully convey compassion and caring, hope and healing. A small boy in a big city is the only person who notices the bird with a broken wing. He and his parents bring it home and help it to mend. This story is accessible to preschoolers, but has meaning for older children.
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\f0\fs26 "The Day Leo Said I Hate You!" by Robie H. Harris helps young children acknowledge that words can hurt. Following that realization, the book helps children understand that they need to apologize and mitigate the hurt they've caused. Even when children know they've said and/or done the wrong thing, they may not know how to "correct" the problem.
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\f0\fs26 A child who is dear to me bit his mother and instantly realized his serious transgression. In a sincere effort toward damage control, he told her gently, "I didn't bite you. I just squeezed you with my teeth." This book helps children realize it takes more than semantics to make relationships "right."
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\f0\fs26 "Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men." Every season 'tis the season.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 2, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Educational 'gimmicks' great fun
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 441 words
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\f0\fs26 Silver Dolphin books are tangible proof that books for children aren't just books. In recent years, they've morphed into irresistible hybrids that combine the best features of books with the best features of toys and art projects.
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\f0\fs26 Prepare to be impressed and intrigued, just as your children will be.
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\f0\fs26 For the 6- to 18-month-old crowd, there are the "Amazing Baby" board books. "Five Little Ducks" has fuzzy duck fuzz to pat as well as die-cut holes to count. "Rainbow Fun" is bursting with color in overlying concentric circles. Very cool.
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\f0\fs26 "Diggers and Dumpers" is especially for 3- to 5-year-olds who love trucks. The digger, the dump truck and the concrete mixer are heavy-duty cardboard that can be pulled out of the book. Kids easily can add the wheels and stickers. The book stays intact because there's an inside view of the trucks underneath the press-out versions. I didn't know how a cement mixer looked on the inside until I read this book.
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\f0\fs26 "The Field Guide to Safari Animals" by Paul Beck is recommended for ages 8 and up, but I think a lot of 6-year-olds would enjoy it with a helpful adult. There's information about each of eight animals, as well as pieces to assemble a three-dimensional version of each animal. A diorama is included so that children may display their animals any way they prefer.
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\f0\fs26 "Dragons" by Elizabeth Allen (from the Model Masters series) includes a booklet and four plastic dragon models to assemble and paint. "Explore Within a Medieval Castle" by Justine Ciovacco is a three-dimensional presentation. Plastic models reveal the castle layer by layer, with text and illustrations explaining medieval life and photographs of real castles that still exist.
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\f0\fs26 Wondering what to do on the long days of school vacation? These books will be welcome on rainy days and in the long evenings and if you're looking for an excuse to turn off the TV.
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\f0\fs26 One school of thought limits children's books to standard, regular books. Period. For the people who believe in this narrow interpretation, these books published by Silver Dolphin will fall into a forbidden category of "gimmicks."
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\f0\fs26 Although many of these Silver Dolphin titles would be impractical for libraries, they are perfect for attracting children who need an extra incentive to be drawn into paper pages. (They're also perfect for children who love to read.) I respect and admire intelligent, creative, educational "gimmicks" like these. They catch children's attention, provide an opportunity to learn something interesting, give adults and children a project to share and are fun.
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\f0\fs26 When children associate reading with fun, the reading begins.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 2, 2008
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 28, 2008 Friday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Giving gifts with purpose a joy
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 MOXIE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 690 words
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\f0\fs26 A dear friend is renovating an old house. In the process of moving from rental to rental as she waited for the construction to finish, she progressively jettisoned possessions. The fewer "things" she had, the more she realized how few "things" she actually needed.
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\f0\fs26 My friend was reading "The Not So Big House" by Sara Susanka and then "The Not So Big Life" by the same author. The book changed her life in such significant ways that she bought copies for all her friends. That's how I happened to read the book. And that's how I happened to start thinking about "things."
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\f0\fs26 One morning when my daughter was a child, we were walking in the yard and stopped to listen to the birds. I told her that the bird calling, "Pretty, pretty, pretty," was describing me. When she finished laughing, she said, "No, Mom. The bird describing you is calling, 'Cheap, cheap, cheap.' " A regular comedian this kid, and a speaker of truth.
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\f0\fs26 I'm famous for pinching pennies: going without air conditioning, reusing wrapping paper, shopping at thrift stores. I tell my children that what used to be "cheap" is now "green." Regardless, cheap or green, gift-giving presents a sticky wicket, especially this time of year. The conundrum is how to give a gift that honors the recipient without burdening the recipient and the planet.
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\f0\fs26 Shortly after guests check into the Hong Kong Hilton, a waiter knocks on the door and delivers a welcoming pot of hot tea. This isn't just any pot. It's a tightly woven basket with a painted china teapot set snugly down into its cushioned insides, where it stays hot for hours. Years later, I saw those charming pot baskets in San Francisco and bought (what I hoped would be) a lifetime supply. When tea-drinking friends fall in love with the pot basket, I present them with their very own.
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\f0\fs26 The friends who receive the spontaneous gifts are invariably surprised, delighted and grateful. But in the most profound sense, I receive a greater gift from giving a gift that is genuinely desired and appreciated. Giving the right gift to the right person at the right time - it's rare and magical.
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\f0\fs26 When I know what someone wants, there is great joy in giving the gift. But when I don't know what someone wants, there is great frustration in being coerced into choosing some random thing. I've been on the receiving end of countless gifts that flummoxed me: clothes I couldn't imagine wearing, home decorations that don't fit in. Even with our own children, the people I know and love best, gifts are problematic. For Christmas, we eschewed gift-giving altogether and took trips. I wouldn't trade those travel memories for any gift in a box - even a pot basket.
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\f0\fs26 Former U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, one of my heroes, said, "Just this, not to encumber the earth." My gift-giving philosophy is, "Just this, not to encumber the recipient."
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\f0\fs26 I believe in silly gifts for people who need to laugh, like those slippers that are supposed to dust the floor as you walk around. I believe in homemade gifts that convey the time, thought and love that went into making them.
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\f0\fs26 The gift-giving dilemma has little or nothing to do with money. It has everything to do with the burden of shopping and presenting gifts to people who already have so many things that the gifts will be a burden. A wise pastor once illustrated the phenomena by describing what it was like to try to cram one more sweater into his drawer.
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\f0\fs26 I don't have a final solution, and I do think that decisions about gifts are deeply personal.
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\f0\fs26 For children who have everything, I've sometimes written a promise on a card and wrapped it as a gift. The promise is to spend time doing something fun with them. For adults who have everything, my husband and I choose from the Heifer International catalog that gives domestic animals to people in Third World countries ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.heifer.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.heifer.org}}). If we know their favorite charity, we donate to that charity in their name.
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\f0\fs26 The Grinch got it right: His heart grew three sizes when he realized that the meaning of Christmas far superseded the giving of gifts.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the children's book columnist for The Post and Courier. Contact her at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 25, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Ideas to make children feel special
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 444 words
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\f0\fs26 In one corner of the huge dining room, my husband's mother put a little round low table just for the grandchildren who arrived for family feasts. Only little kids could fit on the curved benches that snuggled in around it. It made the children feel important to have their own space, their own plate of rolls and their own dish of cranberry sauce. Misbehavior was unknown, because the children didn't want to attract any adult attention. The children didn't feel relegated or outsourced. They felt special, which they were!
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\f0\fs26 I was thinking about that table when I went online to look for Thanksgiving ideas.
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\f0\fs26 FamilyFun.com (search: Thanksgiving) has great ideas for finger stamp place cards, pinecone turkeys, cardboard tube people and other easy crafts that provide an entertaining way for children to contribute to decorating their own table as well as the table for the adults.
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\f0\fs26 A fun educational Web site for teachers and kids is {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.apples4theteacher.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.apples4theteacher.com}}. Feel free to ignore the ads and head for the column on the far right that's called "Thanksgiving." There's information about Thanksgiving, coloring pages, puzzles, games and Native American stories, plays, songs, games and dances.
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\f0\fs26 And endearing to me, there's a page of Thanksgiving books for children. My personal favorite is there: "Thanks & Giving: All Year Long" by Marlo Thomas. This is a collection of stories, poems and songs from such diverse personalities as Tiger Woods, the Sesame Street Muppets, Paul Newman, Deepak Chopra, Maurice Sendak and more.
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\f0\fs26 The annotated list also includes books about the Mayflower, the Pilgrims, the Native Americans, Thanksgiving symbols, and selected picture book fiction.
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\f0\fs26 One of my favorites that didn't make this list is "Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving" by Laurie Halse Anderson. This is the true story of Sarah Hale, who worked for four decades to have Thanksgiving declared a national holiday. Children will get the messages to "Pick up your pen. Change the world" and "Never underestimate dainty little ladies."
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\f0\fs26 "Thanksgiving: The True Story" by Penny Colman is a new chapter book for ages 10-16. This is a perfect book for researching Thanksgiving without ever getting bored. Colman uses poetry, folk songs, newspaper clips and interviews to keep readers interested. I scored a perfect zero on the Thanksgiving quiz that included questions like, "How many times was Thanksgiving celebrated in 1939?" (Twice, see page 58 of the book.) Read this book. Impress your fellow diners!
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\f0\fs26 All of these books remind us that Thanksgiving wasn't invented as a day to bulk up and rest up for the intense shopping day to follow.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 18, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Gems 'good enough' to read
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 315 words
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\f0\fs26 When I get organized ... If I get organized ...
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\f0\fs26 I will keep track of exactly how many picture books I read for each one that I think is good enough to read to children.
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\f0\fs26 Just guessing, I'd say these gems average out to be one in 25. I understand that there's no accounting for taste, but it's still hard for me to fathom who is buying and reading the 24 out of 25 titles I reject.
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\f0\fs26 My definition of "good enough" is a story that gives children thoughts to ponder, or captures their imaginations, or leaves them with a truth or makes them
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\f0\fs26 laugh.
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\f0\fs26 Once is never enough for a "good enough" book.
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\f0\fs26 William Steig wrote so many more-than-good-enough books ("Amos and Boris," "The Amazing Bone"), that he made it seem easy. It's not.
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\f0\fs26 After culling through a stack of at least 50 recent picture books, these are my two recommendations.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Apple-Pip Princess" by Jane Ray is a captivating story. A widowed, aging king tells his three daughters that he will choose one of them to rule his kingdom when he is gone. He gives them each seven days to produce something that will make him proud. The older two girls build towers to the moon and stars, respectively. The youngest child plants countless seeds that grow into seedlings and replenish the land that had been dry and barren since the queen died. Of course, the king chooses her to inherit his kingdom. This is an especially appealing story in our "go green" era.
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\f0\fs26 --"McFig and McFly: A Tale of Jealousy, Revenge and Death (with a Happy Ending)" by Henrik Drescher is exactly what the title describes. It also reflects a philosophically green theme, similar to that found in the adult books,
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\f0\fs26 "The Not So Big House" and "The Not So Big Life." Although McFig and McFly perish in their competition to be bigger and better than each other, their children learn from their mistakes and live happily (and downsized) ever after.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 11, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children's books that may perpetuate peace
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'The Orphans of Normandy: A True Story of World War II Told Through Drawings by Children" by Nancy Amis puts a face on war, 100 faces to be more exact. I cry every time I read this simple, sweet and haunting book. It's recommended for children 8 to 12, but even first-graders would understand this story.
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\f0\fs26 One hundred girls were living in the orphanage (Clos) in Caen, France, when the Allied invasion began in 1944. As the bombs began to fall, the children and their teachers took shelter in a nearby mine. After a little more than a month, the Germans forced them to leave and begin their 150-mile journey to safety in Beaufort-en-Vallee.
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\f0\fs26 In the pictures and the words of the orphans, the book tells the story of life in the orphanage before the war: "Under the apple trees, our beautiful cows grazed." It goes on to describe the Allied invasion: "... A plane dove and bombed German trucks hidden near the Clos. Some Germans were killed, others wounded ..." And then describes the long trek to safety: "The brave little girls of the Clos followed other evacuees. All the while waving their white flags at the approaching planes."
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\f0\fs26 Amis used the orphans' hand-drawn map to bike from Caen to Beaufort-en-Vallee in the year 2000. In the course of her journey, she answered questions about this historical event she's heard about since her childhood. Amis is director of education at the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry here in Charleston.
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\f0\fs26 "The Donkey of Gallipoli: A True Story of Courage in World War I" by Mark Greenwood is a picture book that follows the life of Jack Simpson and his childhood friend, Billy Lowes. After being separated for years, Jack rescues Billy in the heat of battle against the Turkish forces on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
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\f0\fs26 After stretchers became scarce due to heavy casualties, Jack began using a donkey to rescue more than 300 men in 24 days. One morning, he set out with his donkey even through he'd been warned of snipers. A "bullet struck Jack in the back and passed through his heart."
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\f0\fs26 The book closes with information about the war, the donkeys and the mascots, including this note: In some places the trenches of the warring sides were so close together that one side could hear the other singing songs in the evening. "Sometimes the soldiers exchanged food and gifts."
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\f0\fs26 Why would anyone want to read books about war to young children? Even more than the examples of bravery and courage, the children who don't know the horrors of war may become the adults who repeat them. Stories like these, of orphans and donkeys, may be important in perpetuating peace.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 4, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Fantasy books enjoy avalanche of popularity
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Fantasy books for children are proliferating faster than I can read them.
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\f0\fs26 This avalanche isn't just my imagination. Zack Johnson, assistant children's librarian (and friend to children and patrons of all ages) at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library speculates that the wildly successful "Harry Potter" series has set off this explosion.
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\f0\fs26 "Historical fiction used to be the big thing, but now fantasy is the most popular," he says. "Many of these titles come in a series (like Harry Potter) which children think they need to read in order."
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\f0\fs26 I rarely mention any book I haven't read, but I'm so swamped that I thought it would be useful to simply describe some of what's out there. Professional reviews are useful, and it does mean something (I'm not entirely sure what) if a book is a best-seller, but some of the most honest reviews (written by regular readers) are easily found on Amazon.com.
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\f0\fs26 Saving the world, the fight of good against evil, same-old, same-old.
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\f0\fs26 But each book presents these battles in unique and often highly imaginative ways. For someone (yes, I would be that "someone") who was captivated by "Nancy Drew" books, this strikes me as a giant literary leap forward.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Order of Odd-Fish" by James Kennedy. Ages 12 and up. A baby is abandoned with a note that warned of her danger. All is well until age 13. The girl and her aunt join a fellowship of knights who research useless information. "... entertaining and hilarious."
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\f0\fs26 --"How to Ditch Your Fairy" by Justine Larbalestier. Ages 12 and up. In New Avalon, everyone has an invisible fairy. A story of "friendship, fairies, and figuring out how to make your own magic."
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\f0\fs26 --"The Dragon Heir" by Cinda Williams Chima. Ages 12 and up. Jason is feeling bereft that he has no role to play in protecting the sanctuary of Trinity as it prepares for attack. When he finds a huge opal (called the Dragonheart) buried in a cave, he realizes that he's destined for a great purpose. "It's everyone for himself in this thrilling conclusion to the Heir trilogy."
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\f0\fs26 --"The Magician: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" by Michael Scott. Ages 12 and up. Twins Josh and Sophie, under tremendous pressure from their enemies and the shortage of time, accept the fact that they are the only ones who can save the world from the evil Dr. John Dee and the Dark Elders. "Seamlessly weaving iconic historical characters, Nicholas Flamel and Joan of Arc, to name a few, with fiction, Michael Scott has created another unique adventure that children are sure to relish." This is the second book in a six-part series.
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\f0\fs26 --"City of Time" by Eoin McNamee. Ages 9-14. Owen and Cati are fighting to save the world from powerful ice people who are trying to erase mankind by running time backward. "... page-turning action, ingenious inventions, and extraordinary characters that kids will devour." This is Book Two in the "Navigator Trilogy."
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\f0\fs26 --"Elissa's Odyssey" by Erica Verrillo. Ages 9-12. Elissa could always speak to animals, but now her Gift is expanding to other aspects of the natural world. She feels she's being led to the pieces of the Prophecy of the Phoenix. The book "manages to make us laugh while enchanting the reader further with a fabulous, strong, girl coming-of-age fantasy." This is Book Two in the "Phoenix Rising Trilogy."
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\f0\fs26 And there's more, lots more, out there.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 28, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Kids' books treats for right ages
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 What the world needs now is a scare-o-meter.
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\f0\fs26 Parents could enter the age of a child and the title of a book and the scare-o-meter would register, on a scale from 1-10, just how gently or badly the child would be scared. I recently made the big bad mistake of reading "The Three Little Pigs" to a child who was too young. That Big Bad Wolp (this child can't pronounce the letter "f") would have registered a perfect "10" had there been a scare-o-meter available.
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\f0\fs26 For Halloween, we can expect "wolps" and lots of other scary critters to appear front and center. Many of my closest neighbors put tremendous energy and creativity into making their houses spooky. For little kids, this can be terrifying. And fun. And terrifying fun. Ideally, children have the fun of being gently scared and the satisfaction of learning that they can laugh at something they thought was scary.
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\f0\fs26 "I'm Looking for a Monster" by Timothy Young is perfect for children ages 2-5. With pop-ups, lift-the-flap and other interactions, children search for exactly the right monster: not too big, not too scary and definitely not slimy.
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\f0\fs26 "Here They Come" by David Costello is great for children ages 4-7. They get the joke that the monsters are scared of the children who are wearing their Halloween costumes.
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\f0\fs26 "Annie Was Warned" by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, also for children 4-7, has a clue embedded in the story and a surprise ending.
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\f0\fs26 "A Tiger Called Thomas" by Charlotte Zolotow is a wonderful book any time of year, but especially at Halloween. A shy child finds it easier to meet his new neighbors when he thinks his costume hides him.
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\f0\fs26 "What Was I Scared of?" by Dr. Seuss, for children ages 5 and up, is the story of "a pair of pale green pants with nobody inside them."
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\f0\fs26 For older kids (I think at least third grade), "Lucy Dove" by Janice Del Negro is the retelling of a Celtic tale that is seriously spooky. One mother recommends it for reading at slumber parties. I would do that if I wanted the guests to have nightmares.
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\f0\fs26 And my all-time favorite, "Kate Culhane: A Ghost Story" by Michael Hague. This tale from Irish folklore is not for the fainthearted. It isn't for anyone who isn't prepared for details like a bowl of bloody oatmeal. Even high school students listen to this book with a certain amount of shock and awe.
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\f0\fs26 For the more literally minded children (just the facts, please), "Dr. Ernest Drake's Monsterology: The Complete Book of Monstrous Beasts," edited by Dugald A Steer, is an excellent choice. Centaurs, cyclops, specimens of phoenix ashes and sea-serpent skin, advice on how to find the beasts and which spells and charms are useful - it's all there in a book full of flaps and surprises.
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\f0\fs26 Until the scare-o-meter is invented, knowing the child and knowing the book ought to do the trick (or treat.)
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 21, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books with fright appeal popular all year
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 If Young Adult literature were your only consideration, you might reasonably conclude that it's Halloween all year round.
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\f0\fs26 Although I don't have statistical proof, I'm looking at new book titles and concluding that paranormal/terror is big. I think the wildly popular "Twilight" series catapulted vampires into the mainstream high school hallways.
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\f0\fs26 Now, we have the aftermath of wannabes.
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\f0\fs26 For instance:
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\f0\fs26 --"The Devouring" by Simon Holt is about the Vours: evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies. To overcome the Vours and rescue the people she loves, the protagonist has to learn to survive in a world of nightmares.
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\f0\fs26 --"Zombie Blondes" by Brian James is a tale of terror that (as the publicist says, is "Night of the Living Dead" for "Gossip Girl" and "Clique" fans. It is the familiar story of the new girl in town who wants to be popular, no matter the cost. Be careful what you wish for! The popular girls are beautiful and dead - or actually undead.
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\f0\fs26 --"Poison Ink" by Christopher Golden takes terror in another direction. Five high school girls are best friends who decide to get tattoos as emblems of their friendship. At the last minute, Sammi declines because she doesn't like the creepy tattoo parlor and she's worried about her parents' reaction. After getting the tattoos, the other four girls start skipping school and getting into fights. In the course of a brawl, Sammi notices "something horrible on her (former) friend's back. The original tattoo has grown tendrils, snaking over the girl's entire body."
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\f0\fs26 --"Thirsty" by M.T. Anderson was chosen as a "Quick Pick" of the American Library Association and a Blue Ribbon Winner from the Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books. Chris lives in a town where vampires are a fact of life. All he wants is to be a normal kid, but unfortunately, he appears to be turning into a vampire.
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\f0\fs26 --"Ghostgirl" by Tonya Hurley features a girl who's determined to be popular. Even after she dies from choking on a gummy bear, she perseveres in her afterlife. Her mantra:
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\f0\fs26 "Now I lay me down to sleep,
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\f0\fs26 I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
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\f0\fs26 And if I should die before I awake,
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\f0\fs26 I pray the popular attend my wake."
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\f0\fs26 --"Generation Dead" by Daniel Waters has this capsule description: "Phoebe is just your typical goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent ... and dead." Some teens who die are coming back to life as "differently biotic" or "living impaired."
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\f0\fs26 These titles are but a small sampling of what's out there. My favorite book in high school was "Of Human Bondage" by Somerset Maugham. Something tells me the times, they are a changing.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 14, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books can help in new arrivals
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 A beloved toddler's perfect world has just been totally rocked.
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\f0\fs26 His new baby brother, tiny as he is, takes up a whole lot of space and attention that never used to be shared. The toddler tries mightily to demonstrate his affection gently, but that requires tremendous restraint from a rollicking, frolicking boy.
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\f0\fs26 As I read "Katie Loves the Kittens" by John Himmelman, I was reminded of that toddler. Katie the energetic dog is very excited about the kittens and frightens them with her ecstatic enthusiasm. When Katie calms down, the kittens become her friends. Easy as that! Countless picture books address the arrival of babies and the issues of displacement experienced by older brothers and sisters. But how do you find such a book when you really need it?
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\f0\fs26 The reference book "A to Zoo: Subject Access to Children's Picture Books" by Carolyn Lima and Rebecca Thomas is packed with titles on an exhaustive list of subjects.
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\f0\fs26 For "Family life: new sibling" there are more than 100 titles listed. Although the entries aren't annotated, you'll be able to tell a lot from the titles. Some of my favorites: "Darcy and Gran Don't Like Babies" by Jane Cutler, "Nobody Asked Me If I Wanted a Baby Sister" by Martha Alexander and "I'd Rather Have an Iguana" by Heidi Stetson Mario.
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\f0\fs26 "Say Hello" by Jack and Michael Foreman would be listed in "A to Zoo" under "Emotions: loneliness." (It's not there yet because it was just published in 2008.) Line drawings and spare use of color emphasize the loneliness of the child protagonist. It's the perfect book for the beginning of the new school year. The message: "When someone's feeling left out, low, it doesn't take much to say ... HELLO!"
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\f0\fs26 "While You Are Away" by Eileen Spinelli is a book about children feeling lonely because their parents are away in military service. In addition to being a supportive book for the children involved, it's sensitivity training for the rest of us.
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\f0\fs26 "Big Little Monkey" by Carole Lexa Schaefer would be listed in "A to Zoo" under "Behavior: growing up." A little monkey thinks he's big enough to leave his sleeping family and strike out on his own. When he returns and recounts his adventures, he tells his mom that he also likes to stay and play with her "Because, Dear Mama, sometimes I'm still your Little Monkey, too."
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\f0\fs26 The right book for the right child at the right time. "A to Zoo" can make it happen.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 7, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Stories about actual events make best tales
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 In my heart of hearts, and as dearly as I love all kinds of stories, I think the best stories are the true stories.
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\f0\fs26 "Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival" is a perfect example. Bobbi (the hearing-impaired dog) and Bob Cat (who was blind) survived Hurricane Katrina. "They did it by lending each other a paw."
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\f0\fs26 Even when the friends were safe with rescuers, Bobbi's howling and barking and Bob Cat's endless pacing let the shelter workers know that they could not be separated. Children (and adults) will love this story.
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\f0\fs26 "My Heart Glow" by Emily Arnold McCully is the true story of "Alice Cogswell, Thomas Gallaudet, and the Birth of American Sign Language." In 2008, when there are books that teach sign language for babies, it's difficult to imagine a time when a formalized sign language did not exist in America.
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\f0\fs26 This picture book for children ages 5 and up is a clear and interesting account of how a small deaf child inspired Thomas Gallaudet to make education of the deaf his life's work. An "Author's Note" and signing alphabet are included.
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\f0\fs26 "Dancing to Freedom-The True Story of Mao's Last Dancer" by Li Cunxin is the fascinating story of the boy who was born into extreme poverty, chosen from among millions of other children to train at the Beijing Dance Academy, defected to the U.S. and became the principal dancer at the Houston Ballet.
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\f0\fs26 As a child, Li Cunxin "was always hungry." He says, "At night we slept head to toe, crammed on a hard bed. I hated my brothers' feet in my face. Still, I would dream ..." In many ways, this book is more fantastic than a fairy tale. The adult version of his story was published as "Mao's Last Dancer" and was an international best-seller.
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\f0\fs26 "Tenth Avenue Cowboy" by Linda Oatman High is fiction, but I put it with true stories because it's based on an unknown-to-me historical fact: In the early 1900s, the legendary Tenth Avenue Cowboys rode their horses through the area in New York City known as Hell's Kitchen to warn people about approaching trains. The illustrations, text and glossary give children an understanding of city life at the beginning of the 20th century.
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\f0\fs26 These books are for real.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 30, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Parenting book offers sage advice
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Self-discipline may be more responsible for differences in achievement than any other factor." - From "Raising a Self-Disciplined Child" by Robert Brooks and Sam Goldstein. The book was written to "help your child (grandchild, student) become more responsible, confident and resilient."
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\f0\fs26 As the mother of four children in four years, I needed help. I read every parenting book I could find. Each one had some useful ideas. "Raising a Self-Disciplined Child" brings together all the best and most important principles. The format is user-friendly. For each concept, the authors recount the experiences of an actual family. "Take-home messages" are italicized and set apart. Additional recommended reading, references and an index are provided.
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\f0\fs26 Yes, it's a book that addresses children with problems. More important, it's a book that provides a blueprint that will guide parents to prevent problems.
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\f0\fs26 "Children are more likely to listen to adults they perceive as fair, empathic, and respectful than to adults who seem arbitrary, inconsistent and angry." This quote is from the chapter "The Mindset for Effective Discipline," which describes the styles of parenting and explains why the "authoritative" (not to be confused with "authoritarian") style was proven best by research.
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\f0\fs26 There are questions for parents to consider in measuring their own empathy toward their children. There are examples of families and the observation that "insights of children often provide information that can be used to prevent problems."
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\f0\fs26 Other chapters include practical, usable advice on teaching children how to solve problems, how to deal with disappointments, how to learn from mistakes and how to respond when life seems unfair.
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\f0\fs26 Every chapter is excellent, but my favorite is "Encouraging Your Child to Make a Difference."
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\f0\fs26 If you read only one parenting book, let it be this one!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 23, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Censorship can close book on self-expression
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Banned Books Week, a reminder of our freedom to read, starts Saturday and "alert reader" (as Dave Barry would say) Norby Fleisig suggested I read Anna Quindlen's column in the July 21 Newsweek on a book banning in Indiana. (Read it at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.newsweek.com/id/145871.)"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.newsweek.com/id/145871.)}}
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\f0\fs26 The column deals with "The Freedom Writer's Diary" by Erin Gruwell that was banned by an Indiana school board, which fired the teacher who had the audacity to try to use it.
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\f0\fs26 In Gruwell's book, her students write about their lives. Their colloquial language and profanity, integral parts of their self-expression, were the ostensible reason for banning the book. The students kept diaries that reflect the improvement in their writing and the improvements in their lives. As they practiced expressing themselves, they no longer needed profanity. Their worlds enlarged. At the outset, they didn't expect to finish high school. With Gruwell's encouragement, they were planning for college.
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\f0\fs26 This book is so inspiring. I've even sent it to an English teacher at a low-performing school so that he'd have proof it was possible to reach these students who "hate" to write.
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\f0\fs26 I especially like this book because I've used Gruwell's method and know that it works. One of our students had passed all the state requirements for graduation except the writing test. The principal assigned me to work with her for an hour every morning before her first class. This student had no interest in coming to school early. I had little interest in spending one-on-one time with this student who had treated me rudely for as long as I'd known her. However, we were stuck with each other and to each other for four months.
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\f0\fs26 Like Gruwell, my challenge was to convince this student that writing had relevance to her life. For all her school years, she'd been told she couldn't write.
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\f0\fs26 When she was late for our first session, she explained that she had to take her baby (born when the student was 14 years old) to day care. She was wrangling with the day-care director because she felt her son should be placed in a more advanced class. Without thinking twice, I deep-sixed my lesson plan and suggested that we write a letter to the director, outlining the reasons why my student's son deserved to be moved up. We talked about the power of the written word to represent the writer as knowledgeable, intelligent and educated. I had her attention. She wrote that letter and others. She created fliers for the prom. She wrote the story of her life.
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\f0\fs26 She passed the writing exam and wrote me a thank-you letter. She said she realized she had things to say and the confidence to say them. Now, she wanted to be a writer.
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\f0\fs26 Did any member of the Perry Township school board read "The Freedom Writer's Diary" before they banned it? In Quindlen's words, "The book teaches that open discussion about challenging subjects is always best, that engagement always trumps silence." There is a glimmer of good news in this story: The books had been donated by a local businessman. When the students were told to hand in their copies, most refused.
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\f0\fs26 For many reasons, this is a cautionary tale. One caution: Before casting your vote for a school board candidate, ask where that person stands on censorship. If there is a whiff of a hint the candidate is running simply for the power and prestige of board membership, please vote for someone else.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 16, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books spark kids' interest in election
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Lost somewhere back in the mists of time, Election 2008 got its start. The process seems interminable and pervasive. There's no place to run, and no place to hide.
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\f0\fs26 Children's literature is not exempt from the onslaught. And, surprising to me, this is the good news.
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\f0\fs26 For ages 4 and up, "Madam President" by Lane Smith is laugh-out-loud funny. A little girl applies the litany of presidential duties to her own life. She kisses babies, practices diplomacy, negotiates treaties, exerts her special veto privileges, gracefully tackles press conferences, keeps the peace and demonstrates calm in a crisis. By the end of the book, she is pooped, and the readers have learned a lot about presidential duties and have been entertained in the process.
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\f0\fs26 For ages 5-9, "Grace for President" by Kelly DiPucchio was inspired by a child who saw a poster of all the U.S. presidents and asked, "Where are the girls?" In her school's mock election, Grace is running against a popular student who declares that "he's the best man for the job." Grace works very hard to demonstrate that she is the best person for the job. This is an interesting and satisfying story that also imparts cogent information about the electoral system.
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\f0\fs26 For kids ages 10 and up, "See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House" by Susan E. Goodman and Elwood H. Smith is packed with information in a lively format replete with cartoons and photographs. There's a history of democracy as well as the history of campaign buttons and creative insults. My favorite: During the 1848 campaign, Whigs called Democratic candidate Lewis Cass a "pot-bellied, mutton-headed cucumber." The book closes with "Presidential Facts," a "Glossary" and "Sources and Resources" to steer student researchers to even more information.
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\f0\fs26 In the biography department, "Yes We Can: A Biography of Barack Obama" by Garen Thomas is written for ages 10-16. "John McCain: Serving His Country" by Barbara Jane Feinberg is a Gateway Biography for children published in 2000.
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\f0\fs26 In the fiction department, "Freshman for President" is a new book by Ally Condie. In summary, "Tired of not being noticed, 15-year-old Milo decides to run for President of the United States. And through the course of the campaign, he discovers that he - and other teenagers - can make a real difference." Teens may vote at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.freshmanforpresident.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.freshmanforpresident.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 The "President's Daughter" series by Ellen Emerson White is about a teenager whose mother happens to be the first female president of the United States. The books are written for ages 12 and up. Titles in the series include "Long May She Reign," "The President's Daughter," "White House Autumn" and "Long Live the Queen."
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\f0\fs26 In the "almost a coffee-table book" department, "Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out" is almost 250 pages "created by 108 renowned authors and illustrators and the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance" with an introduction by David McCullough. A range of genres, including comics and presidential letters, make this well-researched and indexed book a reliable and exciting resource for both classrooms and families.
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\f0\fs26 One of the most positive aspects of Election 2008 is that young people seem more engaged. Engaged is good, and books can help.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 9, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books urge kids to play with food
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Call it gleaning or whatever, I enjoy amateur vegetable picking after the professional pickers have finished. In the first place, the price is right. Second, there are so many tomatoes and peppers that it's hard to imagine how many there were previously.
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\f0\fs26 So, my husband and I were in Tryon for the weekend, picking bushels of perfect tomatoes for 20 cents a pound. Among the thousands of tomatoes waiting to be chosen, I happened to find one that had a little appendage sticking out like a nose. I laughed out loud. I knew exactly who would appreciate this aberration.
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\f0\fs26 On Monday, I went to the library and checked out "Fast Food" and "Food for Thought" by Saxton Freymann. Then I visited Miss Lori's class at the O'Quinn School.
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\f0\fs26 They were every bit as captivated as I knew they would be. There was a tomato with a nose to get their attention. Then there were Freymann's books to get their attention and keep it.
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\f0\fs26 "How Are You Peeling" is probably the most famous of Freymann's books and has won a New York Times award for Best Illustrated Book. All the books are creative, charming and fascinating. Vegetables and fruits? Charming and fascinating? Yes!
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\f0\fs26 Color photographs bring vegetables and fruits to kids live and in color. A cucumber race car with slices of cucumber wheels, driven by a radish, is a winner. A kiwi monkey, cherry ants, a banana airplane, tomato hippos, a cucumber train, yum! And fun!
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\f0\fs26 Moving along from vegetables and fruits, "The Secret Life of Food" by Clare Crespo is an extremely entertaining cookbook for children (and all the rest of us.) Spaghetti and meatballs - ho, hum. Spaghetti and Eyeballs? Whoa! With the simple addition of 2 olives, 2 meatballs are transformed into "eyes."
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\f0\fs26 An edible aquarium is made with blue Jell-O, gummy fish and fruit cocktail at the bottom for the "pebbles." "Butterflies" are made with knotted pretzels for wings, pretzel sticks for antennae and caramel candies for the bodies. Tarantula cookies, with chocolate sprinkles for "hair," would be perfect for Halloween.
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\f0\fs26 My mother told me not to play with my food. She hadn't seen these books.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 2, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reading may be reward enough
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 As a "cardholder in good standing" in the Charleston County Library system, I was eligible to enter the Reading Wave contest. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't paying attention and I didn't know about it. Now I do. Wait'll next year!
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\f0\fs26 The way it works: Readers fill out one comment form per book. The forms are randomly drawn for weekly prizes in each library location. There also is an attractive grand prize at the end of the summer.
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\f0\fs26 Out of more than 8,000 entries, the woman who won the grand prize this year had only entered once. I'm not sure exactly what this proves, but it might give hope to all entrants.
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\f0\fs26 These are the books I would have put in the contest if I'd known we had a contest:
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\f0\fs26 "Nobody's Fool" by Richard Russo was my favorite fiction of the summer. I know it's old. I know everyone has seen the movie. But, oldies can be goodies and this book qualifies. Richard Russo's writing flows from page to brain to heart. As with all the best authors, it's not just what he says, but how he says it. He makes me laugh out loud. His protagonist stokes my determination to be more tolerant and kind. Other favorite authors high up in my Russo category are John Irving and Robertson Davies.
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\f0\fs26 "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin was my favorite nonfiction book of the summer. In my perfect world, it would be required reading for high school students on up. (A Young Readers edition will be published in 2009.) In the movie, "Charlie Wilson's War, an otherwise ineffectual congressman (played by Tom Hanks) promotes legislation to win the shooting war in Afghanistan, but loses his battle for money to rebuild that devastated land. Enter Mortenson. In case you were assailed by doubts, this book will unequivocally convince you that one determined person can indeed make a difference. This incredibly courageous man found a straightforward, relatively inexpensive way to win the hearts and minds of the people. This book is the fascinating, inspiring story and blue print.
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\f0\fs26 "The Blood of Flowers: A Novel" by Anita Amirrezvani was well worth reading. If you were intrigued by "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns," this book will continue your insider's cultural education. The story follows the fortunes and misfortunes of a gifted female carpet weaver and designer in 17th-century Persia.
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\f0\fs26 "The God of Animals," a debut novel by Aryn Kyle, is a coming-of-age story that takes place on a horse ranch. I'm not a horse person, but I enjoyed the insights into ranch life in the American West. I also was struck by the relationship between the rich woman and the poor child. Casually, and without sacrificing anything important to herself, the woman's gifts transformed the girl's life.
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\f0\fs26 Readers of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan will save whatever dollars they might have spent on hair gel. This book will stand anybody's hair on end. Readers of this book will never gain weight because they won't want to eat. Pollan reveals the waste, the politics, the absurdities, the greed, the fossil-fuel extravagance, the ethical outrages, the animal cruelty, etc., etc., of the food producers. To phrase it delicately, nutrition and your health are not their primary considerations. They aren't considerations at all. Corn is a living nightmare, "organic' does not mean "sustainable" and (hello) continue to avoid fast food.
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\f0\fs26 In place of a prize, I have a platitude: Reading is a reward in itself.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 26, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Science books capture imaginations
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Since when did shelves full of science books get to be fascinating for young children? Relatively recently. And just in time, as we accumulate more and more evidence that Mother Earth needs for us to learn about it and take care of it.
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\f0\fs26 Sylvan Dell Publishing is devoted to "Science and math through literature." Every book is a quality book complete with additional learning activities in the back of the book and online. Many of the titles have been enthusiastically reviewed in this column and enthusiastically read by parents, teachers and children.
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\f0\fs26 "A Day in the Salt Marsh" is an excellent example. The author, Kevin Kurtz, developed award-winning curriculum material for the S.C. Aquarium and is an avid advocate of the salt marsh. He'll be reading and signing his book at the Mount Pleasant Barnes & Noble 2-4 p.m. Sept. 5.
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\f0\fs26 Candlewick Press publishes the "Read, Listen and Wonder" series, available in paperback. Each book comes with a read-along CD that includes music and facts and is designed for children ages 5-8. Every title is brightly illustrated, stuffed with enough information for a child to write a report and includes an index.
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\f0\fs26 I especially like the random facts that are slipped in with the basics. In "Surprising Sharks" by Nicola Davies, I learned which sharks have built-in lights (lantern sharks), which sharks can blow up to three times their normal size (swell sharks) and which sharks try to eat each other before they're born (sand tiger sharks).
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\f0\fs26 Other books in the series by Davies are "Big Blue Whale," "Bat Loves the Night" and "One Tiny Turtle."
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\f0\fs26 "Growing Frogs" by Vivian French gives step-by-step, environmentally friendly instructions on how to, yes, grow frogs.
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\f0\fs26 "Fold Out and Find Out" is another "wonder-full" science series from Candlewick Press, especially for preschoolers. "Big Yellow Sunflower" by Frances Barry starts out, "Little seed, little seed, falling to the ground, what will you be?" Each page unfolds to form a giant sunflower when the last page is read. A lift-the-flap gives detailed instructions on growing sunflowers at home. A graphic and attention-getting triumph!
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\f0\fs26 "Little Green Frogs," also by Frances Barry, unfolds into a frog pond. Cool. Very cool.
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\f0\fs26 "Maisy's Nature Walk" by Lucy Cousins is a vibrantly illustrated book for preschoolers. Maisy sees everyday plants, insects and birds, but the walk is exciting with flaps to pull and information and activities in the left margin.
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\f0\fs26 Learning can be fun. Really!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 19, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Back-to-school books to read
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 As a child, as a parent, as a school librarian and as a grandparent, back-to-school was/is my least favorite time of year.
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\f0\fs26 Little Yankee children may at least have a cool breeze to indicate autumn. Little Rebel children contend with summer heat, humidity and mosquitoes well into September. Maybe this suffering at an early age accounts for our forged-by-fire Southern personalities. The enlightenment of year-round schools may someday dawn in the Lowcountry, but in the meantime, pack your children off to school with enough bug repellent to survive the bus stop.
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\f0\fs26 When our grandchild started preschool, I tried to get him ready by reading and re-reading "Wow! School!" by Robert Neubecker (amazing illustrations) and "My First Day at Pre-School," which is one of the "First Experiences" books by Priddy Books (beautiful color photographs).
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\f0\fs26 He enjoyed the books, he grasped the concept of school, but he told his dad that he was going to cry. And he did. In defense of my game plan, I would like to point out that it might have been worse if I hadn't tried to prepare him. (And OK, it also might have gone better ...) Never deterred by firsthand experience, I highly recommend those books for preschoolers.
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\f0\fs26 For young children feeling insecure (which is probably about 100 percent of every class), "The Littlest Dinosaur" by Michael Foreman is a good choice.
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\f0\fs26 The book jacket calls this book "a celebration of friendship and being yourself." It reminds me of "Amos & Boris" by William Steig, which also helps children to understand that all shapes and sizes are welcome in the world.
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\f0\fs26 With line drawings and very little text, "Say Hello" by Jack and Michael Foreman encourages children to speak up and say "hello," rather than hovering on the sidelines feeling shy and lonely. The book jacket states, "When someone looks lonely and in need of a friend, one little word can help ..." This is a message for all of us.
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\f0\fs26 "Jake Starts School" by Michael Wright is a funny, cartoonish story about what happens when Jake's separation anxiety results in his parents staying with him at school.
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\f0\fs26 If children think it's sad for their parents to leave them, they'll be reduced to giggles when they read about the ridiculous problems that ensue when parents join the class.
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\f0\fs26 School may not necessarily be funny, but there sure are some funny books about school. For early elementary, "Junie B., First Grader (at Last)" by Barbara Park and all the Junie B. Jones books are hilarious. For older elementary, all the "Wayside School" books by Louis Sachar are a hoot. Since kids have to go to school, they might as well have a sense of humor about it.
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\f0\fs26 For the middle-school set, who may encounter wildlife at their lockers as well as on the buggy bus stop, I wish "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli and "Schooled" by Gordon Korman could be required reading. Both books explore the practical application of kindness.
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\f0\fs26 In an effort to raise me from my slough of despond and engender some enthusiasm for this new-beginning time of year, friends gave me a pencil sharpener.
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\f0\fs26 It's a start.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 12, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 When kids 'want to go there'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 402 words
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\f0\fs26 True story:
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\f0\fs26 Sue Monk Kidd (the author of "The Secret Life of Bees") was visiting a friend who was reading a book to her granddaughter. When the grandmother finished the book, the child grabbed it, threw it on the floor and began jumping on top of the book. The two women were horrified until they heard the child cry out, "I want to go there!"
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\f0\fs26 The really, really good books make both children and adults "want to go there."
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\f0\fs26 If summer vacation has to end, and preschoolers have to trade the beach for the classroom, "Maisy Goes to School" by Lucy Cousins is one terrific way to encourage children to "want to go there."
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\f0\fs26 Maisy is the mouse I adore. More to the point, a certain 2-year-old also loves her. So do all his preschool classmates. Although this is a lift-the-flap book recommended for ages 3 years and up, younger children thoroughly enjoy it with a little help manipulating the paper tabs.
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\f0\fs26 My son field-tested this book by reading it to his 4-month-old daughter. She was still loving it even after the 20th run-through.
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\f0\fs26 Maisy is colorful, winsome, gentle and whimsical. Her simple adventures guide children through the everyday experiences of school, making friends, learning basic concepts (always with a sense of fun) and visiting places like the playground, the farm and the museum.
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\f0\fs26 The author, a mother of four children who lives and works in England, says she gets more inspiration from children's artwork than from any art gallery. I believe her! Without being garish or jarring, the illustrations are so vibrant that they practically leap off the pages. Cousins' work reminds me of Jonathan Green - for children.
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\f0\fs26 Of course, Maisy has a Web site. At maisyfunclub.com, children can learn about Maisy and all her friends. There also are recipes, crafts, games and a listing of all the Maisy books and toys. Under "artwork," children are encouraged to submit their own artwork and see it online, listed under their first names, ages and home states or countries. Charming!
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\f0\fs26 Lucy Cousins' work also includes super books such as "Hooray for Fish." Parents call it "fabulous" and advise other parents to "Buy this book." It was one of those very special books that will captivate a 5-month-old baby and a 3-year-old and all the ages in between.
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\f0\fs26 For the peripatetic baby, there are tiny "Maisy" books that attach to strollers. Mickey, Minnie and Mighty move over and meet Maisy.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 5, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books can fascinate as Olympics near
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 "BEIJING - Thousands of eager fans who had waited for up to two days swarmed sales windows Friday for the final batch of tickets to next month's Olympic Games, knocking people to the ground and bending metal barricades in the chaotic crush." Yahoo News, 25 July, 2008.
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\f0\fs26 Although I respect the enthusiasm and devotion that lead fans into this sort of melee, I'm a long way from understanding any aspect of the sports mentality. Granted, it's not legitimate to compare the Olympic Games to Monday Night Football.
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\f0\fs26 And we're talking "games" not "sports." So, I'm pep talking myself to overlook the politics and other negatives and simply enjoy and appreciate the coming deluge of Olympic coverage. I recently watched "Munich," a riveting (and violent) movie directed by Steven Spielberg based on the terrorist acts against Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. Worth watching and contemplating.
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\f0\fs26 --"Winning Words: Sports Stories and Photographs" by Charles R. Smith Jr. is the perfect book to set the mood. Each story is inspired by a quote from a famous person and deals with young athletes who are struggling to overcome their fears and achieve excellence.
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\f0\fs26 For example: "Have fun, always set goals, but never set limits," from Shannon Miller, gymnast who won seven Olympic Medals and nine world Championship Medals; "In great attempts, it is glorious even to fail," from Bruce Lee, martial arts celebrity; "You are never a loser until you quit trying," from Mike Ditka, NFL player, television commentator and coach.
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\f0\fs26 I'd recommend this book for ages 10 and up.
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\f0\fs26 --"Swifter, Higher, Stronger: A Photographic History of the Summer Olympics" by Sue Macy is a National Geographic children's book updated for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
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\f0\fs26 The book includes chapters on the expected as well as the unexpected. My favorite is "Unlikely Heroes."
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\f0\fs26 For example, a double-page, color photograph is captioned: "Eric Moussambani of Equatorial Guinea ... who had learned to swim only nine months before ... finished in more than double the time of the eventual medal winners. But his refusal to quit won him many admirers." The book is fascinating to read and has an Olympic Almanac that includes material that could be used for research. Because it has numerous illustrations, even young elementary children could enjoy this book.
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\f0\fs26 --"How to be an Ancient Greek Athlete" by Jacquelyn Morley is a small National Geographic paperback that is packed with information about the origins of our current Olympic Games. This takes children back to ancient Greece in around 450 B.C.
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\f0\fs26 Many of these facts are bound to appeal to young readers. For instance, the judges at Olympia ... "must purify themselves. They wash in a sacred spring and are sprinkled with pig's blood." Who knew?
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 29, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Comics may help reading skills
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 In my first-grade classroom, I labored through "Dick and Jane." At home, I romped through "Little Lulu."
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\f0\fs26 Half a century later, I remember the adventures of Lulu, Tubby, Annie and Iggy partly because I read each one countless times to be sure to get my 10 cents worth. Everything about Dick and Jane was bland, boring and forgettable.
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\f0\fs26 From the 1930s to the 1950s, kids loved comics so much that it scared the adults. In 1954, the U.S. Senate held hearings to determine whether there was a connection between comics and juvenile delinquency. The comics in question were the crime-and-horror genres, but all comics suffered a near-fatal blow. Organized comic-book burnings were part of the hysteria.
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\f0\fs26 "Toon Books" from the "Little Lit" library are employing "some of books and comics most noted luminaries" for the purpose of "bringing new readers to the pleasures of comics." Unlike the graphic novels for older kids, these little paperbacks are designed for newly emerging readers from age 4 through second grade to read to themselves. Even though there's been an explosion of high-quality books for new readers, these high-quality comics have a special place.
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\f0\fs26 This cogent explanation is included in the "Little Lit" catalog: "Comics have always had a unique ability to draw young readers into a story through the drawings. Visual narrative helps kids crack the code that allows literacy to flourish, teaching them how to read from left to right, from top to bottom. Speech balloons facilitate a child's understanding of written dialogue as a transcription of spoken language. Many of the issues that emerging readers have traditionally struggled with are instantly clarified by comic's simple and inviting format."
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\f0\fs26 In addition, says Barbara Tversky, professor of psychology at Stanford University: "Comics use a broad range of sophisticated devices for communication. They are similar to face-to-face interactions, in which meaning is derived not solely from words, but also from gestures, intonation, facial expressions and props. Comics are more than just illustrated books, but rather make use of a multimodal language that blends words, pictures, facial expressions, panel-to-panel progression, color, sound effects and more to engage readers in a compelling narrative."
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\f0\fs26 I knew those "Little Lulu's" were worth every penny I paid for them! I didn't know they were "multimodal," but I did know I loved them. "Little Lit" comics are $12.95 each. My personal favorite is "Benny and Penny: Just Pretend" by Geoffrey Hayes. Reprints of "Little Lulu" are available online for about $10. You can find them by typing "Little Lulu" into any search engine.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 22, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Will 'Fablehaven' be another 'Harry Potter'?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Attention all young adults, middle schoolers, elementary kids and (incidentally) kindergartners:
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\f0\fs26 "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull is the mega-ship on a vast and roiling sea of Harry Potter wannabes. Some readers think this series is even better (gasp) than Harry Potter. I'm still debating with myself, but it just might be. It's fantastic to read or read-aloud. It's also one of those special books that manages to seamlessly include challenging vocabulary. And it's the first book of a series.
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\f0\fs26 Under protest, a brother (Seth, 11) and a sister (Kendra, 13) are taken to stay on the huge estate of their grandparents whom they barely know. The grandmother seems not to be present, but the kindly grandfather and housekeeper provide every comfort and amusement, from a treehouse to a swimming pool.
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\f0\fs26 For their own protection, the children are warned not to venture beyond the fenced-in yard. In spite of (or because of) this warning, Seth heads for the woods and encounters dangers and mysteries that spur him to further investigation. Initially, his sister enjoins him to follow the rules, but soon becomes part of the adventures.
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\f0\fs26 Although the grandfather wants to protect the children, he respects their spirit of adventure. He also respects Kendra's intelligence and tenacity in putting together clues and solving a riddle. As the children earn his trust and admiration, the grandfather explains that his estate is one of several around the world that provide a home for mythical, magical, mystical creatures. A witch, a golem, naiads, trolls, imps, satyrs, fairies and other creatures live in the environs.
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\f0\fs26 These are creatures (some good, some evil) who manage to live in harmony only because of the covenant to which they've all agreed. As the story progresses, the covenant is threatened and a tremendous battle ensues. Kendra musters courage she didn't know she possessed to rescue her brother and grandfather.
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\f0\fs26 This New York Times bestselling book is published by Shadow Mountain. Instead of a huge publicity campaign, the author went to 40 cities where he made free author visits to schools. Children and parents bought the book, read the book, loved the book and spread their enthusiasm. This remarkable success is all the more astonishing because it was caused by kids, not Madison Avenue. No hype, just a great book. What a refreshing concept!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 15, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Teen reader defends 'Twilight'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Last week, I wrote about "Twilight," a wildly popular series for young adults that features vampires. Although there are kids I love who love these books, I was critical of the underlying messages.
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\f0\fs26 I thought I had done my homework: I read the book, I read reviews of it, and I talked to an enthusiastic reader. Ahem. I stand corrected. The letter below is my dream letter. The writer disagrees with my opinion. In her rebuttal, she's articulate, respectful, intelligent and analytical. Brianna's approach is a model for people who disagree about a title or anything else.
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\f0\fs26 Dear Ms. Hawk,
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\f0\fs26 My name is Brianna Murray. I am fifteen years old, and live in Charleston. I am a huge fan of the "Twilight" series. I read your article today and there were a few comments that I would like to make.
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\f0\fs26 I think it is very admirable that you actually read the book. It is a long read especially for someone who it doesn't relate to it as strongly. However it does pull you in. I have read it thirteen times and each time I have found something new.
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\f0\fs26 There are two main points in your article that I do not agree with. You point out that girls should be independent and strong on their own. I agree, that is a good thing. In "Twilight," Bella relies on Edward entirely too much. She is not very independent, but in the second book, "New Moon," all of this changes. Edward leaves Bella because he thinks he is not good enough for her. He doesn't want to put her in danger. Bella goes through a dangerous depression. Through her grief and sadness readers learn that she was too dependent on Edward. Readers learn that it is not a good idea. I think Bella learns from the experience as well.
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\f0\fs26 In your article you also say that, "It would grate on my sense of justice for any girl to salivate over a guy solely based on his appearance." I do not think that Bella does this at all. The day after Edward saves Bella from the men in Port Angeles, Bella has a conversation with her friend Jessica. Jessica tells Bella that Edward is unbelievably gorgeous. Bella tells Jessica that there is more to him than his appearance. She tells her that "he's even more unbelievable behind the face." She then thinks about how Edward wants to be good and how he goes around saving people's lives so that he won't be a monster. I think Bella as well as the readers realize that there is so much more to any guy than just his looks.
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\f0\fs26 I think that the "Twilight" saga shows good morals and ideals over all for teens. The third book in the series gives teenagers the message of abstinence. So many books now do not support abstinence that I was pleasantly surprised that "Twilight" did. One more thing is that "Twilight" has very little bad language. So many teenage characters in books use bad language, but Bella does not. Only two words were used in "Twilight" and both were in extreme situations. I think Stephenie Meyer sets a good example for readers, and her books express good morals for teens across the world.
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\f0\fs26 I value all of your opinions and greatly enjoyed reading your article. I think it's really neat that you actually read the book. Thanks for reading my opinions as well.
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\f0\fs26 Sincerely,
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\f0\fs26 Brianna Murray
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\f0\fs26 Thank YOU, Brianna. Keep reading and keep thinking!
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\f0\fs26 Contact {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 8, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 What's message of teen vampire series?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Vampires and teenage girls. The perfect combination. (Right.)
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\f0\fs26 The "Twilight" series by Stephenie Meyer is all the rage with high school girls like Elizabeth of Columbia. She says:
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\f0\fs26 "I think the reason why girls my age have an obsession with the Twilight series is due to the fact that the main character is our age, and every girl dreams of having a guy as wonderful as Edward (especially in high school). Bella starts out as an average high school girl, and ends up meeting a wonderful guy who would do anything for her. It's just so easy to relate to her in the beginning and gives all of us ordinary girls something exciting to hope for (not exactly for a vampire though).
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\f0\fs26 "Bella is naturally a very clumsy person. Throw in about five vampires to her already dangerous lifestyle, and the action is just so exciting. To see that Edward would do anything to keep Bella safe just makes your heart yearn for your own Edward Cullen."
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\f0\fs26 I'm so enthusiastic about Elizabeth, and Elizabeth is so enthusiastic about these books, I put on my martyr costume and read "Twilight - The Twilight Saga, Book 1." I happened to be traveling while I was soldiering through all 500 pages. I kept the cover covered so nobody could see the title. Not that I care what strangers think, but ... well, maybe just this once.
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\f0\fs26 Granted, the vampire phenomenon isn't new. You may remember "Dracula," and Anne Rice's wildly popular "Vampire Chronicles." For teenagers, there have been several entries, including "Demon in My View" by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, who was 18 when she wrote her first book.
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\f0\fs26 "Twilight" is the ultimate page-turner. The plot races along, twisting and turning as it accelerates. The setting is a high school with all the attendant situations and concerns. The book is reasonably well-written, except for some grammatical errors. The Cullen family of vampires eschew human blood and feed exclusively on animal blood. They live in a regular house and drive regular cars. They don't eat, they don't sleep, and they have super-human strength and speed.
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\f0\fs26 So what's not to like?
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\f0\fs26 On Amazon.com, more than 1,300 readers shared Elizabeth's enthusiasm for this book and gave it five stars. Fewer than 400 readers had any negative comments, but I side with the minority. One review called the heroine a "doormat." Another said the book deserved a medal for "Worst Messages of All Time to Send to Your Teenage Audience."
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\f0\fs26 Women's liberation in general and feminism in particular may as well never have happened. Bella (the human) wants Edward (the vampire). She's willing to give up everything, including her life as she knows it, to be with him.
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\f0\fs26 Elizabeth makes the valid point that Edward does take care of Bella. He even saves her life more than once. I would want girls I love to value that aspect of a guy, but I also would want them to focus first on being independent and strong enough to take care of themselves.
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\f0\fs26 Especially at the beginning of the book, for chapter after chapter, Edward's beauty is extolled. Bella believes she is ordinary (not!). It would grate on my sense of justice for any girl to salivate over a guy solely based on his appearance. What makes this worse is that Edward initially treats Bella so rudely that she can't comprehend what motivates him.
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\f0\fs26 In real life, falling madly in love with a gorgeous guy who treats a girl badly is (sociopathic and) a failsafe recipe for long-term misery.
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\f0\fs26 But that's real life. I fervent-ly hope this is fiction. Because if there are any real vampires, this series is their best match-making service in centuries.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 1, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Finding books kids want to read
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 When I walk in the mornings, I carry a bag so that I can pick up trash. Multitasking meets exercising.
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\f0\fs26 At one end of our street, I found six empty minibottles of vodka. At the cul-de-sac, there's a steady supply of empty beer cans. (Of course, these are somebody's else's kids who have driven over to our territory to deposit their contraband.)
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\f0\fs26 Summer in the subdivision. These litter deposits lead me to conclude that not all teenagers are at home, held spellbound by their summer reading.
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\f0\fs26 My conclusion is substantiated by the "2008 Kids and Family Reading Report" which says that 55 percent of kids ages 15-17 are reading for pleasure. That leaves 45 percent out on the towns and the suburbs.
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\f0\fs26 Although the study included 1,002 respondents, I wonder where they found these young people. From observation and experience, I would have guessed a much lower percentage - maybe 2 percent. I'm not counting assigned summer reading as reading for pleasure, although it has potential.
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\f0\fs26 Boys have more trouble than girls finding titles they like. From age 11, kids get most of their ideas for reading from friends. Nearly two-thirds of the 9- to 17-year-olds who spent a lot of time online "extended" their reading experiences by visiting author Web sites and other book-related activities online. Although it seems counterintuitive, the kids who use the Internet every day are the kids most likely to read for pleasure.
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\f0\fs26 Almost all of these young people believe it's necessary "to be a strong reader to get into a good college." Although they understand that reading and technology will be intertwined in their futures, about two-thirds still prefer reading from a physical book rather than a computer screen or a digital device such as a Kindle.
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\f0\fs26 Jim Trelease, the guru of reading aloud, emphasizes reading is like a lot of other skills: You get better when you practice. The more you read, the better you're able to read. There aren't any shortcuts.
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\f0\fs26 My mantra is to help kids find books they want to read. My alter ego (and my hero) is Melodie Sharpe, who teaches English at the Collegiate School on Johns Island. She says, "It's important for students to enjoy reading. In the same way that we endorse art for art's sake, we should endorse reading for reading's sake."
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\f0\fs26 Some titles from the Collegiate School's list (which is enlightened, in my opinion):
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\f0\fs26 --7th grade: "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen.
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\f0\fs26 --8th grade: "Brian's Song" by William Blinn.
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\f0\fs26 --9th grade: "The Water is Wide" by Pat Conroy.
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\f0\fs26 --10th grade: "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger.
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\f0\fs26 --11th grade: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey.
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\f0\fs26 --12th grade: "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 24, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book complements 'Indiana Jones'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Years ago, a friend expressed shock and horror when I told her my plans to take our elementary-age children to see "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom."
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\f0\fs26 Her accusatory tirade ended with the question, "Do you really want your children to see a live, beating heart?!"
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\f0\fs26 Based on her opinion, taking my children to that movie would brand me as an unfit mother and Protective Services would be justified in whisking our kids to a home where the adults were paying attention.
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\f0\fs26 I was cowed into submission. The children were disappointed, but we found an alternative activity that didn't involve even a trace of bloody violence. I think they eventually saw the movie because their aunt thought I was being overly cautious. Years later, my children told me that the first movie (with the melting face and dislodged eyeballs) was a whole lot scarier than any old disembodied heart.
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\f0\fs26 Parenting is a maze replete with land mines.
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\f0\fs26 Who knew Indiana Jones would resurface at this late date? Obviously, I'm unqualified to give advice on whether to take children.
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\f0\fs26 Parents are on their own to decide if this new movie is the stuff of future nightmares and profound maladjustments.
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\f0\fs26 However, if your children do see the flick, "Explorer: A Daring Guide for Young Adventurers" by Dugald Steer (aka Sir Henry Hardcastle) is the perfect book to have onhand for follow-up.
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\f0\fs26 It's recommended for ages 3 and up, although I'd put the starting age at 6 or 7.
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\f0\fs26 The book opens with an actual letter in an actual envelope, both a bit brown with age, as they purportedly were sent in 1931.
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\f0\fs26 Sir Henry Hardcastle is writing to "Budding Explorers" from his base camp in Nepal, where his expedition group is tracking the giant yeti. He tells the recipient of his letter that by reading this book and learning the lessons of the great explorers of history, the recipient might become an intrepid explorer like himself. The entire book is a gimmick, but a worthy and workable gimmick.
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\f0\fs26 Sir Hardcastle assures wannabe explorers that there is still much to be discovered.
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\f0\fs26 With the recent discovery of a lost pyramid in Egypt and the ongoing archaeological discoveries in Charleston, this rings as true today as it did in 1931.
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\f0\fs26 Under "Training for Adventure," Hardcastle advises readers to learn to make and read maps, get exercise, play team sports and learn to swim. In "Survival Tips," he covers how to stay alive and stay safe. Just incidentally, his advice is valuable for explorers and nonexplorers alike.
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\f0\fs26 Each "chapter" is a two-page spread with flaps to lift, pop-ups and a board game. Although I guess this is technically a picture book, there's a lot of information about exploring undersea, lost civilizations, mountains, deserts, jungles and the Antarctic.
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\f0\fs26 There also are thumbnail sketches of famous explorers that hopefully could lead readers to do more research on their own.
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\f0\fs26 Even if you decide against exposing your children to Indiana Jones, it might be all the more reason to read this book.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 17, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books speak to power of being gentle
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 As a parent, I was criticized for making "gentleness" a family value.
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\f0\fs26 Even people who thought it was OK for girls to be gentle thought it was not OK for boys to be gentle. As part of my Gentle Campaign, our children were not allowed to own or play with toy (or real) guns. This didn't faze our daughter, but the three boys saved pork chop bones that they carried in their pockets and "fired" in the neighborhood shoot-outs. (My mother eventually got fed up with this, and made the guys cowboy outfits that came with holsters, which were filled with guns.)
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\f0\fs26 One family motto was "People are not for hitting." Just before the kindergarten bus was due to drop off the twins, the teacher called to tell me that one of the boys had been in a big fight and his shirt was ripped. She put aside her professional persona to tell me that the other kid was an annoying bully who was just asking for a beating. And our child had risen to the occasion.
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\f0\fs26 So much for the family motto. Or Jesus. Or Gandhi. Or Martin Luther King Jr. (who hadn't come along yet).
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\f0\fs26 My personal credo is, "The softest of things overcomes the hardest of things." (Think of water dripping on a rock.) Living by this credo requires an incredible determination that I don't always (or even often) achieve.
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\f0\fs26 I was recently watching toddlers at play. The two boys were making pretend pancakes, fully absorbed at the toy stove with their backs to the world in general. Along came the sweet girl toddler with an oversized soft foam baseball bat.
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\f0\fs26 While their attention was diverted, she came from behind and whacked both boys on their heads. Nobody was hurt. The boys returned to their cooking. And I was asking myself, "What is that about?"
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\f0\fs26 Gentle. The world needs gentle. But who is powerful enough to remain gentle? One needs to be powerful to be gentle? Sad and probably true.
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\f0\fs26 Of all the hundreds of books I read to our children, the one that grabbed my heart was "Across the Sea" by M.B. Goffstein. This book is so gentle it practically dissolves in your hands. I've never encountered anything like it before or since. All of the Goffstein books I researched are out of print, but some are available from secondhand book dealers.
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\f0\fs26 I read one of the stories from "Across the Sea" to the Junior Critics, most of whom are in upper elementary school grades. When I asked for their reactions, they said that kids needed gentle books like this so they'd know that "gentle" was an option. My point exactly!
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\f0\fs26 I'm not advocating gentle books to the exclusion of all others. I am asking they be included in the mix of books that children hear.
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\f0\fs26 Some suggestions:
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\f0\fs26 --"I Promise I'll Find You" by Heather Patricia Ward.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn.
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\f0\fs26 --"Jake and the Migration of the Monarch" by Crystal Ball O'Connor.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 June 19, 2008
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 10, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Today's dads enjoy their children
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Some of my favorite moms have established a tradition of having dinner together one night each month. The dads baby-sit. To celebrate Spoleto, the women decided to have dinner and see a play - with the dads baby-sitting as usual.
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\f0\fs26 The dads decided to celebrate in their own guy way. The father with the most children invited all the other fathers to bring their children to his house for a giant baby-sitting festival (a Piccolo of sorts).
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\f0\fs26 So five dads and eight children (the children ranging from 4 months to 4 years) managed very well (thank you), and the survival rate was 100 percent!
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\f0\fs26 Could I imagine my father initiating or participating in such an event? No. Could I imagine my husband attending this pizza, pacifiers and Pampers party? No. They were both excellent fathers, but no.
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\f0\fs26 Granted that my observations and contacts are limited, but I think that dads in this New Millennium are different from the dads in the past millennia.
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\f0\fs26 Without speculating on the myriad reasons why this may be true, I posit that many contemporary dads are enjoying their children and having more fun with them than dads in previous generations.
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\f0\fs26 (Unfortunately not all dads, but many dads.)
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\f0\fs26 "Because Your Daddy Loves You," a picture book by Andrew Clements, captures the spirit I'm trying to convey.
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\f0\fs26 This book is about a dad who enjoys his child. The book jacket sums it up: "All of the patient and caring things a daddy does because he loves his child are explored in this warm, reassuring and humorous tribute to dads everywhere."
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\f0\fs26 "The Last Lecture," is a national best-seller by Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon who was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.
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\f0\fs26 The author is an inspiring role model for fathers, and his book would be a perfect Father's Day gift.
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\f0\fs26 In his chapter, "Make a Decision: Tigger or Eeyore," he writes, "I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I'm going to keep having fun every day I have left. Because there's no other way to play it."
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\f0\fs26 "A Father's Book of Wisdom" was compiled by H. Jackson Brown Jr. from eight shoeboxes full of ideas that his father had collected.
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\f0\fs26 One of the quotes in this little book is: "Life doesn't come with an instruction book - that's why we have fathers."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 3, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Bargains at warehouse, Web
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 You're making a list and checking it twice, but this list isn't about naughty or nice. It's about the gifts you plan to buy for fathers, graduates, brides, teachers and all those other worthy-to-be-celebrated people and events that seem concentrated into June.
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\f0\fs26 Go to The Bargain Book Showroom, sponsored by The Reading Warehouse, and take your list. Mission accomplished. Until June 14, the warehouse will be open weekdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. After June 14, the warehouse will be open two days a week. (Those days will be listed at www.the
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\f0\fs26 readingwarehouse.com.) This is also a very teacher-friendly resource, with low prices, excellent books for students, and freebies for classrooms.
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\f0\fs26 Four million people have discovered the virtual reality of thereadingwarehouse.com. The real reality of The Bargain Book Showroom just off Dorchester Road is new. Truckloads of publishers' overstocks arrive continuously. In addition, picture book titles from Sylvan Dell (a premier publisher of math- and science-based books for children) are discounted 40 percent, and books from Sandlapper are discounted 40 percent to 50 percent.
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\f0\fs26 This is one destination that proved well worth the drive from Mount Pleasant to North Charleston. My favorite 2-year-old and I had a great time wandering around the displays, which include 700 titles - 300 of which sell for only $3. Many are less than that - such as the bin of "Bright Baby" chunky little board books on sale at five for $1. This is one place where you can say "Yes!" to just about anything your children want you to buy.
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\f0\fs26 For dads, there's a great selection of history books, including a book about Amistad for $5 (about an 80 percent discount). For grads, there are dictionaries, among many other possibilities. And gardening books, craft books, coffee-table books and new arrivals every week.
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\f0\fs26 Short on time and gas? The Reading Warehouse Bargain Bin started online in March. By the end of this summer, 50,000 titles will be available at thereadingwarehouse.com (click on Bargain Bin). Many of these deeply discounted titles are available because publishers divest themselves of hardcover books after a title comes out in paperback. Titles also are available because too many copies were printed. If you enjoy rambling through random books, you'll enjoy The Bargain Bin.
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\f0\fs26 For parents feeling the pain of summer reading lists, the Web site has the books you need at a discount. Titles are searchable by author, title, reading level, keyword, category (such as State Book Awards) and Accelerated Reader level.
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\f0\fs26 The Bargain Book Showroom - The Reading Warehouse - is at 4748-D Franchise St., North Charleston. Franchise Street is off Dorchester Road, across from the Archdale subdivision. The warehouse is the third one on the left, at the end of the building.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 27, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Game combines learning with charity
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 It's possible to learn vocabulary and end world hunger. The question is whether it's possible to accomplish these disparate goals simultaneously. And the answer is: Yes!
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\f0\fs26 FreeRice.com was developed by John Breen, a computer programmer who was helping his son study for the SAT. Breen already was operating the Web site Poverty.com. In a stroke of eleemosynary genius, he developed a game that combines learning new words with earning grains of rice.
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\f0\fs26 Huh?
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\f0\fs26 Here's how it works. Go to
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\f0\fs26 FreeRice.com. You'll see a word with four possible definitions. Click on the one you think is correct. If you are right, the United Nations World Food Program will receive 20 grains of rice and your next word will be more difficult. If you are wrong, the U.N. will not receive any rice and your next word will be easier. The game adjusts automatically. Word levels range from 0-60 with some extremely tough words at the top. There are various options, including the option to have words pronounced. Most players do not reach beyond level 50. (True confessions: My top score so far is 48.)
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\f0\fs26 Teachers like this site because it engages students. Students like the site because they feel that they are helping themselves and helping other people at the same time.
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\f0\fs26 I can read your mind. You're thinking (as I did) 20 grains of rice is very little rice. To state the obvious, it adds up. There are 48 grains of rice in a gram. It takes 400 grams of rice to feed a hungry person for a day. Since FreeRice began in October 2007, visitors to the site have generated 32 billion grains of rice: enough to feed over a million people for a day.
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\f0\fs26 The rice is paid for by sponsors listed at the bottom of the vocabulary screen and donations to the World Food Program. By playing the vocabulary game, visitors generate the money that pays for the rice that is donated. The site is run entirely for free and makes no profit. FreeRice.com also is a one-stop site for learning about world hunger and opportunities to participate in alleviating world hunger that causes the deaths of 25,000 people a day.
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\f0\fs26 "Give More Rice" describes "Friends of the World Food Program," and provides a place to sign up for the newsletter and volunteer. Videos show the free rice being distributed in places such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Nepal and Uganda. The site links directly to the United Nations World Food Program at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.wfp.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.wfp.org}}.
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\f0\fs26 Monetary donations can be made directly online. Twenty dollars will buy a 25 kilogram sack of rice. Twenty-five cents will buy a child's lunch of rice, beans or porridge.
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\f0\fs26 Friends had warned me that this site is addictive. They were right. (Surely, surely, I can rise from a 48 to a 50!) For students with the long hot summer stretching ahead and the SAT looming in the fall, let this be the addiction of choice.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 20, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 SMALL MIRACLES; \uc0\u8232 Second-graders collaborate with author on book
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 581 words
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\f0\fs26 'I thought it would be extremely hard (for our second-grade class) to write a book, and it would be a miracle if it happened." - Flynn Tedesco, current fourth-grader
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\f0\fs26 'The Mystery of the 13th Coin" by Mary Gordon Kerr is the culmination and combination of several miracles.
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\f0\fs26 The first miracle is Kerr herself, the book's author and the parent of Harrison Kerr, who was in Sue Hopkins' second-grade class two years ago at Mount Pleasant Academy.
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\f0\fs26 Kerr, who has a degree in journalism, wrote the first chapter of the book. She read it to Hopkins' students and enlisted their help to brainstorm ideas for future chapters. She continued to meet with the class throughout its second-grade year, incorporating the students' ideas into each new chapter and reading it back to them.
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\f0\fs26 When the book was finished and she couldn't find a publisher, she started a publishing company and published the book herself. It's a miracle to find a parent (or anyone else) with Kerr's creativity, gift for working with children, time commitment and perseverance.
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\f0\fs26 The second miracle is Hopkins, the second-grade teacher. State standards, "No Child Left Behind" and inordinate testing seriously constrain teachers. Every minute of class time has to count toward established goals, such as improved scores on PACT. Undaunted, Hopkins welcomed Kerr into her classroom, where their collaboration paid tremendous dividends to the students.
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\f0\fs26 Hopkins says, "I never thought twice about having Mary Gordon work with my class because the best way to show and model the writing process is to show the process in action. Writing this book empowered my students to believe anything is possible. These children now know they are writers. It's been especially rewarding to watch the students who were reluctant writers at the beginning of the year become more confident throughout the year."
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\f0\fs26 The third miracle is the enthusiasm of the class itself. The students proudly gathered at two book signings to sign the books they'd eagerly awaited for two years. Caitlyn Liles said, "The class was always making up funny ideas. Ms. Kerr never discouraged our ideas, and she often found ways to incorporate them into the book." (Ideas such as "Pickle Breath" and "Hula Dog.") Gracie Mogul said she was fully engaged in the project because "there was always something new happening."
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\f0\fs26 The best part for Lauren Wooddy? "Everyone worked together." (In itself, no small miracle.)
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\f0\fs26 Harrison Kerr said, "It was fun to have my mom coming in every week. She was really helping us learn to write and edit our work. Everybody enjoyed it. No idea was too far-fetched to be allowed to be heard. This doesn't happen much in school. Besides my mom, we were really lucky to have an enthusiastic teacher."
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\f0\fs26 The finished result is a tale about Trip and his best friend, Sam, who find a mysterious silver coin at an old, abandoned South Carolina plantation. With the help of friend Emily, they are thrust into a series of adventures that takes them back in time. A magic well, pirates, hidden treasure, a gigantic talking hawk and survival on a remote island in the Lowcountry are just a few of the things they face as they try to solve the mystery.
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\f0\fs26 At the festive inaugural book signing, held at Teach in Mount Pleasant, Nicholas Tallarico summed up the work and the wait. As people lined up to have their books signed, and a student dressed as a pirate gave out gold chocolate coins, he said, "This is the best day of my life."
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 13, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Today's stuff, tomorrow's treasures
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Thirty years ago, I did something right.
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\f0\fs26 Our children were growing up so rapidly that I couldn't keep track. Whole "stages" were flying past too fast to capture or document.
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\f0\fs26 The toddler who just learned to walk was suddenly kicking a soccer ball.
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\f0\fs26 The child who just learned the letter "a" was writing original stories.
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\f0\fs26 For each child I bought a cedar chest and a big plastic bin. When the constant companion, semi-hairless teddy bears were outgrown, I settled them into the cedar chests.
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\f0\fs26 Occasionally, I'd drop in a special toy or an outfit that had been a favorite.
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\f0\fs26 I put report cards, awards and other paper paraphernalia in the plastic bins. As the children moved on to chapter books, I put their best-loved picture books into their cedar chests.
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\f0\fs26 And then I basically forgot about them, until our children began getting married and having children. When it came time to choose baby-shower gifts, I didn't go shopping. I went to the cedar chests.
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\f0\fs26 My dearly beloved daughters-in-law gently cradled the hairless bears (dressed in clothes their husbands had outgrown at age 2.) They marveled over the hand-stitched quilts with the boys' names embroidered inside. But their favorite treasures seemed (at least to me) to be the books.
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\f0\fs26 Only a librarian (such as I) would have saved them. These books had been read practically to shreds. Several of the spines were reduced to threads, with strips of duct tape holding the covers together.
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\f0\fs26 Yes, we read to our children. But because we had four children in four years, the children also did a lot of perusing books on their own. The books bravely bore the brunt.
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\f0\fs26 All the books I'd saved are still in print. They aren't valuable for any reason except the memories.
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\f0\fs26 I remember our oldest child lying on the cold stone floor of our apartment kitchen in her footy pajamas, turning pages and saying, "Book, book, book."
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\f0\fs26 Among the books in the chest:
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\f0\fs26 --"Whose Mouse Are You" by Robert Kraus is one of the most perfect picture books ever. Sweet and reassuring, with a gloriously happy and empowering ending.
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\f0\fs26 --Richard Scarry's books - all titles but especially "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go" and "What Do People Do All Day."
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\f0\fs26 --"George and Martha One Fine Day" by James Marshall is a gently funny book about friendship.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 6, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Going organic a delicious experience
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 My efforts to establish a compost heap have been carried off by the nocturnal sorties of raccoons. My vegetable and fruit plantings have turned into bug buffets. I believe in organic. I just haven't quite mastered the fine art of going organic.
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\f0\fs26 Over the course of decades, I've read countless books, including "Diet for a Small Planet" by Frances Moore Lappe and "The New Laurel's Kitchen: A Handbook for Vegetarian Cookery and Nutrition" by Laurel Robertson. They all made sense, but nothing grabbed my attention like "Skinny Bitch" by Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman. A friend's daughter sent it to her from California (where else?). My friend read it and became a vegan overnight. I read it and am tempted to make the same choice. If even half the book is correct, meat and milk and everything else I enjoy eating and drinking is poison.
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\f0\fs26 What really whacked me upside the head was the inherent poisoning of my grandchildren. It may be too late for me, but I certainly don't want to poison them!
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\f0\fs26 The language in the book is so offensive I had to skim it. I vote for a version that provides the information without the gutter talk. However, it does hammer home the message that we all should be paying attention to our food.
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\f0\fs26 Barbara Kingsolver's book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life" is a fascinating documentary of her family's commitment to raise all their own food. They moved to Appalachia, got organized and made their dream happen. I was especially impressed with their success because one child is a teenager (no Cokes or chips!) and one (who raised chickens and kept the family in eggs) is in elementary school (no PopTarts).
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\f0\fs26 When our children were young, I bought wheat in 50-pound sacks, ground it into flour and made our family's bread. Sugar was a banned substance. Even those small steps required a lot of energy and confidence to rise above the naysayers.
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\f0\fs26 Now when I consider becoming a vegan, a vegetarian, and/or committing to organic, I'm thinking that incremental changes are probably the most likely to lead to success, however that "success" is personally defined.
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\f0\fs26 That bread I used to make was time-consuming, heavier than cement, but absolutely delicious. Books can be convincing, but delicious is an even more powerful incentive.
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\f0\fs26 If you want to jump-start your conviction that organic is delicious, gather all your friends and go to the "holistic soul food" restaurant at 80-A Reid St. (between Upper King and Meeting streets) called Alluette's Cafe. Look for the green awning and a warm welcome. Free-range chicken salad, veggie burgers, soups and more. Even the mayonnaise is organic and the breads are entirely too tasty. Alluette's Cafe is living proof that organic is a treat rather than a treatment.
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\f0\fs26 This is my new favorite restaurant. And not just because of the super food. And not just because of the friendly proprietors. Alluette's Cafe sells a few well-chosen books, among them the picture books "Little Muddy Waters: A Gullah Folk Tale" by Ronald Daise and "Amadeus: The Leghorn Rooster" (also a Gullah folk tale) by Delores B. Nevils and illustrated by Jonathan Green. One stop for culture and collards!
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 29, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Contest asks kids to explore community
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Psssst. ... Would you like your child to win a $500 scholarship and 10 free books of her choice? And learn all kinds of interesting things and have fun at the same time?
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\f0\fs26 Gather around, Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley. Although this contest is open to anyone, one of our near-and-dear children should win it, and two others should be runners-up. I know I shouldn't say "should," but they should.
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\f0\fs26 The contest is sponsored by a local publisher (Sylvan Dell in Mount Pleasant), and I think it would be perfect if the winners were local as well. The challenge of the contest is to explore your community. Nobody's community beats our community for explore-ability.
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\f0\fs26 (Perhaps I'm sounding jingoistic, but it's true.)
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\f0\fs26 "We're offering an incentive for parents to get involved with their children's learning, but the real reward will be what they discover together," says Lee German, publisher and co-owner of Sylvan Dell. This isn't helping your child learn the answers for a test you'll both instantaneously forget. This is about wondering and learning together and making memories. You'll "win" just by participating - and you also just might actually win.
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\f0\fs26 Contestants will complete at least five of the 10 activities between March 1 and June 1. Documentation of completion is due by June 15.
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\f0\fs26 Any child can enter, but the suggested ages are 4 to 8. All entries will be in a drawing, with the winner and two runners-up chosen at random.
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\f0\fs26 The activities include visiting an aquarium, a zoo, a planetarium, a children's program at the library, a science center and a children's program at a bookstore.
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\f0\fs26 Other activities include identifying backyard birds, participating in a naturalist program, researching a child's favorite animal and reading 10 books. These are doable, affordable, entertaining and (this one is secret) educational. More details and submission guidelines are online at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.SylvanDellPublishing.com/SylvanDellChallenge.htm"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.SylvanDellPublishing.com/SylvanDellChallenge.htm}}.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 22, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Green' books color children's worlds
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Live simply, that others may simply live.
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\f0\fs26 It's a bumper sticker. It's a T-shirt.
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\f0\fs26 Earth Day, today, showers us with thousands of compelling ways and reasons to turn the slogan into a way of life.
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\f0\fs26 I lived "green" decades before it came into fashion. Not to brag or anything, but I use a clothesline rather than the dryer. We rarely turn on the air conditioning. Our yard is fertilizer-free, never watered and covered with leaves. ("Yard of the Month?" I don't think so.)
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\f0\fs26 Until I took the Ecological Footprint Quiz, which figures out your carbon footprint in acres, I was feeling greenly smug. Just 14 little questions, and the result blasted me off my perch of complacent superiority. Based on my answers, if everyone lived as I live, we would need 4.4 planets. Not good. Not acceptable. Especially since one planet is all we have.
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\f0\fs26 Take this quiz ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://ecofoot.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 http://ecofoot.org}}) as part of your Earth Day observance. It comes with a "Caution: This quiz may surprise you, shock you or make you think. Please remain calm ... but not too calm."
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\f0\fs26 After receiving your score, you'll probably want to proceed to the Earth Day Web site (ww2.earthday.net) for ideas on shrinking your footprint. Or you may think the quiz questions were too skewed to be useful.
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\f0\fs26 A more helpful quiz comes from Reader's Digest. Go to {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.rd.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.rd.com}}, then type in "eco hero quiz." Fortunately for me, they give the right answers and further links to topics from grass clippings to dry cleaning.
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\f0\fs26 I don't know who said, "Children are one-third of our population and all of our future," but I believe it's true. It may be especially true in terms of our environment. Unless we persuade our young people to go green, green is meaningless.
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\f0\fs26 The children's publishing industry is presenting environmentally themed books for every age group. "Eco Babies Wear Green" by Michelle Sinclair Colman is a board book for the youngest children that shows happy babies recycling, eating local food, saving water and loving nature.
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\f0\fs26 "Farewell to Shady Glade" by Bill Peet has given an environmental heads-up to generations of children.
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\f0\fs26 "Michael Recycle" by Ellie Bethel is a new rhyming picture book about a super-green hero who teaches a town to begin a "Be Greener Campaign." The last four pages are "Go Green Tips" that are doable for children.
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\f0\fs26 "Two Old Potatoes" by John Coy may be just the trick to get children interested in gardening.
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\f0\fs26 "Circles of Hope" by Karen Lynn Williams is a picture book about the struggles of replanting trees in Haiti.
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\f0\fs26 "The Tree Farmer" by Chuck Leavell won the National Arbor Day Foundation Award in 2007. A grandfather and grandson reveal the gifts of trees and our responsibility to care for them from generation to generation.
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\f0\fs26 "Exodus" by Julie Bertagna is "an ambitious, futuristic, environmental wake-up call" for middle school and older readers. The year is 2099, the polar ice caps are melting, inundating the Earth with water.
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\f0\fs26 Going green is a simple start to solve a complex problem, but it is a start.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 15, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Celebrating poetry month
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits." - Carl Sandburg.
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\f0\fs26 "A child cannot help but begin life with a love of poetry if you consider that the first sound he hears is a poem: the rhythmic beat of his mother's heart." - Jim Trelease.
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\f0\fs26 April is Poetry Month, brought to you by The Academy of American Poets.
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\f0\fs26 Perhaps you're too distracted by other concerns (prose, for example) to be keen on celebrating poetry for 30 straight days.
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\f0\fs26 Just for you, on Thursday, there is the first National Poem in Your Pocket Day. "Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" as Lewis Carroll said in his poem "Jabberwocky."
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\f0\fs26 "Poems for Every Occasion," information about poets, a Poem-a-Day and many other features are at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.poets.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.poets.org}}.
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\f0\fs26 Perhaps you'll choose to regale your friends with a funny poem. Jeff Moss, co-creator of "Sesame Street," is famous for funny poems like this one from "Bone Poems:
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\f0\fs26 "Bones are important,
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\f0\fs26 They do a big job
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\f0\fs26 Without them, you'd be just
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\f0\fs26 A big squooshy blob."
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\f0\fs26 Maybe your style is traditional. "The Village Blacksmith" by Henry W. Longfellow would work very well:
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\f0\fs26 "... The children coming home from school
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\f0\fs26 Look in at the open door;
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\f0\fs26 They love to see the flaming forge,
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\f0\fs26 And hear the bellows roar, ..."
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\f0\fs26 Or you could choose to celebrate spring with e.e. cummings:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "spring is like a perhaps
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\f0\fs26 Hand in a window
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\f0\fs26 (Carefully to and fro moving New and
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\f0\fs26 Old things ..."
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\f0\fs26 "Come and Play: Children of Our World Having Fun" is a new book of stream-of-consciousness poetry by children who were inspired by photographs of children at play all over the world.
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\f0\fs26 A poem titled "Tight Spot" was inspired by a photo of children in the surf in Wonsan City, North Korea:
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\f0\fs26 "Wet and happy.
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\f0\fs26 The beach is hot.
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\f0\fs26 I've saved you a spot."
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\f0\fs26 Limericks! Haiku! Whatever! Whichever!
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\f0\fs26 Get a poem by a poet and stow it (in your pocket).
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\f0\fs26 Online, it's easy to find poems by typing "Children's Poetry" into a search engine. A good site is {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.poetry-online.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.poetry-online.org}}.
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\f0\fs26 Some of my favorite books of poetry are:
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\f0\fs26 --"A Family of Poems," edited by Caroline Kennedy.
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\f0\fs26 --"Father Fox's Pennyrhymes" by Clyde Watson.
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\f0\fs26 --"Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 8, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Try to make reading interesting for kids
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 So I'm sitting at the kitchen table with my favorite eighth-grade student. We're slogging through "Fahrenheit 451." And I do mean "slogging." Maybe in high school and certainly in college, but do kids have to tackle these "classics" when it's torture? How can they learn anything besides how much they hate reading? This is especially ironic when the whole idea of this book is to cherish books. I wish I could ask Ray Bradbury for his opinion
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\f0\fs26 If "Fahrenheit 451" were the only book in the world that described the horrors of a totalitarian state, maybe it would make sense.
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\f0\fs26 But there are other titles out there that would make the point and be more interesting and accessible. "The Declaration" by Gemma Malley is one example. "The Giver" by Lois Lowry is another, but students often read that in elementary school. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne describes life on both sides of the fence at a Nazi concentration camp and would definitely grab kid's attention.
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\f0\fs26 In defense of the teachers, class sets of books are expensive. I've worked in many schools where there wasn't any choice but to read whatever was moldering in the book room.
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\f0\fs26 That shouldn't be true, but it sometimes is true. I believe we should challenge students, but I don't believe we should bore them to the point that they never read voluntarily.
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\f0\fs26 I made an appointment with this student's teacher. I wanted to hear her reasons for choosing "Fahrenheit 451," and I wanted to offer some suggestions. Not one, but two teachers met with me. At the end of 30 minutes, I felt dejected and deflated. Their defense was professional, airtight and skilled. They didn't meet with me to listen. They met with me to set me straight.
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\f0\fs26 Since I made no headway with my spoken words, I left two new books with hope that the written words might possibly make a dent. "Elephant Run," an exciting new book by Roland Smith, is currently available only in hardback, so it has scant chance of being bought for a whole class. But if it were, students would learn about living in Burma during the Japanese takeover in World War II. They would read about timber elephants, complexities of war, and they would have at least 1,000 options for educational discussion. And they quite possibly might enjoy the experience!
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\f0\fs26 "Schooled" by Gordon Korman is another new hardback. Sigh. If it can't be a class set, at least it could be in the school library. This is the story of Capricorn, an eighth-grade boy who's been home-schooled all his life by his hippie grandmother. When she has to be hospitalized, he has to live with a foster family and attend the local middle school.
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\f0\fs26 Cap is so weird by the average-student standard, the reader might expect him to be chewed up and spit out by the other kids. As the chapters move quickly along, readers learn about Zen Buddhism, the 1950s and a thought-provoking approach for dealing with adversity. The book reminds me of "Star Girl" by Jerry Spinelli, which is one of my all-time favorite books. Kids need to understand there are options to violence, and these books help them to explore alternatives.
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\f0\fs26 "A book that is shut is but a block" (Thomas Fuller 1654-1734). Unless we make reading interesting, we're going to have libraries full of blocks.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 1, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Honored books are real winners
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Caldecott and Newbery Award winners are supposed to be the reigning royalty of children's books.
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\f0\fs26 I say "supposed" because I've often been disappointed with the chosen titles. Maybe I'm just negative and churlish, but sometimes I think the selection criteria are woefully out of whack. Sadly, libraries buy countless copies of these books, which ultimately gather dust on the shelves.
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\f0\fs26 This year, however, the selections are fabulous, glorious and destined for "classic" classification.
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\f0\fs26 "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick is a treasure. It's a delightfully readable Caldecott Award-winning treasure - all 530 pages of text and illustrations - with a few additional pages of "Acknowledgements" and "Credits."
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\f0\fs26 Selznick says the book is "not exactly a novel, and it's not quite a picture book, and it's not really a graphic novel, or a flip book, or a movie, but a combination of all these things."
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\f0\fs26 There you have it! In order to "get" this book, you just have to get this book, and hold it in your hands, and open it, and riffle through the pages.
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\f0\fs26 Veterans of "Harry Potter" book bulk welcome (yet another) weighty tome. Even reluctant readers, scavenging for the shortest book they can find, are drawn into the galloping plot by the illustrations. The book is written on a fifth-grade reading level, but older and younger students can read and enjoy it. "Hugo Cabret" also would be a terrific book to read aloud.
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\f0\fs26 "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From a Medieval Village" by Laura Amy Schlitz, a school librarian, won this year's Newbery Medal. When her students were studying the Middle Ages, she wanted to write a play for them to perform, but no one wanted a small part. Schlitz "decided to write monologues, instead of one long play, so that for three minutes at least, every child could be a star."
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\f0\fs26 The whole book is a star. The small volume (85 pages including bibliography) begins with Robert Byrd's illuminating illustration of a medieval manor in England, 1255. Each of the characters in the book appears in this illustration where he would be found on the manor. Readers are almost forcibly yanked into this world of "varlets, vermin, simpletons and saints" by the power and charm of the stories.
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\f0\fs26 Footnotes explain terms such as "dying unshriven." Short passages called "A Little Background" explain concepts including the "Medieval Pilgrimage," "Falconry" and "Jews in Medieval Society." This may all sound pedantic, but it isn't!
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\f0\fs26 As these medieval kids recount their lives full of poverty, prejudice and superstition, readers will care about them, fleas and all. As students learn about the relationships between lords and peasants, they'll be laughing about how a clever peasant outwitted her "superior."
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\f0\fs26 The book is replete with facts as well as fun. It's also written on a fifth-grade reading level, but will have great appeal for both older and younger students, and adults.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 25, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Costly Kindle may do books better
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 It's been called "the future of book reading."
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\f0\fs26 "It will be everywhere," says Michael Lewis, author of "Moneyball" and "Liar's Poker." It is the Amazon Kindle, and for whatever my opinion is worth, I agree.
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\f0\fs26 I covet a Kindle. I've never seen this device, much less used one. But I know I want one.
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\f0\fs26 Evidently, I'm not the only person who does. At $399 each (shipping is free), they are sold at Amazon.com. Would-be customers are advised to put their names on the waiting list. Although there's a Sony version of this device for a mere $299, consumer advocates generally agree that the Amazon version is $100 better.
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\f0\fs26 From the Web site of "KindleGeek," I quote the "Top 10 Reasons Why Kindle is Better Than a Book." I've added the material in parentheses.
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\f0\fs26 1) It's lighter and smaller than most books (Kindle is 10.3 ounces).
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\f0\fs26 2) Kindle remembers your place. No need to find a bookmark when you pause.
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\f0\fs26 3) You can hold the Kindle to read and turn the pages with one hand.
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\f0\fs26 4) It lies flat, stays open by itself, and never flops closed on you.
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\f0\fs26 5) You can read in large type, small type or anything in between, depending on the style and density of the material, eye fatigue, lighting conditions and mood. (This is eye-friendly and different from a computer screen.)
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\f0\fs26 6) You can bring your entire stack of reading with you everywhere - on a plane, on the subway, even on the throne. Kindle holds hundreds of books, meaning that you don't have to choose which one or two books to take with you. (Magazines, newspapers and blogs also are available: The New York Times at $5.99 a month, Reader's Digest at $1.25 a month.)
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\f0\fs26 7) You can buy new books and start reading them in seconds without getting out of your chair. (Kindle holds 200 titles. Books are delivered within a minute of purchase time. More than 90,000 titles are available. Best-sellers cost $9.99.)
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\f0\fs26 8) You can highlight passages, take "clippings," make notes in the margins and "turn the corners" electronically on pages, all reversibly, without damaging your book.
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\f0\fs26 9) Kindle has a built-in dictionary and will look up any word in your book with two clicks.
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\f0\fs26 10) Find a topic about which you want to know more? You can read the Wikipedia entry from your Kindle. (There's also a built-in dictionary.)
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\f0\fs26 Even Kindle users who tried to come up with "The Top Ten Problems With a Kindle" could think of only eight. These included the lack of a built-in light and the propensity to change pages by accident.
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\f0\fs26 Do I feel disloyal, advocating a departure from the sacred book? Yes. Do I have a lot of company, including famous authors? Yes. Toni Morrison says, "It's lighter, I can carry it, I can have more at my disposal."
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\f0\fs26 The Kindle is downright practical. It's the proverbial better mouse trap.
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\f0\fs26 "Revolutionary" is an overused word, but it applies to the Kindle. Imagine schools where students are issued Kindles that hold all their textbooks. Backpacks might become obsolete, but a lot of trees would be spared.
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\f0\fs26 On trips, the heaviest items in my luggage are my books. Kindle eliminates that problem.
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\f0\fs26 I'm a librarian. I love books. I haven't gone over to the Dark Side. I think the Kindle will re-Kindle interest and participation in reading, which is the whole point of books.
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\f0\fs26 Contct Fran Hawk at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 18, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Historical novels full of mystery, adventure
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'The Mystery of Rascal Pratt" by Robbie Scott is historical fiction for young people that reads like a thriller.
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\f0\fs26 Emma Green is the 12-year-old daughter of a lighthouse keeper at Point Bonita on the shores of San Francisco Bay in 1866. She's an only child in a foggy, lonely place. The excitement begins when Emma meets two other children. Together they rescue a badly wounded boy who washes up on their beach in a dory.
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\f0\fs26 Mystery and hidden treasure are only part of what makes this book compelling and satisfying. Four very different children - Emma, a rancher's son, the granddaughter of an American Indian and a shipwreck survivor - learn to trust and support each other.
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\f0\fs26 The reader is captivated by the adventures and characters.
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\f0\fs26 When you buy this book for a child from fifth grade through middle school, don't mention that it has a rare and unusual collection of attributes: It's wholesome, worthwhile, intelligently written and interesting. Shhh.
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\f0\fs26 "Cuss" by Kristine L. Franklin is another excellent historical novel for readers ages 10-13. Stealing grapes is just one of the activities in the coal mining town of Roslyn, Wash., in 1925. The book evokes an era when immigrants worked hard to support their families and build their communities. "Cuss" (so named because the protagonist can curse in 14 languages) is a 12-year-old boy who dreams of staying in school and staying out of the mines. He musters the courage to jump off a moving train to make restitution for a bad decision.
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\f0\fs26 "The Book of a Thousand Days" by Shannon Hale is based on the Grimm fairy tale called "Maid Maleen." The setting in medieval Mongolia makes it a historical novel of sorts. The ruler of a realm bricks his daughter into a tower for seven years as punishment for her refusal to marry a neighboring ruler. The maid who accompanies her to this prison keeps a diary of their years in the tower and their labyrinthine adventures after they escape. Good triumphs over evil. Character counts more than birthright.
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\f0\fs26 I recommend all three books because they're excellent stories and provide insight into worlds different from the ones in which children live.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 4, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book ban a 'classic' case of censorship
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Classic" is one adjective that describes the recent book banning in Berkeley County.
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\f0\fs26 There are many, many others.
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\f0\fs26 A conscientious parent took action to ban a book that she and her teenage daughter found offensive. They have their reasons. The book, "Go Ask Alice," includes sexually explicit language, swearing and gross descriptions. In their opinion, there are at least three strikes against this book and it ought to be out. The parent understands that the point of the book is to discourage drug-related behavior, but she's confident there are better ways to achieve that goal.
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\f0\fs26 The parent took her complaint to the principal. The principal consulted the school district superintendent. The superintendent, who hasn't read the entire book but has read excerpts, removed the book from the curriculum. He, too, understands the point of the book, but believes there are more appropriate materials for teaching that point. For the time being, poetry and short stories will replace this book in the lesson plans.
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\f0\fs26 There's some good news here. Teachers who chose the book won't be reprimanded. The title was approved by an administrator at the school. This title also was part of an instructional unit created by the Southern Regional Education Board, designed to help eighth-graders with their transition to high school.
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\f0\fs26 Other good news is that parents who choose for their children to read the book will be given supplemental materials to assist them in discussing the book with their children. Parents who don't want the book will receive a refund of the purchase price.
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\f0\fs26 Ostensibly, this is all very civilized. Conscientious parents are the bedrock of our society. The parent involved went through channels. The decisions allowed for some choices and avoided the creation of scapegoats.
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\f0\fs26 So, what's not to applaud?
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\f0\fs26 First, the teenager was asked to read aloud a section from the book that contained words her mother taught her not to use. There is no circumstance that justifies embarrassing a student. In my opinion, the teacher owes an apology to the student and her family.
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\f0\fs26 That being acknowledged, the rest of the incident is a classic and disturbing case of censorship. A quote from the mother in The Post and Courier on Feb. 23: "We will not stop until the state of South Carolina has banned this book. ... No child in middle or high school should be reading this book."
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\f0\fs26 I celebrate this mother's concern for her daughter's reading. Believing as she does, it's her right and her duty to withhold that book from her child. What I deplore is her zealous belief that she should decide what thousands of other children should be allowed to read.
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\f0\fs26 The book in question has been around for almost 40 years and has been controversial for almost 40 years.
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\f0\fs26 No book can stay around for decades, much less stay popular with both students and educators, unless it has something going for it.
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\f0\fs26 Did the mother or the superintendent try to determine what that "something" might be?
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\f0\fs26 Do the mother and the superintendent comprehend the huge task ahead of them? A "challenged" book is any title that a person or group attempts to remove based on his own or its own objections. If they succeed in banning this book from school libraries based on their stated objections, they'll need to move on to the "Gossip Girl" series and the "Alice" series and countless other books. They're everywhere!
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\f0\fs26 And the mother and the superintendent need to keep fair play in mind. The "Harry Potter" series is relentlessly challenged for the witchcraft and sorcery therein. If they're allowed to ban for explicit language, it's only right to respect the parents who want to ban for witchcraft. If you want your book banned, it's only fair for other people to ban theirs. Homosexuality is just one more topic among hundreds that would need consideration.
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\f0\fs26 How ironic if "Fahrenheit 451" were the only book left on the shelves.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 26, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Make reading fun with national campaign
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 "You're never too old, too wacky, too wild.
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\f0\fs26 To pick up a book to read with a child.
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\f0\fs26 You're never too busy, too cool or too hot,
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\f0\fs26 To pick up a book and share what you've got."
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\f0\fs26 - Dr. Seuss
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\f0\fs26 'Read Across America" sponsored by the National Education Association, will be celebrated March 3. "Celebrated" is the operative term. The theory is that kids will want to read more when reading is fun.
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\f0\fs26 Participation can be as simple or as complicated as you care to make it. Principals across the country have challenged their students to read by kissing a yak, immersing themselves in a vat of green Jell-O, eating real fried worms and allowing themselves to be fastened to a gym wall with Velcro.
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\f0\fs26 If worms, fried or otherwise, aren't your thing, you could simply take the pledge: "I pledge to read with a child on March 3, 2008, to celebrate the joy of reading and Dr. Seuss' birthday." Simple, but powerful, especially if you continue to read on March 4.
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\f0\fs26 Back in the day (1954), Life magazine published information about the illiteracy of schoolchildren in America. The article suggested that reading material for children was so boring that children were having trouble learning to read it. Although former President Clinton cites "Dick and Jane Readers" as his favorite childhood books, it's difficult to discern their page-turning appeal.
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\f0\fs26 Concern with the illiteracy problem inspired Dr. Seuss' publisher to compile a list of 400 words thathe thought children should know. Then he asked Dr. Seuss to write an entertaining children's book using only those 250 words. Nine months and 220 words later, "The Cat in the Hat" was written and achieved instant success.
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\f0\fs26 More than a half-century later, illiteracy is still a concern, even though children's books are bursting with the finest stories and the most beautiful illustrations. Now, the challenge is to convince kids that reading is a worthy competitor to the rival television and computer and video games.
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\f0\fs26 The stakes are high. The core message from the NEA is: Kids who read - and are read to - do better in life. ... Children who read achieve. They boast higher test scores and recognize letters and numbers more frequently than their peers who read less often. ... Reading aloud also affects children's ability to count and write their own names, which are all important prerequisites for early reading success. ... Eighty-seven percent of students who reported reading for fun on their own time once a month or more, performed at the "proficient" level.
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\f0\fs26 It's axiomatic: Access to reading material is fundamental to reading success. Kids can't read books they don't have. Communities that provide an abundance of easy-access books and magazines in school and public libraries are the communities that rank high on achievement tests.
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\f0\fs26 The Educational Testing Service conducted a study that concluded that "the more types of reading materials there are in the home, the higher students achieve in reading proficiency. Children from homes with more than 10 children's books had average scores of 86 points higher than scores of students from homes with 10 or less books."
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\f0\fs26 "Books Across America" is a new program sponsored by the NEA to provide books and financial backing to public school libraries. In its inaugural year, it helped restock public school libraries that had been devastated by hurricanes on the Gulf Coast. More information about the program and donations is available at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.nea.org/booksacross"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.nea.org/booksacross}}.
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\f0\fs26 The NEA is collaborating with two other organizations that work to put books in the hands of children. "FirstBook" is a national nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for children from low-income families to read and own their first new books.
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\f0\fs26 More information is available at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.firstbook.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.firstbook.org}}.
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\f0\fs26 The Heart of America Foundation, based in Washington, D.C., was founded to teach the values at the heart of America and help people, especially children, understand that they help themselves when they help others. The goal of their "Books From the Heart" program is to provide children with the tools they need to read, succeed and make the world a better place. More information is available at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.heartofamerica.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.heartofamerica.org}}.
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\f0\fs26 The inimitable Groucho Marx would have loved "Read Across America" ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.nea.org/readacross)"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.nea.org/readacross)}}, and he definitely would have had fun with it. In his words, "Outside of a dog, a man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
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\f0\fs26 One more thing to celebrate: None of us are inside a dog.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 GETTING KIDS TO READ
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\f0\fs26 --Start early. Begin sharing books in infancy.
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\f0\fs26 --Surround your child with a reading-rich environment.
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\f0\fs26 --Talk with your child.
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\f0\fs26 --Teach your child while you read aloud.
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\f0\fs26 --Help your child develop critical-thinking skills.
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\f0\fs26 --Find a good preschool setting.
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\f0\fs26 Based on "Starting Out Right: A Guide
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\f0\fs26 to Promoting Children's Reading Success,"The National Academies Press, 1998.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 12, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 No such thing as too sweet for Valentine's
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 When our daughter was a toddler, an older lady asked her, "What's your name, little girl?" Our daughter thought for a moment and said, "My grandma calls me 'precious.' "
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\f0\fs26 So incredibly sweet.
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\f0\fs26 "Sweet" gets me every time. No sweet is too sweet. Sweet may be underrated in the 21st century, but not by me. This is a not-so-subtle segue into (or warning about) my choice of Valentine's Day books.
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\f0\fs26 "The Very Special Valentine" by Christine Tagg is sweet as sweet can be. The animals are looking for a Valentine's Day present for someone very special. The story begins:
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\f0\fs26 "Is that a shiny bracelet
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\f0\fs26 "Strung with beads of purest gold?"
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\f0\fs26 "Look!" says Squirrel Red Tail.
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\f0\fs26 "What a fine sight to behold."
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\f0\fs26 Hidden underneath the flap are buttercups with the words, "But, no, they're tiny buttercups each waiting to unfold."
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\f0\fs26 This pattern is repeated, as each flap reveals a treasure of nature rather than a commercial sort of treasure.
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\f0\fs26 Although the search has been disappointing in terms of a tangible present, the beloved responds, "The gift of love within your heart is by far the sweetest kind." Sigh.
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\f0\fs26 "How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?" by Varsha Bajaj and Ivan Bates is a sweetness feast. As the animals get ready to go to sleep, they ask for anywhere from one to a million kisses. Animals, counting, and kisses - all in the same book. Warning: There is no way to read this book to a toddler without a whole lot of kissing going on.
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\f0\fs26 Roses are red
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\f0\fs26 Violets are blue.
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\f0\fs26 Who needs candy?
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\f0\fs26 Sweet books will do!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 11, 2008 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 COLD CARE; \uc0\u8232 Parents still have some tools to help little ones feel better
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 YOUR HEALTH; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Before the advent of over-the-counter cold remedies, mothers depended on advice from people such as Sarah Josepha Hale, who wrote in "The Good Housekeeper" in 1839: "The Best Preventive for Colds is to wash your children everyday thoroughly in cold water, if they are strong enough to bear it; if not, add a little warm water, and rub the skin dry."
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\f0\fs26 Perhaps Hale was trying to reduce the pediatric population. It's not known whether there was a public outcry denouncing her methods.
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\f0\fs26 In 2008, there is a public outcry. Last year, physicians presented evidence to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration resulting in a public health advisory that over-the-counter cough and cold products should not be used for children under 2 years unless advised to do so by a health professional. Carefully controlled studies showed that these medications provided no benefit for children under 6. In addition, these medications have caused serious side effects, including the deaths of children, related to misuse and overdoses.
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\f0\fs26 The manufacturers of Kleenex claim that Americans catch a billion colds a year. One billion cases of runny noses, caused by any one of 200 viruses, is a sobering prospect. For the pediatric population, which now has a greatly reduced selection of over-the-counter remedies available, what's a parent to do?
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\f0\fs26 Tools for parents
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\f0\fs26 Dr. Janet White, a pediatrician in Mount Pleasant, and Dr. Arlene Shawinsky, a pediatrician in Charleston, have reassuring and helpful suggestions. They remind parents that colds are caused by viruses that are self-limiting and don't respond to antibiotics. Nasal congestion might last as long as two weeks, but eventually it will go away. In the (seemingly endless) meantime, parents do have some effective tools, also known as supportive care, the pediatricians say.
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\f0\fs26 Saline nose drops (buy a bottle or make your own) provide congestion relief. The suction bulb used for infants also can draw mucus from a toddler's nose. He probably won't enjoy the process, but it might reduce coughing.
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\f0\fs26 A cool mist humidifier, which should be cleaned frequently, might also reduce and relieve cold symptoms. In lieu of a humidifier, children benefit from being in a bathroom where they can breathe the steam generated by a hot shower. The moisture in mist and steam helps relieve stuffy noses by loosening the mucus.
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\f0\fs26 If your child has no fever or a fever of short duration (24 hours), it's unnecessary to call the pediatrician, the experts say. If a child is running a fever (100.4 degrees or higher) at 2 months old or less, bring the child to be seen by a physician. It's also important for the pediatrician to see any child who's had a temperature of 102 degrees for two days.
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\f0\fs26 A fever means the body is fighting infection. The goal is to bring the fever down, not necessarily eliminate it. Children's ibuprofen (Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol), used strictly according to the recommended dose, are fine for children over 2 months. Aspirin is unsuitable for children. A child who has had a fever should be kept at home for 24 hours just to be sure he isn't becoming sicker.
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\f0\fs26 When a child is lethargic, fussy and not eating or sleeping for more than two days, check with your pediatrician.
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\f0\fs26 White says, "Physicians understand parents' desire to make children better. But the common cold is one of those things for which there is no cure."
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\f0\fs26 Despite heavy advertising by drug companies, and the facts that parents need to return to work but day-care centers ban sick children, there are no studies that prove the efficacy of cold remedies for children under age 12, much less under age 6. Although it may be a psychological "fix" for parents to medicate their children, there's no evidence that it has a physical benefit.
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\f0\fs26 Homeopathic approach
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\f0\fs26 When parents ask Shawinsky about increasingly popular homeopathic remedies, her basic consideration is that of Hippocrates: Do no harm. Studies have shown that a tablespoon of honey for children 1 year and older (not younger than 1 year because of the possibility of botulism) can relieve coughing as well as, if not better than, over-the-counter medications. Keeping a baby propped upright also can help ease congestion.
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\f0\fs26 Remedies containing camphor (such as Vicks or Mentholatum) can help relieve congestion when they are rubbed on a child's chest or added to a vaporizer. Be advised that camphor, like all medications, is dangerous and must be kept out of reach of children. A touch of petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) under a child's nose will prevent and/or ease chapping from a runny nose.
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\f0\fs26 Another favorite way of helping a child who has a rattling cough is chest physical therapy: laying the child down on each side and the caregiver tapping firmly on the chest with cupped hands in order to mobilize the mucus. In contradiction to the popular belief, green mucus does not mean a bacterial infection. In children, physicians often make a diagnosis of sinusitis only if the runny nose has been going on for 10-14 days, which might then necessitate antibiotics.
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\f0\fs26 Echinacea and zinc may or may not work. The most recent research isn't encouraging.
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\f0\fs26 For Shawinsky, multisymptom cold medicines are the most important to avoid. Patience, rest and plenty of fluids, staples of supportive care, are the parent's and the child's best friends.
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\f0\fs26 Bessie Bagwell, a mother of preschool triplets, says, "I don't have time to read medical journals or participate in online chats. I trust my pediatrician and concentrate on following his directions - dosage, etc. - explicitly."
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\f0\fs26 When the FDA made its recent recommendations regarding over-the-counter cough and cold medications, Bagwell says it made her stop and think before giving her children any medication.
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\f0\fs26 A runny nose, even three runny noses, is OK. She seeks medical help when an illness seriously interferes with her children's comfort and sleep.
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\f0\fs26 The health care pendulum swings, as all pendulums do. Currently, it appears to be resting on the question: Why treat children with colds that will go away without treatment, especially when the medicines available are untested and known to cause problems?
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\f0\fs26 Pediatricians provide the appropriate answer: Without the banned medications, and with supportive care, we'll make the child as comfortable as possible until the virus runs its course.
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\f0\fs26 "The media have helped us as physicians make our case against the unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics," Shawinsky says. "It is my hope that parents will once again be willing to accept the challenge and be educated by us and the media against the dangers of OTC (over-the-counter) cough and cold remedies in children under 6" even if parents often feel that they aren't helping a child unless they are giving him medicine.
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\f0\fs26 OFF THE SHELF
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\f0\fs26 The following cough and cold medicines were withdrawn in 2007.
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\f0\fs26 --Dimetapp Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops.
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\f0\fs26 --Dimetapp Decongestant Infant Drops
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\f0\fs26 --Little Colds Decongestant Plus Cough.
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\f0\fs26 --Little Colds Multi-Symptom Cold Formula.
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\f0\fs26 --PediaCare Infant Drops Decongestant (containing pseudoephedrine).
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\f0\fs26 --PediaCare Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (containing pseudoephedrine).
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\f0\fs26 --PediaCare Infant Dropper Decongestant (containing phenylephrine).
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\f0\fs26 --PediaCare Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough.
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\f0\fs26 --PediaCare Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (containing phenylephrine).
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\f0\fs26 --Robitussin Infant Cough DM Drops.
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\f0\fs26 --Triaminic Infant & Toddler Thin Strips Decongestant.
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\f0\fs26 --Triaminic Infant & Toddler Thin Strips Decongestant Plus Cough.
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\f0\fs26 --Tylenol Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold.
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\f0\fs26 --Tylenol Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold & Cough.
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\f0\fs26 - Web site of the American Academy of Pediatrics
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\f0\fs26 PREVENTING COLDS
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\f0\fs26 The following tips come from {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.drgreene.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.drgreene.com}}, the Web site of nationally known pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene.
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\f0\fs26 He is the pediatric expert for yahoo.com and National Public Radio's "The People's Pharmacy."
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\f0\fs26 --Day-care that includes six children or fewer dramatically decreases the incidence of illness.
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\f0\fs26 --Hands should be washed after nose wiping, after diapering and toileting, and before meals and meal preparation.
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\f0\fs26 --Instant hand sanitizers kill 99.9 percent of germs and children enjoy using them. Because sanitizers use alcohol rather than an antibiotic, resistance to germs doesn't develop.
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\f0\fs26 --Use paper towels rather than shared cloth towels.
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\f0\fs26 --Wash sleeping mats at least once a week.
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\f0\fs26 --Use an air filter or plants to keep air clean.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 12, 2008
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 92 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 5, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Not too young or old to feel like a princess
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 347 words
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\f0\fs26 One of my favorite senior citizen friends always enjoyed a rousing round of the princess board game. Each player competed to be the first to accumulate the jewels and other paraphernalia required to be crowned "princess." The "only-a-game" philosophy never entered into these sessions. Competition was cutthroat.
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\f0\fs26 My point here is that there's no upper age limit for princess wannabes. Judging from the tidal wave of princess books, videos, birthday parties, costumes and other regalia, you're never too old for this. The obsession with royalty troubles me somewhat (the "me, me, me" generation), but perhaps this too shall pass. While it lasts, it can be useful.
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\f0\fs26 "Princess, Princess," written and beautifully illustrated by Penny Dale, begins with the story of Sleeping Beauty. The princess and everyone in the palace is asleep because an angry fairy cast a spell that could be broken only when the princess is awakened with a kiss. Time passes. A forest grows up around the castle. And then, "The little fairy, sorry for her anger, comes back at last to break the sleeping spell. Not frowning now, but smiling, gently smiling ... the little fairy wakes the princess with a kiss." And everyone lived happily ever after. I'm completely smitten with that ending, as well as the whole book.
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\f0\fs26 "Real Princesses: An Inside Look at Royal Life" by Valerie Wilding is a fascinating chapter book, liberally illustrated with photographs. Girls from third grade and up will be intrigued by information on all aspects of being a princess, from clothes and weddings to education and professions. Little Princess Senate of Lesotho, Princess Hatshepsut of ancient Egypt, princesses from Asia and South America, and, of course, Princess Diana are presented with lively text, including "Princess Facts" and "Princess Teasers." The book is a reality check for those besotted with the Disney princess image, but it's a reality check that's page-turning fun. My mother used to chant, "Pretty is as pretty does." I prefer the books that apply that maxim to "princess."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 6, 2008
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 93 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 22, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book offers tips on being parent you want to be
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 One of our children, in his early 20s at the time, walked into the kitchen complaining that National Public Radio was in the middle of its fundraising drive, which left him with nothing to listen to on the radio. I stopped pouring tea in midstream so that I could concentrate on what I was hearing.
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\f0\fs26 This son, formerly with hair to his shoulders, an ardent fan of music that curled my ears, was now an NPR listener. Just like his mom. Things we never thought we'd see ... or hear or experience.
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\f0\fs26 "The Parent You Want to Be: Who You Are Matters More Than What You Do" by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott explains how and why your children become who you are.
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\f0\fs26 Their book emphasizes, "Your traits, the unique combination of traits that you and your spouse weave into the fabric of your home, will forever shape the soul of your child." And quite possibly his listening habits!
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\f0\fs26 The authors offer "Ten Traits Worth Considering," but make it clear that their list isn't exhaustive or prescriptive. The authors provide the tools to conduct your own "Personal Parenting Profile." For each trait, there's a description, an explanation of why it's important, a survey to determine your application of this trait, and guidelines on how to use the trait. Each chapter has a section "For Discussion."
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\f0\fs26 At the end of the book, there's a summary page of the "Ten Traits Worth Considering" for copying and posting. These are:
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\f0\fs26 --Giving the Praise They Crave: Are You an Affirming Parent?
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\f0\fs26 --Counting to Ten - Again: Are You a Patient Parent?
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\f0\fs26 --Hearing What They Don't Say: Are You an Attentive Parent?
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\f0\fs26 --Seeing a Picture of Their Future: Are You a Visionary Parent?
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\f0\fs26 --Building a Better Bond: Are You a Connected Parent?
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\f0\fs26 --Commemorating Milestones: Are You a Celebratory Parent?
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\f0\fs26 --Keeping Your Word: Are You an Authentic Parent?
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\f0\fs26 --Creating the Safest Place on Earth: Are You a Comforting Parent?
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\f0\fs26 --Instilling Wisdom: Are You an Insightful Parent?
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\f0\fs26 --Practicing the Presence of God: Are You a Prayerful Parent?
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\f0\fs26 One of the features that makes this book wonderfully readable is the liberal use of right-on quotes. For instance: "Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children. Now I have six children and no theories." - John Wilmot.
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\f0\fs26 Before I had children, I specifically knew the parent I did NOT want to be. This book is a valuable resource for helping parents intentionally become the parents they DO want to be.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 January 23, 2008
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 15, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Toddler knows the book he wants
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 479 words
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\f0\fs26 Any self-respecting toddler who's doing her job is a tyrant. She knows what she wants and when she wants it. She also knows it's your job to make all her wishes come true. Immediately.
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\f0\fs26 I've had 40 years of experience as a children's librarian. My favorite toddler isn't fazed by my credentials or my experience. He knows which book he wants. Should I be so bold as to try to read my choice, he slides off my lap and stomps forth to find his own book.
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\f0\fs26 When a book finds favor, he will snuggle against my shoulder and listen for as long as I'll read. When the book doesn't suit, he won't listen at all. End of story (as they say.)
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\f0\fs26 His criterion for choosing books is a mystery to me, but it's self-evident to him.
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\f0\fs26 Although I might yearn for a bit more variety, his favorites are so good that they stand the test of reading after reading (after reading, etc.)
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\f0\fs26 "Busy Horsies" by John Schindel is a board book with just a few rhyming words on each page. The perfect color photographs by Casi Lark show many different horses "racing," "chasing," "dancing," "prancing." You get the idea.
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\f0\fs26 The book is fascinating and beautiful. It's not about the plot.
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\f0\fs26 "Big and Little" by John Stadler is a picture book with very few words, but it is about the plot. Sweet Ellie Elephant is the star of the big show. The mouse master of ceremonies narrates her climb up a tall ladder from which she'll attempt to dive into a glass of water. Suspense builds. The toddler listener laughs out loud at the surprise ending, which has "surprised" him at least 25 times on previous readings. It's a wonderful book.
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\f0\fs26 "Funny Face" by Nicola Smee is endlessly entertaining. There is a happy beginning, where a boy and his dog are playing with a ball. There is a happy ending where a boy, his dog and a bear are playing with a ball. In between, the lively adventure moves through surprise, sadness, anger, naughtiness, worry and fright. All this is accomplished with less than 50 words of actual text. Amazing!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 This toddler's favorite oldies-but-goodies are "Mr. Gumpy's Outing" by John Burningham; "Fireman Small" by Lois Lenski; and "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle. These are simple, engaging stories available in board boards suitable for chewing and rough treatment.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Priddy Books" are so beloved that we keep at least one in the car at all times. These colorful board books are fun to read to toddlers, but they're also perfect for toddlers to pursue on their own. Traffic delays are no problem when the toddler is buckled down in his car seat, absorbed in a large three-books-in-one copy of "My Big Animal Book," "My Big World Book," "My Big Dinosaur Book." The complete catalog of "Priddy Books" ("Big Ideas for Little People") is available online at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.priddybooks.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.priddybooks.com}}. Toddlers need to learn how to listen. To make that happen, we need to learn how to listen to toddlers.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 January 16, 2008
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 8, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books go to different worlds
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Calling all middle school readers.
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\f0\fs26 If you've got the time, honey, I've got the titles.
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\f0\fs26 Fantasy is so prevalent these days, it's hard to remember what authors used to write.
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\f0\fs26 "Stoneheart, Book One of the Stoneheart Trilogy" by Charlie Fletcher is a page-turner set in an alternative world within London.
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\f0\fs26 George, a 12-year-old boy, inadvertently sets off an ancient war between the statues of London. Gargoyles and pterodactyls come alive, but are invisible to everyone except George and his friend, Edie. Gunner, a statue of a World War I soldier, is predictably helpful. Otherwise, good and evil often are mixed, which adds drama and intensity to this nightmarish adventure.
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\f0\fs26 "The Seems: The Glitch in Sleep" by John Hulme and Michael Wexler is a book about a world beyond our world that's responsible for keeping our world running according to plan. A boy named Becker Drane gets "The Best Job in the World," which makes him a "Fixer" in the "Seems." The adventure clicks into overdrive when Becker is called to fix a Glitch that is ravaging the Department of Sleep and preventing people from getting their rest and their dreams. The book is full of humor, word play and solid human values.
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\f0\fs26 The whole concept encourages readers to use their imaginations.
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\f0\fs26 Shannon Hale says that her "Book of a Thousand Days" is her best book yet. Considering that she wrote "The Princess Academy" and "The Goose Girl," that's a weighty endorsement. This book, based on the Grimm's fairy tale "Maid Maleen," is set in medieval Mongolia. A penniless orphan pledges to serve a wealthy young maiden. When the maiden refuses to marry the man her father has chosen, the father punishes her by locking her (and her orphan serving girl) in a tower for seven years. The maiden is bereft. The serving girl is enterprising, energetic, upbeat and absolutely devoted to sustaining her mistress. This has the aura of a classic.
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\f0\fs26 Three different books. Three different worlds. Three opportunities to lose sleep because you can't stop reading until you finish the last page.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 1, 2008 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book makes teens think about their value
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. F2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 382 words
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\f0\fs26 'Children are one-third of our population and all of our future."
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\f0\fs26 That quote from an unknown author is one of my favorites.
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\f0\fs26 "The Declaration" by Gemma Malley takes place in the year 2140 when longevity drugs have made it possible for people to live indefinitely.
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\f0\fs26 Every adult must make a chilling choice: sign "The Declaration," take the longevity drugs, live forever and never have children, or opt out of "The Declaration" to have children and die.
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\f0\fs26 Obviously, if old people are living indefinitely, the world can't sustain the birth of new people. Children born outside "The Declaration" are called "Surplus." Their parents are imprisoned, and the children are gathered to live in bleak training halls where they learn housekeeping and other skills.
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\f0\fs26 Surplus Anna, almost 15, was found in her parents' attic before she was 3 years old.
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\f0\fs26 She's working hard to become Valuable Asset Anna. In her diary she writes, "I hate my parents. They broke 'The Declaration' and didn't care about anyone but themselves. ... I'm lucky I've got a chance to redeem my Parents' Sins if I work hard enough and become employable.
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\f0\fs26 "Not everyone gets that kind of chance ... In some countries Surpluses are killed, put down like animals."
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\f0\fs26 Although Anna is completely brainwashed and ready to embrace a future of servitude, her life changes with the arrival of Peter. Peter tells Anna that he knows her parents, and that her parents love her and want her back.
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\f0\fs26 This book will be compared to "Brave New World," "1984," "The Giver" and other adult and young adult novels that depict a futuristic dystopia. Critics may argue about writing styles, simplistic plots and hanging threads, but the real value of all these books is that they encourage readers to think.
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\f0\fs26 The premise of "The Declaration" invites young adults to consider their value to society. In the book, the price for staying youthful is to eliminate the young. Is that price too high? What are the advantages and disadvantages of signing "The Declaration?" Would your parents have signed it? Should children be punished for crimes committed by their parents?
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\f0\fs26 In a perfect world, adults and young adults would read and discuss this book together. Why argue about using the car when you could be arguing about the future of humanity?
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 18, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Craft books bring families together
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 325 words
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\f0\fs26 When children learn the joys of giving, they learn that they have something acceptable to give.
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\f0\fs26 But what can children give? And where are parents going to find the time to supervise their creations?
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\f0\fs26 It's not easy. However, when the grandparent exclaims with delight over the apron that your child has hand-painted, and your child practically dissolves in delight and self-satisfaction, the out lay of effort will seem minimal compared to the payback. Our children used to decorate rolls of blank white shelf paper that we then used for wrapping presents. My parents proudly saved every scrap of it.
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\f0\fs26 Our hardwood floors are splattered with fabric paint. Random blotches of glitter glue are stuck forever to our picnic table. The porch floor is splotched with wax droppings from our candle-making phase. (Not my finest moment when I realized I'd used flame retardant string for the wicks.) I think of these nicks and dings and misadventures as badges of honor. The memories, the messes, the memories of messes - it's all good.
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\f0\fs26 FamilyFun.com brings organization to the chaos of possibilities. The site lists crafts by age and highlights crafts that are quick and easy. Easy homemade gifts and holiday gifts include everything from placemats to plant stakes.
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\f0\fs26 A subscription to FamilyFun Magazine is a gift that will keep on giving.
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\f0\fs26 "FamilyFun Crafts," "FamilyFun Cookbook" and "FamilyFun Boredom Busters" are three of my favorite books. They are packed with family-friendly activities - real things that real families would actually enjoy doing while retaining their sanity in the process. Bookstores carry these and countless other craft titles.
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\f0\fs26 For even more ideas, check the craft books at your library, which are shelved under "745" in the children's nonfiction section.
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\f0\fs26 Cherish the child with time and love. Create a priceless gift with time and love. Time and love can't be bought, but they certainly make great gifts.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 19, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 11, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Christmas story never gets old
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Each year, I think everything that can be written about Christmas has been written about Christmas. Each year, I'm wrong. Which, depending on the book, is the good news or the bad news.
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\f0\fs26 One new book that's certainly good news is "Great Joy" by Kate DiCamillo, luminously illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. DiCamillo is the author of several excellent books for children, including "Because of Winn-Dixie," "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" and "The Tale of Despereaux." This is her first picture book.
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\f0\fs26 The story is about a young girl who is concerned for the organ grinder and his monkey, who are still on the snowy street late at night.
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\f0\fs26 As she walks with her mother to the nearby church, she stops to invite the organ grinder to the Christmas pageant in which she'll perform. DiCamillo says that the heart of the story is, "In a dark time, doors will sometimes magically open and let us step inside to the warmth and light of a community." And, as is often the case, a little child shall lead us.
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\f0\fs26 "Little Rabbit's Christmas" by Harry Horse is a delightful new picture book for preschoolers and even older children who need a refresher course in sharing. Little Rabbit keeps his new red sled all for himself until a disaster teaches him that including his friends is a lot more fun.
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\f0\fs26 "Santa's Littlest Helper Travels the World" by Anu Stohner introduces a whole new concept in the gift-delivery system. Who knew (before now) that Santa's Littlest Helper has the special job of delivering presents to all the animals? When Santa's regular helpers get the Christmas pox, the Littlest Helper recruits the animals to help with the gift delivery.
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\f0\fs26 "The Longest Christmas List Ever" by Gregg and Evan Spiridellis is a rhyming picture book about a boy who's determined to create a list that includes everything he wants. He creates a
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\f0\fs26 list that's so long it will cost
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\f0\fs26 $6 trillion to mail to the North Pole. Although he receives only one gift instead of the thousands he'd wanted to request, that one gift reminded him that, "It takes love - not toys - to bring Christmas cheer."
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\f0\fs26 The Christmas story - centuries ancient and brand-new for each generation.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 12, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 4, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books about giving offer a lasting gift
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Q: What kind of book is about the holidays without being about the holidays?
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\f0\fs26 A: Books about giving.
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\f0\fs26 Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa all celebrate giving. Children are understandably confused when they interpret the holidays as being all about "getting." Advertising moguls worked overtime to create exactly that impression.
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\f0\fs26 Fred Rogers, my hero, said, "I like to compare the holiday season with the way a child listens to a favorite story. The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending." These special pleasures apply to giving, as well as receiving, when children are familiar with the joys of giving.
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\f0\fs26 Mr. Rogers also said, "There's a ... universal longing, one that everyone - parents and children alike - shares, and that is the longing to have something to give that is acceptable to others. ... Everyone wants to feel that he or she has something to offer." When children learn the joys of giving, they gain the confidence that they have something acceptable to give.
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\f0\fs26 "Those Shoes" by Maribeth Boelts is a picture book about a boy who longs for a pair of the shoes that all the cool kids are wearing.
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\f0\fs26 His grandmother tells him they don't have any room for "want," just "need." By the end of the story, he experiences the joy of giving, and realizes that the things he has are more valuable than the things he wants.
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\f0\fs26 "Pennies in a Jar" by Dori Chaconas is a beautifully illustrated picture book set on the homefront in World War II. A young boy's father has left home to fight. Chore by chore, the boy earns 56 cents, so that he can send the perfect present to his father. This is a story of love, fear and giving to which children can relate.
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\f0\fs26 "Tico and the Golden Wings" by Leo Lionni is a classic first published in 1964 and now reissued with Tico's wings printed in shimmering gold metallic ink. Both the illustrations and the story are beautiful. As Tico gives away his golden feathers one by one, he learns an important lesson which children learn along with him.
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\f0\fs26 When we teach children the joy of giving, we give them a gift that keeps on giving.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 5, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 20, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book can help parents teach children gratitude
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Children aren't born either grateful or hateful. Children conclude that the glass is half-empty or half-full based on what they learn. Teaching gratitude is a whale of a big job, but somebody's GOT to do it.
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\f0\fs26 Deborah Norville has written a book on the subject. "Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You" is a collection of anecdotes and quotes extolling gratitude, as well as research that explores the impact of positive emotions on our lives.
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\f0\fs26 Thomas Jefferson said when we witness acts of charity or gratitude, we want to replicate those acts ourselves. Research supports his belief.
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\f0\fs26 Norville lists 16 direct benefits experienced by gratitude test subjects and seven more linked to a grateful mind-set. For teaching gratitude, Norville recommends a "Thank You Power Check List."
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\f0\fs26 The chapter on "eudaemonia" gives pause for thought. Eudaemonia is the happiness or fulfillment that comes from the action itself, not the result of it. The pleasure in making and doing, baking or helping someone learn to read creates gratitude within us for our skills and talents.
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\f0\fs26 Dr. Chris Peterson, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, says, "The people who are grateful are living better lives." He's conducted research to disprove the belief that gratitude is a fixed, genetic entity. In one of his experiments, students wrote letters of gratitude, usually to their parents. The resulting gratitude of students and parents was overwhelming. Peterson explains, "What gratitude does is build bonds with other people. It makes those bonds stronger and more positive."
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\f0\fs26 We also teach gratitude by modeling thanks all day, every day, for the mundane and the magnificent. Norville closes with "People of Faith." She acknowledges that for believers, it's impossible to talk about gratitude without talking about their Creator.
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\f0\fs26 Jump-start conversations about gratitude with:
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\f0\fs26 --"Thank You Thanksgiving" by David Milgrim for preschoolers.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Thanksgiving Door" by Debbie Atwell for ages 5-7.
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\f0\fs26 --"Thanks and Giving: All Year Long" by Marlo Thomas and Christopher Cerf for everyone.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks @postandcourier.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 November 21, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 13, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 HOMEWORK The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Homework. Generations of children and parents have loved to hate it. Philosophies range over a long continuum. There are conscientious parents who refuse to help with homework because they believe it's the child's responsibility. There are conscientious parents who spend hours doing homework with their children because they believe it is their responsibility. And on this long continuum of homework helping, there is everything in between.
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\f0\fs26 Although students might be the usual suspects for despising homework, plenty of parents and educators voice their own doubts and disclaimers.
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\f0\fs26 Elizabeth Moffley, who ran for state superintendent of education in the most recent election, cites reams of reasons for wanting to abolish homework. In her arsenal of anti-homework bullets, she includes these points:
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\f0\fs26 --Parents who are not qualified or certified get judged for monitoring their children's homework.
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\f0\fs26 --Family values are compromised because children are too busy with homework to spend time with their families.
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\f0\fs26 --Homework is not in the school's jurisdiction because it's assigned for after-school hours.
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\f0\fs26 --The schools that are charged with teaching democracy are acting as dictators.
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\f0\fs26 --Children have a right to their childhoods and should be allowed time to let their minds wander.
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\f0\fs26 As a compromise, Moffley suggests that homework be assigned as extra credit, with no penalty for the students who choose to ignore it.
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\f0\fs26 Pro and con homework forces refer to this issue as the "homework debate" or even the "homework wars." Mainstream publications, including Time and Newsweek, have entered the fray. The Washington Post Web site ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.washingtonpost.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.washingtonpost.com}}) weighs in with "As Homework Grows, So Do Arguments Against It." "The Homework Ate My Family" is one of many laments written by parents regarding homework.
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\f0\fs26 Point, counterpoint
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\f0\fs26 "The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children and Limits Learning" was written byeconomist John Buell and education researcher Etta Kralovec.
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\f0\fs26 Kralovec calls homework "the great black hole of learning" and recommends reducing or abolishing homework in public schools. At the close of a two-year study, she concluded that homework was a major reason why many kids left school.
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\f0\fs26 Kralovec questions the existence of empirical evidence proving that homework improves academic performance. She points out that when work goes home, teachers lose control over who does the work. A reference librarian in Charleston County has observed that parents routinely visit the library to solicit help for their children's homework. The children are nowhere in sight.
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\f0\fs26 "Getting Our Kids Back on Track: Educating Our Kids for the Future" by Janine Bempechat takes the opposite view. Bempechat argues that "the assignment of homework, over time, serves to foster the kinds of qualities that are critical to learning - persistence, diligence and the ability to delay gratification."
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\f0\fs26 On the home front
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\f0\fs26 In the Lowcountry, public schools support the concept of homework. "Ideally, homework is reinforcement, not drill and not new material," says Pam Bailey, public relations director for the Berkeley County School District. "There has to be cooperation among the faculty to make sure students aren't inundated. There also has to be communication between faculty and parents."
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\f0\fs26 This philosophy is mirrored and expanded on the Web sites for the Berkeley and Charleston County school districts. The purpose of homework is to practice and review, prepare for future class work, extend the learning and connect the learning with the world outside school. Assignments should be meaningful, personalized and developmentally appropriate. They should support the achievement of curriculum standards.
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\f0\fs26 The Charleston County School District's Web site ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ccsdschools.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.ccsdschools.com}}) makes this point: "Parents are not expected to teach their children or to assist them in completing assignments; in fact, such parental involvement is often counterproductive."
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\f0\fs26 Charleston County also points out that homework is meant to foster a positive attitude toward learning and consequently should never be used as punishment. Guidelines for the maximum amount of homework time range from 10 minutes for kindergarten to 180 minutes for grades nine through 12.
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\f0\fs26 Varying degrees
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\f0\fs26 In reality, homework assignments range from heavy to none. At a local private school, kindergartners have about 20 minutes of homework each night. In addition, these preschoolers complete three projects each month in social studies, science and math. At a local public school, kindergartners have no homework.
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\f0\fs26 Fourth-graders at public and private schools report that they spend an average of an hour doing homework, but there are variables. Some teachers assign more homework than others, and some teachers allow students to start assignments in class.
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\f0\fs26 These kids, who all do well academically, have strong opinions about homework. They believe that it helps to practice skills at home and to learn to work independently. They also think it's useful to study for tests and review concepts that are difficult. In their opinion, kids who receive help from parents deserve a zero. They dislike the fact that homework reduces their free time and feels like an extension of the school day.
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\f0\fs26 Helping hands
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\f0\fs26 Since homework isn't going anywhere anytime soon, it's fortunate that homework help is proliferating to keep pace with assignments. One of the newest and most helpful books is "Home Sweet Homework: A Parent's Guide to Stress-Free Homework and Studying Strategies That Work" by Sharon Marshall Lockett.
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\f0\fs26 It's a user-friendly and comprehensive resource that gives parents the solid encouragement and facts they need to be encouraging to their children. The underlying premise is: "School is important, but your personal relationship with your child is far more important than completing a homework assignment."
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\f0\fs26 Reference librarians also stand ready and able to help with homework assignments. They can be the student's best friend because of their wealth of experience dealing with homework.
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\f0\fs26 Online databases are a student's virtual best friends. With the Web, students have information access 24/7. Although any question or subject can be "Googled," many sites provide unreliable information. For dependable information resources, librarians advise students to start with DISCUS, accessible at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ccpl.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.ccpl.org}}. Encyclopedias, magazine and newspaper articles and numerous other databases are included.
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\f0\fs26 Homework, helpful or hateful? Maybe both.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is a former school librarian, former member of the Charleston County School Board and the children's book columnist for The Post and Courier. E-mail her at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 WEB SITES THAT HELP
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\f0\fs26 --www.ccpl.org
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\f0\fs26 --Ask.com
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\f0\fs26 --www.infoplease.com/homework/
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\f0\fs26 BOOKS THAT HELP
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\f0\fs26 --"Ending the Homework Hassle" by John Rosemond, 1990.
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\f0\fs26 --"How to do Homework Without Throwing Up" by Trevor Romain and Elizabeth Verdick, 1997.
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\f0\fs26 --"Homework Without Tears" by Lee Canter, 2005.
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\f0\fs26 --"Home Sweet Homework" by Sharon Marshall Lockett, 2007.
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\f0\fs26 I'd rather take baths with a man-eating shark, or wrestle a lion alone in the dark,
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\f0\fs26 eat spinach and liver, pet 10 porcupines
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\f0\fs26 than tackle the homework, my teacher assigns.
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\f0\fs26 From "Homework! Oh, Homework!" by Jack Prelutsky
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 13, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children's book honors military
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Veterans Day is officially observed Nov. 11, but any day and every day is appropriate for expressing our appreciation and honoring our thousands of veterans, living and deceased.
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\f0\fs26 Gen. George Washington said, "The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation." Whether these words of wisdom were prescience, common sense or both, Washington was correct.
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\f0\fs26 Since the Vietnam era, children who are allowed to watch TV news are children who are watching war in their family rooms. What are children thinking as they see and hear night after night of explosions? Do rising casualty figures register in their impressionable psyches? I don't know. I do know that I want children to have insights about the soldiers that they aren't going to get from television.
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\f0\fs26 "America's White Table" by Margot Theis Raven is the story of a tradition that is little known outside the military world. In the words of the book jacket, " 'The white table' originated during the time of the Vietnam War as a symbol for and remembrance to service members held prisoner of war or missing in action. Solitary and solemn, it is the table where no one will ever sit."
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\f0\fs26 In picture-book format appropriate for elementary-age children, Raven presents this tradition with sensitivity and skill. As a family prepares a "white table" for their beloved Uncle John, the children realize the sacrifices he made as a soldier. They want him to know how deeply they appreciate him. The words to "My Country 'Tis of Thee" are interwoven throughout the text. This is a beautiful book and a heartfelt tribute to our military. The power of the book is in its simplicity.
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\f0\fs26 Veterans Day gives adults the opportunity to tell children "the rest of the story ..."
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 30, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Cow terror one of my scary tales
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 A radio commentator recently asked listeners to send in their scariest personal stories. I'm not planning to send an entry, but the invitation made me think. Although I was once washed over a waterfall in the seamless dark of an underground river, that wasn't nearly as scary as an experience I had on a family camping trip.
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\f0\fs26 We'd pitched our tent in the desert on hard, dry dirt littered with stones. Nothing was in sight except more dry dirt. That night, I woke up to stomping footfalls and grinding stones right outside our little canvas home-away-from-home. I was terrified - literally frozen with fear. Whatever was circling our tent had to be big to be making that much of a ruckus. My intrepid husband found the flashlight, untied the tent flap and looked outside. Yes, it was an animal. Yes, it was big. No, it wasn't ferocious. It was a cow.
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\f0\fs26 I have an extremely nice family, but they aren't quite nice enough to ever let me forget that Night of the Bovine Terror.
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\f0\fs26 Scary stories are the highlights of Halloween. "Ghost Tales for Retelling" by Idella Bodie made me sprout goose bumps from my head to my toes. Bodie makes a strong case for telling, rather than reading, these stories to children. Eye contact and voice inflections can go a long way toward scaring off children's socks. Even the simplest story, told with a "Boo!" in just the right place, will make listeners jump.
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\f0\fs26 Of course, discretion is advised. One year, I wore a dragon tail that caused a kindergartner to have nightmares. She figured that the tail was just the start of my whole self turning into a dragon. An imagination is a terrible thing to waste!
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\f0\fs26 For preschoolers and first grade:
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\f0\fs26 --"Annie Was Warned" by Jarrett J. Krosoczka.
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\f0\fs26 --"Here They Come!" by David Costello.
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\f0\fs26 --"A Tiger Called Thomas" by Charlotte Zolotow.
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\f0\fs26 --"What Was I Scared Of?" by Dr. Seuss.
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\f0\fs26 For early elementary:
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\f0\fs26 --"A Big Spooky House" by Donna Washington.
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\f0\fs26 For third grade and older with the added caution of knowing the books and knowing your audience:
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\f0\fs26 --"Lucy Dove" by Janice Del-Negro.
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\f0\fs26 --"Kate Culhane" by Michael Hague.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 23, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Colorful books welcome kids to world of science
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 In first grade, I loved science. Ms. Tarner taught us fascinating facts about the birds that lived in our backyards. Half a century later, I remember how exciting it was to know which bird built which kind of nest.
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\f0\fs26 From second grade on, science was drudgery. Magnets nearly finished me off. Science projects were the guaranteed low point of every year. The USA would have to trust some other student to save it from Sputnik.
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\f0\fs26 Two of our four children chose science as their careers, so at least my science phobia wasn't contagious. Now with a grandchild, I'm positively ebullient about science. Bugs, bubbles, birds and beaches are endlessly entertaining and educational.
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\f0\fs26 Some of the science books for preschool and elementary children are shelved with the picture books. Others are relegated to the nonfiction 500 and 600 sections. Your friendly librarian or bookstore person will gladly show you the way.
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\f0\fs26 The "About" series written by Cathryn Sill and published by Peachtree Press in Atlanta is a great place to start. For each full-page color illustration, there is one line of text. At the end of the book, each color plate is printed again with a paragraph of explanation. The series includes amphibians, arachnids, birds, crustaceans, fish, insects, mammals, mollusks and reptiles.
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\f0\fs26 For children ages 4-8, Sylvan Dell Publishing in Mount Pleasant has excellent science books. "If a Dolphin Were a Fish" by Loran Wlodarski is a fun story that teaches children the differences between creatures and subtley conveys the message that each creature is special in its own way.
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\f0\fs26 "The Rainforest Grew All Around" by Susan K. Mitchell is perfect for celebrating "World Rainforest Week, which began Oct. 18.
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\f0\fs26 "Octavia Octopus and Her Purple Ink Cloud" by Doreen and Donna Rathmell is marine biology made accessible to kids. The story teaches the essentials of camouflage for sea creatures as well as the life lesson of "practice makes perfect." As with each Sylvan Dell book, the story ends with a section "For Creative Minds and Activities." At the Web site sylvandellpublishing.com each book is linked to both national and state standards.
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\f0\fs26 Old "Satchmo" was right when he sang about children: "They'll know so much more than I'll ever know." This is a good thing.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 24, 2007
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 16, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Don't be paranoid about kid's books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 I loved to sit in the front seat of my mother's 1950 Chevy convertible. It was the best place to get the first whiff of her cigarette smoke.
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\f0\fs26 Also, as the front-seat passenger, she kept me from being thrown forward by slinging her right arm across my chest when she had to stop suddenly. I didn't eject through the windshield a single time. I felt safe and protected.
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\f0\fs26 Our children had car seats and seat belts, and nobody wafted smoke in their faces. I'd never heard of sunscreen or hand sanitizer.
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\f0\fs26 The kids wore shinguards, but not bike helmets.
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\f0\fs26 We didn't have a cordless phone, so they quickly figured out that I was tethered to the wall as long as I was talking - and took full advantage of scant surveillance to get into dirt and danger.
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\f0\fs26 Contemporary parents have a full-time job keeping current on the proliferation of the latest safety accoutrements.
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\f0\fs26 When science has created bug spray and sunscreen just for kids, it makes sense to take advantage of them and be glad they were invented.
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\f0\fs26 My worry is that we grandparents and parents are worrying too much. I'm fond of saying, "Nothing is worth doing unless it's worth overdoing."
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\f0\fs26 However, overdoing safety may subtly introduce a fear factor - what one mother writing in Newsweek called a "collective paranoia."
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\f0\fs26 My personal paranoia, that I didn't know was there, sprang out at me when I read the new children's picture book "17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore" by Jenny Offill and Nancy Carpenter. I laughed out loud.
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\f0\fs26 The protagonist is a little girl with an absolute gift for producing chaos with creatively simple actions such as stapling her brother's hair to his pillow.
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\f0\fs26 As much as I enjoyed the book, I put it aside thinking that I couldn't recommend it to children. What if every child who read it went searching for a stapler? It was my duty to protect children from these radical, naughty ideas. Even if they were funny.
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\f0\fs26 The reviews were so contradictory that it was difficult to believe people had read the same book: "Darling." "Pointless." "Incredibly funny." "Atrocious." "A girl after my daughter's heart." "I hated this book."
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\f0\fs26 Then I started thinking about "Meet Wild Boars" by Meg Ros-off. How children loved those rude, rambunctious boars, recognizing the cautionary tale for exactly what it was. And I thought about people who believe that the hilarious adventures of "Junie B. Jones" and "Captain Underpants" should be banned from children's lives.
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\f0\fs26 And I decided to keep on protecting kids against mosquitoes and lung cancer, but loosen up on the literature.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 9, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Read for education, entertainment
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 As the mother of small children, I did many things that labeled me as odd. When a new family moved to our street, an established neighbor assured them that I was one person they wouldn't want to meet.
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\f0\fs26 Among many other oddities, our children were allowed to watch only one hour of TV a week. In addition, we watched "The Muppets" together as a family. At bedtime over the years, we read dozens of chapter books aloud.
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\f0\fs26 I was the Lone Ranger without a Tonto.
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\f0\fs26 When our children went to college, I met countless mothers who were as "odd" as I was. It was a long time to wait for reassurance and camaraderie, but it was worth it. It would be interesting to conduct a survey to find out how many college graduates, how many doctors and how many lawyers had parents who emphasized reading - both for education and entertainment.
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\f0\fs26 Parents often commiserate with me about their own difficulties in trying to raise their children with limits on TV and video games. I feel their pain! Parents of twins had the brilliant idea of putting books (rather than candy and junk) in the "goodie" bags at their children's birthday party. What a radical and stealthy plan to encourage reading! Like me, they were willing to be "odd" when it was the right thing to do for children.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Another mom was told by a friend that stores selling education supplies were in business exclusively for teachers. No mere parents allowed. I wonder if that "friend" has ever heard that parents are a child's first teachers and a child's most important teachers.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although "Baby Einstein" products are popular, recent research suggests that babies who watch the videos don't learn as much as babies who are exposed to the same information by real live people. In the book "Baby Bargains" by Denise and Alan Fields, there's a list of the "Top Ten Baby Products That Should Be Banned." Weighing in at No. 2 on this list of infamy: "Don't get your kids hooked on 'Baby Einstein.' TV and electronic media of any type, even 'educational videos' designed for babies, are bad for developing brains. Babies need active, not passive learning, and getting them used to watching TV is a bad habit to encourage."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Parents have the option to create a balance between reading and electronics in their children's lives. The only question is whether they will exercise that option.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 12, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 107 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 2, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books that belong all over the house
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 310 words
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\f0\fs26 Books belong in libraries, of course. Books also belong in cars, bathrooms, bedrooms and everywhere else that kids might be lured into taking a few spare moments to read. Even if children will read only a snippet, a snippet is better than no snippet.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Old Farmer's Almanac for Kids," is the newest publication from the press of "The Old Farmer's Almanac." It's a lively, full-color compendium of weather, sports, history, gardening, astronomy, pets, farming, nature, and essential tips like how to use mayonnaise around the house and how to grip a baseball and catch a fish. The book also includes a calendar that lists a holiday, a proverb, a historic happening, a bit of wisdom, or a bit of trivia for every day of the year. The companion Web site, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.Almanac4kids.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.Almanac4kids.com}}, expands the contents of the book, invites children to post their comments, and provides a free activity guide. In the time it takes to drive to the grocery store, your child could learn how to grow a winter vegetable jungle. For age 8 and up.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "101 Things You Need to Know ... and Some You Don't" by Richard Horne and Tracey Turner encourages kids to have fun mastering as many "Things to Know" as possible before they become "old and boring." There are boxes to check, forms to complete and colored stars to stick on the pages when the knowledge is acquired. From middle school on up, this book would be handy. The information is an eclectic mix.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --History: What were the Seven Wonders of the World?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --How do you ...: Survive an earthquake or avoid being struck by lightning
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Animals: How do oysters make pearls?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Miscellaneous: What is the worst smell ever?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Weird: Where are the most haunted houses in the world?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 It's been said that "Knowledge is power." If that maxim includes random knowledge, anyone who reads these books will be powerful indeed.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
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\f0\fs26 \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 3, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 108 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 25, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 LOCKED UP; \uc0\u8232 Monitoring children's book selections key, but bans squash freedom
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 1286 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 So is pornography.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In 1964, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart was asked for his definition of obscenity. He demurred from a precise definition and uttered his now-famous quote, "I know it when I see it."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Most of us are confident that "we know it when we see it." This confidence in our own judgment might seem to be the perfect solution to the problem of identifying pornography or other literature we deem objectionable. In reality, this personal confidence is the problem.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "And Tango Makes Three" is a true story in picture-book format by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson. It bears the ominous distinction of topping the list for "Most Frequently Banned Books in 2006."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Considered objectively, which seldom happens, it's the true story of two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo. They paired off and built a nest, but couldn't produce a chick until the zookeeper put an unclaimed egg in their nest. The two males successfully hatched the egg and became model penguin parents. The end.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The end of the story, but the beginning of a hot and heavy dispute over whether the book should be banned or celebrated.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reviews of "Tango" on Amazon.com provide a microcosm for the explosion of controversy. There is no middle ground. Each reviewer seems to shout his (unassailably correct) opinion with supreme confidence. Examples:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"There is no such thing as a homosexual penguin. ... This story is about family love and nurturing of children."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The subject matter of this picture book is entirely inappropriate for the intended age range. ... (It is a) direct and descriptive promotion of homosexuality."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"(This book) does not push any (homosexual) agenda; it's only about a different type of family."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"As a Christian parent I will not read this to my children. It goes against everything the Word of God speaks of."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --A teacher highly recommends this book "for every elementary class."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Potter's quote echoes through the decades.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Changing with society
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "And Tango Makes Three" is included in the children's collection of the Charleston County Public Library. To date, no patron has challenged the book. In a conversation about banned books in general, Pamela Cadden, coordinator of
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 children's services at the library, said, "It's important to have all aspects of society on the shelves."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Peggy Bayne, media specialist at Belle Hall Elementary, says she may hear rumors that parents want to challenge a book, but the parents seldom follow through. When parents do challenge a book, Bayne always asks if the parents have actually read said book. In her experience, many parents don't realize that children's literature is changing with society. Although "Nancy Drew" is still alive and well, most children's literature has moved beyond the wholesome, happy genre of "The Bobbsey Twins." In a perfect world, parents would read every book their children read.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 One dilemma in elementary school is that many children read on such high levels, they can easily read material that is inappropriate. There are plenty of fifth-graders who are capable of reading "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold, which is a novel about a young girl who is raped and murdered by her neighbor. The book-selection process considers community mores, as well as the judgments of parents, students, teachers and reviewers. "The Lovely Bones" might be considered for a high school library, but our community agrees that young children should be protected from sex and violence. Rather than banning, think of it as sort of a PG-13 for books.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Revealers" by Doug Wilhelm is a nominee for the South Carolina Junior Book Award. A parent at C.E. Williams Middle School strongly objected to the book on the grounds that it was inappropriate and asked to have it removed from the school library. When any book is challenged, the challenger is asked to fill out a form listing the objections to the book. A committee decides the merit of the case.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Susan Henley, the media specialist at C.E. Williams, shares the opinion of countless other librarians and media specialists: "Parents have the right to be concerned and to monitor their children's reading. We encourage parents to do exactly that. But it's not right for one parent to decide a book isn't appropriate for the other 700 students."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Concerning "The Revealers," one kid wrote, "Best book ever and you will learn how mean bullying really is."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Another reader said, "Deeply inspiring novel for all ages."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A librarian's view
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Selecting the best books for children is a serious responsibility. Using taxpayer money to buy the books makes the selection even more serious. Librarians recognize their "in loco parentis" (in the place of a parent) role. Books are chosen only when there are positive reviews from credible resources. In middle school, there's a huge developmental gap between sixth- and eighth-grade students. The library needs to stock a variety of titles. Rather than banning books inappropriate to sixth-graders, it's important to provide guidance (both parental and school-related) to direct students to the books that are appropriate for them.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The librarian's ideal is the right book for the right child at the right time. For this ideal to be reality, librarians would read every book and know every child. Although this utopia is unlikely, it's still the goal.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The "10 Most Challenged Books of 2006" (and much, much more about banned books and intellectual freedoms) are posted on the American Library Association Web site at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ala.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.ala.org}}. The "Scary Stories" series collected and retold by Alvin Schwartz is on this list. These deliciously scary stories have been high on the list of children's "favorites" for decades.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the Twentieth Century" is also on the ALA Web site. It kicks off with "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which was challenged at the then-Baptist College at Charleston in 1987 because of "language and sexual references in the book." This list is especially interesting because it includes virtually every famous author (Hemingway, Orwell, Faulkner, Steinbeck, etc.) and includes the reasons and places the titles were challenged.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Intellectual freedom isn't "free." We pay for it by defending our First Amendment rights of free speech and a free press.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is a former school librarian and former member of the Charleston County School Board. E-mail her at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 CHALLENGED BOOKS
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A challenge is a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed. Most-challenged books in 2006 were:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"And Tango Makes Three" by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell: Homosexuality, being anti-family and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Gossip Girls" series by Cecily Von Ziegesar: Homosexuality, sexual content, drugs, unsuited to age group and offensive language.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Alice" series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor: Sexual content and offensive language.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things" by Carolyn Mackler: Sexual content, anti-family, offensive language and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison: Sexual content, offensive language and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Scary Stories" series by Alvin Schwartz: Occult/satanism, unsuited to age, violence, insensitivity.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Athletic Shorts" by Chris Crutcher: Homosexuality and offensive language.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky: Homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Beloved" by Toni Morrison: Offensive language, sexual content and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier: Sexual content, offensive language and violence.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 American Library Association
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 September 26, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 109 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 25, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 LOCKED UP; \uc0\u8232 Monitoring children's book selections key, but bans squash freedom
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 1286 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 So is pornography.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In 1964, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart was asked for his definition of obscenity. He demurred from a precise definition and uttered his now-famous quote, "I know it when I see it."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Most of us are confident that "we know it when we see it." This confidence in our own judgment might seem to be the perfect solution to the problem of identifying pornography or other literature we deem objectionable. In reality, this personal confidence is the problem.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "And Tango Makes Three" is a true story in picture-book format by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson. It bears the ominous distinction of topping the list for "Most Frequently Banned Books in 2006."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Considered objectively, which seldom happens, it's the true story of two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo. They paired off and built a nest, but couldn't produce a chick until the zookeeper put an unclaimed egg in their nest. The two males successfully hatched the egg and became model penguin parents. The end.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The end of the story, but the beginning of a hot and heavy dispute over whether the book should be banned or celebrated.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reviews of "Tango" on Amazon.com provide a microcosm for the explosion of controversy. There is no middle ground. Each reviewer seems to shout his (unassailably correct) opinion with supreme confidence. Examples:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"There is no such thing as a homosexual penguin. ... This story is about family love and nurturing of children."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The subject matter of this picture book is entirely inappropriate for the intended age range. ... (It is a) direct and descriptive promotion of homosexuality."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"(This book) does not push any (homosexual) agenda; it's only about a different type of family."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"As a Christian parent I will not read this to my children. It goes against everything the Word of God speaks of."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --A teacher highly recommends this book "for every elementary class."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Potter's quote echoes through the decades.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Changing with society
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "And Tango Makes Three" is included in the children's collection of the Charleston County Public Library. To date, no patron has challenged the book. In a conversation about banned books in general, Pamela Cadden, coordinator of
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 children's services at the library, said, "It's important to have all aspects of society on the shelves."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Peggy Bayne, media specialist at Belle Hall Elementary, says she may hear rumors that parents want to challenge a book, but the parents seldom follow through. When parents do challenge a book, Bayne always asks if the parents have actually read said book. In her experience, many parents don't realize that children's literature is changing with society. Although "Nancy Drew" is still alive and well, most children's literature has moved beyond the wholesome, happy genre of "The Bobbsey Twins." In a perfect world, parents would read every book their children read.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 One dilemma in elementary school is that many children read on such high levels, they can easily read material that is inappropriate. There are plenty of fifth-graders who are capable of reading "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold, which is a novel about a young girl who is raped and murdered by her neighbor. The book-selection process considers community mores, as well as the judgments of parents, students, teachers and reviewers. "The Lovely Bones" might be considered for a high school library, but our community agrees that young children should be protected from sex and violence. Rather than banning, think of it as sort of a PG-13 for books.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Revealers" by Doug Wilhelm is a nominee for the South Carolina Junior Book Award. A parent at C.E. Williams Middle School strongly objected to the book on the grounds that it was inappropriate and asked to have it removed from the school library. When any book is challenged, the challenger is asked to fill out a form listing the objections to the book. A committee decides the merit of the case.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Susan Henley, the media specialist at C.E. Williams, shares the opinion of countless other librarians and media specialists: "Parents have the right to be concerned and to monitor their children's reading. We encourage parents to do exactly that. But it's not right for one parent to decide a book isn't appropriate for the other 700 students."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Concerning "The Revealers," one kid wrote, "Best book ever and you will learn how mean bullying really is."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Another reader said, "Deeply inspiring novel for all ages."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A librarian's view
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Selecting the best books for children is a serious responsibility. Using taxpayer money to buy the books makes the selection even more serious. Librarians recognize their "in loco parentis" (in the place of a parent) role. Books are chosen only when there are positive reviews from credible resources. In middle school, there's a huge developmental gap between sixth- and eighth-grade students. The library needs to stock a variety of titles. Rather than banning books inappropriate to sixth-graders, it's important to provide guidance (both parental and school-related) to direct students to the books that are appropriate for them.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The librarian's ideal is the right book for the right child at the right time. For this ideal to be reality, librarians would read every book and know every child. Although this utopia is unlikely, it's still the goal.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The "10 Most Challenged Books of 2006" (and much, much more about banned books and intellectual freedoms) are posted on the American Library Association Web site at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ala.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.ala.org}}. The "Scary Stories" series collected and retold by Alvin Schwartz is on this list. These deliciously scary stories have been high on the list of children's "favorites" for decades.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the Twentieth Century" is also on the ALA Web site. It kicks off with "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which was challenged at the then-Baptist College at Charleston in 1987 because of "language and sexual references in the book." This list is especially interesting because it includes virtually every famous author (Hemingway, Orwell, Faulkner, Steinbeck, etc.) and includes the reasons and places the titles were challenged.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Intellectual freedom isn't "free." We pay for it by defending our First Amendment rights of free speech and a free press.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is a former school librarian and former member of the Charleston County School Board. E-mail her at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 CHALLENGED BOOKS
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A challenge is a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed. Most-challenged books in 2006 were:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"And Tango Makes Three" by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell: Homosexuality, being anti-family and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Gossip Girls" series by Cecily Von Ziegesar: Homosexuality, sexual content, drugs, unsuited to age group and offensive language.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Alice" series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor: Sexual content and offensive language.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things" by Carolyn Mackler: Sexual content, anti-family, offensive language and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison: Sexual content, offensive language and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Scary Stories" series by Alvin Schwartz: Occult/satanism, unsuited to age, violence, insensitivity.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Athletic Shorts" by Chris Crutcher: Homosexuality and offensive language.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky: Homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Beloved" by Toni Morrison: Offensive language, sexual content and unsuited to age group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier: Sexual content, offensive language and violence.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 American Library Association
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 11, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books that promote peace fitting Patriot Day tribute
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 422 words
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\f0\fs26 'The National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of the Terrorist Attacks," as it originally was known, or "Patriot Day" as it was proclaimed in 2002 by President George W. Bush (with similar declarations every year since) is what most of us refer to as "9/11."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Bush asks that Americans fly their flags at half-staff and observe a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., marking the first plane crash. There is also an e-mail movement encouraging everyone to display our flag on Sept. 11.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 (Patriot Day is not to be confused with Patriot's Day, which commemorates the Battle of Lexington and Concord during the Revolutionary War.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although commemorating 9/11 is important ("lest we forget"), I prefer to focus on preventing terrorist attacks in the future. I doubt that all the airport security in the world will accomplish this. I believe that waging peace is a labor-intensive process that succeeds one person at a time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Children who understand and desire peace are our hope for peace in the future. "Where Peace Lives" by Debbie Robins draws on the universal teachings of Martin Luther King Jr., Siddhartha Gautama (founder of Buddhism,) Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus Christ, Moses and Muhammad the Prophet. The story describes a magical journey to free the imprisoned angel named Peace. During the course of the mission, the "keys" to liberating Peace are discovered to be acceptance, love and forgiveness.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My favorite quote from the book: "It's okay not to like what everyone says. ... It's okay not to like what everyone does. ... What isn't okay is to hate them for it. Because hate makes more hate - and nothing good comes from hate."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book includes short summaries of the teachings on which the book is based and an "Exercise to Strengthen Your Peace Muscle." This book is appropriate for third grade and up.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Four Feet, Two Sandals" by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed is a beautifully illustrated picture book that introduces young children to the dilemma of refugees - in this case, children who are the human byproducts of terrorism and wars.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "One Green Apple" by Eve Bunting is a picture book for early elementary grades that gently encourages children to accept other children who may look different or dress in an unusual way.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the aftermath of 9/11, e-mails almost buried my inbox. One e-mail advocated "bombing" Afghanistan with large amounts of butter and other friendly food products.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If only! One way to "Visualize Whirled Peas" is to provide the peas. And the desire for "peace."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 September 14, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 111 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 11, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books that promote peace fitting Patriot Day tribute
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\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 422 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 'The National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of the Terrorist Attacks," as it originally was known, or "Patriot Day" as it was proclaimed in 2002 by President George W. Bush (with similar declarations every year since) is what most of us refer to as "9/11."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Bush asks that Americans fly their flags at half-staff and observe a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., marking the first plane crash. There is also an e-mail movement encouraging everyone to display our flag on Sept. 11.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 (Patriot Day is not to be confused with Patriot's Day, which commemorates the Battle of Lexington and Concord during the Revolutionary War.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although commemorating 9/11 is important ("lest we forget"), I prefer to focus on preventing terrorist attacks in the future. I doubt that all the airport security in the world will accomplish this. I believe that waging peace is a labor-intensive process that succeeds one person at a time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Children who understand and desire peace are our hope for peace in the future. "Where Peace Lives" by Debbie Robins draws on the universal teachings of Martin Luther King Jr., Siddhartha Gautama (founder of Buddhism,) Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus Christ, Moses and Muhammad the Prophet. The story describes a magical journey to free the imprisoned angel named Peace. During the course of the mission, the "keys" to liberating Peace are discovered to be acceptance, love and forgiveness.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My favorite quote from the book: "It's okay not to like what everyone says. ... It's okay not to like what everyone does. ... What isn't okay is to hate them for it. Because hate makes more hate - and nothing good comes from hate."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book includes short summaries of the teachings on which the book is based and an "Exercise to Strengthen Your Peace Muscle." This book is appropriate for third grade and up.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Four Feet, Two Sandals" by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed is a beautifully illustrated picture book that introduces young children to the dilemma of refugees - in this case, children who are the human byproducts of terrorism and wars.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "One Green Apple" by Eve Bunting is a picture book for early elementary grades that gently encourages children to accept other children who may look different or dress in an unusual way.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the aftermath of 9/11, e-mails almost buried my inbox. One e-mail advocated "bombing" Afghanistan with large amounts of butter and other friendly food products.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If only! One way to "Visualize Whirled Peas" is to provide the peas. And the desire for "peace."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 112 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 4, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books connect education, business
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 404 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 For at least the past two decades, there's been a big emphasis on the school's role in preparing students for the workplace. School libraries on all grade levels bought shelf-loads of books about careers. Guidance counselors plan career fairs, School-to-Work programs proliferate, etc.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Only Connect: The Way to Save Our Schools" by Dr. Rudy Crew is my new favorite book about education. Crew also emphasizes the importance of the business/education partnership. He strongly advocates "workplace literacy," which he defines as "understanding how the world of work and money operates, having a sense of where you want to go in the working world and then exhibiting the behaviors that will take you there."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If only! The reason I'm enthusiastic about Crew's book is that he lays out a comprehensive, workable plan to make such a miracle happen.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I've known high school students on academic probation who told me they planned to become doctors. Some of my students eschewed academics because they were planning to make millions as rap artists, athletes and video game creators. In my opinion, they'd be wise to construct backup plans that included education. My opinion didn't count.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I believe in "exhibiting the behaviors" that will get you where you want to go, being generally familiar with the world of work, and actually working in a variety of jobs. Even with wide exposure, many students graduate from high school and college without a clue about their futures.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A man told me his college graduate daughter was 28, had successfully completed the Iditarod with her own team of sled dogs, and was still trying to figure out what to do with her life. A college graduate son majored in economics, worked as a volunteer at a hospice in Peru, and decided to enroll in medical school. Perhaps because this generation will live longer, they've decided they have more time to make their decisions. There is also ample research pointing out that people will have more than one career in a lifetime.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "What Do People Do All Day" was written by Richard Scarry in 1968. Obviously, many careers have evolved since then, but it's still a wonderful, busy, happy book for preschool and kindergarten children. There are so many little pictures that children pore over the pages for hours.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Are you planning to have your children support you in your golden years?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Labor Day is a fine time to start advocating work.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 September 7, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 113 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 4, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books connect education, business
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 404 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 For at least the past two decades, there's been a big emphasis on the school's role in preparing students for the workplace. School libraries on all grade levels bought shelf-loads of books about careers. Guidance counselors plan career fairs, School-to-Work programs proliferate, etc.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Only Connect: The Way to Save Our Schools" by Dr. Rudy Crew is my new favorite book about education. Crew also emphasizes the importance of the business/education partnership. He strongly advocates "workplace literacy," which he defines as "understanding how the world of work and money operates, having a sense of where you want to go in the working world and then exhibiting the behaviors that will take you there."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If only! The reason I'm enthusiastic about Crew's book is that he lays out a comprehensive, workable plan to make such a miracle happen.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I've known high school students on academic probation who told me they planned to become doctors. Some of my students eschewed academics because they were planning to make millions as rap artists, athletes and video game creators. In my opinion, they'd be wise to construct backup plans that included education. My opinion didn't count.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I believe in "exhibiting the behaviors" that will get you where you want to go, being generally familiar with the world of work, and actually working in a variety of jobs. Even with wide exposure, many students graduate from high school and college without a clue about their futures.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A man told me his college graduate daughter was 28, had successfully completed the Iditarod with her own team of sled dogs, and was still trying to figure out what to do with her life. A college graduate son majored in economics, worked as a volunteer at a hospice in Peru, and decided to enroll in medical school. Perhaps because this generation will live longer, they've decided they have more time to make their decisions. There is also ample research pointing out that people will have more than one career in a lifetime.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "What Do People Do All Day" was written by Richard Scarry in 1968. Obviously, many careers have evolved since then, but it's still a wonderful, busy, happy book for preschool and kindergarten children. There are so many little pictures that children pore over the pages for hours.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Are you planning to have your children support you in your golden years?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Labor Day is a fine time to start advocating work.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 114 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 28, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books kindle enthusiasm for school
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 432 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 Decades back, as a school board member, I recommended that our district study the feasibility of instituting year-round schools. The modest proposal was met with hoots, jeers and even less respectful forms of dismissal. At church, a fellow parishioner cornered me to declare that my suggestion was anti-family and downright un-American. End of discussion.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Meanwhile, in other school districts, both parents and children enthusiastically endorse this successful concept. Schedules vary, but the general rule is three months on and one month off. Proponents point out that this school calendar eliminates a long break when students forget what they learned the year before. A month of vacation is a long vacation. Three months (or thereabouts) is a too-long vacation.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 But here we are in full back-to-school mode. We gotta do what we gotta do!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Wow! School!" a vibrant picture book by Robert Neubecker, captures the excitement of the school experience. This book will kindle enthusiasm even when kids know they'll be waiting for the bus in stultifying heat and swarms of mosquitoes. There's very little text, except to label "Playground!" "Books!" "Teacher!" "Art!" "Lunch!" and other parts of the school scene. The double-page, riotously colorful and detailed illustrations say it all.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie" by Laura Rankin is a gentle and humorous picture book that reminds children it's never too late to tell the truth. Ruthie, in early elementary school, finds a toy on the playground. She wants it very badly, so badly she lies and says it belongs to her. Ruthie's feelings of guilt, her understanding parents, her wise teacher and her forgiving classmate combine to make this a compact moral compass for functioning in the classroom jungle. This book opens wide opportunities for chatting about ethics.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Jack's Talent" by Maryanne Cocca-Leffler is a reassuring picture book for preschoolers and early elementary children. On the first day of school, Jack's teacher says she wants to learn everybody's name and their special talent. Jack has the last turn to speak. He was quiet for a long time, and then he said, "I'm Jack. I'm not good at anything." From my experience in the classroom, I'm confident that many children who hear this story will identify with Jack. Without being aware that he's doing anything special, Jack then demonstrates a talent that his teacher immediately recognizes and rewards. It's a satisfying ending. It's also the beginning of building Jack's self-esteem.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The endless summer? It only exists on the thermometer.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt 
\f0\fs26 \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}\
\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 August 29, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 115 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 28, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books kindle enthusiasm for school
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 432 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Decades back, as a school board member, I recommended that our district study the feasibility of instituting year-round schools. The modest proposal was met with hoots, jeers and even less respectful forms of dismissal. At church, a fellow parishioner cornered me to declare that my suggestion was anti-family and downright un-American. End of discussion.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Meanwhile, in other school districts, both parents and children enthusiastically endorse this successful concept. Schedules vary, but the general rule is three months on and one month off. Proponents point out that this school calendar eliminates a long break when students forget what they learned the year before. A month of vacation is a long vacation. Three months (or thereabouts) is a too-long vacation.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 But here we are in full back-to-school mode. We gotta do what we gotta do!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Wow! School!" a vibrant picture book by Robert Neubecker, captures the excitement of the school experience. This book will kindle enthusiasm even when kids know they'll be waiting for the bus in stultifying heat and swarms of mosquitoes. There's very little text, except to label "Playground!" "Books!" "Teacher!" "Art!" "Lunch!" and other parts of the school scene. The double-page, riotously colorful and detailed illustrations say it all.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie" by Laura Rankin is a gentle and humorous picture book that reminds children it's never too late to tell the truth. Ruthie, in early elementary school, finds a toy on the playground. She wants it very badly, so badly she lies and says it belongs to her. Ruthie's feelings of guilt, her understanding parents, her wise teacher and her forgiving classmate combine to make this a compact moral compass for functioning in the classroom jungle. This book opens wide opportunities for chatting about ethics.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Jack's Talent" by Maryanne Cocca-Leffler is a reassuring picture book for preschoolers and early elementary children. On the first day of school, Jack's teacher says she wants to learn everybody's name and their special talent. Jack has the last turn to speak. He was quiet for a long time, and then he said, "I'm Jack. I'm not good at anything." From my experience in the classroom, I'm confident that many children who hear this story will identify with Jack. Without being aware that he's doing anything special, Jack then demonstrates a talent that his teacher immediately recognizes and rewards. It's a satisfying ending. It's also the beginning of building Jack's self-esteem.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The endless summer? It only exists on the thermometer.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt 
\f0\fs26 \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}\
\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 116 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 14, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Junior Critics pick books to read aloud
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 380 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 I've spent many hours, far too many hours, this summer reading ho-hum books I wouldn't recommend to anyone. From picture books to novels, there are stacks of mediocre titles. The question is how and why these books get published in such a competitive market. The answer is supposed to be that these are the books that will sell. I have my doubts, but marketing is not my forte.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In May, the Junior Critics at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library made a list of their favorite books for upper elementary kids. This column will list those tried-and-true titles because I haven't found anything better. In most cases, I loved these books as much as the Critics.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Emma's favorite was "Erec Rex" by Kaza Kingsley. Even in the veritable avalanche of "Harry Potter" look-alike books, this one stands out. As children enjoy the similarities to the "Harry" series, they'll also enjoy and celebrate the differences. Besides being a wonderful book to read, it's a wonderful book to read aloud.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Savannah recommends "The Tale of Despereaux" for kids from fourth through seventh grades, and suggests it as a read-aloud for younger children. The author is Kate DiCamillo who also wrote Ali's favorite, "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane." It's OK to miss a bunch of other books, but don't leave childhood without reading these.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Hiers chose "Eldest" by Christopher Paolini. This is the sequel to "Eragon," which is widely beloved and is now a movie. One of my high school students urged me to read this book because it was the best fantasy he'd ever read. He underlined the words he didn't know and used them to study vocabulary for the SAT. It was an impressive list from a book that's gloriously well-written by an author who was a teenager at the time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Elsa chose the "Redwall" books by Brian Jacques and thinks they'd be appropriate for third grade and up. If a child can read and enjoy "Harry Potter," she will find "Redwall" on about the same level of challenge. One of assets of these books is that the series goes on and on. Talking animals, good against evil: It's all there.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Gabby's favorite book was "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." I'm sure many children share her choice. Stay tuned for more of the Critics' favorites in next week's column.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 August 17, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 117 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 14, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Junior Critics pick books to read aloud
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 380 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 I've spent many hours, far too many hours, this summer reading ho-hum books I wouldn't recommend to anyone. From picture books to novels, there are stacks of mediocre titles. The question is how and why these books get published in such a competitive market. The answer is supposed to be that these are the books that will sell. I have my doubts, but marketing is not my forte.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In May, the Junior Critics at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library made a list of their favorite books for upper elementary kids. This column will list those tried-and-true titles because I haven't found anything better. In most cases, I loved these books as much as the Critics.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Emma's favorite was "Erec Rex" by Kaza Kingsley. Even in the veritable avalanche of "Harry Potter" look-alike books, this one stands out. As children enjoy the similarities to the "Harry" series, they'll also enjoy and celebrate the differences. Besides being a wonderful book to read, it's a wonderful book to read aloud.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Savannah recommends "The Tale of Despereaux" for kids from fourth through seventh grades, and suggests it as a read-aloud for younger children. The author is Kate DiCamillo who also wrote Ali's favorite, "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane." It's OK to miss a bunch of other books, but don't leave childhood without reading these.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Hiers chose "Eldest" by Christopher Paolini. This is the sequel to "Eragon," which is widely beloved and is now a movie. One of my high school students urged me to read this book because it was the best fantasy he'd ever read. He underlined the words he didn't know and used them to study vocabulary for the SAT. It was an impressive list from a book that's gloriously well-written by an author who was a teenager at the time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Elsa chose the "Redwall" books by Brian Jacques and thinks they'd be appropriate for third grade and up. If a child can read and enjoy "Harry Potter," she will find "Redwall" on about the same level of challenge. One of assets of these books is that the series goes on and on. Talking animals, good against evil: It's all there.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Gabby's favorite book was "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." I'm sure many children share her choice. Stay tuned for more of the Critics' favorites in next week's column.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at
\f1\fs24 \
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{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt 
\f0\fs26 \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}\
\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 118 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 7, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Terrapins in this town and in literature
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 450 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 After reading my recent columns about intolerance and entitlement, a reader laughingly suggested that I was getting "feisty." Feisty isn't such a bad thing, especially since it comes naturally with my advanced age. However, I don't want to be known for unrelieved diatribes. So, I was casting about for a benign topic and settled on turtles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Children and adults who enjoyed "Turtles on the Town," sponsored by the S.C. Aquarium, will surely be wanting to learn more, more, more about these amazing creatures. (If you missed "Turtles on the Town," check out the Web site at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.charleston.net/turtles.)"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.charleston.net/turtles.)}}
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Turtle Summer: A Journal for my Daughter" by Mary Alice Monroe is a perfect starting point. Monroe tells the story of the loggerhead sea turtles clearly and simply, with photographs and illustrations that make readers feel that they are right there on the beach. She conveys the excitement, the awe and the responsibility inspired by these turtles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Carolina's Story: Sea Turtles Get Sick Too!" by Donna Rathmell is an excellent book on its own or to read in conjunction with "Turtle Summer." The Turtle Rescue Team finds "Carolina" washed up on the beach with a case of turtle flu that leaves her barely alive. The team takes her to the Sea Turtle Hospital at the S.C. Aquarium, where she is restored to health. The experience is documented chronologically with photographs. The ending is poignant when "Carolina" is returned to her ocean home and hurries back into the waves.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Turtles in My Sandbox" by Jennifer Keats Curtis explores the world of diamondback terrapins from eggs to release into the bay. When a child finds the turtle eggs in her sandbox, she becomes a "turtle-sitter." She and her mom learn everything they need to know to successfully raise the baby turtles. The book provides enough detail to be a "how-to" manual.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 All three of these books, published by Sylvan Dell, include several pages of educational supplements through which children can extend their knowledge of turtles and participate in activities centered around turtles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Turtle Crossing" by Rick Chrustowski is the life story of a painted turtle that hatches underneath a field and has to find its way across a road to reach the pond where it will live. Five years later, the female finds her way back across the road to lay her eggs. This book is so compelling it should come with an "I Brake for Turtles" bumper sticker.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Whenever I was trying to hurry our children into my car and they were studiously dragging their feet, I used to say, "And we're off - like a herd of turtles." (This invariably caused a unanimous rolling of eyes.) In retrospect, the turtles deserved more respect.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 August 8, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 119 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 7, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\cf0 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f0\fs42 \cf0 Terrapins in this town and in literature
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 450 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 After reading my recent columns about intolerance and entitlement, a reader laughingly suggested that I was getting "feisty." Feisty isn't such a bad thing, especially since it comes naturally with my advanced age. However, I don't want to be known for unrelieved diatribes. So, I was casting about for a benign topic and settled on turtles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Children and adults who enjoyed "Turtles on the Town," sponsored by the S.C. Aquarium, will surely be wanting to learn more, more, more about these amazing creatures. (If you missed "Turtles on the Town," check out the Web site at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.charleston.net/turtles.)"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.charleston.net/turtles.)}}
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Turtle Summer: A Journal for my Daughter" by Mary Alice Monroe is a perfect starting point. Monroe tells the story of the loggerhead sea turtles clearly and simply, with photographs and illustrations that make readers feel that they are right there on the beach. She conveys the excitement, the awe and the responsibility inspired by these turtles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Carolina's Story: Sea Turtles Get Sick Too!" by Donna Rathmell is an excellent book on its own or to read in conjunction with "Turtle Summer." The Turtle Rescue Team finds "Carolina" washed up on the beach with a case of turtle flu that leaves her barely alive. The team takes her to the Sea Turtle Hospital at the S.C. Aquarium, where she is restored to health. The experience is documented chronologically with photographs. The ending is poignant when "Carolina" is returned to her ocean home and hurries back into the waves.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Turtles in My Sandbox" by Jennifer Keats Curtis explores the world of diamondback terrapins from eggs to release into the bay. When a child finds the turtle eggs in her sandbox, she becomes a "turtle-sitter." She and her mom learn everything they need to know to successfully raise the baby turtles. The book provides enough detail to be a "how-to" manual.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 All three of these books, published by Sylvan Dell, include several pages of educational supplements through which children can extend their knowledge of turtles and participate in activities centered around turtles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Turtle Crossing" by Rick Chrustowski is the life story of a painted turtle that hatches underneath a field and has to find its way across a road to reach the pond where it will live. Five years later, the female finds her way back across the road to lay her eggs. This book is so compelling it should come with an "I Brake for Turtles" bumper sticker.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Whenever I was trying to hurry our children into my car and they were studiously dragging their feet, I used to say, "And we're off - like a herd of turtles." (This invariably caused a unanimous rolling of eyes.) In retrospect, the turtles deserved more respect.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 120 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 31, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Engaging activities make science fun
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 496 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 'Watch kids to discover how they playfully explore."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Maintain a hands-off attitude so kids can explore in peace."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Encourage and celebrate wonder."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Allow children to follow their own paths of inquiry."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Let kids spend time - it's free!"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Sandbox Scientist: Real Science Activities for Little Kids" by Michael Ross starts with this inspired advice for parents and caregivers of young children. The activities are for ages 2 and up, but I'm hanging out with an ultra-curious 18-month-old who loves this stuff. The activities are arranged by categories, including Water, Matter, Air, Light, Mechanics, Building, Little Critters, Kitchen Science and Outdoors. Each activity has a name and description, a list of materials, the setup, the science and actual descriptions of children engaging in the activities.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Water tubs (or a wading pool) are perfect for future hydraulic engineers who become absorbed in experimenting with basters, sponges, funnels, paintbrushes, plastic containers with and without holes, etc. Especially the etcetera. Painting with water, watching the concrete sidewalk turn darker with each stroke of the brush, is very satisfying. And then it dries.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Blocks of ice are another great summer activity recommended for ages 2 and up. You can make the ice blocks by freezing water in gallon milk jugs or other large plastic containers. Provide warm water in a plastic spray bottle, grass clippings, sand, salt and whatever else you might think of that would encourage children to experiment.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Boats" is an activity recommended for children ages 4 and up. We used to do this at birthday parties, although we never thought of it as "creative applications of understandings of buoyancy." Provide corks, Styrofoam plates and other recycled packing materials, tape, string and anything else that might float. Invite the children to build a boat and provide a place (maybe a wading pool), where they can test their craft. Kids will have a great, creative time and incidentally learn about "such things as porousness, density, impermeability and general seaworthiness."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Some of my other favorite activities:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Disassembly Line" gives children the opportunity to use screwdrivers and other simple tools to disassemble broken appliances and clocks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Earthworms" lets children explore the world of these "simple, fail-safe creatures." Personal experience with these plentiful and practical worms may encourage children to start their own worm farm.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Seeds" provides children with at least a gallon of rice, bird seed, popcorn, beans and other seeds that they can sort, weigh and examine under a microscope.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Bubbles, mud, gears, wind, potions, snails and more are included in the "Sandbox Scientist." Who knew that science could be so entertaining?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Similar science books for tots include: "Science Play! Beginning Discoveries for 2-6 Year Olds" by Jill Hauser and "Science is Simple: Over 250 Activities for Preschoolers" by Peggy Ashbrook.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 August 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
\f1\fs24 \
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 121 of 407 DOCUMENTS
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\cf0 \
\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 31, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
\cf0 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f0\fs42 \cf0 Engaging activities make science fun
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 496 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 'Watch kids to discover how they playfully explore."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Maintain a hands-off attitude so kids can explore in peace."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Encourage and celebrate wonder."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Allow children to follow their own paths of inquiry."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Let kids spend time - it's free!"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Sandbox Scientist: Real Science Activities for Little Kids" by Michael Ross starts with this inspired advice for parents and caregivers of young children. The activities are for ages 2 and up, but I'm hanging out with an ultra-curious 18-month-old who loves this stuff. The activities are arranged by categories, including Water, Matter, Air, Light, Mechanics, Building, Little Critters, Kitchen Science and Outdoors. Each activity has a name and description, a list of materials, the setup, the science and actual descriptions of children engaging in the activities.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Water tubs (or a wading pool) are perfect for future hydraulic engineers who become absorbed in experimenting with basters, sponges, funnels, paintbrushes, plastic containers with and without holes, etc. Especially the etcetera. Painting with water, watching the concrete sidewalk turn darker with each stroke of the brush, is very satisfying. And then it dries.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Blocks of ice are another great summer activity recommended for ages 2 and up. You can make the ice blocks by freezing water in gallon milk jugs or other large plastic containers. Provide warm water in a plastic spray bottle, grass clippings, sand, salt and whatever else you might think of that would encourage children to experiment.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Boats" is an activity recommended for children ages 4 and up. We used to do this at birthday parties, although we never thought of it as "creative applications of understandings of buoyancy." Provide corks, Styrofoam plates and other recycled packing materials, tape, string and anything else that might float. Invite the children to build a boat and provide a place (maybe a wading pool), where they can test their craft. Kids will have a great, creative time and incidentally learn about "such things as porousness, density, impermeability and general seaworthiness."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Some of my other favorite activities:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Disassembly Line" gives children the opportunity to use screwdrivers and other simple tools to disassemble broken appliances and clocks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Earthworms" lets children explore the world of these "simple, fail-safe creatures." Personal experience with these plentiful and practical worms may encourage children to start their own worm farm.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Seeds" provides children with at least a gallon of rice, bird seed, popcorn, beans and other seeds that they can sort, weigh and examine under a microscope.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Bubbles, mud, gears, wind, potions, snails and more are included in the "Sandbox Scientist." Who knew that science could be so entertaining?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Similar science books for tots include: "Science Play! Beginning Discoveries for 2-6 Year Olds" by Jill Hauser and "Science is Simple: Over 250 Activities for Preschoolers" by Peggy Ashbrook.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 122 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 24, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books teach kids about rising above deprivation
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 540 words
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\f0\fs26 When children act entitled, it makes me crazy.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Entitlement rears its ugly head in so many places that I should sigh with resignation and move on. But I don't. I try to fix the problem.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A student was disruptive in her homeroom. With the principal's permission, I told her she was evicted from homeroom and would spend the rest of the school year with me in the library as a homeroom of one. She was required to comply, but her attitude reeked of injury. In her opinion, she was entitled to stay in homeroom with her friends, regardless of the disruptions she caused.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A teenager I dearly love feels entitled to daily dollars for the school drink machine. She has no income, but she is steadfastly unwilling to take a job that's readily available. Her defense is that she would spend the money as soon as she got it, and so it made no sense to try to save up for what she wanted. She feels entitled to money for which she hasn't worked.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 At a small school on Johns Island where there was virtually no playground equipment, I brought chalk so the children could draw on the sidewalk and keep themselves busy. I bought enough so that each child could have one piece per day for a month. No chance. The chalk was gone the first day because every child felt entitled to all the chalk she could grab.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I'm not talking about rich kids or poor kids. I'm talking about kids in general. Of course I'm not condemning all kids: Just the ones who make me seriously worry about the future of the United States. If they feel entitled to the right to be disruptive, the right not to work and the right to be greedy, and life is insupportable without the latest cell phones and the most expensive shoes, how is our future looking? How about "bleak?"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 So, books to the rescue. Probably not, but here are my suggested titles for teenagers.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Wall is an astonishing memoir. Even if teens don't change their behavior, they do devour this book. Wall was raised by parents who personified "bizarre." Eating out of the school trashcan in the girls bathroom is just one of countless daily activities that were necessary for Wall to keep functioning.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The parents weren't even mean-spirited. They were bonkers.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Learning Joy From Dogs Without Collars" by Lauralee Summer is an older memoir (2003) that moves more slowly than the "The Glass Castle," but is still worth reading. You may have seen Summer's picture on one of the inspirational billboards along I-26.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In Summer's words, her book "... is about the innocence and resiliency of childhood - the space of happiness and joy which poverty was unable to demolish or diminish." She and her beloved single mom moved frequently and often lived in homeless shelters. Against tremendous odds, Summer was accepted at Harvard and graduated in 1998.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For Wall and Summer, the deprivation was real and they rose above it. A sense of entitlement simply wasn't present in their thinking. What motivates one child will fall flat with the next, so there doesn't seem to be a surefire formula for raising the entitlement-free child. I believe that the grateful child who sees her glass as half-full (rather than half-empty) is the child most likely to live happily ever after.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 July 24, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 123 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 24, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books teach kids about rising above deprivation
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\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 540 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 When children act entitled, it makes me crazy.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Entitlement rears its ugly head in so many places that I should sigh with resignation and move on. But I don't. I try to fix the problem.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A student was disruptive in her homeroom. With the principal's permission, I told her she was evicted from homeroom and would spend the rest of the school year with me in the library as a homeroom of one. She was required to comply, but her attitude reeked of injury. In her opinion, she was entitled to stay in homeroom with her friends, regardless of the disruptions she caused.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A teenager I dearly love feels entitled to daily dollars for the school drink machine. She has no income, but she is steadfastly unwilling to take a job that's readily available. Her defense is that she would spend the money as soon as she got it, and so it made no sense to try to save up for what she wanted. She feels entitled to money for which she hasn't worked.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 At a small school on Johns Island where there was virtually no playground equipment, I brought chalk so the children could draw on the sidewalk and keep themselves busy. I bought enough so that each child could have one piece per day for a month. No chance. The chalk was gone the first day because every child felt entitled to all the chalk she could grab.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I'm not talking about rich kids or poor kids. I'm talking about kids in general. Of course I'm not condemning all kids: Just the ones who make me seriously worry about the future of the United States. If they feel entitled to the right to be disruptive, the right not to work and the right to be greedy, and life is insupportable without the latest cell phones and the most expensive shoes, how is our future looking? How about "bleak?"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 So, books to the rescue. Probably not, but here are my suggested titles for teenagers.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Wall is an astonishing memoir. Even if teens don't change their behavior, they do devour this book. Wall was raised by parents who personified "bizarre." Eating out of the school trashcan in the girls bathroom is just one of countless daily activities that were necessary for Wall to keep functioning.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The parents weren't even mean-spirited. They were bonkers.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Learning Joy From Dogs Without Collars" by Lauralee Summer is an older memoir (2003) that moves more slowly than the "The Glass Castle," but is still worth reading. You may have seen Summer's picture on one of the inspirational billboards along I-26.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In Summer's words, her book "... is about the innocence and resiliency of childhood - the space of happiness and joy which poverty was unable to demolish or diminish." She and her beloved single mom moved frequently and often lived in homeless shelters. Against tremendous odds, Summer was accepted at Harvard and graduated in 1998.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For Wall and Summer, the deprivation was real and they rose above it. A sense of entitlement simply wasn't present in their thinking. What motivates one child will fall flat with the next, so there doesn't seem to be a surefire formula for raising the entitlement-free child. I believe that the grateful child who sees her glass as half-full (rather than half-empty) is the child most likely to live happily ever after.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 17, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books aimed at teaching children tolerance
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 413 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Front-page news often is disheartening. Parish and Paris, war and wrecks, it's mostly a sobering bunch of headlines. After decades of this barrage, I thought I was largely inured and inoculated against the negative news impact. Pope Benedict XVI's recent headline statement declaring that his is the "One true Church" proved to me that I'm still vulnerable. I read his proclamation and felt despair and disbelief.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In The Post and Courier's "Reactions to Vatican Document," I was especially grateful to the Rev. Bert Keller, pastor of the Circular Congregational Church, for verbalizing a spiritually thoughtful response. Keller writes that several "probing questions" need to be asked. One is, "Does my church seek an integrity that draws us closer to others rather than creating barriers to mutual respect and love?"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Keller also quotes a prayer from the liturgy of the Iona Community in Scotland, which often is used in worship at Circular Church: "Open our eyes that we may recognize the work of your spirit among other people and under different forms."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Tolerance" has pejorative connotations in our current world, but I believe that the lack of tolerance (live and let live; include rather than exclude) accounts for much of the man's-inhumanity-to-man headlines. Children aren't born tolerant or intolerant. If tolerance is our goal, I think it has to be taught everywhere that children learn, which is everywhere. The Southern Poverty Law Center (Tolerance.org) is, in my opinion, the reigning expert in the field.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 There are also some excellent books for children. Two of the best:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"One Green Apple," written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Ted Lewin, is the picture book story of Farah, a young Muslim immigrant girl. When her class makes cider, Farah's green apple blends in with all the other children's red apples. Although Farah wears the dupatta (head and shoulder covering) and can't speak English yet, the message of blending is clear and compelling.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Other Side" by Jacqueline Woodson with illustration by E.B. Lewis is a picture book in which a black child and a white child are separated by a fence during the days of segregation. Despite the fence, the girls become friends and grow to believe that, "Someday somebody's going to come along and knock this old fence down." The story is simple and powerful. The message is subtle yet inescapable.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In a perfect world, tolerance would expand as fast as the planet shrinks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 July 19, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 17, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books aimed at teaching children tolerance
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 413 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Front-page news often is disheartening. Parish and Paris, war and wrecks, it's mostly a sobering bunch of headlines. After decades of this barrage, I thought I was largely inured and inoculated against the negative news impact. Pope Benedict XVI's recent headline statement declaring that his is the "One true Church" proved to me that I'm still vulnerable. I read his proclamation and felt despair and disbelief.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In The Post and Courier's "Reactions to Vatican Document," I was especially grateful to the Rev. Bert Keller, pastor of the Circular Congregational Church, for verbalizing a spiritually thoughtful response. Keller writes that several "probing questions" need to be asked. One is, "Does my church seek an integrity that draws us closer to others rather than creating barriers to mutual respect and love?"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Keller also quotes a prayer from the liturgy of the Iona Community in Scotland, which often is used in worship at Circular Church: "Open our eyes that we may recognize the work of your spirit among other people and under different forms."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Tolerance" has pejorative connotations in our current world, but I believe that the lack of tolerance (live and let live; include rather than exclude) accounts for much of the man's-inhumanity-to-man headlines. Children aren't born tolerant or intolerant. If tolerance is our goal, I think it has to be taught everywhere that children learn, which is everywhere. The Southern Poverty Law Center (Tolerance.org) is, in my opinion, the reigning expert in the field.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 There are also some excellent books for children. Two of the best:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"One Green Apple," written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Ted Lewin, is the picture book story of Farah, a young Muslim immigrant girl. When her class makes cider, Farah's green apple blends in with all the other children's red apples. Although Farah wears the dupatta (head and shoulder covering) and can't speak English yet, the message of blending is clear and compelling.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Other Side" by Jacqueline Woodson with illustration by E.B. Lewis is a picture book in which a black child and a white child are separated by a fence during the days of segregation. Despite the fence, the girls become friends and grow to believe that, "Someday somebody's going to come along and knock this old fence down." The story is simple and powerful. The message is subtle yet inescapable.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In a perfect world, tolerance would expand as fast as the planet shrinks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 126 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 10, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Check out batty books this summer
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 291 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico is a spectacular place, as well as a memorable experience. Before our trip, I prepared myself by learning the difference between stalactites and stalagmites. (It's like ants in the pants - the mites go up and the "tites" come down.) It turns out there's really no way to prepare for the eerie underground grandeur of the actual caverns. You just have to be there.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 As unprepared as I was for the day trip in the caverns, I was even more blindsided by the evening nature program. Our group of curious tourists sat in a semicircle listening to the park ranger's description of the millions of bats that live in the caverns. As the evening progressed, the bats (right on cue) began to emerge from the caverns for their nightly insect hunting. At first, there were just a few. Gradually, their numbers increased until dark clouds of bats filled the sky.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Little Lost Bat," a picture book written by Sandra Markle and illustrated by Alan Marks, forcefully reminded me of that incredible sight. This fascinating, exciting and informative story takes place in Texas in Bracken Cave, which is the nursery cave for more than 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats. There are so many bats that the floor of the cave is covered in guano (bat waste) several feet deep.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 This is children's nonfiction at its best. After reading and/or hearing about bats, your child may want to adopt a bat at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.batworld.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.batworld.org}}. For live views of a real bat colony and how to build a bat house, there's Bat Conservation International at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.batcon.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.batcon.org}}.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In addition to Web resources, the author includes a bibliography of bat books for children and some bat fact highlights.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Going batty this summer? This book will help!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 July 11, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 10, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Check out batty books this summer
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 291 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico is a spectacular place, as well as a memorable experience. Before our trip, I prepared myself by learning the difference between stalactites and stalagmites. (It's like ants in the pants - the mites go up and the "tites" come down.) It turns out there's really no way to prepare for the eerie underground grandeur of the actual caverns. You just have to be there.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 As unprepared as I was for the day trip in the caverns, I was even more blindsided by the evening nature program. Our group of curious tourists sat in a semicircle listening to the park ranger's description of the millions of bats that live in the caverns. As the evening progressed, the bats (right on cue) began to emerge from the caverns for their nightly insect hunting. At first, there were just a few. Gradually, their numbers increased until dark clouds of bats filled the sky.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Little Lost Bat," a picture book written by Sandra Markle and illustrated by Alan Marks, forcefully reminded me of that incredible sight. This fascinating, exciting and informative story takes place in Texas in Bracken Cave, which is the nursery cave for more than 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats. There are so many bats that the floor of the cave is covered in guano (bat waste) several feet deep.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 This is children's nonfiction at its best. After reading and/or hearing about bats, your child may want to adopt a bat at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.batworld.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.batworld.org}}. For live views of a real bat colony and how to build a bat house, there's Bat Conservation International at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.batcon.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.batcon.org}}.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In addition to Web resources, the author includes a bibliography of bat books for children and some bat fact highlights.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Going batty this summer? This book will help!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 128 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 3, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book list not exactly best choices
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 349 words
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\f0\fs26 Plan A: Go to the Chicago Public Library and write a column based on its display of children's books on Independence Day. Good plan, except that there wasn't a single Independence Day book in sight.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Plan B: Get a copy of the Chicago Public Library's "Best of the Best: Books for Great Kids," and read their suggestions. As I read book after mediocre book, I was starting to wonder about its selection criteria. Eventually I realized these books were "the best published in 2006 for kids."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Generally speaking, I'd say the 2006 crop was a tad thin. Out of 30 titles for picture books, there were several I'd ignore completely, and only a few I'd recommend.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Lost and Found" by Oliver Jeffers is about a boy who finds a penguin and goes to great lengths to return the penguin to his assumed home. The surprising result is that both boy and penguin are unhappy, and an alternative solution is mutually discovered. This reminds me of the similar (and better) books: "Whose Mouse Are You?" by Robert Kraus, "I Promise I'll Find You" by Heather Ward, and "Your Personal Penguin" by Sandra Boynton. For ages 3-6.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "A Girl and Her Gator" by Sean Bryan features a child who wakes up with an alligator stuck to her head. The basic theme is self-
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 esteem, but it also includes words such as "eclair" and "au contraire." "Imogene's Antler's" is a similar book, but better. For ages 4-6.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Pancakes for Supper" by Anne Isaacs is the politically correct retelling of the venerable "Little Black Sambo." Instead of a jungle, there's a forest. In this forest, there is a wolf, a cougar, a skunk, a bear and a porcupine. These animals are "roaring and growling, hissing and howling, yipping and yowling" until they turn into syrup for the pancakes. For ages 3-6.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding" by Lenore Look explores the jealousy of a child whose favorite uncle is getting married. Chinese wedding customs are woven into the story. For ages 4-6.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 What is so rare as a wonderful new children's book? Just because a book is on a list doesn't mean it's good enough for your child.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:books@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 July 5, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 3, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book list not exactly best choices
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 349 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Plan A: Go to the Chicago Public Library and write a column based on its display of children's books on Independence Day. Good plan, except that there wasn't a single Independence Day book in sight.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Plan B: Get a copy of the Chicago Public Library's "Best of the Best: Books for Great Kids," and read their suggestions. As I read book after mediocre book, I was starting to wonder about its selection criteria. Eventually I realized these books were "the best published in 2006 for kids."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Generally speaking, I'd say the 2006 crop was a tad thin. Out of 30 titles for picture books, there were several I'd ignore completely, and only a few I'd recommend.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Lost and Found" by Oliver Jeffers is about a boy who finds a penguin and goes to great lengths to return the penguin to his assumed home. The surprising result is that both boy and penguin are unhappy, and an alternative solution is mutually discovered. This reminds me of the similar (and better) books: "Whose Mouse Are You?" by Robert Kraus, "I Promise I'll Find You" by Heather Ward, and "Your Personal Penguin" by Sandra Boynton. For ages 3-6.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "A Girl and Her Gator" by Sean Bryan features a child who wakes up with an alligator stuck to her head. The basic theme is self-
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 esteem, but it also includes words such as "eclair" and "au contraire." "Imogene's Antler's" is a similar book, but better. For ages 4-6.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Pancakes for Supper" by Anne Isaacs is the politically correct retelling of the venerable "Little Black Sambo." Instead of a jungle, there's a forest. In this forest, there is a wolf, a cougar, a skunk, a bear and a porcupine. These animals are "roaring and growling, hissing and howling, yipping and yowling" until they turn into syrup for the pancakes. For ages 3-6.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding" by Lenore Look explores the jealousy of a child whose favorite uncle is getting married. Chinese wedding customs are woven into the story. For ages 4-6.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 What is so rare as a wonderful new children's book? Just because a book is on a list doesn't mean it's good enough for your child.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:books@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 26, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Horrors of war recounted in children's books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 423 words
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\f0\fs26 What sort of person chooses "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque to read on the plane to New York? And the next weekend chooses "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers to read on vacation in Hilton Head Island? That would be me. (We can argue later about the grammar.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 World War I and the Vietnam War aren't subjects designed to promote rest and recreation.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The war in Iraq is getting to me.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I asked (rhetorically it turns out) how there could ever be another war if anyone read those books. The horrors and futility of war are documented in these and countless other works of fiction and nonfiction.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 What's a parent to do if that parent wants to broach the subject of war with the next generation? (That would be the children.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "How the Children Stopped the Wars" by Jan Wahl sold 100,000 copies when it first was published during the Vietnam War era. This simple little book now is available in a new paperback edition. It would be appropriate for children from upper elementary grades on up. The "Horn Book" (an esteemed source of literary criticism for children) says the book is "A small heroic tale, as timeless as a folk tale, but clearly created for today." As with any book about war, I recommend reading it yourself before sharing it with a child.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne is about a 9-year-old boy named Bruno, but it's not a story for 9-year-olds. Some readers suggest a minimum age of 16. A reviewer on Amazon.com called it "simple, elegant and brutal." I would add "haunting" to that list of adjectives. Bruno lives outside the fence of Ausch-witz. By talking through the fence, he becomes friends with a Jewish inmate, a boy his age who wears the prison's striped pajamas. Bruno's fascination and curiosity are so intense, he sneaks through the fence to join his new friend, Shmuel. He intends to return, but he doesn't.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff is advertised as young adult fiction, probably because the heroine is 15. As People magazine writes: This book is "thoroughly original ... a book for all ages. ... A daring, wise, and sensitive look at the complexities of being young in a world teetering on chaos." The novel is about war, terrorism, survival and love, narrated in the voice of a witty, irreverent teenager. The time could be now or the near future - so realistic it could be read as terrifying, riveting prophecy.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If you want to be as confused as I am, read all these books and then re-read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 After July 1, reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 June 27, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 131 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 26, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Horrors of war recounted in children's books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 423 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 What sort of person chooses "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque to read on the plane to New York? And the next weekend chooses "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers to read on vacation in Hilton Head Island? That would be me. (We can argue later about the grammar.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 World War I and the Vietnam War aren't subjects designed to promote rest and recreation.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The war in Iraq is getting to me.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I asked (rhetorically it turns out) how there could ever be another war if anyone read those books. The horrors and futility of war are documented in these and countless other works of fiction and nonfiction.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 What's a parent to do if that parent wants to broach the subject of war with the next generation? (That would be the children.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "How the Children Stopped the Wars" by Jan Wahl sold 100,000 copies when it first was published during the Vietnam War era. This simple little book now is available in a new paperback edition. It would be appropriate for children from upper elementary grades on up. The "Horn Book" (an esteemed source of literary criticism for children) says the book is "A small heroic tale, as timeless as a folk tale, but clearly created for today." As with any book about war, I recommend reading it yourself before sharing it with a child.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne is about a 9-year-old boy named Bruno, but it's not a story for 9-year-olds. Some readers suggest a minimum age of 16. A reviewer on Amazon.com called it "simple, elegant and brutal." I would add "haunting" to that list of adjectives. Bruno lives outside the fence of Ausch-witz. By talking through the fence, he becomes friends with a Jewish inmate, a boy his age who wears the prison's striped pajamas. Bruno's fascination and curiosity are so intense, he sneaks through the fence to join his new friend, Shmuel. He intends to return, but he doesn't.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff is advertised as young adult fiction, probably because the heroine is 15. As People magazine writes: This book is "thoroughly original ... a book for all ages. ... A daring, wise, and sensitive look at the complexities of being young in a world teetering on chaos." The novel is about war, terrorism, survival and love, narrated in the voice of a witty, irreverent teenager. The time could be now or the near future - so realistic it could be read as terrifying, riveting prophecy.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If you want to be as confused as I am, read all these books and then re-read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 After July 1, reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 19, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Road trips offer time for reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 272 words
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\f0\fs26 Here comes summer, the season of excruciatingly long road trips with children. And here come suggestions that may seem anachronistic in this day of in-car movies. Our four children packed their own books and read away the miles independently.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Sarah Kuhnell, self-proclaimed bibliophile, sent me some ideas that made me wistfully sigh over missed opportunities. She writes, "Much as I longed for a movie to engage my youngsters on a 10-hour trip, we did play the little books on tape. We took turns selecting. With your choice, you got to hold the book and turn the pages. Eventually, we moved on to listening to longer books such as "War of the Worlds." By that time, we also began bringing along a book of choice to take turns reading aloud to each other. Would I ever have picked up the Alfred Hitchcock boy detective series on my own, or appreciated "Super Fudge" as much if these books hadn't been read by my children as I drove? Making that trip a couple times a year helped me appreciate their interests and encouraged their use of the library. The children's ages range over six years, so there was variety as well as groaningly perennial favorites. On a recent trip together, my 30-year-old brought podcasts that he knew we would not have heard or read. What a treat!"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Ms. Kuhnell pays tribute to her parents, older siblings and teachers for encouraging her to read and also become a patient, careful listener. It sounds as though her children are the readers and listeners of today, and she's providing a blueprint for producing the readers and careful listeners of tomorrow.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk (after July 1) at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 June 20, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 133 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 19, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Road trips offer time for reading
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 272 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 Here comes summer, the season of excruciatingly long road trips with children. And here come suggestions that may seem anachronistic in this day of in-car movies. Our four children packed their own books and read away the miles independently.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Sarah Kuhnell, self-proclaimed bibliophile, sent me some ideas that made me wistfully sigh over missed opportunities. She writes, "Much as I longed for a movie to engage my youngsters on a 10-hour trip, we did play the little books on tape. We took turns selecting. With your choice, you got to hold the book and turn the pages. Eventually, we moved on to listening to longer books such as "War of the Worlds." By that time, we also began bringing along a book of choice to take turns reading aloud to each other. Would I ever have picked up the Alfred Hitchcock boy detective series on my own, or appreciated "Super Fudge" as much if these books hadn't been read by my children as I drove? Making that trip a couple times a year helped me appreciate their interests and encouraged their use of the library. The children's ages range over six years, so there was variety as well as groaningly perennial favorites. On a recent trip together, my 30-year-old brought podcasts that he knew we would not have heard or read. What a treat!"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Ms. Kuhnell pays tribute to her parents, older siblings and teachers for encouraging her to read and also become a patient, careful listener. It sounds as though her children are the readers and listeners of today, and she's providing a blueprint for producing the readers and careful listeners of tomorrow.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk (after July 1) at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 12, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reading Warehouse resource for summer lists, classics, ideas
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 320 words
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\f0\fs26 The Reading Warehouse (thereadingwarehouse.com) is your answer. The question is: Where is a great site to find books quickly and inexpensively?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Looking for graduation presents for any age person?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Looking for the titles on that pesky summer reading list?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Looking for ideas?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Looking for books by grade or Lexile level?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 This is the place.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Not all book Web sites are created equal. The Reading Warehouse has several features that set it apart. With 6 million titles, 10 million by the end of summer, you are highly likely to find what you want. If a publisher happens to be out of a book, Reading Warehouse will tell you that rather than automatically put your request on back-order. Also, if you don't like to type your credit card number online, you can place your order and then phone in your method of payment.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Prices are 30 percent (or more) off every day. Time-honored (or excoriated, depending on your point of view) titles such as "To Kill a Mockingbird" ($4.82) and "Animal Farm" ($5.49) are right there at the mouse click.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For parents who wish they'd never heard of Accelerated Reading levels and Lexile levels, this site eliminates those headaches by automatically translating the levels into titles. This site speaks the language of schools. You can even search for books by Accelerated Reading levels, Accelerated Reading quiz numbers and Lexile levels. You also can search by the usual keyword, author, title and subject.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For those of you who are anticipating August, school supplies also are available.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Reading Rewards" is the Reading Warehouse program that gives 1 percent of purchases back to participating schools and nonprofit organizations. Spread the word. This could be a no-sweat fundraiser for your school.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Expect to be impressed. And expect grandparents to be jealous that the Reading Warehouse wasn't around when they were chasing down summer reading.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at Fran_
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 12, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reading Warehouse resource for summer lists, classics, ideas
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 The Reading Warehouse (thereadingwarehouse.com) is your answer. The question is: Where is a great site to find books quickly and inexpensively?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Looking for graduation presents for any age person?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Looking for the titles on that pesky summer reading list?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Looking for ideas?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --Looking for books by grade or Lexile level?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 This is the place.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Not all book Web sites are created equal. The Reading Warehouse has several features that set it apart. With 6 million titles, 10 million by the end of summer, you are highly likely to find what you want. If a publisher happens to be out of a book, Reading Warehouse will tell you that rather than automatically put your request on back-order. Also, if you don't like to type your credit card number online, you can place your order and then phone in your method of payment.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Prices are 30 percent (or more) off every day. Time-honored (or excoriated, depending on your point of view) titles such as "To Kill a Mockingbird" ($4.82) and "Animal Farm" ($5.49) are right there at the mouse click.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For parents who wish they'd never heard of Accelerated Reading levels and Lexile levels, this site eliminates those headaches by automatically translating the levels into titles. This site speaks the language of schools. You can even search for books by Accelerated Reading levels, Accelerated Reading quiz numbers and Lexile levels. You also can search by the usual keyword, author, title and subject.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For those of you who are anticipating August, school supplies also are available.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Reading Rewards" is the Reading Warehouse program that gives 1 percent of purchases back to participating schools and nonprofit organizations. Spread the word. This could be a no-sweat fundraiser for your school.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Expect to be impressed. And expect grandparents to be jealous that the Reading Warehouse wasn't around when they were chasing down summer reading.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at Fran_
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 4, 2007 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 With children's books, to each his own
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 356 words
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\f0\fs26 Humble pie is a staple of my diet. My high school students routinely tell me things I should already know. For example, cell-phone companies also are in the business of Internet access. But it's not just the kids. My colleagues pack the occasional wallop.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 One teacher patiently explained that I'd used "sewn" when I meant "sown." As egregious as that ignorance might have been, worse awaited me at a meeting of librarians from around the state. The moderator asked us to introduce ourselves and name our favorite picture book. I named "Books for Oliver" by Lee Elliott Rambo and "The Adventures of Cow Too" by Lori Korchek, which I explained were my just-off-the-press favorites.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Some librarians named classic favorites: "Blueberries for Sal" and "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert McCloskey were popular picks. Some librarians named books like "A Bad Case of Stripes" by David Shannon, "The Library Dragon" by Carmen Agra Deedy, "Piggie Pie" by Margie Palatini and "Boomer Goes to School" by Constance McGeorge. Some librarians named books I don't even like, like "Knuffle Bunny" by Mo Willems.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 But the librarians serving up the humble pie all-you-can-eat buffet were the ones who named books that had never crossed my consciousness. I made a (quite long) list of these offending titles and took it with my true confession to Nancy Filer, the head of Children's Services at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library. Although she could feel my angst, she couldn't help laughing. There were titles on that list that she didn't know, and some that weren't in the Charleston County Library system!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 She's a very nice person and she may have said that just to make me feel better, but I think I stumbled on a basic piece of truth about books: To each his own. It's not the title that matters.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For my 15-month-old grandchild, "Funny Faces" by Nicola Smee is the book that mesmerizes him over and over. "Whose Mouse Are You?" by Robert Kraus was one of my children's favorites when they were little. But to reiterate my point, it could be these titles or two completely different titles. Whatever works.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 June 7, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 4, 2007 Monday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 With children's books, to each his own
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 356 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Humble pie is a staple of my diet. My high school students routinely tell me things I should already know. For example, cell-phone companies also are in the business of Internet access. But it's not just the kids. My colleagues pack the occasional wallop.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 One teacher patiently explained that I'd used "sewn" when I meant "sown." As egregious as that ignorance might have been, worse awaited me at a meeting of librarians from around the state. The moderator asked us to introduce ourselves and name our favorite picture book. I named "Books for Oliver" by Lee Elliott Rambo and "The Adventures of Cow Too" by Lori Korchek, which I explained were my just-off-the-press favorites.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Some librarians named classic favorites: "Blueberries for Sal" and "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert McCloskey were popular picks. Some librarians named books like "A Bad Case of Stripes" by David Shannon, "The Library Dragon" by Carmen Agra Deedy, "Piggie Pie" by Margie Palatini and "Boomer Goes to School" by Constance McGeorge. Some librarians named books I don't even like, like "Knuffle Bunny" by Mo Willems.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 But the librarians serving up the humble pie all-you-can-eat buffet were the ones who named books that had never crossed my consciousness. I made a (quite long) list of these offending titles and took it with my true confession to Nancy Filer, the head of Children's Services at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library. Although she could feel my angst, she couldn't help laughing. There were titles on that list that she didn't know, and some that weren't in the Charleston County Library system!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 She's a very nice person and she may have said that just to make me feel better, but I think I stumbled on a basic piece of truth about books: To each his own. It's not the title that matters.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For my 15-month-old grandchild, "Funny Faces" by Nicola Smee is the book that mesmerizes him over and over. "Whose Mouse Are You?" by Robert Kraus was one of my children's favorites when they were little. But to reiterate my point, it could be these titles or two completely different titles. Whatever works.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 29, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Finance books for kids may end up paying off
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 INK; Pg. E5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 334 words
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\f0\fs26 'The New Totally Awesome Money Book for Kids: With Cartoons, Games, Riddles, Quizzes, and Stories" by Arthur and Rose Bochner. Who needs it? Just about every child I know between the ages of 8-14.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Instant gratification is a powerful force, especially compared to the glamorless tasks of planning and budgeting. For many of my students, whatever money flows in flows out almost instantaneously. Purchases that I would relegate to the "desire" category, my students put in the "need" category. They pay the big bucks for nail salon visits, cell phone minutes and the latest sneakers. They receive numerous, unsolicited credit cards by mail. Saving? An antediluvian concept that's beneath consideration.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Arthur Bochner wrote the original edition of this book when he was 11 years old. His mother, Adriane G. Berg, renowned in the field of finance and the author of many books on the subject, helped her son. Berg says that Gen X and Gen Y have done a better job with money than previous generations, but they could be doing better. In her words, "This book's mission is to be sure that Web Gen members ... become the giving generation, because they have so much to give spiritually, intellectually, and financially."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Most of the Web Gen members I know are under a lot of pressure to be the "getting" generation. "Money Book for Kids" is very user-friendly, but I think it's a book that's most likely to benefit children when parents and children read it together. Even with games and cartoons, children may find it difficult to stay on task without adult encouragement.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The New Totally Awesome Business Book for Kids" by the same authors is described by one reader as, "A must-buy for all kids who need extra money ... It will help them earn their own money instead of asking for a larger allowance."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Both books include extensive lists of additional books about money and business.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If you're looking for books that stand a chance of paying for themselves, try these.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 May 31, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 29, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Finance books for kids may end up paying off
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 INK; Pg. E5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 334 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 'The New Totally Awesome Money Book for Kids: With Cartoons, Games, Riddles, Quizzes, and Stories" by Arthur and Rose Bochner. Who needs it? Just about every child I know between the ages of 8-14.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Instant gratification is a powerful force, especially compared to the glamorless tasks of planning and budgeting. For many of my students, whatever money flows in flows out almost instantaneously. Purchases that I would relegate to the "desire" category, my students put in the "need" category. They pay the big bucks for nail salon visits, cell phone minutes and the latest sneakers. They receive numerous, unsolicited credit cards by mail. Saving? An antediluvian concept that's beneath consideration.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Arthur Bochner wrote the original edition of this book when he was 11 years old. His mother, Adriane G. Berg, renowned in the field of finance and the author of many books on the subject, helped her son. Berg says that Gen X and Gen Y have done a better job with money than previous generations, but they could be doing better. In her words, "This book's mission is to be sure that Web Gen members ... become the giving generation, because they have so much to give spiritually, intellectually, and financially."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Most of the Web Gen members I know are under a lot of pressure to be the "getting" generation. "Money Book for Kids" is very user-friendly, but I think it's a book that's most likely to benefit children when parents and children read it together. Even with games and cartoons, children may find it difficult to stay on task without adult encouragement.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The New Totally Awesome Business Book for Kids" by the same authors is described by one reader as, "A must-buy for all kids who need extra money ... It will help them earn their own money instead of asking for a larger allowance."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Both books include extensive lists of additional books about money and business.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If you're looking for books that stand a chance of paying for themselves, try these.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 22, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Educational computer games can be fun and challenging
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Fun is good. Games are good. Games that are fun and (gasp) educational are even better.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Simulation Nation" is a convincing article by Marc Prensky that was published in the March issue of Edutopia. Although there are subtle differences between computer games and computer simulations, there is now a category of simulation games that combines the best qualities of both. The most notable games, such as "Civilization III," "Civilization IV" and "Rise of Nations," are complex, challenging and both motivate and teach the players. "Froguts" is riveting in ways that keep kids focused.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For this generation of students, technology for teaching isn't optional, it's necessary.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Whatever the cost of the computers and software (much of the software is free), it's far less expensive than losing our kids to the boredom that results from irrelevant curriculum.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Technology (yes, including games) prepares them for life beyond textbooks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Google Earth isn't a game, but it's an absolutely amazing free site that brings life to learning. "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain isn't a boring old book when students create maps of Huck's journey online.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My pledge is to stop rolling my eyes in exasperation when kids try to tell me about their computer games. As an adult, I need to start respecting the time and thought that kids put into games and the learning that they acquire from games.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Games exist for all ages and virtually all subjects, from art to military strategy. Not all games are created equal. (No surprise.) The more "serious" games are listed online at the Social Impact Games Web site, sponsored by Games2Train.com.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Got games?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach FranHawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 May 24, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 22, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Educational computer games can be fun and challenging
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 INK; Pg. E5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Fun is good. Games are good. Games that are fun and (gasp) educational are even better.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Simulation Nation" is a convincing article by Marc Prensky that was published in the March issue of Edutopia. Although there are subtle differences between computer games and computer simulations, there is now a category of simulation games that combines the best qualities of both. The most notable games, such as "Civilization III," "Civilization IV" and "Rise of Nations," are complex, challenging and both motivate and teach the players. "Froguts" is riveting in ways that keep kids focused.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For this generation of students, technology for teaching isn't optional, it's necessary.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Whatever the cost of the computers and software (much of the software is free), it's far less expensive than losing our kids to the boredom that results from irrelevant curriculum.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Technology (yes, including games) prepares them for life beyond textbooks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Google Earth isn't a game, but it's an absolutely amazing free site that brings life to learning. "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain isn't a boring old book when students create maps of Huck's journey online.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My pledge is to stop rolling my eyes in exasperation when kids try to tell me about their computer games. As an adult, I need to start respecting the time and thought that kids put into games and the learning that they acquire from games.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Games exist for all ages and virtually all subjects, from art to military strategy. Not all games are created equal. (No surprise.) The more "serious" games are listed online at the Social Impact Games Web site, sponsored by Games2Train.com.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Got games?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach FranHawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 142 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 15, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Sanford boys' 'Mischief in the Mansion' lively history
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 383 words
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\f0\fs26 'Mischief in the Mansion: A Short History of the South Carolina Governor's Mansion" is an appealing and informative picture book written and illustrated by some folks who should know: Marshall, Landon, Bolton and Blake Sanford, the governor's children.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reading the book made me want to visit the mansion and see the sofa with feet carved like hairy paws. I'd also like to get a close look at the banister. Although it's off-limits to the Sanford boys, the first Mrs. Thurmond enjoyed sliding down on it when her husband, Strom, was governor.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 All the requisite information about the mansion is woven into the story. Relevant dates, art, artifacts, map of the grounds, lists of governors, and the Web site ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.scgovernorsmansion.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.scgovernorsmansion.org}}) are included.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The guy's-eye, kid's-eye view is what sets this book apart and makes it unique, lively and charming. The Small Drawing Room has windows that look out on the courtyard, so the boys can tell when their dogs misbehave and jump in the fountain.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The library has a silver and brass ceremonial sword from the Spanish-American War. When Blake was 4, he used it to try to cut off the tip of his shoe.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the Hall of Governors, the black-and-white marble tiles are perfect for sliding in sock feet. There also are busts that Landon likes to dress up in wigs, hats and goggles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The kitchen has a dishwashing sink with a long hose and a shower at the end. The hose and the drains in the floor make it the perfect place for water fights. Cameras in the kitchen catch the boys if they're snacking without permission.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When the baby bunny escapes, Gov. Mark Sanford searches the mansion on his hands and knees. When the boys add a baby alligator to their goldfish pond, the last goldfish disappears. One year, the boys used their collection of alligator teeth, feathers, shells and animal bones to decorate their Christmas tree in the Charleston Garden. They used the skull of a sea turtle for the ornament on top.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The boys close the book by writing: "While we do have lots of fun here, we also have learned to respect ... and to be particularly mindful of the incredible and valuable history and art that surrounds us daily. The Governor's Mansion is a special and historic place that is a treasure for all South Carolinians."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 May 16, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 143 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 15, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Sanford boys' 'Mischief in the Mansion' lively history
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 383 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 'Mischief in the Mansion: A Short History of the South Carolina Governor's Mansion" is an appealing and informative picture book written and illustrated by some folks who should know: Marshall, Landon, Bolton and Blake Sanford, the governor's children.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reading the book made me want to visit the mansion and see the sofa with feet carved like hairy paws. I'd also like to get a close look at the banister. Although it's off-limits to the Sanford boys, the first Mrs. Thurmond enjoyed sliding down on it when her husband, Strom, was governor.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 All the requisite information about the mansion is woven into the story. Relevant dates, art, artifacts, map of the grounds, lists of governors, and the Web site ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.scgovernorsmansion.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.scgovernorsmansion.org}}) are included.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The guy's-eye, kid's-eye view is what sets this book apart and makes it unique, lively and charming. The Small Drawing Room has windows that look out on the courtyard, so the boys can tell when their dogs misbehave and jump in the fountain.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The library has a silver and brass ceremonial sword from the Spanish-American War. When Blake was 4, he used it to try to cut off the tip of his shoe.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the Hall of Governors, the black-and-white marble tiles are perfect for sliding in sock feet. There also are busts that Landon likes to dress up in wigs, hats and goggles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The kitchen has a dishwashing sink with a long hose and a shower at the end. The hose and the drains in the floor make it the perfect place for water fights. Cameras in the kitchen catch the boys if they're snacking without permission.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When the baby bunny escapes, Gov. Mark Sanford searches the mansion on his hands and knees. When the boys add a baby alligator to their goldfish pond, the last goldfish disappears. One year, the boys used their collection of alligator teeth, feathers, shells and animal bones to decorate their Christmas tree in the Charleston Garden. They used the skull of a sea turtle for the ornament on top.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The boys close the book by writing: "While we do have lots of fun here, we also have learned to respect ... and to be particularly mindful of the incredible and valuable history and art that surrounds us daily. The Governor's Mansion is a special and historic place that is a treasure for all South Carolinians."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 1, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 A book to inspire, motivate students
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 290 words
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\f0\fs26 'Books for Oliver" by Lee Elliott Rambo and Jim Larkin charms children as it conveys the message that education is a privilege. The vibrant illustrations by Dan Brown convey the everyday realities of life in a small African village.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Oliver starts attending class at his little school in Kenya, but he can't continue unless his parents buy the required books. Finding the money is a serious dilemma for this family, which possesses only basic necessities.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Rambo has a master's degree in elementary education and has worked as a teacher, mentor and education adviser. Although "Oliver" isn't a true story, it's based on Rambo's experiences. She became an assistant teacher at an elementary school in Kenya when she accompanied her husband on a medical mission trip. While she was teaching, the principal of the school called all the students to the courtyard and sent home the students who didn't have the required materials.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In my dreams, students in South Carolina would treasure books and work hard to acquire them. My students treat textbooks, library books and other books casually and often with disrespect.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Oliver" provides perspective as well as a "teachable moment."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book is available at Barnes & Noble, as well as on the Web at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.booksforoliver.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.booksforoliver.com}}. The Web site offers discounts and materials for teachers and additional biographical information about the authors.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Also in my dreams, and quite possibly in reality, students who read this book will be inspired to provide books for children in Kenya.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Rambo suggests two Web sites that give all the information necessary to launch such a worthwhile, world-worthy project:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --www.camelbookdrive.wordpress.com
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --www.africanlibraryproject.org
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 May 3, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 145 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 1, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 A book to inspire, motivate students
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 290 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 'Books for Oliver" by Lee Elliott Rambo and Jim Larkin charms children as it conveys the message that education is a privilege. The vibrant illustrations by Dan Brown convey the everyday realities of life in a small African village.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Oliver starts attending class at his little school in Kenya, but he can't continue unless his parents buy the required books. Finding the money is a serious dilemma for this family, which possesses only basic necessities.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Rambo has a master's degree in elementary education and has worked as a teacher, mentor and education adviser. Although "Oliver" isn't a true story, it's based on Rambo's experiences. She became an assistant teacher at an elementary school in Kenya when she accompanied her husband on a medical mission trip. While she was teaching, the principal of the school called all the students to the courtyard and sent home the students who didn't have the required materials.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In my dreams, students in South Carolina would treasure books and work hard to acquire them. My students treat textbooks, library books and other books casually and often with disrespect.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Oliver" provides perspective as well as a "teachable moment."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book is available at Barnes & Noble, as well as on the Web at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.booksforoliver.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.booksforoliver.com}}. The Web site offers discounts and materials for teachers and additional biographical information about the authors.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Also in my dreams, and quite possibly in reality, students who read this book will be inspired to provide books for children in Kenya.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Rambo suggests two Web sites that give all the information necessary to launch such a worthwhile, world-worthy project:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --www.camelbookdrive.wordpress.com
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --www.africanlibraryproject.org
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 17, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Modern books changed boomers' lives
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 343 words
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\f0\fs26 'Of Human Bondage" by W. Somerset Maugham was my favorite book in high school. We had no required reading, so I borrowed summer reading lists from friends at other schools and read just for the joy of reading, but also because I was anxious to know what made these books important.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The freshmen class of 1967 was required to read two books before arriving on campus at Randolph-Macon Women's College: "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan (1964) and "Cry, the Beloved Country" (1948) by Alan Paton. This genre of literature opened a whole new world. In "The Boomer Files" by Malcolm Jones in Newsweek magazine, (March 19), he explores the notion that the boomer generation can be defined by their bookshelves. As we came of age, we forsook "The Scarlet Letter" and devoured "The Catcher in the Rye." Jones points out that virtually all of the books cherished by boomers were written after 1949. We glommed onto books and ideas that would change our thinking and change our lives.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Feminine Mystique" skyrocketed my consciousness. I wanted all women to read it. I wanted women to understand how and why they were being manipulated. Many of the boomer titles created this same missionary zeal among the readers. "Our Bodies, Ourselves" shed the light of information where there had been the darkness of secrets and misinformation. I remember exactly where I was sitting when I read the last page of "To Kill a Mockingbird." The book clobbered me. I could hardly wait to pass it along.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Marshall McLuhan, author of "The Medium is the Massage" (1967), visited our campus and taught us to be intelligently skeptical. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" and "Soul on Ice" infiltrated our little Southern school with different ways to think about race.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Boomers are still reading and joining book groups and encouraging their children to read. These people were pioneers who chose "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in lieu of "Silas Marner."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The irony: Students in 2007 are being required to read "our" books from 1967.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 April 19, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 17, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Modern books changed boomers' lives
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 343 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 'Of Human Bondage" by W. Somerset Maugham was my favorite book in high school. We had no required reading, so I borrowed summer reading lists from friends at other schools and read just for the joy of reading, but also because I was anxious to know what made these books important.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The freshmen class of 1967 was required to read two books before arriving on campus at Randolph-Macon Women's College: "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan (1964) and "Cry, the Beloved Country" (1948) by Alan Paton. This genre of literature opened a whole new world. In "The Boomer Files" by Malcolm Jones in Newsweek magazine, (March 19), he explores the notion that the boomer generation can be defined by their bookshelves. As we came of age, we forsook "The Scarlet Letter" and devoured "The Catcher in the Rye." Jones points out that virtually all of the books cherished by boomers were written after 1949. We glommed onto books and ideas that would change our thinking and change our lives.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Feminine Mystique" skyrocketed my consciousness. I wanted all women to read it. I wanted women to understand how and why they were being manipulated. Many of the boomer titles created this same missionary zeal among the readers. "Our Bodies, Ourselves" shed the light of information where there had been the darkness of secrets and misinformation. I remember exactly where I was sitting when I read the last page of "To Kill a Mockingbird." The book clobbered me. I could hardly wait to pass it along.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Marshall McLuhan, author of "The Medium is the Massage" (1967), visited our campus and taught us to be intelligently skeptical. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" and "Soul on Ice" infiltrated our little Southern school with different ways to think about race.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Boomers are still reading and joining book groups and encouraging their children to read. These people were pioneers who chose "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in lieu of "Silas Marner."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The irony: Students in 2007 are being required to read "our" books from 1967.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 10, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Just who is responsible for failure?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 504 words
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\f0\fs26 I was teeth-clenched, forehead-scrunched angry. It takes a lot to upset mild-mannered Fran Hawk, but this guy really did it.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Jonathan Alter, pontificating in "Newsweek" on Feb. 5, writes, "We have to get our arms around the idea that if there's no performance, you must remove those responsible for the failure."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In his opinion, those "responsible for the failure" are the teachers. In my opinion, accountability only makes sense when it's shared with the parents and the students.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If I'd been in a laughing mood, I would have laughed out loud when he cited Iowa and New Hampshire as states with the lowest teacher accountability. They also happen to be states with high SAT rankings (28th and 2nd, respectively). South Carolina, with a high teacher-accountability rating, ranks 49th in SAT scores. Statistics can prove anything, and Alter has proven his argument and correlations are backward.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When Oprah Winfrey spent $40 million to open a school for girls in Africa, she was criticized for choosing a foreign country. Her response was that the impoverished African children, unlike their American counterparts, were eager and anxious to learn. (I'm paraphrasing.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Are the U.S. teachers accountable for this lack of motivation? At my school, where every student has been labeled "at-risk," our faculty works doubly hard. First, the teacher has to figure out how to motivate each student and keep the student's attention. Then the learning can begin. All of our teachers have to be creative to be successful. When students refuse to learn, what force on earth is capable of making them learn? "Teacher accountability?" I don't think so.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 What are my chances of motivating a child to read when reading has never been a part of his or her life? Parents are accountable for reading and talking to a child from birth and having print materials in the home so the child starts preschool ready to learn. That child can learn from the standard textbook and make his teacher look effective. The opposite also is true. Children who start behind are highly likely to stay behind and make their teachers look as though they are "responsible for the failure."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Students themselves are accountable for making the effort to study and turn in assignments. I've paid for students to take the SAT and given them study guides. I've paid college application fees. I've worked with them to identify scholarships. So far, I'm batting zero. These students, who are capable of succeeding in college, have made choices not to study and not to pursue further education. Am I solely responsible for their failure, or were the seeds of failure sown before I even met them?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I gladly accept my one-third of this accountability. And I'm even happier when parents and students accept the other two-thirds.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Together, and only together, we
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 succeed.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Educating Esme" by Esme Codell presents all my points with much more grace and humor. If only Jonathan Alter would read that book, talk with a teacher, visit a school ...
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 April 11, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 10, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Just who is responsible for failure?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 504 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 I was teeth-clenched, forehead-scrunched angry. It takes a lot to upset mild-mannered Fran Hawk, but this guy really did it.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Jonathan Alter, pontificating in "Newsweek" on Feb. 5, writes, "We have to get our arms around the idea that if there's no performance, you must remove those responsible for the failure."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In his opinion, those "responsible for the failure" are the teachers. In my opinion, accountability only makes sense when it's shared with the parents and the students.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If I'd been in a laughing mood, I would have laughed out loud when he cited Iowa and New Hampshire as states with the lowest teacher accountability. They also happen to be states with high SAT rankings (28th and 2nd, respectively). South Carolina, with a high teacher-accountability rating, ranks 49th in SAT scores. Statistics can prove anything, and Alter has proven his argument and correlations are backward.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When Oprah Winfrey spent $40 million to open a school for girls in Africa, she was criticized for choosing a foreign country. Her response was that the impoverished African children, unlike their American counterparts, were eager and anxious to learn. (I'm paraphrasing.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Are the U.S. teachers accountable for this lack of motivation? At my school, where every student has been labeled "at-risk," our faculty works doubly hard. First, the teacher has to figure out how to motivate each student and keep the student's attention. Then the learning can begin. All of our teachers have to be creative to be successful. When students refuse to learn, what force on earth is capable of making them learn? "Teacher accountability?" I don't think so.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 What are my chances of motivating a child to read when reading has never been a part of his or her life? Parents are accountable for reading and talking to a child from birth and having print materials in the home so the child starts preschool ready to learn. That child can learn from the standard textbook and make his teacher look effective. The opposite also is true. Children who start behind are highly likely to stay behind and make their teachers look as though they are "responsible for the failure."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Students themselves are accountable for making the effort to study and turn in assignments. I've paid for students to take the SAT and given them study guides. I've paid college application fees. I've worked with them to identify scholarships. So far, I'm batting zero. These students, who are capable of succeeding in college, have made choices not to study and not to pursue further education. Am I solely responsible for their failure, or were the seeds of failure sown before I even met them?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I gladly accept my one-third of this accountability. And I'm even happier when parents and students accept the other two-thirds.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Together, and only together, we
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 succeed.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Educating Esme" by Esme Codell presents all my points with much more grace and humor. If only Jonathan Alter would read that book, talk with a teacher, visit a school ...
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 3, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Web site's books won't break bank
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 289 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Does the upcoming sugar-saturated holiday make you want to shout, "Humbunny?"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Pssst ... would you like to fill Easter baskets on the "cheap, cheap, cheap" while preserving your child's dental health?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Teacherwide.com sells more than 900 children's books for less than $2 each. I personally tested the site and rate it "terrific." I bought two board books (suitable for reading by adults and chewing by toddlers). "Hide and Go Peep" and "Funny Bunnies" are cute stories with beautiful photographs. The retail price is $5.99 each, but the Teacherwide price is $1.49. They'll be perfect basket ballast for this grandmother who prefers to fill baskets with jolly books rather than jellybeans.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For older children, I bought several of Ed Emberley's drawing books. These provide hours of entertainment for kids from kindergarten on up. The retail price is $10.99, but Teacherwide sells them for $3.29. Shipping is reasonable.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The downside of this site is that the titles are limited. If they happen to have what you want, you're in luck. If they don't have what you want, they don't have what you want.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," available July 21, is available for $19 rather than the list price of $34.99.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 From the home page, it's easy to search the site in numerous ways. A few possibilities are to search by subject, grade level, award winners and clearance items.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Bunnies' Picnic" by Lezlie Evans is a new book that's not on Teacherwide, but it's worth the full price for preschoolers on your list. Intergenerational bunnies collect vegetables, cook up a stew and solve problems, all in rollicking rhyme.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Yes, Virginia, there really is an Easter without marshmallow chickens.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at Fran_Hawk
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @charleston.k12.sc.us.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 April 4, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 151 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 3, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Web site's books won't break bank
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 289 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Does the upcoming sugar-saturated holiday make you want to shout, "Humbunny?"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Pssst ... would you like to fill Easter baskets on the "cheap, cheap, cheap" while preserving your child's dental health?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Teacherwide.com sells more than 900 children's books for less than $2 each. I personally tested the site and rate it "terrific." I bought two board books (suitable for reading by adults and chewing by toddlers). "Hide and Go Peep" and "Funny Bunnies" are cute stories with beautiful photographs. The retail price is $5.99 each, but the Teacherwide price is $1.49. They'll be perfect basket ballast for this grandmother who prefers to fill baskets with jolly books rather than jellybeans.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For older children, I bought several of Ed Emberley's drawing books. These provide hours of entertainment for kids from kindergarten on up. The retail price is $10.99, but Teacherwide sells them for $3.29. Shipping is reasonable.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The downside of this site is that the titles are limited. If they happen to have what you want, you're in luck. If they don't have what you want, they don't have what you want.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," available July 21, is available for $19 rather than the list price of $34.99.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 From the home page, it's easy to search the site in numerous ways. A few possibilities are to search by subject, grade level, award winners and clearance items.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Bunnies' Picnic" by Lezlie Evans is a new book that's not on Teacherwide, but it's worth the full price for preschoolers on your list. Intergenerational bunnies collect vegetables, cook up a stew and solve problems, all in rollicking rhyme.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Yes, Virginia, there really is an Easter without marshmallow chickens.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at Fran_Hawk
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @charleston.k12.sc.us.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 152 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 27, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Audiobooks can improve reading skill
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 378 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Call me old-fashioned. You wouldn't be the first.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Until recently, I thought listening to a book on tape or CD (instead of reading the book) was just as lazy and no-account as watching the movie of a book (instead of reading the book).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Research and common sense are proving me wrong.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Audiobooks help children become better readers and develop a desire to read for themselves," says Dr. Frank Serafini, who happens to be an authority on this subject.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 He continues, "Experts agree that reading aloud is the single most important activity for developing proficient reading skills. The road to becoming a reader begins with hearing stories read aloud."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Audiobooks count as reading aloud.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reading aloud is invaluable and irreplaceable. By introducing the sounds of language to children, it raises their awareness of the structure of written language. The model of fluent reading provides insight into appropriate phrasing and intonation and invites the child to replicate the ideal model in his own reading.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In addition, reading aloud introduces children to literature that they can understand, even though they aren't ready to read it for themselves. When our children were in early elementary school, our read-alouds were "Lassie Come Home" by Eric Knight and "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford. They could love and understand these stories long before they could actually read them. Stories and lessons from a multitude of cultures come alive for children through reading aloud.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Audiobooks won't ever be equal to a live reader interacting with a child, but they definitely can foster the development of literacy and lifelong readers by encouraging children to love books.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although audiobooks have been around for decades, they're particularly relevant now because of all the new technology that keeps kids "wired" almost 24/7. Book companies are packaging audiobooks to appeal to students. At some schools, listening to an audiobook counts as being equal to reading the book in print. This is true even for the dreaded summer reading lists. These are schools where teachers understand that listening skills are directly related to key literacy skills.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Spring break and summer vacation are directly ahead. Think audiobooks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 March 28, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 153 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 27, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Audiobooks can improve reading skill
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 378 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Call me old-fashioned. You wouldn't be the first.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Until recently, I thought listening to a book on tape or CD (instead of reading the book) was just as lazy and no-account as watching the movie of a book (instead of reading the book).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Research and common sense are proving me wrong.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Audiobooks help children become better readers and develop a desire to read for themselves," says Dr. Frank Serafini, who happens to be an authority on this subject.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 He continues, "Experts agree that reading aloud is the single most important activity for developing proficient reading skills. The road to becoming a reader begins with hearing stories read aloud."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Audiobooks count as reading aloud.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reading aloud is invaluable and irreplaceable. By introducing the sounds of language to children, it raises their awareness of the structure of written language. The model of fluent reading provides insight into appropriate phrasing and intonation and invites the child to replicate the ideal model in his own reading.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In addition, reading aloud introduces children to literature that they can understand, even though they aren't ready to read it for themselves. When our children were in early elementary school, our read-alouds were "Lassie Come Home" by Eric Knight and "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford. They could love and understand these stories long before they could actually read them. Stories and lessons from a multitude of cultures come alive for children through reading aloud.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Audiobooks won't ever be equal to a live reader interacting with a child, but they definitely can foster the development of literacy and lifelong readers by encouraging children to love books.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although audiobooks have been around for decades, they're particularly relevant now because of all the new technology that keeps kids "wired" almost 24/7. Book companies are packaging audiobooks to appeal to students. At some schools, listening to an audiobook counts as being equal to reading the book in print. This is true even for the dreaded summer reading lists. These are schools where teachers understand that listening skills are directly related to key literacy skills.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Spring break and summer vacation are directly ahead. Think audiobooks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 20, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Seek ways to find the right book
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 456 words
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\f0\fs26 'Kids say that the No. 1 reason they do not read more is because they cannot find books they like to read." ("Kids and Family Reading Report" June 2006)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although I'm surprised this is the top reason, I feel their pain. I'm overwhelmed when I walk into a bookstore or library with no particular book in mind.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When a child is searching blindly for a book to enjoy, it's like trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack. Often students are told to "Get a book and be back to class in five minutes." In their panic, they choose whatever comes to hand.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Pat Scales, recently the director of library services at the S.C. Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities and library guru in general, says, "The answer is simple. Know the students, know the books and seek creative ways to connect the two. Some students are more challenging than others, but all students respond when they think an adult knows them well enough to suggest just the right book."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Simple?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Maybe the concept is simple, but implementing the concept? Yikes. It translates into a librarian knowing all her students and most of her books. Parents would need to remember what they read in childhood, as well as keep up with new titles. Teachers know their students and their reading abilities, but they would need to be familiar with the vast array of books.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 However "yikes" the concept may be, I agree with Scales. This labor-intensive approach is the only one that works. To my astonishment, my children and my students (who know that I care about them) actually care what I think about a book.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When readers ask for suggestions for a specific child, I'm partially stymied because I don't know the child. I can make suggestions of titles, but I could be more effective if I could ask a few questions: What other books did you like? What are your favorite things to do? Do you like animals, etc.?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My students think I've read every book in our school library. That isn't true, but I'm working on it. I keep a cart of books other students have read and liked. When students return books, I ask their opinions and write a blurb in the back of the book. I'm hoping peer recommendations will augment mine.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I know parents who read every book their children read. How do they find time? I don't know. I do know it's an effective, interesting and fun way to stay in touch with your child.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Some teachers build classroom libraries of tried-and-true books. Students choose from these titles with more confidence than they'd choose from a wider collection. Whether librarian, teacher, parent or peer, it's important to be able to make suggestions on what to read next.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 It's all about the old maxim: the right book for the right child at the right time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 E-mail {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 March 21, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 20, 2007 Tuesday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Seek ways to find the right book
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. E1
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 455 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 'Kids say that the No. 1 reason they do not read more is because they cannot find books they like to read." ("Kids and Family Reading Report" June 2006)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although I'm surprised this is the top reason, I feel their pain. I'm overwhelmed when I walk into a bookstore or library with no particular book in mind.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When a child is searching blindly for a book to enjoy, it's like trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack. Often students are told to "Get a book and be back to class in five minutes." In their panic, they choose whatever comes to hand.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Pat Scales, recently the director of library services at the S.C. Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities and library guru in general, says, "The answer is simple. Know the students, know the books and seek creative ways to connect the two. Some students are more challenging than others, but all students respond when they think an adult knows them well enough to suggest just the right book."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Simple?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Maybe the concept is simple, but implementing the concept? Yikes. It translates into a librarian knowing all her students and most of her books. Parents would need to remember what they read in childhood, as well as keep up with new titles. Teachers know their students and their reading abilities, but they would need to be familiar with the vast array of books.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 However "yikes" the concept may be, I agree with Scales. This labor-intensive approach is the only one that works. To my astonishment, my children and my students (who know that I care about them) actually care what I think about a book.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When readers ask for suggestions for a specific child, I'm partially stymied because I don't know the child. I can make suggestions of titles, but I could be more effective if I could ask a few questions: What other books did you like? What are your favorite things to do? Do you like animals, etc.?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My students think I've read every book in our school library. That isn't true, but I'm working on it. I keep a cart of books other students have read and liked. When students return books, I ask their opinions and write a blurb in the back of the book. I'm hoping peer recommendations will augment mine.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I know parents who read every book their children read. How do they find time? I don't know. I do know it's an effective, interesting and fun way to stay in touch with your child.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Some teachers build classroom libraries of tried-and-true books. Students choose from these titles with more confidence than they'd choose from a wider collection. Whether librarian, teacher, parent or peer, it's important to be able to make suggestions on what to read next.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 It's all about the old maxim: the right book for the right child at the right time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 E-mail {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 1, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Don't have a cow over book
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 402 words
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\f0\fs26 When our oldest child was 4, she delighted in being the walking, talking Garden of Misinformation for her younger twin brothers. She demonstrated phonics by chanting "b,b,b,b, stands for tomato!" Then she'd giggle with so much enthusiasm she sounded like a laugh track for "The Simpsons."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 She'd go on to explain that the pig says "moo" and bananas are purple. She was endlessly entertained by her own wit. The boys were nonplussed. I was worried that they'd have to go to school twice as long as other kids to unlearn their sister's version and then start all over.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If you don't have your own live-in Garden of Misinformation, allow me to suggest "Adventures of Cow" and the soon-to-be-released "Adventures of Cow Too" by Lori Korchek, with photographs by Marshall Taylor. These are short, simple picture books that teach absolutely nothing except that nonsense can be falling-down funny. And that, I believe, is worth knowing.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reviews of "Adventures of Cow" at Amazon.com run the gamut from dismissive and derisive to amazing and absurdly wonderful.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 On the negative side: "I am a youth librarian who unfortunately missed 'School Library Journal's' review of this book before purchasing it! Their negative comments hit it right on the nose. Small children will be confused that the photos and the text do not support each other, (in fact, they gloriously and uproariously contradict each other) and older kids will find the story without a plot. Shame on you 'Kirkus,' (another trusted source of book reviews) for claiming that this mediocre effort will 'engender hoots from any audience.' Sorry, but they must be very easy to please. This is a very weak offering."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Obviously, I'm in the "very-easy-to-please" category, but I'm not alone.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Other reviewers weighed in with:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"This is the funniest book ever. And if you don't believe me, I will fight you."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Until Ionesco writes a children's book, this is it."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --" 'Adventures of Cow' is flat-out hilarious. Cow is one confused squishy plastic creature, and boy, does he confuse others."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"I will be real sad if my kid, when she learns to talk, is confused by this book. That would mean she won't have a sense of humor, ergo she was switched at birth and isn't mine."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My advice is to try these books. If reading about "Cow" causes your child to grow up convinced that pineapples are actually bananas, I'll eat the pineapple.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 March 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 1, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Don't have a cow over book
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 402 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 When our oldest child was 4, she delighted in being the walking, talking Garden of Misinformation for her younger twin brothers. She demonstrated phonics by chanting "b,b,b,b, stands for tomato!" Then she'd giggle with so much enthusiasm she sounded like a laugh track for "The Simpsons."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 She'd go on to explain that the pig says "moo" and bananas are purple. She was endlessly entertained by her own wit. The boys were nonplussed. I was worried that they'd have to go to school twice as long as other kids to unlearn their sister's version and then start all over.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If you don't have your own live-in Garden of Misinformation, allow me to suggest "Adventures of Cow" and the soon-to-be-released "Adventures of Cow Too" by Lori Korchek, with photographs by Marshall Taylor. These are short, simple picture books that teach absolutely nothing except that nonsense can be falling-down funny. And that, I believe, is worth knowing.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reviews of "Adventures of Cow" at Amazon.com run the gamut from dismissive and derisive to amazing and absurdly wonderful.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 On the negative side: "I am a youth librarian who unfortunately missed 'School Library Journal's' review of this book before purchasing it! Their negative comments hit it right on the nose. Small children will be confused that the photos and the text do not support each other, (in fact, they gloriously and uproariously contradict each other) and older kids will find the story without a plot. Shame on you 'Kirkus,' (another trusted source of book reviews) for claiming that this mediocre effort will 'engender hoots from any audience.' Sorry, but they must be very easy to please. This is a very weak offering."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Obviously, I'm in the "very-easy-to-please" category, but I'm not alone.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Other reviewers weighed in with:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"This is the funniest book ever. And if you don't believe me, I will fight you."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"Until Ionesco writes a children's book, this is it."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --" 'Adventures of Cow' is flat-out hilarious. Cow is one confused squishy plastic creature, and boy, does he confuse others."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"I will be real sad if my kid, when she learns to talk, is confused by this book. That would mean she won't have a sense of humor, ergo she was switched at birth and isn't mine."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My advice is to try these books. If reading about "Cow" causes your child to grow up convinced that pineapples are actually bananas, I'll eat the pineapple.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 25, 2007 Sunday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Novel takes on issues of disabilities
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAITH&VALUES; Pg. G1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 758 words
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\f0\fs26 "Accidents of Nature" by Harriet McBryde Johnson ought to be required reading for everyone from high school on up. It's a lesson in learning about the challenges of disability, for both the disabled and the rest of us.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Johnson is a local lawyer and writer who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. She attended an orthopedic school in Columbia and the Easter Seal program at the Charles Webb Center in Charleston.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Accidents of Nature" (Henry Holt and Co., $16.95) is a fictional account of a disabled teenager's first experience at Camp Courage, or "Crip Camp" as it's drolly dubbed by the campers.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the book, it's 1970. Jean, the 17-year-old protagonist, has cerebral palsy and gets around (quite well, thank you) in a wheelchair. For her whole life, she's attended regular schools. In her free time, she hangs out with friends doing normal things. Her well-intentioned parents have conspired to shelter her from an intolerant world.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Jean meets campers who have disabilities and challenges ranging from autism to amputation. As Jean's consciousness is raised by her new friend, Sarah, the reader's consciousness is raised as well. Sarah's unrelenting sarcasm and anger push Jean to recognize the condescension and lack of respect that characterize the campers' interactions with the "normal" world.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In a recent conversation with Johnson, she said that all the characters in the book incorporated some aspect of herself. The book wasn't written to supply answers to every question about disabilities, it was written to raise questions, she said. Ideally, readers will realize that disability is a complicated issue with many aspects.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although the book is marketed for teens, Johnson hopes grown-ups will read it. The issues that confront a disabled adolescent, issues of disappointment and the possibility of death, can be appreciated by adults. The protagonist understands that the world isn't going to be her oyster and that bad things do happen to good people. Courage comes in accepting this and forging ahead.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The horrible thing for disabled people is not their disability. The horrible thing is the normal world's prejudice and adverse social treatment," Johnson said.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I remember how our young children were alarmed years ago when they encountered an unprecedented sight in the usually ho-hum supermarket. A one-legged man was rolling along the aisle in his wheelchair. My kids were stage-whispering, staring and pointing. I was cringing.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The children wanted to know everything there was to know about the missing leg. They'd been taught that curiosity was a good thing.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I was desperate. So I gambled. I told my children that if they wanted answers, they could ask the man himself.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 With trepidation, we approached him, apologized for troubling him and inquired if we might ask a few questions. He responded as though he'd been waiting all day to be asked. By the close of the conversation, our children felt as though they'd made a new friend. Even though I wasn't proud of taking a chance with my children, I was self-congratulatory. I thought I'd handled a delicate situation with tact and an open mind.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I shared this episode with Johnson, who did not hesitate to offer her opinion. I was no longer congratulating myself.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For starters, she pointed out that my approach was a violation of the "Do not speak to strangers" rule. Granted, I was right there on the spot with my children, but her point was well-taken. Second, she reminded me that people are entitled to their privacy and their space. Someone may be out in public, but that doesn't mean he is public.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 She added that disabled people are not necessarily trained or ordained to be teachers. They aren't programmed to be uniformly pleasant and perky.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Johnson advises parents to teach their children the general rules of respect, which include not pointing and not staring at anyone. She suggests that parents take their children aside to answer their questions.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Ouch!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Hoping for at least a smidgen of exoneration, I laid out the scenario for close friends and asked what they would have done. Without knowing what Johnson had said, they practically quoted her, driving home their point by asking me what I would have done if my (uncivilized) children had giggled and pointed at a bald man or a teenager with severe acne or a morbidly obese person.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 OK, OK! I get it!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Accidents of Nature" is all about the beginning of "getting it," and moving on to a deeper appreciation and understanding of disabilities and the people who have them.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk reviews children's books for The Post and Courier.
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 27, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 25, 2007 Sunday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Novel takes on issues of disabilities
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAITH&VALUES; Pg. G1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 758 words
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\f0\fs26 "Accidents of Nature" by Harriet McBryde Johnson ought to be required reading for everyone from high school on up. It's a lesson in learning about the challenges of disability, for both the disabled and the rest of us.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Johnson is a local lawyer and writer who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. She attended an orthopedic school in Columbia and the Easter Seal program at the Charles Webb Center in Charleston.
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\f0\fs26 "Accidents of Nature" (Henry Holt and Co., $16.95) is a fictional account of a disabled teenager's first experience at Camp Courage, or "Crip Camp" as it's drolly dubbed by the campers.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the book, it's 1970. Jean, the 17-year-old protagonist, has cerebral palsy and gets around (quite well, thank you) in a wheelchair. For her whole life, she's attended regular schools. In her free time, she hangs out with friends doing normal things. Her well-intentioned parents have conspired to shelter her from an intolerant world.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Jean meets campers who have disabilities and challenges ranging from autism to amputation. As Jean's consciousness is raised by her new friend, Sarah, the reader's consciousness is raised as well. Sarah's unrelenting sarcasm and anger push Jean to recognize the condescension and lack of respect that characterize the campers' interactions with the "normal" world.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In a recent conversation with Johnson, she said that all the characters in the book incorporated some aspect of herself. The book wasn't written to supply answers to every question about disabilities, it was written to raise questions, she said. Ideally, readers will realize that disability is a complicated issue with many aspects.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although the book is marketed for teens, Johnson hopes grown-ups will read it. The issues that confront a disabled adolescent, issues of disappointment and the possibility of death, can be appreciated by adults. The protagonist understands that the world isn't going to be her oyster and that bad things do happen to good people. Courage comes in accepting this and forging ahead.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The horrible thing for disabled people is not their disability. The horrible thing is the normal world's prejudice and adverse social treatment," Johnson said.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I remember how our young children were alarmed years ago when they encountered an unprecedented sight in the usually ho-hum supermarket. A one-legged man was rolling along the aisle in his wheelchair. My kids were stage-whispering, staring and pointing. I was cringing.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The children wanted to know everything there was to know about the missing leg. They'd been taught that curiosity was a good thing.
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\f0\fs26 I was desperate. So I gambled. I told my children that if they wanted answers, they could ask the man himself.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 With trepidation, we approached him, apologized for troubling him and inquired if we might ask a few questions. He responded as though he'd been waiting all day to be asked. By the close of the conversation, our children felt as though they'd made a new friend. Even though I wasn't proud of taking a chance with my children, I was self-congratulatory. I thought I'd handled a delicate situation with tact and an open mind.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I shared this episode with Johnson, who did not hesitate to offer her opinion. I was no longer congratulating myself.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For starters, she pointed out that my approach was a violation of the "Do not speak to strangers" rule. Granted, I was right there on the spot with my children, but her point was well-taken. Second, she reminded me that people are entitled to their privacy and their space. Someone may be out in public, but that doesn't mean he is public.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 She added that disabled people are not necessarily trained or ordained to be teachers. They aren't programmed to be uniformly pleasant and perky.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Johnson advises parents to teach their children the general rules of respect, which include not pointing and not staring at anyone. She suggests that parents take their children aside to answer their questions.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Ouch!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Hoping for at least a smidgen of exoneration, I laid out the scenario for close friends and asked what they would have done. Without knowing what Johnson had said, they practically quoted her, driving home their point by asking me what I would have done if my (uncivilized) children had giggled and pointed at a bald man or a teenager with severe acne or a morbidly obese person.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 OK, OK! I get it!
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Accidents of Nature" is all about the beginning of "getting it," and moving on to a deeper appreciation and understanding of disabilities and the people who have them.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk reviews children's books for The Post and Courier.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 160 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 22, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Thesis is learning experience
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 713 words
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\f0\fs26 'No, no, a thousand times 'No!' "
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My response may not have been quite that vociferous, but it was close.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Tracy O'Connor, the media specialist at Academic Magnet High School, asked me to be the mentor for a student who was working on her senior thesis. I explained that I was way, way, way too busy.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 She explained that Brittany Broderick was writing a young adult novel about peer pressure in adolescence and needed some feedback. That got my attention. I agreed to read the work in progress.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Even though Tracy had to wheedle me into it, I still take credit for making an excellent decision.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book was outstanding. Brittany's writing captures the authentic high school voice. Her plot keeps the pages flying. Her characters are people who make the reader care about them, and her ending rings true.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Her manuscript has more value and interest than countless young adult novels that are already in print.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I could hardly wait to meet Brittany. She's so bright, personable and attractive that I immediately imagined her on author tours around the country. I gradually realized that her book was just one part of her senior thesis.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Among many other stipulations, the thesis had to include an abstract, literature review, methodology, presentation of findings, conclusion/implications/discussions, and listings of reference material and supplementary material.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 At my request, Robert Witz, senior thesis coordinator, sent me a copy of "The Academic Magnet High School Senior Thesis Handbook: Procedures and Policies." This is a book in its own right that provides details on everything from deadlines to rubrics.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The roles of students, parents, mentors, advisers and teachers are clearly defined. The whole thesis concept reminded me of the requirement for seniors at Princeton University.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 As the handbook states: "There are three (3) key functions of the Senior Thesis." All students at the Academic Magnet High School must successfully complete their thesis to earn an AMHS diploma. The thesis helps students prepare for college research demands.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The thesis also gives students an opportunity to explore a career interest.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although those are the three officially stated functions, I observed even more benefits. Brittany was required to interact with me, a stranger, and submit her work to me with no inkling of how I'd respond or react. That's a difficult assignment and it's great practice for The Big Wide World. (I went out of my way to be cantankerous, so she'd have experience dealing with a vexatious person.) (I did not.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The thesis also requires students to interact with faculty members on a level that supersedes a classroom relationship. As the coup de grace, Brittany was required to present her "Oral Defense" in front of her peers and the adults with whom she had worked.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Based on that PowerPoint presentation and the thesis itself, Brittany received a grade arrived at by averaging the scores given by her adviser, mentor and a third party. Her classmates erupted in cheers when it was announced that Brittany earned "Highest Honors." I was cheering along with them. She had worked hard to earn every point.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Witz is proud of the students and enthusiastic about the value of the thesis.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "We have had students produce work that has been used by professionals in the community, such as a local museum and a water-treatment facility. This year, a developer interested in building a 'green' barn is interested in looking at a student's research. We sometimes have students participate at MUSC's research day, presenting their work alongside graduate students," he says.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "A couple of years ago, a student's work for thesis led her to be published as first author in an article for Cambridge University's journal Microscopy and Microanalysis. Not surprisingly, she has continued to research in labs and is currently attending Harvard," Witz says.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Of course, that's one of the greatest benefits of thesis for all students: It helps distinguish them from other applicants, and it prepares them for any academic challenge they might face in the future."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In Brittany's own words, "My thesis evolved from a requirement to something I want to continue to pursue. Everyone complains about the thesis at first, but it's truly a learning experience."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at Fran_Hawk @charleston.k12.sc.us.
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 22, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 161 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 22, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Thesis is learning experience
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 713 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 'No, no, a thousand times 'No!' "
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My response may not have been quite that vociferous, but it was close.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Tracy O'Connor, the media specialist at Academic Magnet High School, asked me to be the mentor for a student who was working on her senior thesis. I explained that I was way, way, way too busy.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 She explained that Brittany Broderick was writing a young adult novel about peer pressure in adolescence and needed some feedback. That got my attention. I agreed to read the work in progress.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Even though Tracy had to wheedle me into it, I still take credit for making an excellent decision.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book was outstanding. Brittany's writing captures the authentic high school voice. Her plot keeps the pages flying. Her characters are people who make the reader care about them, and her ending rings true.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Her manuscript has more value and interest than countless young adult novels that are already in print.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I could hardly wait to meet Brittany. She's so bright, personable and attractive that I immediately imagined her on author tours around the country. I gradually realized that her book was just one part of her senior thesis.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Among many other stipulations, the thesis had to include an abstract, literature review, methodology, presentation of findings, conclusion/implications/discussions, and listings of reference material and supplementary material.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 At my request, Robert Witz, senior thesis coordinator, sent me a copy of "The Academic Magnet High School Senior Thesis Handbook: Procedures and Policies." This is a book in its own right that provides details on everything from deadlines to rubrics.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The roles of students, parents, mentors, advisers and teachers are clearly defined. The whole thesis concept reminded me of the requirement for seniors at Princeton University.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 As the handbook states: "There are three (3) key functions of the Senior Thesis." All students at the Academic Magnet High School must successfully complete their thesis to earn an AMHS diploma. The thesis helps students prepare for college research demands.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The thesis also gives students an opportunity to explore a career interest.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although those are the three officially stated functions, I observed even more benefits. Brittany was required to interact with me, a stranger, and submit her work to me with no inkling of how I'd respond or react. That's a difficult assignment and it's great practice for The Big Wide World. (I went out of my way to be cantankerous, so she'd have experience dealing with a vexatious person.) (I did not.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The thesis also requires students to interact with faculty members on a level that supersedes a classroom relationship. As the coup de grace, Brittany was required to present her "Oral Defense" in front of her peers and the adults with whom she had worked.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Based on that PowerPoint presentation and the thesis itself, Brittany received a grade arrived at by averaging the scores given by her adviser, mentor and a third party. Her classmates erupted in cheers when it was announced that Brittany earned "Highest Honors." I was cheering along with them. She had worked hard to earn every point.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Witz is proud of the students and enthusiastic about the value of the thesis.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "We have had students produce work that has been used by professionals in the community, such as a local museum and a water-treatment facility. This year, a developer interested in building a 'green' barn is interested in looking at a student's research. We sometimes have students participate at MUSC's research day, presenting their work alongside graduate students," he says.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "A couple of years ago, a student's work for thesis led her to be published as first author in an article for Cambridge University's journal Microscopy and Microanalysis. Not surprisingly, she has continued to research in labs and is currently attending Harvard," Witz says.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Of course, that's one of the greatest benefits of thesis for all students: It helps distinguish them from other applicants, and it prepares them for any academic challenge they might face in the future."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In Brittany's own words, "My thesis evolved from a requirement to something I want to continue to pursue. Everyone complains about the thesis at first, but it's truly a learning experience."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at Fran_Hawk @charleston.k12.sc.us.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 162 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 15, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Read aloud about black history
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 497 words
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\f0\fs26 Faculty members at our school are required to create and conduct a Black History Month project.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Last year, a science teacher's class watched "Something the Lord Made," the story of a famous (white male) heart surgeon whose discoveries would have been impossible without the work of his (black male) lab assistant. After discussing the movie with her students, she invited a (black male) medical student to speak to her group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The medical student mesmerized and inspired our students. He also dealt an inescapable reality check about the importance of working hard in high school.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 This year, I encouraged a first-year English teacher to consider using picture books to give his students some thumbnail sketches about various historical incidents involving slavery. When I showed him the books, he was polite, but he did roll his eyes. If I were in the middle of a Chaucer unit and a librarian brought me picture books, I would guffaw and roll my eyes just for emphasis, too.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Fortunately, the teacher was open-minded. He read the four books I'd brought and agreed they were excellent and worthy of his students' time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I was motivated to hassle that English teacher after hearing a galvanizing presentation by Frank Serafina, a well-respected advocate of reading aloud to older readers. Like Jim Trelease, author of "The Read-Aloud Handbook," he believes that any age is a good age to participate in reading aloud, whether picture books or chapter books.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When the teacher brought his class to the library, I started out by joking with them about appropriate places to find information. We agreed that the Magic 8 Ball was fine for entertainment, but not so fine for real information.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Some students may have put picture books and the Magic 8 Balls in the same category (and some picture books might actually BE in the same category).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I asked the class which of the four books they'd like me to read to them, and they chose "Freedom Ship" by Doreen Rappaport. They paid such close attention to the book that I went on to read some of the author's historical notes. When the students discussed the book, it was obvious that they'd gained a significant understanding about a historical event previously unknown to them.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 We went on to discuss their upcoming field trip to McLeod Plantation. Still under the influence of "Freedom Ship," they decided that they would write and illustrate a picture book based on their visit to McLeod.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The next week, Ellen DeJong, a children's book author, came to talk with the class about her own experiences in publishing. The students asked excellent questions and gained an understanding of the process.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 DeJong also provided book titles and Web sites for further research, as well as promised to be available to the students if they needed advice.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Of all the Black History Month projects these students may complete in their lives, I'm betting that this is the one they'll remember.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 And it all started with reading aloud.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at Fran_Hawk
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @charleston.k12.sc.us.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 16, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 163 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 15, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
\cf0 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f0\fs42 \cf0 Read aloud about black history
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 497 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Faculty members at our school are required to create and conduct a Black History Month project.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Last year, a science teacher's class watched "Something the Lord Made," the story of a famous (white male) heart surgeon whose discoveries would have been impossible without the work of his (black male) lab assistant. After discussing the movie with her students, she invited a (black male) medical student to speak to her group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The medical student mesmerized and inspired our students. He also dealt an inescapable reality check about the importance of working hard in high school.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 This year, I encouraged a first-year English teacher to consider using picture books to give his students some thumbnail sketches about various historical incidents involving slavery. When I showed him the books, he was polite, but he did roll his eyes. If I were in the middle of a Chaucer unit and a librarian brought me picture books, I would guffaw and roll my eyes just for emphasis, too.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Fortunately, the teacher was open-minded. He read the four books I'd brought and agreed they were excellent and worthy of his students' time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I was motivated to hassle that English teacher after hearing a galvanizing presentation by Frank Serafina, a well-respected advocate of reading aloud to older readers. Like Jim Trelease, author of "The Read-Aloud Handbook," he believes that any age is a good age to participate in reading aloud, whether picture books or chapter books.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When the teacher brought his class to the library, I started out by joking with them about appropriate places to find information. We agreed that the Magic 8 Ball was fine for entertainment, but not so fine for real information.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Some students may have put picture books and the Magic 8 Balls in the same category (and some picture books might actually BE in the same category).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I asked the class which of the four books they'd like me to read to them, and they chose "Freedom Ship" by Doreen Rappaport. They paid such close attention to the book that I went on to read some of the author's historical notes. When the students discussed the book, it was obvious that they'd gained a significant understanding about a historical event previously unknown to them.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 We went on to discuss their upcoming field trip to McLeod Plantation. Still under the influence of "Freedom Ship," they decided that they would write and illustrate a picture book based on their visit to McLeod.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The next week, Ellen DeJong, a children's book author, came to talk with the class about her own experiences in publishing. The students asked excellent questions and gained an understanding of the process.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 DeJong also provided book titles and Web sites for further research, as well as promised to be available to the students if they needed advice.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Of all the Black History Month projects these students may complete in their lives, I'm betting that this is the one they'll remember.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 And it all started with reading aloud.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at Fran_Hawk
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @charleston.k12.sc.us.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 8, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Loving selections pay tribute to sweethearts
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 343 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 The challenge: Celebrate Valentine's Day without resorting to the humdrum of candy and/or flowers. I gave my college boyfriend a T-shirt I'd dyed red and decorated with lace trim. He's now my husband. Obviously, originality proved irresistible.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Little soaps in the shapes of chocolate candy are my unusual gift this year. Many years ago, a high school girlfriend dressed up as a crossing guard. On Valentine's morning, she was right there on her boyfriend's route to school holding a big sign that said, "Stop in the Name of Love!" The boyfriend's dad happened to drive past ahead of his son. That wasn't part of the plan. The girlfriend eventually married the (now ex-) boyfriend's best friend. I don't know what that proves, but I'm trying to make the point that creativity counts.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Your Personal Penguin," a board book by Sandra Boynton, is about as creative as you can get and still be legal. "Boynton on Board" books are advertised as "Great little books for great little kids." Kids do love these books, but so do adults and practically everyone in between. The purchase of this book includes a CD of the book set to music and sung by Davy Jones of the "Monkees." The song also is available online at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.workman.com/boynton"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.workman.com/boynton}}.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Tender loving penguin sentiments include:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I want to be your Personal Penguin.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I want to talk with you night and day.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I want to be your Personal Penguin.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I want to listen to whatever you say."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The only teeny tiny, nearly microscopic glitch that may get you into trouble is that the penguin's intended is - a hippopotamus. If the object of your affection has weight issues, discretion is advised.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I Promise I'll Find You" by Heather Patricia Ward and Sheila McGraw is another paean to love in picture-book format. This has been a perennial favorite with college students and preschoolers. "Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney is also a loving selection.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 As Shakespeare wrote in Sonnet 116, "Let us not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments" - e.g. unimaginative gifts.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 8, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 8, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Loving selections pay tribute to sweethearts
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 343 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 The challenge: Celebrate Valentine's Day without resorting to the humdrum of candy and/or flowers. I gave my college boyfriend a T-shirt I'd dyed red and decorated with lace trim. He's now my husband. Obviously, originality proved irresistible.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Little soaps in the shapes of chocolate candy are my unusual gift this year. Many years ago, a high school girlfriend dressed up as a crossing guard. On Valentine's morning, she was right there on her boyfriend's route to school holding a big sign that said, "Stop in the Name of Love!" The boyfriend's dad happened to drive past ahead of his son. That wasn't part of the plan. The girlfriend eventually married the (now ex-) boyfriend's best friend. I don't know what that proves, but I'm trying to make the point that creativity counts.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Your Personal Penguin," a board book by Sandra Boynton, is about as creative as you can get and still be legal. "Boynton on Board" books are advertised as "Great little books for great little kids." Kids do love these books, but so do adults and practically everyone in between. The purchase of this book includes a CD of the book set to music and sung by Davy Jones of the "Monkees." The song also is available online at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.workman.com/boynton"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.workman.com/boynton}}.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Tender loving penguin sentiments include:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I want to be your Personal Penguin.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I want to talk with you night and day.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I want to be your Personal Penguin.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I want to listen to whatever you say."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The only teeny tiny, nearly microscopic glitch that may get you into trouble is that the penguin's intended is - a hippopotamus. If the object of your affection has weight issues, discretion is advised.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "I Promise I'll Find You" by Heather Patricia Ward and Sheila McGraw is another paean to love in picture-book format. This has been a perennial favorite with college students and preschoolers. "Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney is also a loving selection.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 As Shakespeare wrote in Sonnet 116, "Let us not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments" - e.g. unimaginative gifts.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 1, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Black history books good choices anytime
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\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 498 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 'Lest we forget ..."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Black History Month continues to be an important opportunity to learn more about the black culture and celebrate the achievements of this diversely talented group. For those who think this designated month has outlived its usefulness, consider that kids today relegate the civil rights movement to the category of ancient history. And yes, (involuntary shudder) there are kids who can't identify Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Night Boat to Freedom," a book written by Margot Theis Raven and illustrated by E.B. Lewis, is inspired by true accounts in the WPA's "Slave Narrative Collection." An old slave woman asks a young slave boy to row many slaves to freedom in his small boat, crossing the river from Kentucky to Ohio. He is terrified of the patrollers and the bloodhounds and the whipping if he gets caught. Granny Judith reassures him by saying, "What scares the head is best done with the heart."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For each slave who is rescued, Granny Judith adds a colorful square to her quilt. When it becomes too dangerous to continue the night missions, the young slave rows Granny Judith, her quilt and himself to freedom. This synopsis barely hints at the depth and beauty of this book. With both author and illustrator, there is genius at work.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom," written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, was chosen as a 2007 Caldecott Honor Book. From the flyleaf: "Courageous, compassionate, and deeply religious, Harriet Tubman, with her bravery and relentless pursuit of freedom, is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit." That statement is powerful, but the book is even more powerful. In this story, Tubman and the Underground Railroad spring to vivid, detailed life.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Freedom Ship," written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Curtis James, is especially interesting because it takes place in Charleston Harbor. Although the family in the book is fictional, the story is based on a true incident from the life of Robert Smalls. In 1862, he was the pilot of the Confederate gunboat "Planter." Smalls and eight other slaves who were the crew very cleverly "kidnapped the ship and delivered it, its cannons and ammunition to the Union Army." For riveting, suspenseful, page-turning tale, choose "Freedom Ship."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The School is Not White: A True Story of the Civil Rights Movement," also written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Curtis James, takes a close and serious look at what it was like to be among the first children to integrate schools in the South. "On Sept. 3, 1965, Mae Bertha and Matthew Carter watched their seven children go off to war in a shiny yellow school bus." The analogy was no exaggeration.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Each book is a picture book, appropriate for grades 1-5. Each includes a tremendously helpful "author's note" that ties the book into its historical setting. Each of these books is an outstanding choice any month of the year.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 167 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 1, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Black history books good choices anytime
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 498 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 'Lest we forget ..."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Black History Month continues to be an important opportunity to learn more about the black culture and celebrate the achievements of this diversely talented group. For those who think this designated month has outlived its usefulness, consider that kids today relegate the civil rights movement to the category of ancient history. And yes, (involuntary shudder) there are kids who can't identify Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Night Boat to Freedom," a book written by Margot Theis Raven and illustrated by E.B. Lewis, is inspired by true accounts in the WPA's "Slave Narrative Collection." An old slave woman asks a young slave boy to row many slaves to freedom in his small boat, crossing the river from Kentucky to Ohio. He is terrified of the patrollers and the bloodhounds and the whipping if he gets caught. Granny Judith reassures him by saying, "What scares the head is best done with the heart."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For each slave who is rescued, Granny Judith adds a colorful square to her quilt. When it becomes too dangerous to continue the night missions, the young slave rows Granny Judith, her quilt and himself to freedom. This synopsis barely hints at the depth and beauty of this book. With both author and illustrator, there is genius at work.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom," written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, was chosen as a 2007 Caldecott Honor Book. From the flyleaf: "Courageous, compassionate, and deeply religious, Harriet Tubman, with her bravery and relentless pursuit of freedom, is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit." That statement is powerful, but the book is even more powerful. In this story, Tubman and the Underground Railroad spring to vivid, detailed life.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Freedom Ship," written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Curtis James, is especially interesting because it takes place in Charleston Harbor. Although the family in the book is fictional, the story is based on a true incident from the life of Robert Smalls. In 1862, he was the pilot of the Confederate gunboat "Planter." Smalls and eight other slaves who were the crew very cleverly "kidnapped the ship and delivered it, its cannons and ammunition to the Union Army." For riveting, suspenseful, page-turning tale, choose "Freedom Ship."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The School is Not White: A True Story of the Civil Rights Movement," also written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Curtis James, takes a close and serious look at what it was like to be among the first children to integrate schools in the South. "On Sept. 3, 1965, Mae Bertha and Matthew Carter watched their seven children go off to war in a shiny yellow school bus." The analogy was no exaggeration.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Each book is a picture book, appropriate for grades 1-5. Each includes a tremendously helpful "author's note" that ties the book into its historical setting. Each of these books is an outstanding choice any month of the year.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 168 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 25, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Judging kids' books as safe, silly
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\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 448 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 Protective vs. Permissive. According to reliable sources, this is the debate raging in the world of children's literature. I knew you'd want to know and probably throw in your two cents, which is what I'm doing.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The controversy isn't exactly new. In 1990, Alison Lurie wrote a book called "Don't Tell the Grown-ups: Subversive Children's Literature."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although "subversive" and "permissive" aren't identical, in the case of books for children, they are similar.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Both words suggest the books promulgate ideas and actions that flaunt the status quo.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the picture-book category, countless stories are designed to lull children to sleep.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Last week, I mentioned "Goodnight, Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown as the quintessential example of this genre. The book is firmly in the "protective" camp, no matter how thoroughly it's analyzed.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Other examples of "protective" books are "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn, "Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney and "I Promise I'll Find You" by Heather Patricia Ward. These books overflow with sweet, gentle comfort. Grown-ups are firmly and lovingly in charge.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Vying for attention on the "permissive" picture-book side, "Max's Bedtime" by Rosemary Wells and "Good Night, Gorilla" by Peggy Rathman are two hilarious examples. These books open up possibilities for the chaos that occurs when the inmates take over the asylum, so to speak. Other picture books such as "Walter the Farting Dog" by William Kotzwinkle and "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" by Mo Williams contribute their own wackiness to the "permissive" side. Some parents are horrified; some laugh along with their children.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For young children through elementary school, I'm more in favor of protection. Some in-your-face books such as "I'm Not Bobby" by Jules Feiffer grate on my reading nerves. And yet, many of my favorite books for children have been banned for one reason or another. Authors Judy Blume, Katherine Patterson and J.K. Rowling are among my favorites, but head the list of most frequently banned writers.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Then there are the seriously silly "Captain Underpants" chapter books by Dav Pilkey. Yes, an adult with authority is running around in his underwear. Surely this is "permissive," but it's also very funny. Kids who won't read serious will read silly.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 So here I stand, firmly on both sides of the debate. There's an unwritten Law of the World that says: Whatever requires the most effort is the right way to go. This "law" applies here. Rather than slotting books into categories, judge each one personally. You are the only person who can do this for yourself. Chances are you'll join me in the "firmly undecided" group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 January 26, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 169 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 25, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Judging kids' books as safe, silly
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 448 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Protective vs. Permissive. According to reliable sources, this is the debate raging in the world of children's literature. I knew you'd want to know and probably throw in your two cents, which is what I'm doing.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The controversy isn't exactly new. In 1990, Alison Lurie wrote a book called "Don't Tell the Grown-ups: Subversive Children's Literature."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Although "subversive" and "permissive" aren't identical, in the case of books for children, they are similar.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Both words suggest the books promulgate ideas and actions that flaunt the status quo.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the picture-book category, countless stories are designed to lull children to sleep.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Last week, I mentioned "Goodnight, Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown as the quintessential example of this genre. The book is firmly in the "protective" camp, no matter how thoroughly it's analyzed.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Other examples of "protective" books are "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn, "Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney and "I Promise I'll Find You" by Heather Patricia Ward. These books overflow with sweet, gentle comfort. Grown-ups are firmly and lovingly in charge.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Vying for attention on the "permissive" picture-book side, "Max's Bedtime" by Rosemary Wells and "Good Night, Gorilla" by Peggy Rathman are two hilarious examples. These books open up possibilities for the chaos that occurs when the inmates take over the asylum, so to speak. Other picture books such as "Walter the Farting Dog" by William Kotzwinkle and "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" by Mo Williams contribute their own wackiness to the "permissive" side. Some parents are horrified; some laugh along with their children.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For young children through elementary school, I'm more in favor of protection. Some in-your-face books such as "I'm Not Bobby" by Jules Feiffer grate on my reading nerves. And yet, many of my favorite books for children have been banned for one reason or another. Authors Judy Blume, Katherine Patterson and J.K. Rowling are among my favorites, but head the list of most frequently banned writers.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Then there are the seriously silly "Captain Underpants" chapter books by Dav Pilkey. Yes, an adult with authority is running around in his underwear. Surely this is "permissive," but it's also very funny. Kids who won't read serious will read silly.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 So here I stand, firmly on both sides of the debate. There's an unwritten Law of the World that says: Whatever requires the most effort is the right way to go. This "law" applies here. Rather than slotting books into categories, judge each one personally. You are the only person who can do this for yourself. Chances are you'll join me in the "firmly undecided" group.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 170 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 18, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Literary icon bites dust after reading analysis
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 551 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 True confession: I really like The New Yorker magazine, but usually I only look at the cartoons. I used to keep back issues in my car for reading in emergency situations, such as a wreck on the old Cooper River bridges or a soccer practice that went into overtime.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When I actually read the articles, they invariably changed my mind about some shibboleth I held dear. One article exploded my once firmly held belief in the reliability/infallibility of the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator. Another article extolled the multiple benefits of home-schooling, which I'd previously thought was an unwise practice. A mind is a terrible thing to change. ...
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A friend went to the trouble of sending me "Goodnight Mush," an article by Elizabeth Kolbert who was writing as The New Yorker's "Critic At Large" in the Dec. 4, 2006, issue. I read the whole thing, and sure enough, another icon bit the dust.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Kolbert starts out with a reprise of children's books in which the protagonist has many adventures, but winds up going home and/or going to sleep. "Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson, first published 50 years ago, is an example. Anyone who has ever tried to lure a child into slumber appreciates the importance of the gentle, sleep-inducing ending.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak brings Max home safely from the "wild rumpus" even before his dinner gets cold.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In "Mr. Gumpy's Outing" by John Burningham, the children and animals misbehave and upset their boat. All's well that ends well as they walk toward home.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Many titles represent the idyllic world of children's bedtime reading, but I would wager that the most revered and cherished is "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown. I read it over and over to our children, and I've been reading it to our grandchild. This time around, I've been thinking that:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --It never would have been chosen for publication in 2007 (not necessarily a negative).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --It is boring. (Maybe it achieved status as a classic because it put generations of readers AND listeners to sleep).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the "Goodnight Mush" article, Kolbert writes, "...'Goodnight Moon' is more restrained, more exacting and more lyrical than anything written for children today. In its own quiet way, it is also more brutal."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 It's daring enough for me to call this icon "boring," but "brutal" applied to "Goodnight Moon"?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Kolbert goes on to point out that "Goodnight Moon" features a clock that moves inexorably onward, a moon that rises while the light grows dimmer, and an unidentified voice saying "good-night." Although there's an adult in the room, there's no one to hear an appeal to postpone bedtime.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In Kolbert's analysis, "A parent is bigger than a child, but still a person. ... The arrangement in "Goodnight Moon" is completely uneven. Time moves forward, and the little bunny doesn't stand a chance. Parent and child are, in this way, brought together on tragic terms. You don't want to go to sleep. I don't want to die. But we both have to."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Perhaps you're castigating yourself for reading "Goodnight Moon" so casually that you overlooked this shattering conclusion.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Perhaps you didn't believe me when I warned that an icon would bite the dust.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Perhaps you're thinking of e-mailing me and suggesting I revert to reading cartoons only.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 January 19, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 171 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 18, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Literary icon bites dust after reading analysis
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 551 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 True confession: I really like The New Yorker magazine, but usually I only look at the cartoons. I used to keep back issues in my car for reading in emergency situations, such as a wreck on the old Cooper River bridges or a soccer practice that went into overtime.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 When I actually read the articles, they invariably changed my mind about some shibboleth I held dear. One article exploded my once firmly held belief in the reliability/infallibility of the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator. Another article extolled the multiple benefits of home-schooling, which I'd previously thought was an unwise practice. A mind is a terrible thing to change. ...
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A friend went to the trouble of sending me "Goodnight Mush," an article by Elizabeth Kolbert who was writing as The New Yorker's "Critic At Large" in the Dec. 4, 2006, issue. I read the whole thing, and sure enough, another icon bit the dust.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Kolbert starts out with a reprise of children's books in which the protagonist has many adventures, but winds up going home and/or going to sleep. "Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson, first published 50 years ago, is an example. Anyone who has ever tried to lure a child into slumber appreciates the importance of the gentle, sleep-inducing ending.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak brings Max home safely from the "wild rumpus" even before his dinner gets cold.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In "Mr. Gumpy's Outing" by John Burningham, the children and animals misbehave and upset their boat. All's well that ends well as they walk toward home.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Many titles represent the idyllic world of children's bedtime reading, but I would wager that the most revered and cherished is "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown. I read it over and over to our children, and I've been reading it to our grandchild. This time around, I've been thinking that:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --It never would have been chosen for publication in 2007 (not necessarily a negative).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --It is boring. (Maybe it achieved status as a classic because it put generations of readers AND listeners to sleep).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the "Goodnight Mush" article, Kolbert writes, "...'Goodnight Moon' is more restrained, more exacting and more lyrical than anything written for children today. In its own quiet way, it is also more brutal."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 It's daring enough for me to call this icon "boring," but "brutal" applied to "Goodnight Moon"?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Kolbert goes on to point out that "Goodnight Moon" features a clock that moves inexorably onward, a moon that rises while the light grows dimmer, and an unidentified voice saying "good-night." Although there's an adult in the room, there's no one to hear an appeal to postpone bedtime.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In Kolbert's analysis, "A parent is bigger than a child, but still a person. ... The arrangement in "Goodnight Moon" is completely uneven. Time moves forward, and the little bunny doesn't stand a chance. Parent and child are, in this way, brought together on tragic terms. You don't want to go to sleep. I don't want to die. But we both have to."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Perhaps you're castigating yourself for reading "Goodnight Moon" so casually that you overlooked this shattering conclusion.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Perhaps you didn't believe me when I warned that an icon would bite the dust.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Perhaps you're thinking of e-mailing me and suggesting I revert to reading cartoons only.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 172 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 11, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Grown-up books fill vacation
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 570 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 So many books. So little time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I don't know who said that originally, but I do know I agree.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Christmas break is a many-splendored and long-awaited respite from the tyranny of the alarm clock. For the quintessential librarian (that would be me), it's a time out for reading. Since I'm absorbed in children's books for most of the year, I make a point of choosing titles that are adult, or purported to be adult, or at least young adult.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach was an anachronistic choice for holiday reading, but parts of it were laugh-out-loud funny. It proves once again that truth is stranger than fiction. If you're planning to be an organ donor or give your body to "science," you should read this book first. Or maybe you shouldn't. It depends on whether your philosophy is, "What you don't know can't hurt you," or "Forewarned is forearmed," or "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing." There are careers in corpses that I didn't know existed. For thousands of years, cadavers have helped to advance health and science in ways I hadn't dreamed - and hope not to dream. This book was recommended to me by a lovely young computer analyst. To whom would I recommend it? That is the question.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Running With Scissors: A Memoir" by Augusten Burroughs was another strange choice for the holidays. A friend told me that an older member of a reading group had protested this book on the grounds of explicit sex, foul language and other atrocities. I really liked it, but not for those reasons. I'd recommend it to my high school students, not because I've lost touch with reality but because it's a true story of a kid making lemonade out of lemons. Maybe he didn't exactly make lemonade, but his story is a triumph of the human spirit over audacious odds.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss was ravingly recommended to me by dear friends who read deeply and widely and know whereof they speak. It was a New York Times best-seller that one reviewer called "bewitching." Maybe I was bewitched, but I felt bewildered. Maybe the novel was an IQ test, and I flunked. Myla Goldberg, the author of "Bee Season" (which is a book I loved and recommend to everyone) said, " 'The History of Love' is imbued with empathy and bittersweet humor. It is a book to be read slowly, both to savor the luminous prose and to stave off reaching the last page."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 It's possible that I read it too fast, anxious to solve the multiple mysteries. Also, I read it when I was down and out with the stomach flu. It's possible that a book may seem bad just because the reader feels bad. I may suggest it to my book group on the outside chance that someone will share my confusion.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 While traveling, I listened to "The Ground Beneath Her Feet: A Novel" by Salman Rushdie. If you're listening to Rushdie, you'll be asking, "Could we take the long route?" rather than "Are we there yet?" His prose is quotable, even when he's describing some mundane event. He incorporates diverse elements from rock-'n'-roll lyrics to ancient myths. The characters loom large, and the plots and subplots loom larger. This book reminded me of two other favorite books, "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts and "A Son of the Circus" by John Irving.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I barely dented the pile of books I hoped to read. Our reasons may differ, but students aren't the only ones counting the days until spring break.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at Fran_
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt 
\f0\fs26 \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f0\fs26 .
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 January 11, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 173 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
\cf0 \
\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 11, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Grown-up books fill vacation
\f1\fs24 \
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\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 570 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 So many books. So little time.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I don't know who said that originally, but I do know I agree.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Christmas break is a many-splendored and long-awaited respite from the tyranny of the alarm clock. For the quintessential librarian (that would be me), it's a time out for reading. Since I'm absorbed in children's books for most of the year, I make a point of choosing titles that are adult, or purported to be adult, or at least young adult.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach was an anachronistic choice for holiday reading, but parts of it were laugh-out-loud funny. It proves once again that truth is stranger than fiction. If you're planning to be an organ donor or give your body to "science," you should read this book first. Or maybe you shouldn't. It depends on whether your philosophy is, "What you don't know can't hurt you," or "Forewarned is forearmed," or "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing." There are careers in corpses that I didn't know existed. For thousands of years, cadavers have helped to advance health and science in ways I hadn't dreamed - and hope not to dream. This book was recommended to me by a lovely young computer analyst. To whom would I recommend it? That is the question.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Running With Scissors: A Memoir" by Augusten Burroughs was another strange choice for the holidays. A friend told me that an older member of a reading group had protested this book on the grounds of explicit sex, foul language and other atrocities. I really liked it, but not for those reasons. I'd recommend it to my high school students, not because I've lost touch with reality but because it's a true story of a kid making lemonade out of lemons. Maybe he didn't exactly make lemonade, but his story is a triumph of the human spirit over audacious odds.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss was ravingly recommended to me by dear friends who read deeply and widely and know whereof they speak. It was a New York Times best-seller that one reviewer called "bewitching." Maybe I was bewitched, but I felt bewildered. Maybe the novel was an IQ test, and I flunked. Myla Goldberg, the author of "Bee Season" (which is a book I loved and recommend to everyone) said, " 'The History of Love' is imbued with empathy and bittersweet humor. It is a book to be read slowly, both to savor the luminous prose and to stave off reaching the last page."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 It's possible that I read it too fast, anxious to solve the multiple mysteries. Also, I read it when I was down and out with the stomach flu. It's possible that a book may seem bad just because the reader feels bad. I may suggest it to my book group on the outside chance that someone will share my confusion.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 While traveling, I listened to "The Ground Beneath Her Feet: A Novel" by Salman Rushdie. If you're listening to Rushdie, you'll be asking, "Could we take the long route?" rather than "Are we there yet?" His prose is quotable, even when he's describing some mundane event. He incorporates diverse elements from rock-'n'-roll lyrics to ancient myths. The characters loom large, and the plots and subplots loom larger. This book reminded me of two other favorite books, "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts and "A Son of the Circus" by John Irving.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I barely dented the pile of books I hoped to read. Our reasons may differ, but students aren't the only ones counting the days until spring break.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at Fran_
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt 
\f0\fs26 \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}\
\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 174 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 4, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Brave new world for children
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 485 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 "They'll learn much more ... than I'll never know ... And I think to myself ... what a wonderful world." - lyrics, "What a Wonderful World"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My children (and my students) know more than I'll ever know, especially about subjects such as cell-phone photography. And it is a wonderful, brave new world. One way for children to learn more is to start earlier (and earlier).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A case in point - or actually in pointillism: A 4-year-old Ashley Hall student was discussing her favorite pointillist painters and asking my son-in-law for his opinions. This event caused a full-scale red alert for the parents and grandparents of our son-in-law's son. (Translation: our grandchild.) The realization was tantamount to the launch of Sputnik.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 We were way behind and had only three short years to bestow a working foundation of the art world upon this baby. Otherwise, he never would have the opportunity of discussing Seurat at age 4. Woe betide the 5-year-old who thinks Edward Hopper is a bunny.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Fortunately for us and for all the unsuspecting toddlers out there, Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo have created a delightful series of "Touch the Art" board books. It's the same basic idea as "Pat the Bunny" by Dorothy Kunhardt," but different. Children are encouraged to "Make Van Gogh's Bed," "Feed Matisse's Fish," "Brush Mona Lisa's Hair" and "Pop Warhol's Top."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Each interactive page invites children to brush, ruffle, snap, pull, lift and tug their way through the masters of the Renaissance, Baroque, Impressionism, modern art and pop art of the 20th century. Each book closes with a section on "Artifacts" that gives a thumbnail sketch of the artists. This is learning that's fun for children and adults.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Tidying Up Art" by Ursus Wehrli is creative, charming, funny, whimsical and wonderful. Famous works by Picasso, Kandinsky and others are rearranged into neat, color-coded columns. All the pieces are there, but they are "newly sifted, structured and ordered."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the case of van Gogh's "Bedroom at Arles," Wehrli tidies the painting by stuffing the room's contents onto and under the bed. The author is left-handed, a lateral thinker, a comedian, cabaret artiste and freelance artist. Otherwise, I don't think he could have thought up this delightful wackiness.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Look Closer - Art Masterpieces Through the Ages" by Caroline Desnoettes "encourages readers to discover fine details and appreciate art in a whole new way." The book includes 18 famous paintings, each with a lift-the-flap enlarging some aspect of the work. In the painting of "Mother and Children Playing" by Pablo Picasso, the author brings children's attention to people "made of shapes: triangles, circles and ovals."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Each of these books is proof that learning can be fun. In this brave new world of early expertise, I'm expecting some interactive, lift-the-flap books on molecular biology for the 5-year-olds.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 January 5, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 175 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 4, 2007 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Brave new world for children
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 485 words
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 "They'll learn much more ... than I'll never know ... And I think to myself ... what a wonderful world." - lyrics, "What a Wonderful World"
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 My children (and my students) know more than I'll ever know, especially about subjects such as cell-phone photography. And it is a wonderful, brave new world. One way for children to learn more is to start earlier (and earlier).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 A case in point - or actually in pointillism: A 4-year-old Ashley Hall student was discussing her favorite pointillist painters and asking my son-in-law for his opinions. This event caused a full-scale red alert for the parents and grandparents of our son-in-law's son. (Translation: our grandchild.) The realization was tantamount to the launch of Sputnik.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 We were way behind and had only three short years to bestow a working foundation of the art world upon this baby. Otherwise, he never would have the opportunity of discussing Seurat at age 4. Woe betide the 5-year-old who thinks Edward Hopper is a bunny.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Fortunately for us and for all the unsuspecting toddlers out there, Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo have created a delightful series of "Touch the Art" board books. It's the same basic idea as "Pat the Bunny" by Dorothy Kunhardt," but different. Children are encouraged to "Make Van Gogh's Bed," "Feed Matisse's Fish," "Brush Mona Lisa's Hair" and "Pop Warhol's Top."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Each interactive page invites children to brush, ruffle, snap, pull, lift and tug their way through the masters of the Renaissance, Baroque, Impressionism, modern art and pop art of the 20th century. Each book closes with a section on "Artifacts" that gives a thumbnail sketch of the artists. This is learning that's fun for children and adults.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Tidying Up Art" by Ursus Wehrli is creative, charming, funny, whimsical and wonderful. Famous works by Picasso, Kandinsky and others are rearranged into neat, color-coded columns. All the pieces are there, but they are "newly sifted, structured and ordered."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In the case of van Gogh's "Bedroom at Arles," Wehrli tidies the painting by stuffing the room's contents onto and under the bed. The author is left-handed, a lateral thinker, a comedian, cabaret artiste and freelance artist. Otherwise, I don't think he could have thought up this delightful wackiness.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Look Closer - Art Masterpieces Through the Ages" by Caroline Desnoettes "encourages readers to discover fine details and appreciate art in a whole new way." The book includes 18 famous paintings, each with a lift-the-flap enlarging some aspect of the work. In the painting of "Mother and Children Playing" by Pablo Picasso, the author brings children's attention to people "made of shapes: triangles, circles and ovals."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Each of these books is proof that learning can be fun. In this brave new world of early expertise, I'm expecting some interactive, lift-the-flap books on molecular biology for the 5-year-olds.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 176 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 28, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Word, puzzle, game books are sure to beat boredom
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 339 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 My patience is legendary (a legend in my own mind), but when a child says she's bored, I lose it. I can't resist asking the rhetorical question: How can a child be bored?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Should your child become the victim of this 21st-century plague, Workman Publishing has numerous cures for the disease.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For all the kids who've seen the movie "Akeelah and the Bee," the book "How to Spell Like a Champ" by Barrie Trinkle et al., might look like a ticket to stardom.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 It's advertised as "Roots, Lists, Rules, Games, Tricks, and Bee-Winning Tips From the Pros." When kids tell you that computer spell checking eliminates the need to know how to spell, tell them
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 p-h-o-o-e-y.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Brainiest Insaniest Ultimate Puzzle Book!" by Robert Leighton et al. is "250 Wacky Word Games, Mystifying Mazes, Picture Puzzles, and More to Boggle Your Brain."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The full-color illustrations attract children's attention, and the high-quality paper makes it easy to erase mistakes.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 There's a range in level of difficulty. First-graders could tackle many of the puzzles, while other puzzles would challenge adults.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The World Record Paper Airplane Book" by Ken Blackburn (the Guinness World Record holder for paper airplane tossing time aloft) and Jeff Lammers includes 20 models, 112 planes and a runway.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 From the Basic Square Plane to the Spitfire, there are challenges for every ability level.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Oh, Yikes! History's Grossest, Wackiest Moments" by Joy Masoff is amazingly educational. That's only for the adults to know. From Attila the Hun to the "X-Files," through Germ Warfare and Junky Jobs, kids will learn historical tidbits unlikely to be printed in their textbooks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 All entries are short and lively. If readers want to know more about Everyday Executions or Strange Sports, they'll be led to further research. This is "all the best stuff about the worst stuff that ever happened." Appalling perhaps, but not boring.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Another cure for boredom is to let children play with the boxes the toys came in. That story is a book in itself.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 29, 2006
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 177 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\pard\pardeftab720\qc

\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 28, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
\cf0 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f0\fs42 \cf0 Word, puzzle, game books are sure to beat boredom
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 339 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 My patience is legendary (a legend in my own mind), but when a child says she's bored, I lose it. I can't resist asking the rhetorical question: How can a child be bored?
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Should your child become the victim of this 21st-century plague, Workman Publishing has numerous cures for the disease.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 For all the kids who've seen the movie "Akeelah and the Bee," the book "How to Spell Like a Champ" by Barrie Trinkle et al., might look like a ticket to stardom.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 It's advertised as "Roots, Lists, Rules, Games, Tricks, and Bee-Winning Tips From the Pros." When kids tell you that computer spell checking eliminates the need to know how to spell, tell them
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 p-h-o-o-e-y.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Brainiest Insaniest Ultimate Puzzle Book!" by Robert Leighton et al. is "250 Wacky Word Games, Mystifying Mazes, Picture Puzzles, and More to Boggle Your Brain."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The full-color illustrations attract children's attention, and the high-quality paper makes it easy to erase mistakes.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 There's a range in level of difficulty. First-graders could tackle many of the puzzles, while other puzzles would challenge adults.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The World Record Paper Airplane Book" by Ken Blackburn (the Guinness World Record holder for paper airplane tossing time aloft) and Jeff Lammers includes 20 models, 112 planes and a runway.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 From the Basic Square Plane to the Spitfire, there are challenges for every ability level.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Oh, Yikes! History's Grossest, Wackiest Moments" by Joy Masoff is amazingly educational. That's only for the adults to know. From Attila the Hun to the "X-Files," through Germ Warfare and Junky Jobs, kids will learn historical tidbits unlikely to be printed in their textbooks.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 All entries are short and lively. If readers want to know more about Everyday Executions or Strange Sports, they'll be led to further research. This is "all the best stuff about the worst stuff that ever happened." Appalling perhaps, but not boring.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Another cure for boredom is to let children play with the boxes the toys came in. That story is a book in itself.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 178 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 21, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books great last-minute gifts
\f1\fs24 \
\
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 459 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Trivia that's news to me: The biggest shopping day is the Saturday before Christmas. I had the misguided notion that this dubious honor fell to the Friday after Thanksgiving. Who are these people who live on the edge - who brave mob scenes, gridlock parking lots and the near-certainty that the gift they want will be long gone? This moves out of the realm of Christmas shopping and into the world of Christmas combat.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Books are the perfect last-minute gifts because there will always be some great titles, even if the exact title you came for was sold out three weeks ago. "Christmas in the Trenches" by folk singer John McCutcheon is my favorite new picture book this season. It's based on the song by the same name that McCutcheon wrote in 1984. The song and the book are based on actual historical events. The song is sung and the book is read on a CD that comes with the book.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 On the cold Christmas Eve of 1914, thousands of World War I soldiers were hunkered down in rocky, muddy trenches. English and German soldiers were separated by a barren stretch of ground called No Man's Land.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 To their astonishment, the English soldiers heard the German soldiers singing. The English soldiers sang a carol back across No Man's Land to the Germans. At first the English soldiers were alarmed when their sentry spied a single German soldier crossing No Man's Land and coming directly toward them. Then they saw he was carrying a white flag of truce and a Christmas tree shining bright with candles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Soon soldiers were abandoning the trenches on both sides and meeting in the middle. Even without a common language, they communicated friendship by exchanging small gifts, sharing photographs from home, and playing music and a rousing game of soccer.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 At dawn, the party ended. Both sides returned to their respective trenches and to war.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The rich, warm illustrations by Henri Sorensen are as eloquent as the text. The book is appropriate for children starting in about first grade. The story is thought-provoking for everyone.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In his author's note, McCutcheon shares his belief that, "Wars don't start on battlefields. They begin in people's hearts. And that is where wars can be ended." He advocates programs that teach the skills of nonviolence, conflict resolution and peacemaking. An updated list of these programs, available for schools, youth groups and families, is available at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://folkmusic.com/f_peace.htm"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 http://folkmusic.com/f_peace.htm}}
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The historical note provides details of the unofficial truces that occurred all along the trenches involving as many as 100,000 men. This includes eyewitness accounts recorded in letters and diaries. Whichever holiday you celebrate, "Christmas in the Trenches" will encourage you to celebrate peace.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 21, 2006
\f1\fs24 \
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 179 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 21, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
\f1\fs24 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural
\cf0 \
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books great last-minute gifts
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\ql\qnatural

\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 459 words
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f0\fs26 Trivia that's news to me: The biggest shopping day is the Saturday before Christmas. I had the misguided notion that this dubious honor fell to the Friday after Thanksgiving. Who are these people who live on the edge - who brave mob scenes, gridlock parking lots and the near-certainty that the gift they want will be long gone? This moves out of the realm of Christmas shopping and into the world of Christmas combat.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Books are the perfect last-minute gifts because there will always be some great titles, even if the exact title you came for was sold out three weeks ago. "Christmas in the Trenches" by folk singer John McCutcheon is my favorite new picture book this season. It's based on the song by the same name that McCutcheon wrote in 1984. The song and the book are based on actual historical events. The song is sung and the book is read on a CD that comes with the book.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 On the cold Christmas Eve of 1914, thousands of World War I soldiers were hunkered down in rocky, muddy trenches. English and German soldiers were separated by a barren stretch of ground called No Man's Land.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 To their astonishment, the English soldiers heard the German soldiers singing. The English soldiers sang a carol back across No Man's Land to the Germans. At first the English soldiers were alarmed when their sentry spied a single German soldier crossing No Man's Land and coming directly toward them. Then they saw he was carrying a white flag of truce and a Christmas tree shining bright with candles.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Soon soldiers were abandoning the trenches on both sides and meeting in the middle. Even without a common language, they communicated friendship by exchanging small gifts, sharing photographs from home, and playing music and a rousing game of soccer.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 At dawn, the party ended. Both sides returned to their respective trenches and to war.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The rich, warm illustrations by Henri Sorensen are as eloquent as the text. The book is appropriate for children starting in about first grade. The story is thought-provoking for everyone.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In his author's note, McCutcheon shares his belief that, "Wars don't start on battlefields. They begin in people's hearts. And that is where wars can be ended." He advocates programs that teach the skills of nonviolence, conflict resolution and peacemaking. An updated list of these programs, available for schools, youth groups and families, is available at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://folkmusic.com/f_peace.htm"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 http://folkmusic.com/f_peace.htm}}
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The historical note provides details of the unofficial truces that occurred all along the trenches involving as many as 100,000 men. This includes eyewitness accounts recorded in letters and diaries. Whichever holiday you celebrate, "Christmas in the Trenches" will encourage you to celebrate peace.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
\f1\fs24 \
\

\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
\f0\b0 Newspaper
\f1\fs24 \
\
\pard\pardeftab720\qc
\cf0 \

\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
\f1\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 180 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 14, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books that teach children about charitable giving
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 644 words
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\f0\fs26 So, of course, two llamas walked sedately down the center aisle of First (Scots) Presbyterian Church.
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\f0\fs26 In addition to astonishing the congregation, the llamas were focusing our attention on Heifer International. This organization urges us to choose "gifts that help struggling families lift themselves out of poverty." Those gifts include llamas, honeybees, chicks, rabbits, tree seedlings and water buffaloes (online at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.heifer.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.heifer.org}}).
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\f0\fs26 Everything about this organization makes me enthusiastic, but I'm especially grateful for the message it sends to our children: Rather than material gifts for friends and loved ones, choose gifts that feed hungry people and give children the opportunity to attend school so that the families are increasingly self-reliant.
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\f0\fs26 With Hanukkah beginning Friday at sundown, Christmas coming Dec. 25 and Kwanzaa beginning the day after, there's going to be a whole lot of giving going on.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Madison Avenue does an excellent job of teaching our children to receive. It takes all the rest of us to teach our children how to give.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "A Kid's Guide to Giving" by Freddi Zeiler (who's a kid herself) is a comprehensive, year-round resource for children who want to learn how to make a positive difference and adults who want to encourage them. Zeiler starts with the basics of defining "charitable cause" and explaining how to choose among the myriad possibilities. She gives chapters full of examples for giving money, giving things and giving time and effort.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book closes with a list of charities grouped according to "People," "Animals" and "The Environment." There's something for everyone, from "Adopt-a-Minefield" to "The Elephant Sanctuary."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Each listing includes the organization's mission, how contributions will be spent, a percentage breakdown of each dollar (program, administration and fundraising) random information and how to donate to the charity or get more information.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Arthur, the Christmas Elf: A Christmas Adventure" by Valerie Connelly is another approach to teaching the joy of giving no matter which holiday is being celebrated. If your favorite bookstore doesn't have it, you may order it directly from the Web site at www.arthurthe christmaself.com. This story is the length of a short chapter book with numerous full-color pictures. Children in both a rich family and a poor family find out they can make gifts that will bring happiness to people they love, and that money is not what counts.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 At the end of the book, Connelly has included complete directions for gifts that children can make: necklaces, pillows, cookies, sock puppets and other easy and appealing ideas. I recommend reading this book aloud to young elementary school children, and then making the gifts and actually giving the gifts. Sometimes parents insist on a "real" (i.e. "purchased") gift to accompany the child's "homemade" gift. That insistence sends a dangerously mixed message. Children need to know that their gifts (cards, wrapping paper) made with their own hands, are worthy gifts.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Spriitelees: A Christmas Tale About Kindness" was written by Marcia C. Stankard because she "wanted to balance the Santa frenzy of Christmas with the message that 'giving is better than receiving.' '' She believes that "encouraging a child's social/emotional relationship to giving and philanthropy in the early years (can) impact their charitable impulses in later life." The rhyming text is appropriate for ages 3-7. The book includes a tear-out certificate that can be awarded to the child who performs acts of kindness. The Web site {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.Spriitelee.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.Spriitelee.com}} has suggestions, divided by age group, for specific ways that children can make contributions to their families, their communities and their world.
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\f0\fs26 The gift that brings joy for a lifetime is the seemingly contradictory discovery that to give is to get.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 14, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books that teach children about charitable giving
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 644 words
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\f0\fs26 So, of course, two llamas walked sedately down the center aisle of First (Scots) Presbyterian Church.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In addition to astonishing the congregation, the llamas were focusing our attention on Heifer International. This organization urges us to choose "gifts that help struggling families lift themselves out of poverty." Those gifts include llamas, honeybees, chicks, rabbits, tree seedlings and water buffaloes (online at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.heifer.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.heifer.org}}).
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Everything about this organization makes me enthusiastic, but I'm especially grateful for the message it sends to our children: Rather than material gifts for friends and loved ones, choose gifts that feed hungry people and give children the opportunity to attend school so that the families are increasingly self-reliant.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 With Hanukkah beginning Friday at sundown, Christmas coming Dec. 25 and Kwanzaa beginning the day after, there's going to be a whole lot of giving going on.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Madison Avenue does an excellent job of teaching our children to receive. It takes all the rest of us to teach our children how to give.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "A Kid's Guide to Giving" by Freddi Zeiler (who's a kid herself) is a comprehensive, year-round resource for children who want to learn how to make a positive difference and adults who want to encourage them. Zeiler starts with the basics of defining "charitable cause" and explaining how to choose among the myriad possibilities. She gives chapters full of examples for giving money, giving things and giving time and effort.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book closes with a list of charities grouped according to "People," "Animals" and "The Environment." There's something for everyone, from "Adopt-a-Minefield" to "The Elephant Sanctuary."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Each listing includes the organization's mission, how contributions will be spent, a percentage breakdown of each dollar (program, administration and fundraising) random information and how to donate to the charity or get more information.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Arthur, the Christmas Elf: A Christmas Adventure" by Valerie Connelly is another approach to teaching the joy of giving no matter which holiday is being celebrated. If your favorite bookstore doesn't have it, you may order it directly from the Web site at www.arthurthe christmaself.com. This story is the length of a short chapter book with numerous full-color pictures. Children in both a rich family and a poor family find out they can make gifts that will bring happiness to people they love, and that money is not what counts.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 At the end of the book, Connelly has included complete directions for gifts that children can make: necklaces, pillows, cookies, sock puppets and other easy and appealing ideas. I recommend reading this book aloud to young elementary school children, and then making the gifts and actually giving the gifts. Sometimes parents insist on a "real" (i.e. "purchased") gift to accompany the child's "homemade" gift. That insistence sends a dangerously mixed message. Children need to know that their gifts (cards, wrapping paper) made with their own hands, are worthy gifts.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Spriitelees: A Christmas Tale About Kindness" was written by Marcia C. Stankard because she "wanted to balance the Santa frenzy of Christmas with the message that 'giving is better than receiving.' '' She believes that "encouraging a child's social/emotional relationship to giving and philanthropy in the early years (can) impact their charitable impulses in later life." The rhyming text is appropriate for ages 3-7. The book includes a tear-out certificate that can be awarded to the child who performs acts of kindness. The Web site {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.Spriitelee.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.Spriitelee.com}} has suggestions, divided by age group, for specific ways that children can make contributions to their families, their communities and their world.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The gift that brings joy for a lifetime is the seemingly contradictory discovery that to give is to get.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 7, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Holiday books for kids make memories
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 410 words
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\f0\fs26 I remember the Christmas when my sister-in-law received two boa constrictors. She was ecstatic. Other than that gift, my favorite Christmas memories have nothing to do with presents. For me, memories are where the action is. Even though memories don't arrive in boxes, they can be "unwrapped" and enjoyed Christmas after Christmas.
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\f0\fs26 "The Silver Donkey" by Sonya Hartnett is the perfect incentive to abandon shopping on the evenings before the holidays and create memories by staying home and reading aloud. Jimmy Carter says this book "is a testament to bravery, loyalty and sacrifice - a gentle but unflinching look at the horrors of war and the power of innocence."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book is appropriate for early elementary children on up. (That's my personal opinion. Other reviewers suggest that children be older.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In France during World War I, two young sisters discover a soldier sleeping in the woods near their home. He has walked away from the war and is drifting, blind, across the country in his desperate effort to get home. The children feed him and keep his secret until they can enlist the aid he needs to cross the English Channel. In return for the children's kindness and help, the soldier shows them his keepsake silver donkey and tells them four stories about this special beast.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book has a classic look and feel with heavy, glossy paper, an embossed silver donkey and a ribbon bookmark. More important, the story is the stuff of which classics are made.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "How the Pirates Saved Christmas" by Jim and Sarah Jane Kaserman is another read-aloud chapter book but of a totally different kind. This story takes place in 1778 during the American Revolution. As the introduction states, "Somewhere between real history ... and stories ... lies the truth about how a group of pirates, or privateers, led by a dog and a white dolphin, saved Christmas for the children of Savannah, Georgia." Therein lies the tale. The Kasermans tell the tale by mixing fact and fiction. There's enough excitement to keep the pages turning and enough explanation to make the historical action understandable.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If you prefer to choose from among the tried-and-true classics:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson.
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\f0\fs26 --"A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas.
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\f0\fs26 --"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --And of course ... "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at Fran_Hawk
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\f0\fs26 @charleston.k12.sc.us.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 11, 2006
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 7, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Holiday books for kids make memories
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 410 words
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\f0\fs26 I remember the Christmas when my sister-in-law received two boa constrictors. She was ecstatic. Other than that gift, my favorite Christmas memories have nothing to do with presents. For me, memories are where the action is. Even though memories don't arrive in boxes, they can be "unwrapped" and enjoyed Christmas after Christmas.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "The Silver Donkey" by Sonya Hartnett is the perfect incentive to abandon shopping on the evenings before the holidays and create memories by staying home and reading aloud. Jimmy Carter says this book "is a testament to bravery, loyalty and sacrifice - a gentle but unflinching look at the horrors of war and the power of innocence."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book is appropriate for early elementary children on up. (That's my personal opinion. Other reviewers suggest that children be older.)
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In France during World War I, two young sisters discover a soldier sleeping in the woods near their home. He has walked away from the war and is drifting, blind, across the country in his desperate effort to get home. The children feed him and keep his secret until they can enlist the aid he needs to cross the English Channel. In return for the children's kindness and help, the soldier shows them his keepsake silver donkey and tells them four stories about this special beast.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The book has a classic look and feel with heavy, glossy paper, an embossed silver donkey and a ribbon bookmark. More important, the story is the stuff of which classics are made.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "How the Pirates Saved Christmas" by Jim and Sarah Jane Kaserman is another read-aloud chapter book but of a totally different kind. This story takes place in 1778 during the American Revolution. As the introduction states, "Somewhere between real history ... and stories ... lies the truth about how a group of pirates, or privateers, led by a dog and a white dolphin, saved Christmas for the children of Savannah, Georgia." Therein lies the tale. The Kasermans tell the tale by mixing fact and fiction. There's enough excitement to keep the pages turning and enough explanation to make the historical action understandable.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 If you prefer to choose from among the tried-and-true classics:
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --"The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 --And of course ... "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at Fran_Hawk
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 @charleston.k12.sc.us.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 23, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Pastor's inspired stories give 'Comfort & Joy' to all
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 791 words
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\f0\fs26 Christmas comes but once a year, but "Comfort & Joy: Nine Stories for Christmas" by Kirk H. Neely brings the Christmas spirit to all 365 days. The stories are adapted from sermons that Neely preached during his 40 years as a Baptist pastor. Each story is contemporary, relevant and revelatory.
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\f0\fs26 As Neely points out in his introduction, pastors have double jeopardy on this major religious holiday. First, they are striving to make the Christmas story mysterious and wonderful to people who have heard it for decades and others who may never have heard about "the babe in the manger." Second, pastors know they must strive to reach people who are celebrating Christmas and others who are suffering emotionally because of Christmas.
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\f0\fs26 As a solution to these dilemmas, Neely says, "I have learned that there is no better way to present the message of hope and love that is at the heart of Christmas than through the stories that parallel and perhaps merge with the original story." Ever since his first year as pastor of Morningside Baptist Church in Spartanburg, Neely has created and told stories that match those criteria.
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\f0\fs26 Inspiration for the stories has come from Neely's personal experience as well as experiences that others have shared with him. Neely and his wife celebrated the birth of a son on Christmas Day 1970. Thirty years later, they grieved deeply over the loss of another son six weeks before Christmas. Their son, Erik Neely, to whom the book is dedicated, was an award-winning writer for The Post and Courier. One of his best-known stories was about the ghostly "Gray Man" of Pawleys Island, who was famous for warning people about coming hurricanes.
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\f0\fs26 "Comfort & Joy" is illustrated with charming watercolors by June Neely Kern, who was married to Erik. She remarried in July.
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\f0\fs26 My favorite of the stories is "The Return of Alan Shepherd." Alan is a workaholic, the survivor of two failed marriages and an avid consumer of cigarettes and cholesterol. He's killing himself, but his philosophy is, "We all have to die sometime from something."
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 He works all day on Christmas as though it were any other day. On Christmas night, he drives his tow truck out into sleet mixed with freezing rain. He is called out to pick up a man and his pregnant wife who are stranded in a parking area where their van's engine has died. Alan and the couple are riding in the truck's cab when the woman's contractions signal the baby's imminent arrival. Alan realizes he can't make it to the hospital in time. The result is a Christmas miracle that takes place in a very unlikely location.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Other stories include a single mother, anxiously awaiting news from her son in Iraq, parents grieving for their lost child and a family in financial difficulty pulling together to plan a yard sale - each story's salient details bring it bursting to life.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 These are stories about real people who come to life on these pages without any of the sentimental, maudlin or superficial trappings prevalent in much of Christmas fiction.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 "Comfort & Joy" is a publication of The Hub City Writer's Project, which is based in Spartanburg. Hub City specializes in "place-based literature that encourages readers to form a deeper connection with their home territory." Although each story in the book was new to me, each one felt familiar because it was infused with the landscape of the South. Sweetgrass baskets, The Battery, Gullah, Daniel Island and the Angel Oak are just a few of the details that will make Lowcountry readers feel at home.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 In a recent conversation with Neely, I asked him to tell me which was his favorite story. He said he tends to prefer the stories about men, and thinks that women tend to prefer stories about women. Each year, he alternates the stories between men and women. A fourth-grade child in his congregation, who remembers many of the stories, has asked Neely to write a story about a child.
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\f0\fs26 Just as Southerners enjoy stories that take place in the South, we all enjoy stories in which we identify with the protagonist. Neely already is thinking about how to grant the child's request.
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\f0\fs26 This year, the parishioners at Morningside Baptist Church will hear a new sermon about a Jewish immigrant who comes to South Carolina in 1916. He finds a job tending an isolated lighthouse. Both Hanukkah and Christmas are crafted into the tale.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Great teachers throughout history have used stories to capture the attention of their listeners so that the wisdom within the story could be imparted painlessly and effectively. The parables of Jesus are an ancient and revered example of this tradition.
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\f0\fs26 "Comfort & Joy: Nine Stories for Christmas" is a modern addition to that venerable canon.
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\f0\fs26 The book will be available in Barnes & Noble bookstores in December. It sells for $19.95.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 November 28, 2006
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 23, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books help kids practice manners
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Thanksgiving dinner was the only meal of the year when my mother served olives. She arranged them with celery sticks and called the result a "relish dish."
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\f0\fs26 I didn't care what she called it, I wanted those rare and wondrous olives with the squiggly red centers all for myself. As I surreptitiously attempted to load the whole rolling stock onto my plate, I was sharply reminded to stop being a piggy and mind my manners.
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\f0\fs26 Feasts are ideal occasions to remember and practice table etiquette. The first Thanksgiving when our kids were home from college, I realized the guys had no working knowledge of how to set a table. In 18 years, they hadn't noticed that forks invariably appeared to the left of their plates. Granted, forks would work just as well whether they were placed left, right or center, but my point is that we (civilized people) follow rules governing the placement of tableware.
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\f0\fs26 I didn't know that Whoopi Goldberg was a recognized manners maven, but she has written a new book called "Whoopi's Big Book of Manners." Children will laugh at the pictures and prose, but these pages provide opportunities for parents to remind children of essential truths of etiquette - e.g., "Nobody wants to see your finger in your nose."
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\f0\fs26 This book covers most of my pet peeves: coughing or sneezing without covering your mouth, six things NOT to do at the table (including "Don't talk with food in your mouth") and the importance of using special words such as "please" and "thank you."
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\f0\fs26 Goldberg lays out the requirements for being polite in theaters, movies and elevators, including an admonition against "air biscuits." She's specific about good phone manners and good cell phone manners. She even tells both children and parents how to be good sports.
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\f0\fs26 One page in the book is devoted to "Not Saying You're Sorry."
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\f0\fs26 The new picture book "Sorry!" by Trudy Ludwig raises apologies to an art form. The book would be valuable in any season, but especially during the holidays it could help children maneuver through sensitive situations with extended families and the inevitable hypersensitivities.
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\f0\fs26 In an afterword, a psychiatry professor delineates the four essential parts of an apology and explains why some apologies heal and others hurt.
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\f0\fs26 He makes the point that apologies are a skill best learned in childhood. Ludwig says, "By helping children understand the implications of their hurtful behaviors and take responsibility for their actions, we foster a future where empathy and understanding - not hate or distrust - prevail." The book also includes questions for discussion and a list of apology do's and don'ts.
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\f0\fs26 If only I'd had these books 50 years ago, I would have known how to avoid and/or apologize for the Egregious Olive Incident and move on to agonizing over something else entirely.
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\f0\fs26 Although "Sorry" and "Whoopi's Big Book of Manners" may be the latest entries in the manners category, there are some oldies but goodies that will delight your children as they learn. "Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue" by Maurice Sendak isn't exactly manners, but it conveys the importance of caring as opposed to indifference, a very big deal especially during the holiday season.
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\f0\fs26 "Meet Wild Boars" by Meg Rosoff and Sophie Blackwell is a hilarious romp through rudeness that children (hopefully) will not want to replicate.
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\f0\fs26 "This Little Piggy's Book of Manners" by Kathryn Madeline Allen and "Goops and How to be Them: A Manual of Manners for Polite Infants" by Gelett Burgess are also popular guides.
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\f0\fs26 My mother used to claim that, "Love makes the world go around." I think manners have everything to do with keeping the world in its "proper" orbit.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 23, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Pastor's inspired stories give 'Comfort & Joy' to all
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Christmas comes but once a year, but "Comfort & Joy: Nine Stories for Christmas" by Kirk H. Neely brings the Christmas spirit to all 365 days. The stories are adapted from sermons that Neely preached during his 40 years as a Baptist pastor. Each story is contemporary, relevant and revelatory.
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\f0\fs26 As Neely points out in his introduction, pastors have double jeopardy on this major religious holiday. First, they are striving to make the Christmas story mysterious and wonderful to people who have heard it for decades and others who may never have heard about "the babe in the manger." Second, pastors know they must strive to reach people who are celebrating Christmas and others who are suffering emotionally because of Christmas.
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\f0\fs26 As a solution to these dilemmas, Neely says, "I have learned that there is no better way to present the message of hope and love that is at the heart of Christmas than through the stories that parallel and perhaps merge with the original story." Ever since his first year as pastor of Morningside Baptist Church in Spartanburg, Neely has created and told stories that match those criteria.
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\f0\fs26 Inspiration for the stories has come from Neely's personal experience as well as experiences that others have shared with him. Neely and his wife celebrated the birth of a son on Christmas Day 1970. Thirty years later, they grieved deeply over the loss of another son six weeks before Christmas. Their son, Erik Neely, to whom the book is dedicated, was an award-winning writer for The Post and Courier. One of his best-known stories was about the ghostly "Gray Man" of Pawleys Island, who was famous for warning people about coming hurricanes.
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\f0\fs26 "Comfort & Joy" is illustrated with charming watercolors by June Neely Kern, who was married to Erik. She remarried in July.
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\f0\fs26 My favorite of the stories is "The Return of Alan Shepherd." Alan is a workaholic, the survivor of two failed marriages and an avid consumer of cigarettes and cholesterol. He's killing himself, but his philosophy is, "We all have to die sometime from something."
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\f0\fs26 He works all day on Christmas as though it were any other day. On Christmas night, he drives his tow truck out into sleet mixed with freezing rain. He is called out to pick up a man and his pregnant wife who are stranded in a parking area where their van's engine has died. Alan and the couple are riding in the truck's cab when the woman's contractions signal the baby's imminent arrival. Alan realizes he can't make it to the hospital in time. The result is a Christmas miracle that takes place in a very unlikely location.
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\f0\fs26 Other stories include a single mother, anxiously awaiting news from her son in Iraq, parents grieving for their lost child and a family in financial difficulty pulling together to plan a yard sale - each story's salient details bring it bursting to life.
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\f0\fs26 These are stories about real people who come to life on these pages without any of the sentimental, maudlin or superficial trappings prevalent in much of Christmas fiction.
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\f0\fs26 "Comfort & Joy" is a publication of The Hub City Writer's Project, which is based in Spartanburg. Hub City specializes in "place-based literature that encourages readers to form a deeper connection with their home territory." Although each story in the book was new to me, each one felt familiar because it was infused with the landscape of the South. Sweetgrass baskets, The Battery, Gullah, Daniel Island and the Angel Oak are just a few of the details that will make Lowcountry readers feel at home.
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\f0\fs26 In a recent conversation with Neely, I asked him to tell me which was his favorite story. He said he tends to prefer the stories about men, and thinks that women tend to prefer stories about women. Each year, he alternates the stories between men and women. A fourth-grade child in his congregation, who remembers many of the stories, has asked Neely to write a story about a child.
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\f0\fs26 Just as Southerners enjoy stories that take place in the South, we all enjoy stories in which we identify with the protagonist. Neely already is thinking about how to grant the child's request.
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\f0\fs26 This year, the parishioners at Morningside Baptist Church will hear a new sermon about a Jewish immigrant who comes to South Carolina in 1916. He finds a job tending an isolated lighthouse. Both Hanukkah and Christmas are crafted into the tale.
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\f0\fs26 Great teachers throughout history have used stories to capture the attention of their listeners so that the wisdom within the story could be imparted painlessly and effectively. The parables of Jesus are an ancient and revered example of this tradition.
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\f0\fs26 "Comfort & Joy: Nine Stories for Christmas" is a modern addition to that venerable canon.
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\f0\fs26 The book will be available in Barnes & Noble bookstores in December. It sells for $19.95.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 1, 2007
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 16, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Cookbooks give young chefs easy recipes for success
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 At this late date, most of you have already marked your calendars for Homemade Bread Day today. As for the rest of you procrastinators, it's not too late.
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\f0\fs26 Our children grew up making bread because I'd declared that sugar was a banned substance. Instead of a birthday cake, the centerpiece for their parties was birthday bread. (I thought I was on the leading edge of a sugar-free-children movement. I was actually on the edge of being designated as the neighborhood kook. But, I digress ...)
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\f0\fs26 After I mixed up a huge bowl of dough, the children pounded and shaped it into an alligator, or a turtle or whatever shape they wanted. The only limit was that it had to fit into the oven. The party guests were always impressed, even if they were also nonplussed.
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\f0\fs26 It was my turn to be impressed and nonplussed when I saw "our" turtle featured in the new cookbook for children, "Cooking With Kids." I never imagined that there would be directions for how to proceed and an "unfussy recipe that won't dirty every bowl in the kitchen." Other entries in the "Breads" chapter include "Homemade Pretzels," "Perfect Popovers," and "Quick and Easy Biscuits." As a veteran of chaotic cooking with children, I think directions would be a major benefit.
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\f0\fs26 "Cooking With Kids" starts with advice on how to set up a kid-friendly kitchen, tips on making the cooking experience a learning experience, and information on healthy meals and ways to have fun at the dinner table. Chapters, each with full-color photos, range from breakfast through dessert.
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\f0\fs26 Provided you haven't banned sugar from your house, the "Dessert" chapter will be the "piece de resistance" that your children won't be able to resist. "Shamburgers" (no-beef peppermint patties between sesame seed cookies with shredded green coconut to simulate the lettuce) would make a sweet April Fool's trick. "Sleepover Cake" creates an opportunity for the hostess to decorate "Twinkies" in the likeness of her friends.
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\f0\fs26 "Kids Cook 1-2-3: Recipes for Young Chefs Using Only 3 Ingredients" by Rozanne Gold is another new cookbook for children. It won't help you out too much for Homemade Bread Day, but it would be perfect for Ketchup-Cola Chicken Day, should such a day ever exist.
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\f0\fs26 "Cure-A-Cold Chicken Soup," featuring chicken wings, scallions and ginger, sounds delicious and easy. A young cook might pair this with "Warm Buttermilk Biscuits," which are made from self-rising flour, unsalted butter and buttermilk. If these ingredients sound a bit sophisticated, it may be because Rozanne Gold has won both the James Beard and Julia Child Cookbook awards.
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\f0\fs26 Cookbooks count in celebrating Children's Book Week this week.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 2, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Parents must decide if kids can handle 'grim' fairy tales
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Fairy tales are not for sissies. Some of them may not even be for children. Even the sanitized, homogenized Disney versions can return as haunting nightmares.
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\f0\fs26 As I re-acquainted myself with the tales of Hans Christian Andersen, I was struck by the recurring themes of death, suffering and evil with an occasional stroke of horror mixed in. Good triumphs sometimes, but it's not a sure bet.
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\f0\fs26 The Andersen stories could well be called "grim."
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\f0\fs26 A Danish literary critic once said that Andersen wrote more self-portraits than Rembrandt ever painted. In a picture-book biography called "The Perfect Wizard," Jane Yolen documents how Andersen's writing reflected Andersen's life.
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\f0\fs26 Although he became famous in his lifetime, he spent his early years in hardship as the sole believer in his genius.
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\f0\fs26 Some of the Andersen fairy tales are nonhair-raising stories that every child deserves to hear. "The Emperor's New Clothes," "Thumbelina," "The Princess and the Pea" and "The Ugly Duckling" are available in numerous, beautifully illustrated editions.
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\f0\fs26 On the other hand ...
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\f0\fs26 "The Tinderbox," illustrated by Warwick Hutton, is a fast-paced adventure about a soldier who uses his head. Events are set in motion when the soldier chops off the head of the witch who made him wealthy.
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\f0\fs26 "The Red Shoes," illustrated by Chihiro Iwasaki, is a potentially terrifying tale about the dangers of vanity usurping piety.
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\f0\fs26 "The Wild Swans," richly illustrated by Susan Jeffers, is a compelling story about the compelling love between siblings. Among other tasks required to save her brother, a sister gathers thistles in a graveyard where ghouls are feasting on the dead. This would not be mistaken for an episode of "SpongeBob SquarePants."
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\f0\fs26 "The Little Mermaid," illustrated by Michael Hague, is rewarded for not committing murder. She is allowed to serve as a "daughter of the air" for 300 years before she may go to the Kingdom of God. Good children can shorten her time of servitude, but naughty children will prolong it. Many of the Andersen tales are unabashedly, heavy-handedly cautionary, i.e., you'd better be a good child or that poor Little Mermaid may never get to heaven.
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\f0\fs26 "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," illustrated by Paul Galdone, is a one-legged toy that undergoes a frightening series of adventures, but returns home safely. At that point, he is ignominiously thrown into a hot stove along with the toy ballerina who is his heart's desire. In the embers, all that remains of the soldier is his heart. The end.
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\f0\fs26 So, to read or not to read. That is the parent's question. My advice is for parents to know the stories and know their children. Do what you need to do to share these classic stories with your child without creating a traumatic experience.
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\f0\fs26 If you think part of the story is upsetting, change it, leave it out or wait until your child is old enough to deal with whatever aspect you've judged to be problematic.
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\f0\fs26 Read the story ahead of time, so you don't find yourself trying to console the inconsolable child who didn't know that ghouls hung out in cemeteries feasting on dead people.
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\f0\fs26 Talk with your child about the story: "Tell me why you think the soldier chopped off the witch's head."
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\f0\fs26 If you don't think the story has any redeeming features, so be it. But if you think it might, take the chance. Children are amazingly resilient. One of my favorite memories is sitting on our back steps with my grandmother. She would tell me old German fairy tales that made me shiver on hot afternoons. I begged her to tell and retell. My grandmother swore me to secrecy because she knew my mother would not approve.
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\f0\fs26 P.S. Enjoy!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk @{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 26, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 It's fun to be scared and grossed out
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 My favorite party in elementary school happened in a dark basement. Eight blindfolded third-grade girls were led to chairs in a prearranged circle. As parents told the scary tale of a banquet in the haunted house, they handed around bowls of the delicacies described in the story.
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\f0\fs26 Brains (cooked spaghetti), eyeballs (peeled grapes and olives), kidneys (hard-boiled eggs) and guts (a slime made from cornstarch) elicited squeals and screams. It's fun to be scared. It's fun to get messy. To get scared and messy at the same time - sublime!
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\f0\fs26 "Gross-Out Cakes: The Kitty Litter Cake and Other Classics" by Britney Schetselaar and Kathleen Barlow is a book of recipes that would have been perfect to serve at that party. Even if you never turn on your oven, this book is entertainment. There are 30 real recipes you can make and eat, or you can just settle for being grossed out by the full-color photos.
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\f0\fs26 The "Severed Arm Cake" is my personal favorite. It's a Category 5 in "grossness," which is as gross as it gets. Think strawberry sherbet with cookie sticks (for the bones).
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\f0\fs26 My second choice for a crowd-pleaser is "Doggie Doo Doo Drops." The mixture of cocoa, chunky peanut butter and oats is a startling stand-in for the real thing.
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\f0\fs26 In the interest of a desensitization process, you could start with "Sea Slime Sandwiches" which are a mere 1 on the gross scale. "Bug and Dirt Cake" rates a 2. "Flaming Ant Cake" ranks as a 3. "Toenail Torte With Toe Jam Filling" is a 4. There are many 5's from which to choose besides bleeding arms.
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\f0\fs26 If you are asking "Why?" this is definitely NOT the book for you.
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\f0\fs26 This book was on my desk in the library when a high school English class came in for recreational reading. All the students settled in with newspapers, magazines and books.
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\f0\fs26 Except John. I offered him "Home Plate Don't Move: Baseball's Best Quotes and Quips" by Eric Zweig. This book is falling-down funny, but John wasn't interested. I tried graphic novels and several other sure-fire reluctant-reader favorites. Yawn.
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\f0\fs26 Then John happened to see my copy of "Gross-Out Cakes." It hadn't crossed my mind to recommend it because I don't ordinarily suggest cookbooks to teenage boys who are taller than I am. As soon as he opened it, he was hooked. He read every page.
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\f0\fs26 For those with a preference for the more traditional scary book, "A Big Spooky House" by Donna Washington is a good choice for mildly frightening young listeners.
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\f0\fs26 The story may sound familiar because it's based on oral tradition.
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\f0\fs26 "Spirits and Legends of the South Carolina Sea Islands" by Margie Willis Clary is one of many books featuring our local ghosts.
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\f0\fs26 For hard-core, scare-the-socks-off, older listeners, my perennial favorite is "Kate Culhane: A Ghost Story" by Michael Hague. What if someone dared to read "Kate Culhane" aloud and then serve "Severed Arm Cake" to the listeners? My guess is there'd be a lot of cake left over.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 Fran_Hawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 31, 2006
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 19, 2006 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Play time balances structure for kids
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Attention parents: The American Academy of Pediatrics recently reported that children who are overscheduled and overstimulated may experience undue stress.
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\f0\fs26 Parents are under considerable stress to get their children involved in numerous educational, athletic and artistic endeavors and keep a competitive pace with the peer group. According to this report, parents should start stressing over how to de-stress their children.
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\f0\fs26 One summer, I wrote a column about a mother who was quizzing her child on the 50 state capitals while he rode his bike on a perfect June morning. I received a deluge of mail excoriating that mother.
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\f0\fs26 Newsweek magazine recently published "The Benefits of Busy" by Daniel McGinn. One reader responded, "Better the kids are too busy than not busy enough." Another reader pointed out, "Children flourish when their needs are respected. For some this means more scheduled after-school activities, and for others less."
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\f0\fs26 Parents express differing opinions, but in this new millennium, they are pressured to make every moment a learning moment. Soon-to-be moms are encouraged to play Mozart and read to their unborn children. Educational videos and flash cards are available for infants. There are baby books that float in the bathtub and attach to strollers. From there, the pressure for developing brain power and every other attribute only increases.
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\f0\fs26 The pediatricians' report reminds parents, "Perhaps above all, play is a simple joy that is a cherished part of childhood."
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\f0\fs26 Dr. T. Barry Brazelton, noted pediatrician and author, comments that children overscheduled with structured activities "are missing the chance they have to dream, to fantasize, to make their world work the way they want it. That to me is a very important part of childhood."
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\f0\fs26 "The Hurried Child-Growing Up Too Fast, Too Soon" by David Elkind is the book that gave me the courage to set our children loose in the backyard rather than enrolling them in something or other. As the pediatricians' report points out, balance is the key.
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\f0\fs26 Structured activities can be beneficial, but they aren't a requirement for raising a successful child. Most important, children need plenty of free play time.
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\f0\fs26 "Reclaiming Childhood: Letting Our Children Be Children in Our Achievement-Oriented Society" by William Cain is reviewed as a "book that challenges the assumption that academic achievement is a goal unto itself rather than a by-product of kids who are happy, well-loved and allowed to grow at their own pace." Let the congregation say, "Amen!"
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\f0\fs26 "The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap" by Alvin Rosenfeld and Nicole Wise is described by one parent as a warning that "by micromanaging our children's lives, we're giving them the message that they can neither function or make judgments without parental intervention."
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\f0\fs26 "Einstein Never Used Flashcards: How Our Children Really Learn and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less" by Kathy Hirsh, et al. has a title that almost says it all. This book "doesn't encourage parents to take to the sidelines, but rather to use play and everyday experiences to foster their children's love of learning."
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\f0\fs26 Children at play. It's more than just a traffic sign.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at FranHawk
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\f0\fs26 @charleston.k12.sc.us.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 24, 2006
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 12, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Mega-sale book lovers' mecca
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 257 words
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\f0\fs26 Just what exactly is BookFest? Imagine 130 tables arranged around the Gaillard Exhibition Hall. Picture more than 60,000 gently used books, CDs, videos and DVDs that are carefully organized into well-marked categories. Think about prices starting as low as 50 cents. Consider the Kid's Corner, where children are invited to create crafts and have their faces painted.
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\f0\fs26 And ... admission is free! So you can spend all your money on books!
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\f0\fs26 For the 24th year, the Friends of the Charleston County Public Library are sponsoring this magnificent mega-sale.
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\f0\fs26 More than 200 volunteers make it happen. Throughout the year, donors bring items to their neighborhood libraries from which the donations are collected and stored in preparation for the sale.
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\f0\fs26 Materials are divided into categories including:
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\f0\fs26 --Fiction
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\f0\fs26 --Business, math and sciences
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\f0\fs26 --Reference books
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\f0\fs26 --Dictionaries
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\f0\fs26 --Books on games and puzzles
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\f0\fs26 --Social subjects
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\f0\fs26 --Classics and drama
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\f0\fs26 --Military history and travel
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\f0\fs26 --Music books, including sheet music
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\f0\fs26 --Maps
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\f0\fs26 --Children's books
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\f0\fs26 --CDs, videos, DVDs
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\f0\fs26 At the close of the public sale on Sunday afternoon, schools are invited to send representatives to "glean." This is the deal of all deals. The designated gleaners may collect unlimited quantities and all materials are free. Check out the details on the library Web site at ccpl.org.
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\f0\fs26 Got books?
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f0\fs26 IF YOU GO
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\f0\fs26 What: BookFest 2006
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\f0\fs26 Where: Gaillard Exhibition Hall
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\f0\fs26 When: Friday, Oct. 13, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 14, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 15, noon-3 p.m.
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\f0\fs26 COST: Free
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 17, 2006
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 5, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Gentle book about adoption
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 455 words
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\f0\fs26 'Finding Joy" by Marion Coste is a story for all the children who've been adopted and for all the children who will be their friends, classmates and neighbors.
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\f0\fs26 This gently encouraging book may even be an incentive for adults to think about the adoption process. "Finding Joy" recounts a family's decision to adopt a baby girl from China. This decision leads them to find Joy and find joy. The whole book shimmers with love.
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\f0\fs26 An "author's note" at the end of the story explains how the "one-child policy" in China results in many baby girls being raised in orphanages. In 1991, China began to allow babies to be adopted outside the country. Since then, more than 28,000 mostly female children have been placed with families in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe.
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\f0\fs26 Families in the United States also adopt thousands of children every year from Russia, Guatemala, Korea, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Children also are adopted from Belarus, Bulgaria, Colombia, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, The Philippines and Poland. The United Arab Emirates forbids foreign adoptions.
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\f0\fs26 Although many children came from Romania, Vietnam and Cambodia, the governments of those countries have stopped adoptions while they work to eliminate abuses in the system.
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\f0\fs26 There are people who think that American parents who participate in international adoptions are reflecting American arrogance and imperialism. There are people who believe that Americans who adopt children from foreign countries are giving these children more opportunities for a better life.
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\f0\fs26 After volunteering in a Romanian orphanage, I'm on the "better life" side of the debate. Although the Romanian orphan babies were adequately fed and clothed, they received very little stimulation at the critical point of their brain development. The "good" babies are the ones who lay quietly in their cribs.
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\f0\fs26 Questions abound regarding the adopted child and the child's birth culture. Should the child be immersed or should information be withheld? One researcher (Pauline Strong) writes that international adoptions are simultaneously "an act of violence and an act of love."
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\f0\fs26 At present, there is insufficient research and inadequate information to support claims in either direction. Friends who adopted a Chinese child enrolled her in a program to deepen and maintain her Chinese cultural connections.
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\f0\fs26 I'm guessing such options will become increasingly available if adoptive parents become convinced such programs are assets for their children.
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\f0\fs26 Marion Coste will sign books at the Mount Pleasant Barnes & Noble at 11 a.m. Oct. 18. In addition to "Finding Joy," she'll be reading "Wild Beach" and talking about the books she's written on native Hawaiian species.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 10, 2006
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 28, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books take dread out of science fair
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 477 words
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\f0\fs26 Give me Rocky Mountain spotted fever or give me science projects. Since childhood, I've been tempted to choose the fever. The pernicious shadow of each science fair loomed directly over our house and caused weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. And that was just when we were choosing topics. The process went downhill from there.
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\f0\fs26 As living proof that the world is improving, along comes Merrie Koester Southgate. She loves this science stuff. She makes science interesting, fun, exciting and relevant. Agnes Pflumm, the science teacher in Southgate's books, takes over where Miss Frizzle in the "Magic School Bus" series left off. Southgate's books are chapter books for students ages 8 and up. Her aim is to make students think, laugh and be inspired to make a difference.
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\f0\fs26 In "No Place Like Periwinkle," Agnes Pflumm lets her father do the work on her seventh-grade science project. Another word for this is "cheating." Agnes' fear of science projects stays with her into adulthood. (I can relate to that.) Other themes in this book are the science/art connection and surviving a hurricane.
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\f0\fs26 In "Agnes Pflumm and the Stone Creek Science Fair," Agnes is the new middle school science teacher. Although she starts the job fearing science projects, she and her students accomplish their goals and learn a lot about science and life along the way.
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\f0\fs26 "Pond Scum and Agnes Pflumm" is about "Green Development" economics, wetland/ stream restoration, and conservation easements. Southgate weaves these themes into an exciting, funny, completely believable story that empowers children to be environmental heroes.
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\f0\fs26 At the close of each book, there's a "Don't Just Sit There" section that challenges students to think through the deeper issues in each chapter. Sample thoughts: "Why might you dread doing a science fair project? Be specific." "Invent something that might become a reality 400 years from now and sketch it out." (like Leonardo da Vinci)
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\f0\fs26 The science action for students, parents and teachers continues at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.agnespflumm.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.agnespflumm.com}}. Topics on the Web site include the "Science and Art" connection, "No Fear Science Projects," as well as a section on personal dilemmas such as fear of failure and time-management issues. There's also a sneak preview of "The Last Book" contest for which students may submit stories and illustrations.
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\f0\fs26 Southgate is well-qualified to fill the science maven slot. For the past 17 years, she has been a science teacher, as well as a professional artist.
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\f0\fs26 In her graduate work, she developed a program for teaching science through creative drama, poetry, story telling and visual arts. She believes that "the arts give students access to a level of understanding not possible through a solely textbook-driven curriculum."
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\f0\fs26 Kids who read these books are at risk of going Pflumm-crazy over science.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 3, 2006
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2006 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 21, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Girl's service project a book bounty
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 530 words
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\f0\fs26 Rachel Ett is my new hero. Lots of people talk about the importance of home libraries in developing literacy. Rachel, a former Moultrie Middle School student now at Wando, took action.
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\f0\fs26 Her 2005 bat mitzvah ("mitzvah" meaning "good deed") required that she perform a service to mankind. She preferred a hands-on project rather than a project that simply raised money. Because she's always loved to read, she decided to conduct a book drive.
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\f0\fs26 Phase One: Her logistics were wonderfully simple. She posted a sign at the entrance to her subdivision that briefly explained her mission. She put a grocery bag (donated by Whole Foods) on every single doorstep in the neighborhood. On each bag, she stapled her request for books and the date two weeks later when she would come to collect the bags.
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\f0\fs26 Rachel estimated that maybe 20 families out of a possible 100 would participate. When the collection date arrived, she started out with a child's wagon to bring back the bounty.
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\f0\fs26 And boundless bounty it was!
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\f0\fs26 After the first four houses, the little wagon was overflowing. She unloaded the bags into her garage, and started out again. Almost every house had filled a bag with books. Some families had filled two bags. One house had more than a dozen bags waiting on the porch.
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\f0\fs26 Rachel had expected the collection process to take an afternoon. Four weeks later, with help from her mom and the family car, between 1,500 and 2,000 books (Understandably, Rachel had lost precise count) had been stashed in the family garage. Although the collection phase was theoretically complete, neighbors kept calling Rachel to ask if they might contribute beyond the deadline. Rachel honored these requests.
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\f0\fs26 Phase Two: Sorting. First Rachel separated the adult and children's books. Then she divided those into hardback and paperback, fiction and nonfiction.
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\f0\fs26 Phase Three: Distributing. After Rachel and her mom did some research, they agreed that the best place to take the books was The Friends of the Charleston County Library. Besides its annual book sale to raise money for the library, the group keeps track of which organizations need specific types of books. They donate accordingly.
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\f0\fs26 Phase Four: Expressing appreciation to donors. After her good deed was done, Rachel posted another sign at the entrance to the subdivision. She thanked the contributors for their generosity and reported the overwhelming response.
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\f0\fs26 When I interviewed Rachel, she gave all the credit to the neighbors who'd contributed the books, and to her mom who'd helped her collect them. She observed that books happen to be an item that people wanted to clear off their shelves. She also found the hands-on aspect of the project to be tremendously satisfying. She continues to be "amazed and astounded" by the neighborhood support. One lady who didn't have any books asked if she could send a check.
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\f0\fs26 Would Rachel commit to this project again? She'd definitely like to help other kids conduct a book collection in their neighborhoods. She thinks her own subdivision might need a few years to reaccumulate an excess.
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\f0\fs26 To Rachel: My respect, admiration and gratitude for personifying "The Power of One."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 September 26, 2006
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 14, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Junior Critics pick their must-reads
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 493 words
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\f0\fs26 For the third consecutive year, The Junior Critics are up and reading at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library.
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\f0\fs26 This group of elementary school students gathers from 4 to 5 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month. The students borrow newly published books and discuss all the ramifications of reading. This may sound stuffy and dignified, but it's a wildly enthusiastic group. The biggest challenge is to prevent everyone from talking at the same time.
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\f0\fs26 At the September meeting, the critics chose their new books and then (almost) took turns reporting on their favorite books of the summer. For most of them, it was a challenge to choose just one. The following is a list of Books for Kids Who Love to Read compiled by Kids Who Love to Read.
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\f0\fs26 Melissa chose the "Warriors" series by Erin Hunter. (The first book is "Into the Wild.") She said the series is about cats that live in the forest. Although the library classifies these books as young adult, younger children read them and find them less complicated than the "Redwall" series.
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\f0\fs26 She said that third-graders play games based on the characters.
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\f0\fs26 Rachael chose the Cornelia Funke books "Inkheart," "Inkspell," "The Thief Lord" (my personal favorite) and "Dragon Rider."
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\f0\fs26 Hiers loved "Peter and the Shadow Thieves" by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry, which he said is better than the first book, "Peter and the Starcatchers." This book is classified young adult, but Hiers thinks that anyone who can read "Harry Potter" can read this. I wasn't wild about the first book, but I think that's because I expected it to be funny. Hiers says it's not funny, it's just good.
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\f0\fs26 Debbie liked "Rebel" by Willo Davis Roberts because it was about girls being the opposite of the way they were supposed to be and it was also a mystery. She recommends it for fifth grade and up.
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\f0\fs26 Savannah chose the "His Dark Materials Trilogy" by Philip Pullman. The books include "The Golden Compass," "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass." These qualify as classics, along the likes of "The Narnia Series" by C.S. Lewis.
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\f0\fs26 Emily calls the series by Tamora Price "the greatest series of series." She especially likes "The Song of the Lioness Quartet" and "The Immortals." She claims that they are "seriously better" than "Redwall," "Mistmantle" and "Harry Potter."
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\f0\fs26 Emma's favorite was "The Inheritance" series by Christopher Paolini. Both "Eragon" and "Eldest" are wonderfully well-written and could serve as vocabulary preparation for the SAT. One of the critics said she reads in front of the computer so that she can look up words she doesn't know.
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\f0\fs26 "The Septimus Heap" series (including "Magyk" and "Flyte") by Angie Sage and Mark Zug also was mentioned as a favorite.
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\f0\fs26 If you're a kid who loves to read and/or love being around people who love to read, join us! To register, call Nancy Filer, who is the head of the children's department at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library. The phone number is 849-6161.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at Fran
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 7, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Hurricane Web sites, books to the rescue
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 At best, media hype is a nuisance. At worst, it's downright dangerous. When schools closed for Ernesto, many of my students returned the following day wondering if a hurricane was the same as a rainy day. We joked about a new school policy that would declare all wet days to be holidays.
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\f0\fs26 I worry about the "boy-who-cried-wolf" syndrome. Will my students ever be persuaded to evacuate if they think hurricanes are equal to a rainstorm? After the nonevent of Hurricane David (when I'd taped all our windows), I was reluctant to evacuate for Hurricane Hugo. I was so late leaving Charleston, there were barely any other cars on I-26. I could have been the person who turned out the lights, but Hugo took care of that.
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\f0\fs26 When I'm not worrying that kids will casually dismiss hurricanes, I'm worrying that they'll be unjustifiably terrified. Somewhere, there's solid middle ground. Knowledge is power. Preparation is paramount. Web sites to the rescue!
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\f0\fs26 Although I spent hours exploring hurricane sites, I didn't pick a favorite. Each site presents information clearly and with pizazz. Any of the search engines will bring you to these sites under the general topic "hurricanes," or you can type in the specific addresses.
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\f0\fs26 The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ready.gov/kids"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.ready.gov/kids}} lists four steps to prepare for any emergency. Step One: "Create an Emergency Supply Kit." As simple as this seems, I wouldn't have thought about including a whistle (to signal for help) or a wrench to turn off utilities. This step includes games and a quiz. Step Two: "Make a Plan." This step includes templates to collect family information, so that family members may stay in touch at all times. Step Three: "Know the Facts" is a description of emergencies. Step Four: "Graduation from Readiness U" is a quiz covering the other three steps. The site also includes information for parents and teachers and links to additional Web sites.
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\f0\fs26 FEMA for Kids, at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.fema.gov/kids/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.fema.gov/kids/}}, features Herman, the spokescrab for the site. (I didn't make up Herman; FEMA did.) There are stories, games and information on preparing for disasters and preventing disaster damage. For parents and teachers, there's curriculum and safety information.
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\f0\fs26 The Weather Channel sponsors "Hurricane On Demand" at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.spotlight.tv/hurricaneondemand/kidssection,htm"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.spotlight.tv/hurricaneondemand/kidssection,htm}}. "SafeSide Student Activities" are designed to help young people "plan, prepare, and protect your family from severe weather and provide a fun way for you to learn about severe weather safety."
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\f0\fs26 The National Hurricane Center presents "Hurricane Preparedness for Kids" at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/kids.shtml"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/kids.shtml}}. The site encourages kids to outsmart the "Weather Bullies." There are "wanted" posters with information to download for "Hurry" the hurricane, "Serge" the storm surge, and other weather bullies. Clearly, your tax dollar is at work.
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\f0\fs26 Yes, there are more sites. These are a mere sample.
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\f0\fs26 If you're still looking for an alternative to hype, consider downgrading to books. "Legare the Lowcountry Lizard: The Big Storm" by Christi Sanford is a comfort for young children before, during and after the storm. "No Place Like Periwinkle" by Merrie Koester Southgate is a compelling and cautionary chapter book for ages 8 through middle school.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 31, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children can head to work with books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Labor Day was bittersweet in my Baltimore childhood. Friends always had an outdoor party for children with lots of fried chicken (sweet), but school always started the next day (bitter). It was kind of like a last meal for prisoners.
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\f0\fs26 Even though children now are back in school long before Labor Day, and even though Charleston stays blazing hot long after the holiday, it still seems like the official end of summer.
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\f0\fs26 Congress declared Labor Day as a national holiday in 1894 as a celebration of the working class. The real reason for Labor Day doesn't usually cross my mind, but this year, my thinking has been rearranged by Thomas Friedman's book, "The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century."
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\f0\fs26 According to Friedman, labor as we knew it and know it is being revolutionized by a convergence of forces, including technology. Where the jobs are, what the jobs are and who will be doing the jobs are swirling around in the powerful tornado of change. If you plan to work now or in the future, or even if you just care about someone who fits that description, read this book!
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\f0\fs26 To approach the Labor Day concept with the very youngest children, I recommend "What Do People Do All Day" by Richard Scarry. This picture book has been around for decades because every page is packed with creatures that are busy with the pragmatic as well as the pratfall. This won't ever be a school-to-careers textbook, but it's informative and funny.
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\f0\fs26 For children in kindergarten through the second grade, I suggest "Uncle Jed's Barbershop" by Margaree King Mitchell and James E. Ransome. This poignant story presents a realistic picture of the world of work and setting priorities.
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\f0\fs26 "Lyddie" by Katherine Patterson is an eye-opening chapter book for students in the fourth through eighth grades. A young girl works on a weaving loom to earn money to reunite her orphaned brother and sisters. Six days a week, from dawn to dusk, she labors in a dim, dusty room where the air is dangerously full of lint.
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\f0\fs26 When Lyddie's co-worker gets sick from the poor conditions in the mill, Lyddie has to decide whether to say nothing or risk her job in speaking out for improved working conditions.
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\f0\fs26 So ... since you probably won't actually be at work on Monday, you could be at the beach reading about work.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 FranHawk@charleston.k12.sc.us}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 24, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books help students build confidence, overcome fears
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'The Giraffe Who Was Afraid of Heights" by David A. Ufer and illustrated by Kirsten Carlson is a delightful and profound new picture book.
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\f0\fs26 The young reticulated giraffe is afraid of heights, the young vervet monkey is afraid to climb trees and the young common hippo is afraid of water. When they meet, they are all on their way to the doctor to find cures for their fears.
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\f0\fs26 A hungry Nile crocodile intervenes. In their determination to prevent each other from becoming lunch, each animal summons the courage to overcome his fear and protect his newfound friends. "Hey, do you know what this means?" asked the giraffe (as the crocodile swam away). "We aren't afraid anymore! We don't have to go to the doctor!"
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\f0\fs26 And the message to children, gently delivered by three African animals: Within yourselves, you often have the wherewithal to overcome your fears.
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\f0\fs26 The message to parents is that it may take a crocodile-style crisis, but we can find other ways to help children reach inside themselves for their "cures." We can be their cheerleaders, and we can focus their energies on changing themselves rather than other people or other situations.
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\f0\fs26 This spring, I had tears running down my face when one of my students read his essay in public.
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\f0\fs26 I knew he could do it. He was absolutely, totally convinced that he could not do it and was on the borderline of refusing to approach the podium. My job here was cheerleading, to encourage his own courage. Afterward, we were laughing about all the speeches he would give in his future.
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\f0\fs26 Another student had enough difficult people in her life to sink a luxury liner, much less a struggling teenager. Patiently and often, I assured her she couldn't change the people who were creating the problems. Patiently and often, I assured her that she could change herself and her attitude. By the end of the year, she was summoning resources within herself that she hadn't known were there.
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\f0\fs26 David Ufer, author of "Giraffe," will be reading his book Saturday at the Mount Pleasant Barnes & Noble at 10 a.m. and Barnes & Noble West Ashley at noon (where Geoffrey the Giraffe will make an appearance). Ufer's own fear of heights was his inspiration for this book.
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\f0\fs26 He hopes the book "will help parents teach their children that fear is a natural and healthy emotion as long as it isn't overwhelming." The author will donate 10 percent of his royalties to the World Wildlife Fund. Every title published by Sylvan Dell Publishing in Mount Pleasant includes a three- to five-page educational section called "For Creative Minds." Activities in this book include a craft, mix-and-match activity and fun facts about animals of the African savanna. Sylvan Dell is on a mission to create beautifully illustrated, exciting educational books. Every Sylvan Dell book I've ever read goes well beyond fulfilling this mission.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 17, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Stories can help students get over jitters as school starts
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 My younger brother started kindergarten when I was four grades ahead of him at the same elementary school. On his first day, a teacher caught him running in the hall and admonished him with a question that lives on in our family Hall of Infamy: "Why aren't you well-behaved like your older sister?"
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\f0\fs26 Herein lies the problem. For a variety of reasons, siblings in the same school may be less than enthusiastic about each other's presence. "It's MY School" by Sally Grindley explores the emotions of an older brother who's embarrassed about his younger, teddy-bear-carrying sister starting kindergarten. He tries being mean and tough, but finds out he's much happier being nice and protective.
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\f0\fs26 "First Grade Stinks" by Mary Ann Rodman is a wonderful book to help children who are making that huge transition from kindergarten to "real" school. On her first day of first grade, the protagonist chafes at the increased academic demands and looks back nostalgically at the carefree kindergartners. Her teacher explains that first-graders work so hard because they are learning to read all by themselves. Suddenly it all makes sense and first grade is great!
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\f0\fs26 "Take a Kiss to School" by Angela McAllister is a comforting picture book that describes a child who's insecure about his ability to deal with all the requirements of school. His mother puts kisses in his pocket for him to pull out whenever he needs reassurance. This is a sweet story, reminiscent of "The Kissing Hand" and "A Pocket Full of Kisses" by Audrey Penn.
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\f0\fs26 "Mommy in My Pocket" by Carol Hunt Senderak is another comforting picture book for children. A child wishes she could keep her mom in her pocket. After thinking about how perfect it would be, she realizes, "Yet when school starts, I know I'll be OK, because the love in Mommy's hug and kiss ... will stay with me all day!"
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\f0\fs26 A first day is a first day. A transition is a transition. Stress comes with the territory, regardless of age. For first-graders, all the hilarious "Junie B., First Grader" short chapter books by Barbara Park are excellent laugh therapy for dispelling fears.
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\f0\fs26 For first-year college students, there's "How to Survive Your Freshman Year" - "by Hundreds of Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors Who Did, and some things to avoid, from a few dropouts who didn't." This is one of the titles in one of my favorite series: "Hundreds of Heads: Great Advice From Hundreds of People."
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\f0\fs26 For example: "Learning to live with people - even people you don't like - is an important skill to have" is sage advice from an Amherst College graduate.
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\f0\fs26 My advice: Remember that first-day jitters are legitimate.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 10, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Summer also time for books with substance and meaning
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Summer reading inspires emotions ranging from anathema to joy. Last spring, I collected stacks of books for my college-bound students (who rank somewhere in the middle of the anathema-to-joy continuum) to take home and read over the summer.
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\f0\fs26 I assured them that all educated people had read these books, and if they wanted to be considered educated, reading selected titles was part of the package.
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\f0\fs26 I'm careful to tell them that they don't have to like the books, they just have to read them.
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\f0\fs26 Last summer, a student read the Hemingway book I'd given her ("For Whom the Bell Tolls") and hated every page. I laughed at her vehemence and explained that now she had a small working knowledge of how Hemingway writes. Because she'd read the book, she'd made herself at least superficially conversant about the author and consequently was entitled to have her opinion.
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\f0\fs26 Students are not required to like the books and they're not required to read a title that seriously bores them. I try to give them a wide and large selection of quality books. That way, they can choose and they'll benefit from whatever they choose.
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\f0\fs26 As I was making the stacks and checking them twice for the summer, I was rhapsodizing about the excellence of each title while the students were (probably) rolling their eyes. Then I got to "A Lesson Before Dying" by Ernest J. Gaines. It was on the must-read lists, including Oprah's Book Club, but I'd never read it.
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\f0\fs26 When radio commentators read and discussed "The Declaration of Independence" on July Fourth, I was reading "A Lesson Before Dying." The book forcefully reminded me of those "unalienable rights" so dear to the Founding Fathers of the United States.
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\f0\fs26 This book, published in 1993, is set in Cajun Louisiana in the 1940s. An innocent young black man is sentenced to death. During the course of his trial, he is referred to as a "hog."
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\f0\fs26 The women who love him want to restore his human dignity and his sense of self-worth in the short time remaining before his execution. The book explores the questions of whether this can be accomplished and what would be the method.
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\f0\fs26 I'll probably forget every other book I read this summer, but this one I'll remember.
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\f0\fs26 Although the setting is the segregated South, the issues are timeless. They illustrate this belief: People will forget what you did and what you said. They will always remember how you made them feel.
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\f0\fs26 "A Gathering of Old Men" is another excellent book (and movie) by Gaines. Creative nonviolence (such as Gandhi, but different) is raised to an art form.
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\f0\fs26 I'm enthusiastic about light, frothy beach books, but I also like to have some books that anchor my towel to the sand.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 3, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book choices plentiful in summer
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 My suitcase was over the weight limit because I'd brought too many books. Even though there's no such thing as "too many" books, the airline calls a pound a pound, whether it's lead or paper.
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\f0\fs26 A short digression: Passengers who weigh less ought to be allowed heavier baggage. To make things fair, a passenger who weighs 130 should be permitted to check 70 pounds more baggage than a passenger who weighs 200. If airlines are calling a pound a pound, why does it matter if it's living or luggage? End of digression.
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\f0\fs26 I believe in giving students lots of book choices for summer reading, and I extend that same courtesy to myself. Sometimes I take books on a trip that I've been avoiding for months. I'm hoping I run out of everything else and am forced to read them. This has never actually happened, but it might. A reader can't be too careful.
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\f0\fs26 One reason my checked baggage was so heavy was that I'd forgotten to put any books in my carry-on. Woe was me. To be on an airplane without a book was tantamount to being in a car without a book on tape. In short: unthinkable, unmanageable, untenable. Faced with the limited choices of the airport bookstore, I bought "Prep: A Novel" by Curtis Sittenfeld. This book is billed as "Catcher in the Rye" for girls. The "Holden Caufield" of the story is a girl on scholarship at a prestigious Northeastern prep school. This book definitely has its place in high school libraries, where many readers will identify with the angst, self-absorption and confusion of the protagonist. For me, the book was borderline painful.
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\f0\fs26 "The Hummingbird's Daughter" by Luis Alberto Urrea reminded me of "The House of the Spirits" by Isabel Allende and "Like Water for Chocolate" by Laura Esquivel. The book is fiction, but is based on the true story of a legendary healer in Mexico who was related to the author.
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\f0\fs26 The old Mexico depicted in the book is especially interesting as background for understanding the issues in contemporary Mexico, particularly the recent elections. I recommend this for teenagers who like the genre of magical realism.
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\f0\fs26 For people with an interest in the occult, "The Geographer's Library" by Jon Fasman boasted great reviews on the cover. (Of course.) The online review that most closely reflected my opinion: "Great idea. Decent writer. Bad book."
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\f0\fs26 "Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" by Lynne Truss has to be read to be believed. I never expected to be laughing out loud about an apostrophe. Truss is passionate and hilarious and an excellent teacher. I was in danger of learning some things, and I did.
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\f0\fs26 This is the first installment of the Hawk Summer Reading Round-Up. To be continued ...
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 25, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Guides to college survival great fun grad gifts
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 486 words
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\f0\fs26 Our children had a weird mother (that would be me) who didn't allow them to send graduation announcements. She was happy for people to know they were graduating, but she had a personal prejudice against these printed notices.
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\f0\fs26 In her opinion, they were tantamount to unsubtle requests for gifts. Still, our children received graduation gifts. My favorite was a monogrammed silver yo-yo in a velvet drawstring bag.
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\f0\fs26 The lady in front of me at the Tuesday Morning cash register had a cart full of graduation presents. She told me that she loves to give gifts, even when the students haven't sent her an official graduation announcement. Maybe I'm just stingy in addition to being weird.
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\f0\fs26 Sigh ...
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\f0\fs26 I have no gift for choosing gifts, but I think graduation gifts present a challenge for even the most inveterate, experienced givers. Whether students are graduating from high school or college, they're in transition. It's difficult to know what they'll need, much less their personal preferences. Money is always good, but if the cash route isn't your style, do you have any viable options?
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\f0\fs26 Yes, you do.
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\f0\fs26 "How to Survive Your Freshman Year," edited by Mark W. Bernstein and Yadin Kaufmann, is the perfect send-off present for the student who is college bound. In this "Hundreds of Heads" series, the editors compile advice from hundreds of students in more than 100 colleges who speak from their own experiences. The book manages to be hilarious and helpful. As an added bonus, it's refreshingly free of sanctimony.
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\f0\fs26 One good reason to read this book is that it will make you laugh out loud. A student advises against pushing the "Help" button in the laundry. He thought it would summon help with the washing machine, but he learned that it summoned campus security.
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\f0\fs26 Students give their best tips on parents, friends, courses, social life, food, roommates and everything else under the campus sun (and moon).
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\f0\fs26 Contradictions abound as students argue persuasively for and against such entities as dorms and lap tops.
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\f0\fs26 It all amounts to lively, informative reading that's the next best thing to actually talking with hundreds of sophomores, juniors and seniors who have been there and done that.
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\f0\fs26 "How to Survive the Real World: Life After College Graduation," edited by Andrea Syrtash, is the perfect gift for the newly minted college graduates on your list.
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\f0\fs26 "Funny but blunt advice from thousands across America ..." who have found jobs and apartments, figured out taxes and insurance, and survived blind dates and their own cooking.
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\f0\fs26 At the end of the book there is "Real World Information." This includes advice on how to open a bank account, what to buy for a basic kitchen and tips on job-related issues.
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\f0\fs26 Although the information is current (2006) and solid, it's never ponderous.
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\f0\fs26 If your graduate isn't 100 percent satisfied with either of these books, they can be returned and exchanged for a yo-yo.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 18, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Junior Critics find fantasy irresistible as summer reads
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 553 words
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\f0\fs26 The Junior Critics at the Mount Pleasant Library ended their year with a very lively (read: bouncing off the walls) meeting. After we discussed the books that each member had read over the past month, I casually asked for thoughts on what they'd recommend for great summer reading. The kids literally exploded with literary suggestions.
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\f0\fs26 Nancy Filer (the real librarian) and I tried to keep track of the suggestions that were flying around like squadrons of paper airplanes. "The Mistmantle Chronicles: Urchin of the Riding Stars" was the runaway favorite.
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\f0\fs26 The critics have read the "Harry Potter" series, the "Redwall" series and the "Narnia" series. These are kids who are steeped in fantasy and are familiar with everything available. Still, they found "Urchin of the Riding Stars" infinitely appealing. The book jacket illustration and line drawings by Omar Rayyan combine to make the book downright irresistible.
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\f0\fs26 The unrelenting battle of good versus evil is the core of the book, as it is with most of the fantasy books that young people read.
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\f0\fs26 The recommended age range is grades 4-8. The writing and the plot are less complex, and the book is shorter than "Harry Potter" or "Redwall" books. It's a swiftly paced, nonoverwhelming introduction to this genre. The good guys are 100 percent good and the bad guys are absolutely terrible.
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\f0\fs26 Adults will predict the ending almost from the get-go. The book is so derivative that adults also will be constantly reminded of themes from literary classics. Urchin, the squirrel hero, arrives at Mistmantle island in a plot that re-creates Shakespeare's:
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\f0\fs26 "Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until
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\f0\fs26 Great Birnam Wood to High Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him."
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\f0\fs26 Another Shakespearean theme is the ghost of the murder victim returning to haunt the murderer.
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\f0\fs26 Biblical themes are paramount throughout the text, not surprisingly since the author is married to a minister.
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\f0\fs26 In this respect, the book echoes themes from "Narnia." The ancient evil king "hated the Heart and loved hate, destruction and power." The current evil king was claimed by the pit where his "pride, bitterness, resentment, greed, ambition - "and whatever else was dangerous in him - fed on the evil of the place." At the end of the book, the good priest sets about cleansing the pit with light and prayer and reminds the animals that, "Every true and loving act on this island, every kindness, every simple goodness will help."
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\f0\fs26 "Urchin of the Riding Stars" also touches on the concept of euthanasia, which the animals refer to as "culling." Children who have read "The Giver" by Lois Lowry will recognize the concept of being "released."
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\f0\fs26 Along with the Junior Critics, I heartily recommend this book. I also heartily recommend parental oversight. The opening scene of the book describes the mother squirrel dying in childbirth. "With the greatest effort she had ever made in her life, the mother sat up, nuzzled him and bit through the cord. ... Before she could give him a name, she was dead." Parents may want to read this book aloud to their children, or read the book just to familiarize themselves with the talking points their children are encountering.
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\f0\fs26 "Urchin and the Heartstone," the second book in the Mistmantle Chronicles, is scheduled to be published in early September.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 11, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Beach' books for kids good reads
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 329 words
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\f0\fs26 So much for the summer solstice. Summer actually begins when weekend beach traffic starts backing up at the bridges. That would be now.
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\f0\fs26 Beach season is also beach books season. My favorite new picture book is "Wild Beach" by Marion Coste. If I were boss of the world, I'd make this book required reading for children before they unpacked their sand buckets and shovels. In the story, a young girl and her dog explore the natural wonders of the beach in the early morning.
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\f0\fs26 Without the distractions of the beach-going crowds, they quietly observe the shore birds, sea oats, waves and dunes. They encounter the beach as a habitat for ghost crabs and other creatures that stay hidden during the busy days. This book offers children a new way to consider the beach as an environment, not just a playground.
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\f0\fs26 When our children were little, we certainly enjoyed the beach as a playground. But some mornings we would leave our house early in the day with a breakfast picnic. In addition to the perks of scarce traffic and abundant parking places, there was that "wild beach" that made the children feel like explorers.
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\f0\fs26 "Pig Little" by Mike Thaler is another picture book about the beach. This little piggy loves everything about the beach and entertains himself from the time he leaves home until he returns that night to dream about his day. Piggy Little is a charming child, full of imagination.
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\f0\fs26 "Coastwatcher" by Elise Weston, a chapter book for children 8-12, provides a very different view of the beach. During World War II, Americans feared that enemies could come ashore on the miles and miles of unguarded coastline. This book is about a family vacationing at the beach in August 1943. The author combines mystery and history to convey the real threats, dangers and anxieties of a family on the home front. This story is so convincing, it may cause young people to pack their binoculars along with their swimsuits.
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\f0\fs26 Think beach? Think books!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran
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\f0\fs26 \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 4, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Some beloved children's books favorites across the generations
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Trivia question: Which children's book was published in 1942 and sold more than 300,000 copies in 2005? If you guessed "The Poky Little Puppy" by Janette Sebring Lowrey, you are correct. Power to the puppy!
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\f0\fs26 This unassuming, gentle book may not be an "official, award-winning" classic, but it's certainly a classic in the sense that it's been a favorite story for generations. When I read this book to first-graders in McClellanville, one child wrote me and said, "And one more ting I got to tell you - I love 'The Poky Little Puppy.' " That says it all.
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\f0\fs26 Some curmudgeonly reviewers have called the book "goofy." Others have claimed that there are better books for children, so there's no need to bother with this one. Ahem. I'm in the camp of reviewers who say the "Poky Little Puppy" is a hero for everyone who stops to smell the roses - a hero that will be around as long as there are children and puppies, mothers and dessert.
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\f0\fs26 "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish," (1960) "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" (1990) and "Green Eggs and Ham" (1960) by Dr. Seuss all made the list of children's hardcover backlisted books that sold over 300,000 copies in 2005. This is further evidence that old is OK. (Backlisted books are those a publisher keeps in print over a long period of time.)
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\f0\fs26 "The Polar Express" (1985) by Chris van Allsburg won a Caldecott Medal and sold almost 900,000 copies in 2005. It's interesting to note that award-winning books are underrepresented among the backlisted books that still sell the most copies. I've always harbored a healthy skepticism about the worth of these accolades.
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\f0\fs26 "Goodnight Moon" (1947) by Margaret Wise Brown and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" (1994) by Eric Carle were also top sellers and are also considered classics.
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\f0\fs26 As a school librarian, I advise children to look for the books that have worn covers because those are the tried-and-true titles that children have checked out again and again. When a children's book has been around for a decade, much less six decades, it's worthy of our attention. In an uncertain world, here's a comforting bit of near certainty.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 27, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books celebrate inventiveness
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f0\fs26 Haven't you always wanted to read a book while you were taking a shower? Maybe you haven't. Regardless, if you ever did want to, there's an apparatus that will make it possible. A student at Whitesides Elementary invented a contraption using a waterproof box with a see-through window and suction cups on the back. The shower-reader needs only insert a book in the box and stick the box to the shower wall to insure perfectly dry reading as the water cascades down.
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\f0\fs26 We can't possibly teach children all the rapidly multiplying facts about our complex world. We can teach them how to synthesize information and use information creatively. The year 2006 is the perfect time to celebrate and foster inventiveness in children because it is the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin.
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\f0\fs26 "Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin" by Gene Barretta is an entertaining and informative picture book. It considers a number of Franklin's ideas, from the odometer to daylight-saving time, and illustrates their place in the 18th and the 21st centuries.
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\f0\fs26 "The Life of Benjamin Franklin: An American Original" by Yona Zeldis McDonough is another picture book illustrated by folk artist Malcah Zeldis. This is a simply written, straightforward biography that includes a timeline, a list of inventions and a list of sayings made famous in "Poor Richard's Almanack."
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\f0\fs26 "Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor" by Emily Arnold McCully is historical fiction in picture-book format. Knight, known as "The Lady Edison," lived 1838-1914. She spent her childhood inventing things for her family, such as foot warmers, sleds and kites. At age 12, she invented a device that greatly increased the safety of machines in the textile mills. Later, she invented a machine that still is used to manufacture paper bags.
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\f0\fs26 "Thomas Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities" by Laurie Carlson is written for ages 9-12. I especially like this book because it gives an inclusive overview of Edison's life.
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\f0\fs26 The book includes the invention of the light bulb (after 3,000 tries to find the right filament) as one of many of Edison's inventions. The activities are clearly presented and require materials that are reasonably easy to obtain. Students may choose to make a zoetrope, magnetic separator, battery tester or 18 additional items.
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\f0\fs26 Just for inventing fun, try the new picture book called "Inventor McGregor" by Kathleen T. Pelley. McGregor invented "thingamagigs" to make the world "better and brighter" for his neighbors and friends. For children with heavy school books, he invented a pump that filled the books with helium so that the students carried them like balloons at the end of strings. When separated from the inspiration of family, friends, music and nature, McGregor finds that inventing is impossible.
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\f0\fs26 Each of these books is an invitation to inspiration and invention.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:books@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 20, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Put strategies to good use for boys
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 'Boys between the ages of 5 and 14 are 200 percent more likely to commit suicide than girls."
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\f0\fs26 "High school boys are 33 percent more likely to use cocaine than girls and 33 percent more likely to drop out of school."
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\f0\fs26 - statistics from Newsweek, Jan. 30.
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\f0\fs26 These numbers are frightening. Why do boys feel like failures? Research suggests that failure in school leads to the grim statistics. In my three previous columns, I've cited reasons why boys may feel disconnected and disenfranchised from the schools that consume such a large chunk of their waking lives.
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\f0\fs26 In summary: Boys develop more slowly than girls. Boys are more action-oriented than girls. Boys prefer nonfiction and nontraditional reading materials. Boys have fewer role models for literacy.
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\f0\fs26 In the high school where I'm the librarian, I see this every day. Real guys (with a few notable exceptions) do not read books. One of our brightest students (who is labeled "gifted") brags that the last book he finished was in elementary school. I casually gave him an issue of Sports Illustrated folded to the page that printed excerpts from the new book about Barry Bonds' alleged steroid use. Completely absorbed, he read solidly until he finished the article and then engaged other students in a debate on the topic.
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\f0\fs26 Each morning before school starts, I pass newspapers around to the students and point out stories that I think will interest them. As the librarian, I have the luxury of latitude. I can tailor reading to individual students. In contrast, teachers increasingly are constrained by the "coherent curriculum" that paces instruction day by day and allows for a teacher to be a week off at most.
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\f0\fs26 The education spotlight is trained on accelerated courses and standardized test scores as the narrow measures of success. That limitation will consign many boys to the shadows. Dr. Bruce Perry, a Houston neurologist, points to this narrowly defined academic success and says, "Very well-meaning people have created a biologically disrespectful model of education."
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\f0\fs26 Many psychologists cite physiological "proof" that boys' brains are just plain different from the brains of girls. There are reasons for some researchers to conclude that, in the middle school years, boys may use their brains less efficiently than girls.
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\f0\fs26 Ten years ago when I served on the Charleston County School Board, I suggested that the county offer the option of single-sex schools. My idea was hooted into oblivion. Now, in an effort to create boy-friendly classrooms, schools across the country are trying this (old-fashioned) idea, with promising results.
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\f0\fs26 "Do as I say, not as I do." That dictum has never worked with children and never will.
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\f0\fs26 Children need to see their parents reading to know that reading is worthwhile. Boys need to see men reading to know that it is something men actually do.
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\f0\fs26 Does everyone agree that there's a crisis? No. (Everyone doesn't agree about anything.) Peter Kuriloff, professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education, points out: "Some boys are doing less well than girls; not all boys." The boys who aren't doing as well are the usual suspects. He says, "Brown and black boys are not doing as well - poor white boys aren't doing as well." There's also the interesting fact that girls have been outscoring boys in reading since 1971.
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\f0\fs26 All that being said, 30 years ago, the college demographic for undergraduates was 58 percent males. Today, it's 44 percent males. We have brain research, we have creative approaches, we know strategies that work. Until we start using them, we've got trouble.
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\f0\fs26 Reading for parents
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\f0\fs26 --"Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys" by Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson
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\f0\fs26 --"The Minds of Boys: Saving Our Sons From Falling Behind in School and Life" by Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens
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\f0\fs26 --"Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul" by John Eldredge
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk @ franbooks.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 13, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Boy Stuff' is irresistible fun
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'The Big Book of Boy Stuff" by Bart King is advertised as a "thick, durable book with more than 1,000 ways to entertain a boy."
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\f0\fs26 It comes with a reversible cover, designed to sneak into class, that looks exactly like a "composition" notebook. "Physics" is stamped in gold letters on the front of the book. There are almost 1,000 excellent reasons why this book should travel incognito.
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\f0\fs26 Again and again, I laughed out loud. Again and again, I was glad I was by myself so nobody would ask me what was funny. Since I, a sober-sided adult, am laughing, it probably follows that boys would be rolling on the floor completely helpless with hilarity.
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\f0\fs26 "The Barfing Department," "The Belching Department," and "The Snot, Boogers and Spitting Department" are a sampling of what makes this book irresistible (to guys).
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\f0\fs26 In "The Bombing Department," there's a short biography of Joseph Pujol, known on stage as "The Fartomaniac." Truth is funnier than fiction.
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\f0\fs26 Besides being funny, the book is informative. In the "Pee Department," boys are warned, "Never pee on an electric fence! You see, water conducts electricity, and ... oh, it's just too awful to think about!" We also learn that "Ancient Romans brushed their teeth with pee and also used it as a mouthwash." How many of us have studied Rome and never learned those pertinent, revealing facts about Roman "civilization"? Suddenly, the fall of the Roman Empire seems downright inevitable.
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\f0\fs26 Perhaps you're dismissing this book because it isn't useful. Hah! In the "Emergencies" section, there is very good advice on what to do if you have a bean stuck up your nose. Under "Activities," you will find specific directions for making "Monster Teeth" out of a quarter rind of orange peel. Did you know that a "gongoozler" is a nitwit who stares at things? You would have known that (and many other put-downs) if you'd read the "Insults!" section.
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\f0\fs26 Other chapters include all sorts of fascinating science experiments, games, jokes, magic, riddles, slang, storytelling, weapons (sorry) and more. At the very end, saving the best until last, is a list of (who would have guessed?) "Recommended Reading."
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\f0\fs26 Yes, I admit, I love this book. So will your "boy."
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\f0\fs26 Others of the ilk: "Hands-On Grossology - The Science of Really Gross Experiments" by Sylvia Branzei and "Oh Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty" by Joy Masoff.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 Editor's note: Last in a three-part series on boys and reading.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 6, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Choosing books boys will love
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Boys will be boys. This time-honored observation is true in every context, including reading. Two teenage boys were looking very bored at a recent party, so I asked them what they were reading this semester. Since they were already bored, I figure I couldn't make it a whole lot worse.
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\f0\fs26 They both attend a private school with stringent reading requirements. One boy had "The Mayor of Casterbridge" by Thomas Hardy hanging over his head, and the other boy had staggered through "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William L. Shirer. I extended my sympathy. Of course, they are great books, but they might not be the right books for those boys.
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\f0\fs26 I'm an advocate of choices, instead of absolute requirements, in reading. One of the boys had lived in England where he much preferred the system where choices were the norm. There was a list from which choices were made, but there were choices. For a story in the Christian Science Monitor, correspondent Mary Beth McCauley interviewed teachers and reading consultants for their thoughts on boys and reading.
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\f0\fs26 There is widespread agreement that more boys than girls are reluctant readers. Boys consistently test lower than girls on reading. Now that children have more distractions than ever before, especially electronic ones, the problem is likely to become more widespread. One major recommendation from the experts is that boys do well when they choose what they read. I could have said that.
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\f0\fs26 Some reading specialists believe that boy-friendly books feature nonfiction subjects such as nature as well as adventure, history, science fiction, war stories and sports. Boys are far less apt to enjoy books about relationships and problems such as divorce and addictions. One art teacher observed that girls draw nouns and boys draw verbs, which is an interesting way to say that boys prefer action. Boys will usually be drawn into a plot where a boy conquers adversity. "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen is just such a book for upper elementary grades on.
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\f0\fs26 According to the reading research, boys prefer magazines, newspapers, how-to-do-it books, biographies and other nonfiction that many teachers deem insufficiently serious for class assignments. I could add joke books, anything about people acting stupid, horror/scary books and "The Guinness Book of World Records."
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\f0\fs26 As a starter list of books, I recommend:
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\f0\fs26 --For grades 3-6: R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps" series (scary); Louis Sachar's "Wayside School" series (funny); Bruce Coville's "Magic Shop" series, including "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher."
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\f0\fs26 --For grades 5-8, anything by: Will Hobbs, including "Far North"; Gary Paulsen, including "Hatchet"; Walter Dean Myers, including "Scorpions"; Sharon Draper, including "Tears of a Tiger."
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\f0\fs26 --For grades 9 and up: "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger; "On the Beach" by Nevil Shute; "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding; "First Part Last" by Angela Johnson.
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\f0\fs26 And there's always "Harry Potter."
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\f0\fs26 Next week: "The Big Book of Boy Stuff" by Bart King and other "boy" titles most likely to be censored by parents.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 Editor's note: Second in a three-part series on boys and reading.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 30, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Program targets boys as at-risk readers
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Boys are endangered. Not endangered as a species, but endangered as lifelong readers. Although there are literacy programs for prison inmates, people who speak English as a second language and other at-risk populations, there have been no special programs for boys.
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\f0\fs26 Until now.
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\f0\fs26 Jon Scieszka, author of many popular children's books, including "The Stinky Cheese Man," "Math Curse," and the "Time Warp Trio" series, has started a literacy program for boys called "Guys Read."
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\f0\fs26 According to "Education World," the program "is designed to draw attention to boys' literacy and motivate adults to help boys read more. It challenges men to be role models for literacy and seeks to help boys explore their emotions through reading." In short, "Guys Read: Helping Boys Become Better Readers, Better Students, Better Guys."
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\f0\fs26 On the "Guys Read" Web site, Scieszka makes his case for expanding the definition of reading to include nonfiction, humor, comics, graphic novels,
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\f0\fs26 action/adventure books, magazines, Web sites and newspapers. This may sound familiar because I've written many columns on this theme long before I consulted the Web site. I'm a believer!
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\f0\fs26 Although there's been little research to explore and explain the reading habits of boys, Scieszka has some thoughts on why boys have problems. He cites the biological fact that boys develop more slowly than girls. I was walking on Tradd Street at about 5:30 p.m., just about the time young people are heading for cotillion. The girls walked sedately in their lovely pastel dresses and white gloves. The boys were dressed for dancing class, but they were riding scooters, dashing around on the sidewalk and street and generally acting like a different species. This is not news! Boys are more likely to struggle early on with reading and writing skills. Boys are more action-oriented than girls and tend to develop a competitive learning style that's not helpful in learning to read and write.
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\f0\fs26 Add to these factors that boys aren't intrinsically interested in many fiction subjects. Boys are often uncomfortable with the emotions found in fiction. Compared to girls, boys have fewer positive role models for literacy.
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\f0\fs26 "The Boy Crisis" was Newsweek's cover story Jan. 30. The magazine says, "At every level of education, they're falling behind." If you're unconvinced, consider the statistic that the number of male undergraduates on college campuses has dropped from 58 percent in 1976 to 44 percent in 2006. My favorite quote from that story: "Often boys are treated like defective girls." On the "Guys Read" Web site, there are several helpful features for people who want to help boys succeed academically, especially in reading. "Find a Book" lists titles under the headings "Favorite Book," "Favorite Author" and "Books About." Under the heading of books about dogs, I found "Walter the Farting Dog" by William Kotzwinkle.
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\f0\fs26 Books also are categorized by age group. For younger boys: "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs" by Jon Scieszka. For middle boys: "Be a Perfect Person in Just 3 Days" by Stephen Manes. For older boys: "Oddballs" by William Sleator.
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\f0\fs26 One of my high school students is an avid reader and has been harassing her boyfriend to pick up the reading habit. She succeeded in her mission by giving him "The Coldest Winter Ever" by Sister Soulja. This book is a major favorite with older kids. It's a cautionary tale, but the plot flies and it's spiced up with plenty of drugs, sex and profanity. For his next book, the boyfriend read "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey.
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\f0\fs26 Check out the Web site. You may want to be the first to start your own "Guys Read."
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 First in a three-part series on boys and reading
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 9, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 S.C. virtual library a reliable resource
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Got homework? scdiscus.org: South Carolina's Virtual Library"
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\f0\fs26 Now that is a useful bumper sticker!
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\f0\fs26 If I were a parent trying to decide whether to buy encyclopedias or a computer with Internet access, I definitely would choose the computer. With a computer, students may access DISCUS, which includes encyclopedias and much, much more.
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\f0\fs26 As a librarian who helps students with research, I'm unimpressed with the information presented by most search engines. I'm profoundly impressed by DISCUS, or Digital Information for South Carolina Users.
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\f0\fs26 Students enjoy Google and Yahoo and other free sites that are colorful and fun but present bewildering amounts of information. The downside to the information gathered at these sites is that it lacks the credibility necessary for authentic research. Anybody can post anything on the Web. These sites also are unlikely to sift and focus the information.
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\f0\fs26 Another problem is that students can drift off the topic easily and pursue their favorite shoes and sports teams.
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\f0\fs26 DISCUS is fluff-less and eliminates the "red herrings" on the free sites that consume time and energy without paying any dividends.
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\f0\fs26 All the information on DISCUS is credible, produced by reliable publishers and updated regularly.
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\f0\fs26 If tax season has depressed you and you're looking for one good example of your tax dollars at work, look at DISCUS. This "virtual library" is coordinated by the S.C. State Library and funded by the S.C. General Assembly through the K-12 School Technology Initiative. Additional funding is received from the federal Library Services and Technology Act. DISCUS is available through public schools and libraries, as well as by simply logging on to scdiscus.org.
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\f0\fs26 You may think that only a librarian would be excited about DISCUS. Log on. You'll be impressed!
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\f0\fs26 For children, there are encyclopedias, "InFoBits" and a tremendous range of newspapers and magazines. Reading levels are provided.
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\f0\fs26 For a periodical article about "hurricanes," children need only type in the word to find information in numerous sources from "Time for Kids" to the "Miami Herald." (If you remember the old days of "The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature" you probably are rolling your eyes in envy.)
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\f0\fs26 For everyone else, there are encyclopedias and periodicals, as well as reams of reference material. Professional journals, historic documents, maps, photographs, flags and government reports ... and the list goes on. DISCUS reminds me of the sign in Fred's General Store at Beech Mountain, N.C.: "If we don't have it, you don't need it."
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\f0\fs26 Try it. You'll like it.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:fhawk@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 fhawk@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 2, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Will digital learning libraries reduce books to mere icons?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 My favorite undergraduate hangout was the Lipscomb Library at Randolph-Macon Women's College.
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\f0\fs26 Down deep in the stacks (the only place students could study if they were wearing pants instead of a skirt), I enjoyed the comfort of being surrounded by books. Maybe I thought osmosis was a possibility.
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\f0\fs26 When our oldest child started college, all freshmen were required to show up with computers.
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\f0\fs26 The handwriting (if any such thing as handwriting remains) was on the wall.
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\f0\fs26 Starting last fall, undergraduate students at the University of Texas were using a library with something missing: the books. Over the summer, the 90,000 volumes that used to live there were distributed among other university collections.
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\f0\fs26 In place of the books, there is (no surprise) a 24-hour electronic information commons. Again no surprise, this concept originated at the University of Southern California. A collection of digital learning libraries are housed in the library building. These digital learning libraries provide space for students to work collaboratively and learn a variety of skills, from writing to computer technology. The centers are staffed with librarians, teachers and technicians who are Internet experts.
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\f0\fs26 A provost at the University of Texas said, "Books are the fundamental icon of intellectual efforts, the scholarly communication of our time."
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\f0\fs26 Surely he doesn't mean that books are merely a symbol or an image of "intellectual efforts." Surely! I'm trying to whine righteously when I'm not qualified to whine at all. In my high school library at Clark Academy, I buy very little nonfiction.
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\f0\fs26 As is true in the university libraries, I keep reference materials such as dictionaries and encyclopedias up to date and at hand. For most research, online resources are current, complete and preferred by students. As one librarian said, "This is a new generation, born with a chip."
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\f0\fs26 Sometimes I will race a student who searches online while I search in a book. Even when I win, students are unimpressed. In the future, I'll probably buy even fewer research materials.
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\f0\fs26 The books are expensive and may quickly go out of date, depending on the subject. This transition is under way at libraries all over Charleston, on both the high school and college levels. A prominent research librarian says, "This is not to say you don't have paper or books. Of course, they're sacred."
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\f0\fs26 I wonder if buggy whips and wooden barrels used to be sacred. I'm concerned about fiction. Novels and computer screens don't strike me as a winning combination.
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\f0\fs26 DISCUS is a major online research tool that's available to all residents of South Carolina. Anyone who's used it understands why research books are getting the reputation of being superfluous.
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\f0\fs26 Next column: DISCUS Discussion.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawks at franbooks
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\f0\fs26 @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 23, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Literature comes alive in S.C. at book festival Feb. 25-26
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 The South Carolina Book Festival ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.schumanities.org/bookfestival.htm)"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.schumanities.org/bookfestival.htm)}} brings literature to life, and brings life to literature.
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\f0\fs26 This annual, pre-eminent event also brings glory, laud and honor to a state not widely known as a bastion of literacy. (Sorry. The truth hurts.)
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\f0\fs26 The Book Festival is a program of the S.C. Humanities Council and is sponsored by numerous organizations and individuals. More than 60 award-winning authors and about 200 exhibitors will be present in the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on Feb. 25-26. All events both Saturday and Sunday are free to the public.
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\f0\fs26 Presentations cover an amazing range of subjects. Panel discussions include "The South's Haunted History and Memories," "Doctors Who Scribe," "Hoots! Humor Panel" and the "Play Ball! Baseball Panel." Cooking, poetry, first novels, romance and Appalachian history are among the additional topics.
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\f0\fs26 Self-published authors will be reading from their works. There are opportunities for writers to have the first five pages of their manuscripts reviewed. The Antiquarian Book Dealer's Association will appraise old books for a modest fee.
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\f0\fs26 "The Once Upon a Time, Children's Author Panel" is high on my personal "attend" list. All three panelists are authors who you and your children will enjoy meeting.
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\f0\fs26 Julie McLaughlin is a former kindergarten teacher who wrote "Hungry Mr. Gator" and "Mr. Gator's Up the Creek."
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\f0\fs26 Kate Salley Palmer is the author of many books, including "The Pink House," "Francis Marion and the Legend of the Swamp Fox" and "Palmetto: Symbol of Courage."
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\f0\fs26 Andrea Weathers wrote the "Hermy the Hermit Crab" books.
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\f0\fs26 Buy books at the fair and have them autographed, or bring your personal copies for autographing. Spend your days absorbing panel after panel, or circumnavigate the Exhibition Hall and stock up on gifts that promise culture and enjoyment. After you arrive, you'll have literally hundreds of choices. Choose now to be there.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 16, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Swamp Fox' intrigues kids
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Francis Marion and the Legend of the Swamp Fox" by Kate Salley Palmer proves that truth is (at least) as exciting as fiction. This book also proves that nice guys, such as Francis Marion, can finish first. It's important for children, especially children in South Carolina, to know about the life and adventures of this intriguing Patriot.
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\f0\fs26 Before reading this book, I didn't know that: Francis Marion learned his foxy tactics of stealth, ambush, retreat and surprise from the Cherokee Indians. He had very little formal education and struggled to read and write. Marion couldn't swim. Sometimes he crossed rivers by clinging to his horse's saddle. Whites, blacks and American Indians (mostly Catawba) chose to fight with Marion because they trusted his wisdom, judgment and courage.
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\f0\fs26 Because Marion understood that both sides would have to live together in peace when the war ended, he often spared Tories from death after they were captured by the Patriots.
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\f0\fs26 Palmer keeps the biography in fast-forward by choosing deftly the historical high points and the fascinating facts that keep children reading. The illustrations by her son, James H. Palmer Jr., surround the text on every page. Forts and forests, raids and rivers, maps and portraits of the Patriots bring the tale vividly to life.
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\f0\fs26 In addition to being a great story, the book is an excellent research tool. With some background explanation, even first-graders would understand the general ideas.
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\f0\fs26 At about 50 pages, it's considerably longer than most picture books. There is sufficient factual depth for elementary and middle schools. As an introduction to Francis Marion, this book works for any age.
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\f0\fs26 Have you ever wondered why the palmetto tree and the crescent are the symbols on our state flag? "Palmetto: Symbol of Courage," also by Kate Salley Palmer, answers that question and more.
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\f0\fs26 This book describes the "David and Goliath" Revolutionary War battle that took place at Fort Moultrie. Even though the British had many more cannons, and even though the Patriots ran out of gun powder and ate their lunches while they waited for more, the Patriots defeated the British. This picture book is jam-packed with facts and excitement.
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\f0\fs26 When Palmer addresses the statewide librarian meetings, librarians perk up and listen. You'll understand why when you read her books.
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\f0\fs26 Other books by Palmer: "The Little Chairs," "The Pink House," and "A Gracious Plenty."
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 9, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Valentine's Day books show children they are well-loved
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 I've fallen in love - sweet, goopy love - with the huggy, kissy children's books perfect for Valentine's Day.
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\f0\fs26 "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn is an award-winning favorite that's also perfect for the first day of school or any other day.
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\f0\fs26 Chester Raccoon is worried about going out into the big, wide world of school. Mrs. Raccoon puts a kiss right in the middle of his palm that he can put next to his cheek whenever he feels lonely or needs a little loving from home.
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\f0\fs26 Chester loves this idea so much that he puts a kiss in his mother's palm.
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\f0\fs26 I loved the idea so much that I put a kiss in the palm of my favorite 6-year-old. She said, "Yuck!" I guess she wasn't feeling lonely.
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\f0\fs26 "Counting Kisses" by Karen Katz gives the reader carte blanche to kiss a baby up one side and down the other. Even if you don't need permission to put kisses on chins and belly buttons, this book is charming.
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\f0\fs26 "I Love You All Day Long" by Francesca Rusackas reassures preschoolers that their mother's love is with them no matter where they are or what they're doing.
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\f0\fs26 "Pink Magic" by Donna Jo Napoli is a whimsical new book featuring pink mail. Although the story isn't technically about Valentine's Day, it does deal with a child wanting to receive mail from someone who loves him and whom he loves in return. That's close enough. The book is also about siblings who want the best for each other, which is as sweet as it gets.
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\f0\fs26 "I Promise I'll Find You" by Heather P. Ward is a skinny paperback that's ideal for any age: toddlers, college kids, older folks - any person who appreciates the message that they are loved and their presence is precious.
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\f0\fs26 Candy is dandy ... but books give that calorie-free, cavity-free sweetness that never gets stale.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 2, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Stories recall struggles of blacks
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Let Them Play" by Margot Theis Raven is a book for readers to celebrate every month, especially Black History Month. This true story is compelling for children everywhere, but especially in Charleston where some of the events took place.
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\f0\fs26 Raven recounts the hopes and disappointments of the Cannon Street All-Stars, an all-black Little League team in 1955. Prejudice doomed these talented, enthusiastic boys to misery and unfair treatment.
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\f0\fs26 The story is compelling even in outline, but Raven raises it to a literary art form. Her first sentence proves my point: "Most folks say it was Coach Ben Singleton who pulled the all-star dreams from the sky over Harmon Field and sprinkled them in the eyes of 14 boys the summer of 1955." And: "... That summer, like blue crabs tucked deep in the mud banks of Charleston's marsh creeks, parents, neighbors and coaches tried to keep the dark troubles and deep worries of the times from the Westside boys who just wanted to play baseball."
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\f0\fs26 The illustrations by Chris Ellison are also works of art that beautifully augment the story. Even kindergartners will understand the gist of this book, but I recommend it for first-graders and beyond.
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\f0\fs26 "This School is Not White - A True Story of the Civil Rights Movement" by Doreen Rappaport is another new and wonderful book documenting the struggles of blacks. On Sept. 3, 1965, Mae Bertha and Matthew Carter put their seven children on the bus to attend the formerly all-white school in Drew, Miss. The children were going "off to war in a shiny yellow school bus ... armed only with love."
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\f0\fs26 The parents endured gunfire, loss of home and jobs and death threats. For five years, the children endured "angry faces and raised fists and the spitballs at their heads and the kicking at their heels ... name-calling and mocking laughter. ... Ignoring it, but never getting used to it."
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\f0\fs26 This is a story of ignorance and prejudice. It's also a story of incredible determination and the love and strength of a family. The book closes with "The Carter Family History" that shows all eight children graduated from high school, seven graduated from college and two earned advanced degrees.
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\f0\fs26 Again, kindergartners would grasp the basics, but first grade would be a good place to start with this book.
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\f0\fs26 Children of all colors need to hear these stories and reflect on the correlations between prejudice and peace. For both, it works to think globally and act locally.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 26, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Tips can lure girl back to reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 A mom e-mailed me, dismayed because her fifth-grade daughter had abandoned reading. This child used to be an enthusiastic reader, a girl who used her own money to buy books, a child who preferred books to toys.
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\f0\fs26 Now, books are a distant second to "Hilary Duff, music, etc." The mom says, "This was OK for a while, but I've noticed that her spelling has slipped this year. She is not challenging herself anymore."
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\f0\fs26 I recounted this dilemma to the Junior Critics, a group of ultra-enthusiastic readers that meets once a month at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library. After hearing the situation, this peer group immediately was "on it."
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\f0\fs26 The first solution was for the mom to limit TV access. Some of the kids thought that the time spent watching TV should match the time spent reading. Other kids suggested a limit of 1 1/2 hours per week, which was the limit set by their families. However draconian this sounds, I heartily approve because it's the limit I set for our children. Since reading also competes with computers and video games, all those activities would be factored into the time equation.
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\f0\fs26 Another Junior Critic suggestion was to match books with movies. For instance, if the child reads "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis, the parent will take the child to see the "Narnia" movie.
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\f0\fs26 Bribery has one tremendous advantage: It works. One of the Junior Critics had a deal with her parents that she would receive an American Girl doll as a reward for reading all the books that pertained to that doll. That's quite a handsome incentive (bribe). And it worked, although this child probably would have read the books just for the satisfaction of reading them.
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\f0\fs26 The Junior Critics were unanimous in their opinion that it doesn't work to take stuff away as punishment for not reading. One of the critics likes to read at lunch but doesn't want to read alone or be teased. She brings extra books to entice her friends to read along with her. Her strategy works because she brings great books. The following titles are highly recommended:
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\f0\fs26 --"The Mistmantle Chronicles" by M.I. McAllister.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Enchanted Forest Chronicles" by Patricia Wrede.
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\f0\fs26 --"Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine.
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\f0\fs26 --"Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Bad Beginning" ("A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book the First") by Lemony Snicket.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Goose Girl" (and the sequel called "The Princess Academy") by Shannon Hale.
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\f0\fs26 Although the group didn't mention this, I suggested that reading aloud from any of these books might be the way to lure a fifth-grader back to the joys of reading.
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\f0\fs26 Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 19, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Graphic novels get kids interested
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Several years ago when I was choosing titles for the first library at Clark Academy, the book consultant strongly advised the inclusion of graphic novels.
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\f0\fs26 I'd never heard of them. On first inspection, they looked like thick comic books with sturdy covers. In some ways, they are comic books, and in some ways, they aren't.
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\f0\fs26 Like comic books, graphic novels tell stories in series of boxed pictures with text. The pictures clarify and extend the meaning of the text. Unlike comic books, graphic novels usually are long and tell a complete and more complex story.
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\f0\fs26 Purists argue that young people who read graphic novels won't ever "graduate" to "real" literature. Pragmatists argue that graphic novels introduce reluctant young readers to the joys and benefits of reading and lead them to traditional books.
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\f0\fs26 Anecdotal evidence goes both ways, but I side with the pragmatists.
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\f0\fs26 For my students who are highly (they believe terminally) allergic to reading, "Cowboy Bebop" by Yutaka Nanten cheers them up considerably.
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\f0\fs26 Although "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy may not be their next check-out, they've had a successful, enjoyable, "cool" reading experience that may initiate their belief that reading could (might just possibly) be worth doing. Graphic novels appeal to some of my brightest students who are perfectly capable of reading, but simply aren't interested. For me as a librarian, graphic novels provide the hook to interest students in reading, as well as convince students that the library has something for them.
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\f0\fs26 Graphic novels are known for superhero and adventure stories, but the genre also includes adaptations of classics, political satires, biography, humor and other standard subjects. Content ranges from slapstick to sophisticated. Even rappers have written graphic novels.
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\f0\fs26 Teachers who advocate the use of graphic novels believe that the genre helps students master decoding techniques that are more complex than just reading alone. They believe that students learn to understand facial and body language and become attuned to other social and literary nuances they need to master as they move toward adulthood.
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\f0\fs26 These teachers also use graphic novels as a bridge to traditional literature, the basis for writing assignments and a tool to teach dialog.
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\f0\fs26 One major caveat: Choose titles that include appropriate content and that are appropriate for the age group of the students.
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\f0\fs26 As graphic novels achieve more acceptance by educators and the publishing industry, professional publications and Web sites are providing reviews of this genre. School Library Journal and Voice of Youth Advocates are two reliable sources.
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\f0\fs26 There also are books to help with selection, including "101 Best Graphic Novels" by Stephen Weiner.
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\f0\fs26 "Little Lulu," they aren't. But they are worth consideration.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 12, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Video games stiff competition
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Our children watched "Sesame Street," but it occurred to me to worry about how any teacher could compete with the lively, colorful teaching methods on TV. Ernie and Bert were entertaining in ways that would make the first-grade classroom seem boring. Now my concern is how any book can compete with a video game in absorbing a child's complete attention.
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\f0\fs26 Recently, I was talking with one of my students who likes to read (especially science-fiction books such as "Interstellar Pig" by William Sleator), but loves video games. Since I've never played a video game, I asked him to describe the attraction.
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\f0\fs26 He points out that books require patience. For example, it takes a longer time to read a description of a hovercraft in a book than to see it instantly in a game. When you see something, you don't have to think about that something. Also, you have to concentrate to comprehend each sentence in a book, compared with a video game that simply gives you what you need. Very few games allow you to think or to change outcomes.
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\f0\fs26 Another advantage for video games is that they're interactive or solitary, depending on the wish of the player. You can play with one other person or go on the Internet and play with a hundred people.
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\f0\fs26 I hesitantly asked where books might fit into the big picture. He conceded that books might build character, but only if the reader allowed the reading to affect him. For educating himself, he uses sources other than books. This makes it difficult for him to agree that reading would get him where he wants to go. The exception would be if he read what teachers "prescribed," which would be tantamount to taking medicine.
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\f0\fs26 My student reminded me that this is the information age. It's too late for this generation to read because it's fallen in love with technology. Young mothers aren't going to read to their babies because they don't like reading themselves. Kids choose to be rebellious. Adults tell them to read and not smoke. Kids will smoke and not read.
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\f0\fs26 He thinks it's unrealistic and pointless to ban video games. In his own case, playing video games has led him to an interest in computer programming.
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\f0\fs26 It was especially difficult for this student to comprehend how fiction could be construed as part of education. He sees fiction as a potential catalyst for the reader to think about himself, as well as a source for new vocabulary. That's about the outer limit.
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\f0\fs26 These sobering conclusions accumulated over several weeks of conversations. This is the condensed opinion of only one intelligent student. However, there is plenty of evidence to make me think he's speaking for the general student population.
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\f0\fs26 If there's an endangered list for pillars of civilization, I vote to add reading.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 5, 2006 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Engaging reads help pass time on vacation, at airport
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Telluride is high (9,000 feet) in the Rocky Mountains and high on our family's list of favorite places. Christmas there, complete with snow, was idyllic.
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\f0\fs26 Along with skis and hiking boots, we all brought books. "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey was the family favorite. This is the autobiography of a young man who struggles to recover from multiple addictions. His writing style is so compelling that it made me feel addicted to the book. I felt that I needed to keep reading to keep him recovering. I'd recommend this book to anyone from high school age to adult.
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\f0\fs26 For pure whodunit relaxation, "The City of Bones" by Michael Connelly is a good choice. When a child's skeleton is found in the woods, it takes perseverance, creativity and intelligence to identify the killer.
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\f0\fs26 I seldom buy hardback books, but a friend loaned me two new hardbacks that I devoured because they were written by two of my favorite authors. "Wickett's Remedy: A Novel" is the new title by Myla Goldberg, who also wrote "Bee Season." Essentially, the subject is the influenza epidemic of 1918, but other story lines are deftly juggled to keep the reader engaged.
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\f0\fs26 "The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece" is the new book by Jonathan Harr, the author of "A Civil Action." Although it was an exciting process to find the long-lost painting "The Taking of Christ," I think that art historians would appreciate this book far more than I did. I would have been happier to read the magazine article that was expanded to create the book.
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\f0\fs26 Young fans of Kate DiCamillo will enjoy the skinny paperback called "Tiger Rising." The tone of the book will remind children of "Because of Winn Dixie" and "The Tale of Desperaux."
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\f0\fs26 Several children's librarian colleagues had recommended the author Cornelia Funke. I read and enjoyed "The Thief Lord" and would recommend it for upper elementary and middle school students. The protagonists are stalwart, resourceful children reminiscent of Harry Potter and the children created by C.S. Lewis and Lemony Snicket.
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\f0\fs26 Our children brought "Boggle" and "Trivial Pursuit." I brought "The Amazing 10,000 Quiz Challenge" by Roy and Sue Preston. It's as entertaining as the board games and takes up less room in a suitcase. Questions cover topics from rock music to saints.
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\f0\fs26 While our plane sat on the runway in Charleston waiting to be de-iced, "The Thief Lord" kept me from agonizing over my missed connection.
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\f0\fs26 While our plane sat on the runway in Chicago waiting for the cargo door to be repaired, I was completely absorbed in "Wickett's Remedy."
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\f0\fs26 Pound for pound, books are the best baggage.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 29, 2005 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Bringing up grandbaby with books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D1
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 This New Year, my resolution (and ambition) is to advance my status in the world by moving up to the position of grandmother. The baby boy responsible for my promotion is scheduled to arrive in early February.
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\f0\fs26 I've perused Goodwill and the other thrift stores enough to know that they have all the official accoutrements at just the right prices. Strollers, cribs, high chairs and the other paraphernalia are incidental, mere footnotes in my preparation.
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\f0\fs26 What this child really needs is his own library. I had a head start because I saved all the books that were his mother's special favorites.
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\f0\fs26 "Teddy Bear Coalman" by Phoebe Worthington, "Gobble, Growl, Grunt" by Peter Spier and "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert McCloskey have been patiently waiting in a cedar chest for about 20 years.
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\f0\fs26 "The Dragon in the Clock Box" by M. Jean Craig isn't famous, but it was one of our favorites. We loved this gentle story because it was all about a child's imagination. As an added bonus, the ending is left to the reader's imagination. It was a mild shock to see the mother in the story wearing an apron, but it will give me an opportunity to talk about kitchen fashion in the "old days."
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\f0\fs26 "The Nutshell Library" by Maurice Sendak is a best-loved requirement. To quote School Library Journal, "What more could anyone ask? These books are truly for all ages."
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\f0\fs26 As a parent said, " 'The Nutshell Library' can be read 1,000 times, and each time the reader finds truth, beauty, life lessons and the best darn rhymes around."
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\f0\fs26 Add to all that the delightfully droll illustrations. This collection of four little (3 3/4 x 2 3/4) books includes a counting book, an alphabet book, a book about the months and a cautionary tale in five chapters and a prologue.
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\f0\fs26 Of course, he'll have "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown and "Where the Wild Things Are" by Sendak.
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\f0\fs26 Sandra Boynton books are necessary for the collection because we'll want every excuse to laugh.
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\f0\fs26 I'm very enthusiastic about Priddy books, which advertise themselves as "big ideas for little people." They publish cloth books with rattles ("playful books for playful babies"), touch-and-feel cloth books ("cuddly books for cuddly babies") and board books (for babies to "look, rattle and chew"). And, of course, he'll have to have the Priddy books "Baby Tales" that come with clips to attach to his stroller.
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\f0\fs26 His plastic bathtub books will be shelved with the soap.
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\f0\fs26 This child will be surrounded by a movable feast of books. I'm humble enough to realize I still have everything to learn about being a grandmother. However, I have grasped the basic premise: Nothing is worth doing unless it's worth overdoing.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 15, 2005 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books can help children learn about other faiths
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, SPECIAL TO THE POST AND COURIER
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Hanukkah begins this year at sundown Dec. 25. The stars are obviously aligned. How fortuitous and momentous when two of the world's greatest religions are celebrating simultaneously.
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\f0\fs26 On my desk in the school library, I keep a copy of "A Faith Like Mine: A Celebration of the World's Religions - Seen Through the Eyes of Children" by Laura Buller. The book is published by DK, with their trademark quality and exceptional photography. My students are learning the similarities and differences of religions just by curiously leafing through this attractive book. We fear and erect defenses against the unknown. The known, we can deal with intelligently.
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\f0\fs26 My prayer for this auspicious Dec. 25 is that we'll all learn more about the worship and beliefs of people who practice religions other than our own. Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration that begins on the 25th day of the third month of the Jewish calendar. It commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrians, the rededication of the Temple at Jerusalem and the miracle of the lamp.
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\f0\fs26 "Hanukkah, Shmanukkah!" by Esme Raji Codell is a new book that retells Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carol" as a Hanukkah carol. "Old man Scrooge-macher was as sour as a pickle and had a tongue like horseradish." He disdained all holidays in general and Hanukkah in particular. He owned a waistcoat factory in America in the early 20th century, where he treated his workers abysmally. On the first night of Hanukkah, he is visited by the rabbis of Hanukkah Past, Present and Future.
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\f0\fs26 As familiar as this story sounds, there are differences. A glossary defines and gives the pronunciation for almost 50 Yiddish words that Codell sprinkles throughout the text. From the familiar "kaput," "klutz" and "nosh," to the unfamiliar but wonderful sounding "hotzeplotz," "shmendrick" and "vildekinder." (Especially "vildekinder!")
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\f0\fs26 Codell gracefully tells the whole story of Hanukkah as the Rabbi of Hanukkah Past quizzes Scroogemacher about his knowledge of history.
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\f0\fs26 The second theme is explained in the author's note: "What I always liked about Dickens' work was that his stories were often about people finding a home, a place where they belonged, a stature in a social system that was not always welcoming. Though he (Dickens) may not have intended it, these same themes reverberated in the lives of Jewish people during the mass migration of immigrants in America at the turn of the twentieth century."
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\f0\fs26 In "Hanukkah, Shmanukkah," children learn religious as well as cultural history. The book is recommended for children ages 5 and up. It would be fairly sophisticated fare for a kindergartner, but definitely worth trying. This book is an excellent family read-aloud and a predictable favorite year after year.
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\f0\fs26 As Codell states on the first page of her book, "Good things happen from a little remembering."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 8, 2005 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Series entertains, explains
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 389 words
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\f0\fs26 The "Grand Kidz" Series from Vertical Connect Press is all about grand books for grand kids. All the books in this series are "designed to entertain, educate and spark conversations between curious kids and their favorite adults."
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\f0\fs26 After reading the story together, adult and child are encouraged to go beyond the story and have fun enjoying the activities in the back of the book.
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\f0\fs26 "The Chef Down at the Zoo" by local author and publisher Kate Boehm Jerome is funny, entertaining and packed full of information about what animals eat.
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\f0\fs26 A lively, loving grandmother explains to her grandchild that the chef at the zoo has a big job. Along with all the other animals, "Koala bears are picky, just one kind of food will do. Eucalyptus is their favorite, it's the only leaf they'll chew."
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\f0\fs26 The end of the story is just the beginning of the Vertical Connections Section. Here, the adult and child will find suggestions for imagining, creating and exploring. There also are activities for kids to "show what they know!" These include a word find and number find appropriate for young children.
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\f0\fs26 The Riverbanks Zoo says, "This book fosters a love of both animals and learning ... really reinforcing the positive messages that are at the core of our zoo's mission."
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\f0\fs26 "Miniature Golf Madness" by Jerome is written in a format similar to "The Chef Down at the Zoo."
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\f0\fs26 A grandfather, parents, a dog and children are stuck indoors on a rainy day. Grandpa has the inspired idea to build a miniature golf course in the house with materials at hand. Everyone makes creative contributions to the course that includes ramps, tunnels and bank shots. The family is having so much fun that they don't even notice when the sun comes out.
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\f0\fs26 The Vertical Connections Section includes riddles about golf, number questions based on a golf scorecard, a field trip, virtual trip and other activities. More activities based on both books can be found at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.verticalconnectpress.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.verticalconnectpress.com}}. There are coloring pages and crossword puzzles to download as well as a certificate to honor a hole-in-one.
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\f0\fs26 The books are available at local Barnes & Noble stores and Waldenbooks. The following book signings are scheduled:
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\f0\fs26 --Today, 5-8 p.m. The Southern Living Author Event at Charleston Place hotel.
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\f0\fs26 --Saturday, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Barnes & Noble in Mount Pleasant.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 13, 2005
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 24, 2005 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books, poems, songs all about thanks and giving
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D7
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Thanks and Giving All Year Long" by Marlo Thomas and Friends is a compendium of gratitude and the spirit of generosity. In the introduction, Thomas recalls what her father, Danny Thomas, used to tell her. "... there are two kinds of people in the world: the givers and the takers. The takers sometimes eat better, but the givers always sleep better."
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\f0\fs26 Each poem, story and song in the book supports that theory.
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\f0\fs26 In the story "A Different Aladdin" by Norman Stiles, the genie is tapped out and has no wishes left. Instead, the genie turns the tables and asks for a bike from a boy who already has too much stuff. The boy experiences the joy of giving.
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\f0\fs26 "Aunt Delia's Holiday Manners Quiz" by Delia Ephron gives parents a lighthearted way to discuss polite behavior.
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\f0\fs26 What should a child do if (horrors) a creamed onion touches the turkey meat? Are stink bombs an appropriate subject for dinner conversation? Should you wear a tutu to the family gathering?
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\f0\fs26 In Deepak Chopra's story, "What Nana Told Her," a child learns how a very good and generous thing came out of a very sad thing.
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\f0\fs26 "Ezekiel Johnson" by Walter Dean Myers is about a man who gave away all his money to help others because he believed, "A man ain't just what he owns."
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\f0\fs26 Tiger Woods writes about his happy, privileged childhood and what happened when he saw the starving Ethiopian families on TV, their desperate lives narrated by Walter Cronkite. In "What I Did With My Coin Collection," he tells the story of his response to that tragedy.
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\f0\fs26 The poem "Unsung Heroes" by Christopher Cerf and Norman Stiles is an ode to zippers, light bulbs, bottle caps and other useful objects that are usually taken for granted.
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\f0\fs26 The lyrics to the song "Thank Someone" by Sarah Durkee ends with: "Thank the moon, thank the sun. Most of all thank someone. Thank the stars high above, one for everyone you love."
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\f0\fs26 To complete the wide spectrum of voices in this book, Donald Trump advises, "Include your children when you're talking about giving to charity. Bringing kids into the discussion shows them that we're all in this together."
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\f0\fs26 Ted Turner adds, "My father didn't have that much money, but he was a generous person. He taught me that if you don't have money, you can always give time."
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\f0\fs26 It's all about thanks and giving, "Thanks and Giving All Year Long." All royalties from this book are donated to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 17, 2005 Thursday \uc0\u8232 Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Don't judge celebrity's book by its cover
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK, Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. D5
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 428 words
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\f0\fs26 There's a story, perhaps apocryphal, in which Dr. Seuss insisted that a brain surgeon was no more equipped to write a children's book than a children's book writer was equipped to perform brain surgery. In other words, writing a children's book looks easy, but looks are deceiving.
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\f0\fs26 "Hop on Pop." How hard could that be? Very!
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\f0\fs26 I often read manuscripts for children's books that are as good as or better than anything I've seen published. This doesn't mean that the writing was easy for the author; it means the writer had talent and vision. I've heard children's book authors discussing their countless rewrites and getting up in the middle of the night to change a word in a manuscript.
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\f0\fs26 Throngs of celebrities are writing children's books, not necessarily because they have talent and vision, but because they'll get published. Gentle book buyer: Do not be misled!
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\f0\fs26 Madonna's name on a music label is not the same thing as Madonna's name on a book jacket.
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\f0\fs26 This is a cautionary column for all parents and grandparents who are venturing into bookstores to buy holiday gifts for children. David Gale, editorial director of Simon and Schuster's Books for Young Reader's Division, warns: "Celebrity books are sometimes being sold more to the parents, the gatekeepers of book purchases. Still, successful children's books eventually have to appeal to kids because youngsters make very clear their likes and dislikes - and it is children who build up a base for an author's future books."
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\f0\fs26 The children's category director for Borders Books and Music stores puts John Lithgow and Jamie Lee Curtis at the top of her list of celebrities who have proven themselves as children's book authors. She cites the quality of their books and the respect they've received from established children's book authors.
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\f0\fs26 Rule of thumb: When evaluating a children's book written by a celebrity, ignore the hype and scrutinize that book twice as carefully as you would a "regular" book. Think of the child who will listen to the book, rather than the famous person who wrote the book.
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\f0\fs26 Books by Curtis:
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\f0\fs26 --"It's Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel"
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\f0\fs26 --"Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day"
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\f0\fs26 --"I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem"
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\f0\fs26 --"Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born"
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\f0\fs26 --"When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old's Memoir of Her Youth"
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\f0\fs26 Books by Lithgow:
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\f0\fs26 --"Micawber"
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\f0\fs26 --"A Lithgow Palooza: 101 Ways to Entertain and Inspire Your Kids"
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\f0\fs26 --"The Remarkable Farkle McBride"
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\f0\fs26 --"I'm a Manatee" (book and CD)
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\f0\fs26 --"Carnival of the Animals"
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 November 22, 2005
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 PUBLICATION-TYPE: 
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\f0\fs26 Copyright 2005 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)\uc0\u8232 All Rights Reserved
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 10, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Local publisher creative
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 339 words
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\f0\fs26 In the dog-eat-dog, bigger-is-better world of publishing, along comes the new independent firm of Sylvan Dell Publishing, based in the metropolis of ... Mount Pleasant.
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\f0\fs26 When you're a mom-and-pop, your products must be extraordinary. Sylvan Dell's "products," which are picture books for young children, are extraordinary in every respect.
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\f0\fs26 The stories are interesting, informative and timeless. The illustrations are lovely. In addition, there's a "Creative Minds" section at the end of each book. These sections extend a child's learning about the subject of the book with fun facts, a craft and/or games.
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\f0\fs26 "Christmas Eve Blizzard" by Andrea Vlahakis is a simple story with the potential to become a classic. A boy braves the snow to rescue a cardinal that would have died in a blizzard. Because cardinals seldom came to his part of the country, the boy had never seen a cardinal and his grandfather hadn't seen a cardinal since his boyhood in Mexico.
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\f0\fs26 As they begin to care for the bird, the grandfather says, "When you do a good thing, good will come back to you." And so it does, in a surprising and delightful way.
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\f0\fs26 In the back of the book, there's a Spanish/English glossary, facts about birds and directions to follow if you find an injured or orphaned baby bird.
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\f0\fs26 Other Sylvan Dell titles include "Water Beds -- Sleeping in the Ocean" by Gail Langer Karwoski, which won a "Mom's Choice Award"; "Carolina's Story -- Sea Turtles Get Sick Too!" a true story by Donna Rathmell illustrated with photographs by Barbara J. Bergwerf; "Pieces of Another World" by Mara Rockliff, which is a story about the beauty of nature in general and the beauty of meteors (shooting stars) in particular.
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\f0\fs26 Karwoski and Rathmell will be talking with children and signing books at the Mount Pleasant Barnes & Noble from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, the authors will be at the S.C. Aquarium from 10 a.m. to noon and Indigo Books near Kiawah and Seabrook islands from 3 to 5 p.m.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 27, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books a howling good time for children
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 489 words
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\f0\fs26 When I was in college, I happened to visit my fiance's family in late October.
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\f0\fs26 The youngest child in the family was very excited because he thought I'd come for the Halloween holiday. I cite this as proof that Halloween looms large for children. It must be incomprehensible to them that Thanksgiving is such a big deal when it isn't nearly as interesting. A turkey, or even a Pilgrim, simply can't compete with a witch and the virtually inevitable candy overload.
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\f0\fs26 "Kate Culhane -- A Ghost Story" by Michael Hague is still my favorite spooky book. It's based on an old Irish tale and contains all the requisite elements of a haunting tale to scare off your socks. Plus, the worthy heroine defeats the evil ghost by refusing to get scared and using her brains. Although it's a picture book, I wouldn't read it to children until the third grade at the earliest.
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\f0\fs26 "The Wizard, the Ugly, and the Book of Shame," written and illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi, is a wonderful new book full of spells, toads, magic, a castle, king and moral. Children will enjoy comparing and contrasting this story with "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." In both plots, the helper disobeys the master, with disastrous consequences.
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\f0\fs26 As an elementary school librarian, I once scared the stuffing out of a kindergartener and have suffered guilt pangs ever since. I was doing my after-school chores at the computer and he kept teasing me and bothering me. I warned him. He laughed. As soon as I finished compiling circulation statistics, I put on a realistic gorilla head and hands, crept around the circulation desk and jumped out at him. That poor, dear, unsuspecting child was so terrified that his little legs were running in place, just as they do in cartoons.
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\f0\fs26 He and his mother have forgiven me. I gave him the offending head and hands so I'd never be retempted. The child has turned out gloriously well. However, please let my experience serve as a cautionary tale! Tread gently! Scare sweetly!
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\f0\fs26 For little kids, Mo Willems' new book, "Leonardo the Terrible Monster," is perfect. From the jacket cover: "Leonardo is truly a terrible monster -- terrible at being a monster, that is. Despite his best efforts, he can't seem to frighten anyone." Leonardo finally finds a scaredy-cat child and tries hard to scare the tuna fish out of the boy. Then Leonardo has a better idea.
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\f0\fs26 Also for little kids, "One Witch" by Laura Leuck is entertaining and (being a counting book) educational. The illustrations by S.D. Schindler aren't exactly Hieronymus Bosch, but they have that slightly eerie quality and lots of detail.
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\f0\fs26 Halloween jokes help children laugh at potentially scary subjects. This year, I've posted riddles on the library door. The kids' favorite: What do you get when you cross Bambi with a ghost? Bamboo! My students groan rather than laugh, but that's more appropriate for Halloween anyway.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 27, 2005
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 22, 2005 Saturday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Have you read aloud to a child today?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 HIGH PROFILE; Pg. 9F
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Be sure to celebrate National Read-Aloud Day today. Some of us are surely asking "Why?" Others of us are countering with "Why not!?"
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\f0\fs26 For one thing, there's a "national day" for darn near everything else. To name a mere fraction: Elephant Appreciation Day, Mother-In-Law Day, Word Puzzle Games Day, Angel Day, Hug Your Cat Day, Reptile Awareness Day, Sisters Day, Pig Day, Ice Cream Day and Absolutely Incredible Kid Day.
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\f0\fs26 For another thing, reading aloud is the single most important and pleasurable activity that caregivers can provide for a child (perhaps after food, shelter and nurture). It's a critical component of the emergent literacy process.
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\f0\fs26 In celebration of National Read-Aloud Day, the National Book Foundation is sponsoring a 12-hour marathon that features prominent people reading aloud from works of literature that greatly affected them. This will be followed by Broadway and Hollywood actors reading aloud from selected works. In case you can't make it to New York on such short notice for this special event, you might want to create your own.
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\f0\fs26 My best reading-aloud event happens once a week when my favorite 5-year-old comes to visit. At the end of a long day, we're both pooped. It's very relaxing to read to her while she eats dinner. She gets so engrossed in the story, she finishes her vegetables without even realizing she meant to avoid them. I'd much rather read than nag, so it works well for both of us. We try to read two books, so we can chat about which was the best and why it was the best.
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\f0\fs26 Our next event is Books at Bath Time. When this particular 5-year-old knows the book will start only after she's actually in the tub, she gets in the tub with minimal detours and procrastination.
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\f0\fs26 This is probably not what comes to mind when most people think of the power of reading aloud, but reading aloud does have the power to deposit this child in the tub.
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\f0\fs26 Reading aloud at bedtime is the quintessential, time-honored rite for motivating children to get under their covers.
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\f0\fs26 The book is important, but not as important as the significant adult making time to snuggle up with the child while they enjoy reading together.
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\f0\fs26 Nobody is too old to enjoy listening to a book. A friend told me that he'd been working a lot of overtime and getting out of touch with his 13-year-old daughter. He solved the problem by spending time with her every day reading the Bible. They cherished the time together, and their reading gave them a lot to talk about.
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\f0\fs26 For suggestions about which books to read to which child, try consulting a librarian as well as:
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\f0\fs26 --"The Read-Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease.
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\f0\fs26 --"More Books Kids Will Sit Still For: A Read-Aloud Guide" by Judy Freeman.
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\f0\fs26 --"For Reading Out Loud: A Guide to Sharing Books With Children" by Margaret Mary Kimmel.
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\f0\fs26 --"The Latest and Greatest Read-Alouds" by Sharron McElmeel.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 25, 2005
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 20, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children's book exudes warmth
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 311 words
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\f0\fs26 'Jake and the Migration of the Monarch" by Crystal Ball O'Connor, Ph.D., will be the featured children's book at the Mount Pleasant Barnes & Noble at 11 a.m. Saturday. When I describe this picture book as "sweet," I mean that it's gentle and loving. The illustrations by portrait painter Valerie Hollinger add a soft, warm radiance to the text.
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\f0\fs26 In addition to being sweet, "Jake and the Migration of the Monarch" is entertaining and educational for both parents and children. Jake and his mom are sitting on their porch at the beach when they realize they're in the midst of the autumn migration of the monarch butterflies. As they watch the countless butterflies, Jake's mama gently explains the migration process. She relates the life cycle of the monarch to the life cycle of families. She says, "Just as your parents and grandparents and great-grandparents help set a path for you, the butterflies do the same thing."
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\f0\fs26 In the back of the book, there's a family tree to complete as well as a page called "Monarchs and Me ..." that gives more information about the connections between butterflies and people.
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\f0\fs26 Readers are referred to the Web site, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.monarchpublishers.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.monarchpublishers.com}} "to learn more about the world of monarch butterflies." This is an excellent site for both parents and teachers because it provides myriad ways to extend learning into physical activities, drama, language arts, math, music, science, social studies and visual art. There are things to do, make and grow. There's a list of places to go, and an invitation to submit your own "stuff" to the site.
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\f0\fs26 The whole concept of "extending" learning has been used in schools for a long time. The book makes this concept readily available to families.
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\f0\fs26 The book serves as the beginning step into a whole world of knowledge and activities.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 25, 2005
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 6, 2005 Thursday Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Another perspective on Pumsey the Dragon and Harry Potter
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Serving on the Charleston County School Board tried my patience and fortitude on an hourly basis. Of all the trying issues, one of the most trying was the brouhaha over Pumsey the Dragon. For some people, Pumsey was an innocent puppet that guidance counselors used for teaching children important life skills. For other people, Pumsey was a satanic, insidious tool that would ruin children's lives. A chasm yawned wide between the two viewpoints. From that experience, I learned that open discussion was mostly an opportunity for each side to state its opinions and vow never to change.
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\f0\fs26 The storm clouds hovering over Harry Potter remind me of Pumsey and make me grateful for the Pumsey Perspective. If I love Harry Potter for my own good reasons, and you hate Harry Potter for your own good reasons, the best we're going to do is respectfully agree to disagree. Although Harry Potter dropped from the most-challenged-books list in 2004, author J.K. Rowling was one of the most-challenged authors from 1990 to 2004. Harry Potter stands as the poster child for censorship and book banning.
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\f0\fs26 Another premise of the Pumsey Perspective is that, within any given group, opinions may differ. It's not fair or useful to assume that everyone in any given group believes exactly the same things. Many evangelical Christians vehemently opposed Pumsey just as many evangelical Christians vehemently oppose Harry Potter on the grounds that the material is from the devil. "Many" is not the same as "all." Charles Colson, a high-profile evangelical Christian, argues that Harry Potter promotes the Christian faith.
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\f0\fs26 Writing for Probe Ministries and promoting a Christian worldview, Sue Bohlin concedes that Harry Potter is well-written, captures the imagination of children, "taps into the poignancy of the powerlessness of children," depicts real-life situations, pits good against evil, teaches clear moral lessons and the pain of discrimination, and gets children excited about reading. However, she warns parents that the substantial difficulty with Harry Potter is that it makes witchcraft enticing to the reader. She believes that handing Harry Potter to an unsupervised child is tantamount to sending that child into a minefield.
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\f0\fs26 Her solution to that problem isn't to censor the books. Her solution is "to read the book out loud, stopping to ask questions that will help a child recognize counterfeits that comprise witchcraft." Three cheers for Sue Bohlin!
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\f0\fs26 A culture official for the Vatican pronounced his acceptance of the Potter books by saying, "If I have understood well the intentions of Harry Potter's author, they (magic and occult forces) help children to see the difference between good and evil."
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\f0\fs26 Writing for Education Week, Jonathan Zimmerman points out that the Harry Potter books "do not single out a single group for vilification." Nothing in the texts specifically targets Christianity or any other religion. In The State newspaper, John Monk wrote, "Some claim the Potter books lure children into witchcraft. Poppycock. You might as well say ... 'Peter Pan' urges children to run away from home."
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\f0\fs26 So what's my "take-home" message? Everyone is welcome to have an opinion and express that opinion whether it influences others. Democracies are all about freedom of speech. Membership in a group doesn't necessarily mean that all members hold all of the same beliefs. Instead of censoring or banning offending material, expend the effort to know the offending material so that you can protect against it.
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\f0\fs26 Rationality is a nice touch. Intelligence and tolerance are OK as well.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 29, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Will bad boar behavior make children do likewise?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Meet Wild Boars" by Meg Rosoff and Sophie Blackall is a children's picture book that delightfully illustrates the slippery slope of censorship and book banning. The Wild Boars, four dirty, smelly, bad-tempered and rude creatures, take every opportunity to act terrible.
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\f0\fs26 Boris will tusk you with his horrible tusks. Morris will stomp on your treats. If you try to help Horace, he will make a nasty smell and snort with laughter. Doris is "stinkier than a stinkpot turtle." Quoting from the text, "So perhaps it is best if we all agree that there is no such thing as a nice wild boar."
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\f0\fs26 The first-graders at St. Andrews Elementary School definitely agreed. They were wide-eyed with horrified fascination. The behavior of those boars was exactly the opposite of everything they'd ever been taught.
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\f0\fs26 After we finished reading, the children were bursting to talk about the story. Although they loved the story and laughed uproariously, they wanted to be sure that I knew that they knew those boars were behaving very badly. I asked, "What do you think about reading this story to other first-graders?" The class somberly considered this proposal. Almost unanimously, they decided that it would not be a good idea. Their reasoning was that other young kids might be influenced by the book to misbehave just as the wild boars misbehaved.
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\f0\fs26 I asked, "Are you influenced by this book to act badly?" The class agreed that they were not influenced, but they wanted to protect other young children who might be adversely influenced.
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\f0\fs26 Herein lies the slippery slope of censorship. Even without credentials of any kind, one group decides what another group can and can't read. With the best intentions, one first grade wants to "protect" another first grade.
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\f0\fs26 I ignored their advice and asked another first-grade teacher to read the book to her class. Here are some of the comments from that class: "I don't want to be a wild boar because they are nasty." "Kids will think the boars are disgusting, but really funny." "This book teaches me to be a good person." "This book can teach how to do the right thing. To find out more, read it." "When you read this story, it will teach you how to be good and not bad." "I think this book should be sold at Barnes & Noble so that kids would learn to be nice to people and not be like the wild boars."
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\f0\fs26 From this experiment and experience, I've extrapolated my own "Wild Boar Basic By-Law for Book Banning": Carefully consider your expertise and appropriate range of authority before you consider censorship. Then (probably) don't do it.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 22, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 When is censorship necessary?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Censorship fascinates me, especially when the censorship involves children and young adults.
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\f0\fs26 In the past, readers of this column have asked me to support the banning of "Captain Underpants" by Dav Pilkey (because of the "potty" humor) and "Junie B. Jones" by Barbara Parks (because of the misbehavior of Junie B.). Both of these books and many other challenged books have redeeming qualities that earn my respect. Without agonizing over the decision, I support the inclusion of these books in school libraries.
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\f0\fs26 Recently, I received an e-mail from a parent who definitely was agonizing. An "Oprah's Choice" selection was the book in question. Some high school girls heard about it and asked their librarian to purchase it for them. When my students show enough interest to request a book, I buy that book. It's part of making the library THEIR library, and part of how I can prove to them that I'm listening and care about what they think and want.
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\f0\fs26 In this case, when the book arrived, the librarian read it herself. Although she had reservations about the content, she proceeded to check out the book to students.
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\f0\fs26 A parent of one of the students saw her child reading the book and read a few pages of the book out of curiosity. She was so horrified that she handed the book along to one of her friends for a second opinion. Subsequently, she filed a challenge to the book.
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\f0\fs26 Quoting from this reader's e-mail: "A committee was appointed consisting of some parents, some educators, some administrators and at least one psychiatrist. ... All were reluctant to pull the book from the shelf because they didn't want to be viewed as favoring censorship. The best they could come up with was that they didn't think it was a good choice. The final decision will revert to the school superintendent. The school librarian is despondent because she opposes censorship. She's the parent of six children."
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\f0\fs26 Often, when a book is challenged, my hackles rise straight up and lock into position because of the challenger's self-righteousness. Far from being self-righteous and certain, she possessed the only truth: This reader was struggling to figure out what was "right." Her questions to me were, practically and theoretically: "Who decides what is appropriate for what age group? Who decides when a book steps over the line? Is there a line? If you say there is a line, are you a screaming, fanatical, irrational censor of literature? Is anything that is printed on paper supposed to be available to anyone of any age? If one person says the book should stay, does that opinion override everyone else who wants to remove the book?"
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\f0\fs26 I abandoned e-mail and made an appointment to visit this beleaguered woman. At that point, I was feeling beleaguered myself. That librarian and that school district had done everything right. Still, there were questions. As we hashed out the situation and exchanged our thoughts, we both realized that the answers to her questions were moving targets. From school to school, community to community, the "right" answers to most of those questions would be different.
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\f0\fs26 Ideally, libraries reflect the mores of the communities in which they exist. The only "line" in my opinion is whether the material is age-appropriate. Certainly, younger children deserve protection from material that is sexually explicit or violent. Everything else is up for discussion.
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\f0\fs26 The book in question, "Back Roads" by Tawni O'Dell, originally was described to me as "the convoluted story of a rural family very deeply involved in matricide, incest ... and adultery."
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\f0\fs26 Although it wouldn't be my first choice of reading material, I read it anyway just to see if I agreed with that summary. The irony of this whole situation is that I really liked the book and might have chosen it for a high school library myself. I would have described the book as a cautionary tale about the danger of keeping secrets within a family and the short- and long-term suffering caused by child abuse.
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\f0\fs26 As is often the case, the real story isn't the story. The real story is how we feel about the story. For that reason, adults are entitled to censor for themselves and for those under their protection. They are not entitled to censor for others.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:books@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 15, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Child's age level key when choosing books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Trivia question: The last week of September is ... Liberal librarians and flaming liberals in general will chorus the answer. It's Banned Books Week. For us, it's not even trivia. It's important. It's so important that I'm celebrating it for four weeks instead of one.
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\f0\fs26 In graduate school, I took a course in censorship as it has applied to children's literature through history. Banning books is nothing new. What may be new is the heightened sense of anxiety among teachers and librarians that their book choices may offend an individual or group in their community.
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\f0\fs26 Censorship does have its place. Recently, a Charleston parent complained because his daughter was being asked to read "The Education of Little Tree" by Forrest Carter.
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\f0\fs26 It's a terrific book that closely considers the advisability/morality of erasing a person's cultural identity. The parent wasn't objecting to the book per se, he was objecting to use of this book in an elementary school classroom. In my opinion, he's completely right. The book is inappropriate for that age group. I read it when it was assigned for a class in graduate school.
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\f0\fs26 For any occasion when a book is challenged, the school or library needs a censorship policy that calmly and methodically considers that challenge. Usually, the person challenging the book will be asked to file his specific objections in writing. From there, a diverse group of people (an appointed committee) will read the book and decide on its appropriateness. It's usually not required that a book be read by the challenger before it's challenged, but it should be.
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\f0\fs26 Children deserve our protection from materials inappropriate for their maturity level. Especially in elementary and middle school, it's legitimate for teachers and parents to stay vigilant. Just because students have the ability to read on a high school level doesn't mean they are mature enough to read everything that's written on that level.
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\f0\fs26 In my seventh-grade health class, we used to hide "Peyton Place" (a red hot book in the 1960s) inside our textbooks. I've completely forgotten the health lessons, but I sure do remember that book. I didn't have enough life experience to understand that the characters in the book weren't exactly average citizens. One of my students read Omar Tyree's "Flyy Girl" when she was 12. Now at the advanced age of 16, she's adamant that no child should be allowed to read the book until at least the eighth grade. I'd say high school at the earliest!
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\f0\fs26 Accelerated Reader, a widely available reading incentive program, exacerbates the problem of developmentally appropriate books.
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\f0\fs26 Although most library books are carefully scrutinized before purchase, Accelerated Reader books often are bought in sets according to reading levels. A third-grade student reading on a seventh-grade level may encounter descriptions of sex and/or violence unsuited to an 8-year-old.
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\f0\fs26 For example, the book "33 Snowfish" by Adam Rapp is a fifth-grade reading level and describes young people who've used drugs, murdered, kidnapped and engaged in prostitution. The book has its place, but I wouldn't choose it for my elementary school library.
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\f0\fs26 Do-it-yourself is ultimately the only censorship that works for children's books. The person who knows the child best is the person who will make the best decisions about what is and isn't appropriate. For more information about censorship and other issues regarding children's literature, try the Web site {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.trelease-on-reading.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at fran {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:books@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 1, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Positive change, perseverance themes of book about Haiti
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Circles of Hope" by Karen Lynn Williams is my favorite kind of book. It clearly tells children that they have the power to make a positive difference. Even though they're young, even though they're little, they can use their heads, hearts and hands to make the world a better place.
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\f0\fs26 This is a picture book that tells the story of a child in Haiti who wants to give a gift to his newborn baby sister. He remembers that when he was born, his dad planted a mango tree for him. He decides to do the same for his sister. Time after time, he plants a mango seed that begins to grow and then is destroyed.
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\f0\fs26 As he helps clear rocks from a garden plot, his uncle advises him that he must have hope to plant a tree. Tossing the numerous stones aside, he has an idea. One by one, he piles up the stones to form a circular waist-high wall that will protect a seedling -- his "Circle of Hope." With the wall for protection, his seedling grows into a tree.
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\f0\fs26 When I read this book to 5- and 6-year-olds, they were amazed and impressed that the boy kept on trying. One child suggested that the boy put up an electric fence to protect his tree. It was difficult for these children to comprehend the poverty of the rural Haitian countryside.
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\f0\fs26 At the back of the book, there's a glossary of Haitian words and a short description of Haiti and Haitians' efforts to reforest their land. For more information about reforesting Haiti, try the Web site for the Organization for the Rehabilitation of the Environment at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.oreworld.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.oreworld.org}}.
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\f0\fs26 Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Every family that plants a donated tree earns $50 a year from the fruit.
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\f0\fs26 I brought in tiny tree seedlings so that the children could see firsthand that baby trees are fragile. We looked up the trees in a field guide so that we could call them by their names.
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\f0\fs26 Then we talked about all the ways trees help people and animals. "Be a Friend to Trees" by Patricia Lauber is written simply but gives children a broad understanding of why trees are valuable.
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\f0\fs26 In addition to insect and animal habitats, trees can give us paper and chocolate, for example.
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\f0\fs26 This book also empowers children to make a positive difference in their environment from saving paper to planting trees.
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\f0\fs26 Any time of year is a good time to read "Circles of Hope," but it might be especially meaningful on Arbor Day. (Have children ever even heard of Arbor Day?) In South Carolina, Arbor Day is the first Friday in December.
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\f0\fs26 Nationally, it's celebrated on the last Friday in April. There's more information on the National Arbor Day Foundation Web site, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.arborday.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.arborday.org}}.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 25, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Stories give princesses new twist
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 1D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Someday my prince will come. That notion seems outrageously outdated to me in the new millennium, but the princess cult exerts an unabated stranglehold on young girls. Books, movies, costumes and parties cash in on the theme.
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\f0\fs26 Children's literature would be impoverished without Snow White, Cinderella and countless other well-loved princess tales. I'm not suggesting that the princess be banned. I am suggesting that, just as in real life, some princesses are better than others.
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\f0\fs26 "Princesses Are Not Quitters" by Kate Lum is a picture book about three sister princesses who are so bored, they decide to change places with the servants. In the process, they learn about the difficult life of the servants and ultimately change the rules of their kingdom to make life enjoyable for everyone. My description may make the book sound like a political manifesto, but actually it's a rollicking, good-humored story that keeps children guessing until the end. When I read this story to preschoolers, they especially liked the part of the story where the princesses worked so late that they missed all their meals, including the special princess snacks.
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\f0\fs26 "The Princess Academy" by Shannon Hale is a perfect chapter book for older elementary or middle school kids. The galloping adventure also would make it a great read-aloud. In the Kingdom of Danland, the prince is required to choose his bride from a specific place designated by the priests. Once the place is chosen, all the eligible girls who live there must attend a Princess Academy to learn the academic and social skills necessary to perform as a proper princess. The story is set in a mountaintop village, where heavy snows, a wicked tutor and brutal bandits combine to make a satisfying tale with an even more satisfying ending.
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\f0\fs26 "At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England" by Walter Dean Myers is the true story of a young girl from a royal family who is saved from death in Africa and brought to England as a gift for the queen. Although she is treated well and although she is educated and trained to behave exactly as other English ladies, she is regarded as a curiosity. This would be an excellent book to create debates and discussions among middle-school students.
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\f0\fs26 For young adult princesses-to-be, I recommend "Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter" by AdelineYen Mah. This riveting memoir eerily parallels the fairy tale Cinderella. Mah's stepmother is cruel beyond comprehension. Mah perseveres through a miserable childhood and becomes not a princess, but a doctor. This story recounts the life of a Chinese girl through World War II and the eventual communist takeover. Besides interweaving the historical data, Mah includes sections on the Chinese language. This is a story of emotional rather than physical hardship, which in some respects makes it all the more astonishing.
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\f0\fs26 My grandmother's mantra: "Pretty is as pretty does." My variation on that theme is "Princess is as princess does."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 18, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Ready, set go back to school
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Of The Post and Courier Staff
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Oppressive heat and humidity weighing down the air, mosquitoes dining on ankles, hurricanes threatening, hark ... it must be time for school to start. Agh! My husband, who works all summer while I'm on vacation, tells me I have a bad attitude. Of course, he's right, which makes me feel worse rather than better.
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\f0\fs26 To cheer myself, I spent hours in Barnes & Noble reading picture books about going back to school. My favorite was "Countdown to Kindergarten" by Alison McGhee. A little girl is very worried about her first day of school because she thinks she'll be expected to perform tasks that she hasn't mastered. For 10 days, she concocts funny schemes to keep her out of kindergarten. When the inevitable day arrives, she finds that her fears are unconfirmed. The book strikes a tone that is perfectly silly and perfectly reassuring.
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\f0\fs26 "Ready, Set, Preschool: With an Educational Guide for Parents" by Anna Jane Hays is a little bit of everything. Sections of stories, poems, colors, shapes and numbers provide a comprehensive overview of everything very young children need for success in their first school ventures.
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\f0\fs26 "T is for Teachers -- A School Alphabet" by Steven and Deborah Layne is an entirely different kind of book. It prepares children for school by giving them all kinds of information about schools, both past and present. A poem in large type explains the roles of custodian, nurse, librarian and others. In smaller type, there's more information, including safety rules and minihistory lessons. This book is especially helpful in reminding parents of all the aspects of school with which children may not be familiar.
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\f0\fs26 "My Teacher Likes to Say" by Denise Brennan-Nelson explains in verse the meaning of common sayings such as "The pen is mightier than the sword," "Two heads are better than one," and "Great oaks from little acorns grow." In small print, the author adds commentary that includes origins of the expressions and challenges for children to think up similar expressions. Reading this book, I was realizing how crazy some of these aphorisms must sound to little kids. E.g. How can a flimsy plastic ballpoint pen be mightier than a metal sword?
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\f0\fs26 "Queen of the Class" by Mary Englebrett is excellent preparation for a child entering the classroom. The child who wants to be queen in the class play isn't chosen to be queen. She learns the fine art of cooperation, dealing with disappointment and doing the best job with whatever is her job.
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\f0\fs26 "Spider School" by Francesca Simon is hard to locate but worth the effort. A little girl finds that all her fears about school are only a bad dream that vanishes in the morning. I like to read this book every year because I need to laugh and I need reassurance. And I'm the grown-up!
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 11, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books help children understand hurricanes
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 1D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 How do you prepare a young child for hurricanes without scaring his socks off? "The Pink House at the Seashore" by Deborah Blumenthal is a good place to start.
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\f0\fs26 This picture book tells the story of a family who returns to the beach after the hurricane to find their dearly beloved "Pink House" is demolished.
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\f0\fs26 The beginning of the story is sad, as each family member reminisces about past summers in their house "that felt safe, like being inside the pocket of a big thick coat."
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\f0\fs26 I watched the preschoolers faces as I showed them the pictures. They seemed so devastated, I wondered if I'd gone a little over the top in my efforts to explain hurricanes.
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\f0\fs26 The mood of the story lifts when the family returns the next summer, bringing a tent. The tent has the advantage of being portable. If a storm threatens, the family can pack it up and take it along with them to safety. They begin creating happy new memories and thinking ahead to rebuilding.
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\f0\fs26 The children loved this story. We talked about the importance of listening to the warnings, following directions and staying out of the storm's path. I asked, "Which is more important, the house or the people?" They got it.
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\f0\fs26 Children also like "Legare the Lowcountry Lizard: The Big Storm" by Christi Sanford. In rhyming large print, Sanford tells the story of Legare warning his friends about the hurricane and everyone finding a safe place to weather the storm. Legare is sad about the flooding and other damage after the storm, but "then Legare realized that oak trees may bend but he had all he needed right there with his friends."
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\f0\fs26 In small print, Sanford provides facts about Charleston and hurricanes. Illustrations of The Battery, Four Corners of Law and King Street will be familiar to little Charlestonians, even when the landmarks are depicted under water.
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\f0\fs26 When I read to the preschoolers, I started out by showing them a "tornado in a bottle," which is made easily from two one-liter plastic bottles and plenty of duct tape. (Directions are online. "Ask Jeeves" lists several sets of instructions.) Once I had their complete attention, I showed them some pictures from nonfiction books and talked about hurricanes in general. These books are shelved in libraries under 551.5. "Hurricane Watch" by Franklyn Branley, a Read-and-Find-Out Science Book, is a good place to start because it explains how hurricanes develop and what happens when a hurricane hits.
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\f0\fs26 "Hurricanes, A New True Book" by Arlene Erlbach is written simply with clear explanations and excellent photos. For older children, "Hurricane and Tornado," a DK Eyewitness Book by Jack Chandler, is a great choice with a variety of startling photographs.
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\f0\fs26 When I was in elementary school, the standing joke was that hurricanes were always named for girls because otherwise they'd have to be called "he-icanes." With equal-opportunity naming, the joke has outlived its punch line. Which is just as well, since we want children to understand that hurricanes are no joking matter.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 4, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Summer doesn't mean a vacation from books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Sure, school librarians are on vacation for the summer. Granted they are on vacation from the students, but they are decidedly on task for the books.
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\f0\fs26 Every school librarian I know reads steadily all summer so that he/she will have abundant book recommendations for students in the fall.
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\f0\fs26 Sometimes I get so excited about new books that I mail them to students. There's a special magic about a book arriving as a package. Most students find mailed books irresistible. Maybe their reasoning is that if it's important enough to mail, it just might be important enough to read.
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\f0\fs26 One of the books I mailed this summer was "Chinese Cinderella -- The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter" by Adeline Yen Mah. It reminded me of one of my students who is working hard on her grades and wants to become a doctor, just like the student in the book.
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\f0\fs26 "Interstellar Pig" by William Sleator has been sitting on my "To Read" pile for several years. It's won just about every young adult book award, but I postponed reading it because it's science fiction, one of my least favorite genres. This book was so good, I would recommend it to students who, like me, generally avoid science fiction. The protagonist is a 16-year-old boy who has to outwit creatures from other planets. The plot reminded me of a game of chess, with a much faster pace.
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\f0\fs26 "Letters from the Inside" by John Marsden is another highly acclaimed young adult novel about two teenage girls who become pen pals. Gradually, it's revealed through their letters that one of the girls is incarcerated in a maximum security detention center. The other girl has a "normal" life except for a brother who seems abnormally violent. The novel is somewhat dated (1991) and uses British slang, but none of that detracts from the chilling ending.
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\f0\fs26 For the first time, this year I've decided to try and interest my students in books that are currently popular. I enjoyed "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini and think that it would be accessible to high school students. The protagonist is a youth for much of the book, the plot gallops along and Afghanistan may be of interest because of current events.
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\f0\fs26 "Reading Lolita in Tehran -- A Memoir in Books" by Azar Nafisi is one of the most compelling books I've ever read. For English majors and others who revere fiction, it's a celebration and vindication of their passion. Reading Nabokov, Fitzgerald, James and Austen strengthened Nafisi's students and enriched their lives during the profoundly oppressive era of pre-Revolutionary and Revolutionary Iraq.
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\f0\fs26 Although many advanced high school students would understand this book, it would probably be better to read it in college. It would definitely be more meaningful to read it with knowledge of the authors that are discussed.
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\f0\fs26 Another summer occupation of librarians is reading books they decide not to recommend. I've read several of those and, for purposes of this column, will stick by my mother's admonition, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."
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\f0\fs26 At school, it sometimes happens that students will read a book specifically because I told them I didn't like it.
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\f0\fs26 There are a lot of tricks to the librarian's trade, and one of those tricks is to channel perversity in our favor. Parents are encouraged to use that trick as well.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 31, 2005 Sunday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Chicago an urban paradise visitors should taste, explore and enjoy
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 ARTS [AMP] TRAVEL; Pg. 11D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 1018 words
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\f0\fs26 CHICAGO--Deep-dish spinach pizzas start floating through my dreams at least two weeks before our annual summer trip to Chicago. Cities aren't my vacation preference, but of all cities, Chicago is my favorite, and not just because of the pizza.
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\f0\fs26 As soon as I arrive, I pick up a copy of "This Week in Chicago." It's packed with information on where to go, how to get there, what to rent, how to entertain your children, what's free, restaurants to try and more. For orientation, take a walking, bus or boat tour -- or all three. My favorite is the boat tour sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Foundation that specializes in fabulous views of 50 sites as observed from the vantage point of the Chicago River.
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\f0\fs26 Chicago is a pedestrian's dream city. Most of the museums, shops and tourist destinations are within walking distance along Michigan Avenue. Besides feet, there are horse-drawn carriages, double-decker buses, water taxis and the usual taxis and buses.
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\f0\fs26 Acres of green space line Lake Michigan so that there's easy and bountiful access to lush grass, shade trees, rose gardens and fountains that provide a respite from the concrete and crowds.
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\f0\fs26 Chicago is a happening city. The Taste of Chicago, the Blues Festival, Gospel Festival and more events take turns on the calendar. My favorites are the free outdoor evening concerts where the crowd watches the incredible skyline light up the night as they listen to music.
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\f0\fs26 Millennium Park is a spectacular new addition to all the other spectacular sights. Right on Michigan Avenue, children frolic in the shallow pool of the Crown Fountain. Twin glass block towers 50 feet tall spout water as the walls display photographs of 1,000 different faces. The Pritzker Pavilion spreads out like a bunch of opened tin cans connected into a sculpture. A serpentine steel ribbon bridge connects the park to the lakefront. A garden with a stream showcases prairie flowers and grasses. If there can be an urban paradise, this is it.
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\f0\fs26 Chicago and children make a natural connection. My 8-year-old friend, Caroline, loved the bigger-than-she-is leaves she saw at the Field Museum. At the Shedd Aquarium, she was thrilled by the porpoises and Beluga whales. She thought it was very cool to recline in her seat at the Adler Planetarium as a guide identified the constellations reflected on the domed ceiling.
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\f0\fs26 As a very special treat, Caroline's grandmother made reservations well in advance to spend a day at American Girl Place. Caroline chose new outfits (including a violin) for her doll, Kit, enjoyed the American Girl lunch (a small hot dog, a small hamburger and macaroni and cheese) and watched the play "Circle of Friends" that featured characters from the American Girl books. She was impressed, and so was her grandmother. American Girl is nothing short of a full-blown (merchandising) phenomenon.
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\f0\fs26 Other child- and adult-friendly destinations are the Children's Museum and the Navy Pier with its huge Ferris wheel. The Hancock Tower gives visitors a vantage point over Chicago from 1,000 feet up. The Museum of Science and Industry is famous for its simulated coal mine. The Art Institute of Chicago is the one place I visit on every trip.
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\f0\fs26 Shopping possibilities are unlimited for men, women, boys and girls. Marshall Fields is a city in itself with gourmet food and famous candy on the bottom, silver and china on the top and virtually everything else in between. Designer jewelry and clothing stores line Michigan Avenue. Bargains lure shoppers to Filene's basement.
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\f0\fs26 When hunger hits, be sure to try a Chicago hot dog, sold in plain, little hole-in-the-wall restaurants under the shadow of the elevated train. From there, the culinary sky is the limit. Deep-dish pizza from Giordano's, "Swordfish Oscar" from Riva's, omelets from the West Egg or dinner overlooking the city on the 95th floor of the Hancock building, simple or sophisticated, it's all there.
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\f0\fs26 In common with other large cities, Chicago's street-corner beggars bother the pedestrians who are waiting to cross streets. Some have signs quoting Scripture or declaring that they are "Just hungry." Some simply shake paper cups. One woman brings her daughter. Another brings her dog. A white stretch limousine waits for the light while a homeless person waits for pocket change. It's a wrenching sight that's part of the urban metropolis dichotomy.
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\f0\fs26 Street musicians stake out territory on almost every block of Michigan Avenue. An accordion player, a full band, a saxophone player and drummers perform for passers-by.
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\f0\fs26 Mimes are a relatively recent addition to the street entertainment scene. A young woman dressed entirely in green, with her skin tinted green as well, perches perfectly still on a green stand in front of the Art Institute. Her large elf ears are evidently attuned to the sound of money dropping into the fishbowl she keeps at her feet. When a spectator makes a donation, she slowly and graciously "unfreezes" and places a small pinch of silver glitter (presumably fairy dust) in the palm of her benefactor's hand. Then she gracefully resumes her statue pose. She's completely charming, reminiscent of a ballerina who dances on top of a music box.
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\f0\fs26 Further along Michigan Avenue, several groups of young men are painted completely silver. They stand as still as statues holding signs that explain, "We move for money."
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\f0\fs26 For the money-minded tourist, Best Western and Travel Lodge are basic hotels close to Michigan Avenue and most major attractions. Double rooms cost about $100 a night.
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\f0\fs26 Even if you don't choose to stay at the Hilton or the Drake, it's worth the time to wander around the lobbies of these elegant grand hotels.
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\f0\fs26 On my last day in Chicago, I happened to see friends from Charleston. We stood on the sidewalk, excitedly extolling the merits of the city. They had rented bikes and enjoyed a regatta. I've never rented a bike and didn't even know about the regatta. Although we each had spent the week having totally different experiences, our appreciation for the city was equally great.
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\f0\fs26 The Windy City is a must-see city.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 26, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Fantastic books to get kids into reading aloud
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 496 words
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\f0\fs26 In one of the first columns I ever wrote, I described an evening when I was reading aloud to our children. We were so absorbed in the book that we were totally unaware that the house next door had caught fire and our end of the street was end-to-end fire engines. We didn't surface from the story until a neighbor repeatedly called to ask if it was our house burning.
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\f0\fs26 I don't remember what book it was, but I do remember the wonderfully cozy, connected feeling that our family got from those hours of reading aloud. During the school year, we shoehorned these precious times into the hectic routine. Vacations were the best. We could always indulge in another chapter at night when we knew that the alarm clock had been tossed into a closet for the summer.
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\f0\fs26 Jim Trelease's "Read-Aloud Handbook" (2001) is the best-known source for title suggestions.
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\f0\fs26 Other books such as "The Best Children's Literature: A Parent's Guide" by Ellen Trachtenberg (2003) and "How to Get Your Child to Love Reading" by Esme Raji Codell (2003) are also helpful in identifying the books your children will love to hear.
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\f0\fs26 Relatively recent books with fantastic reading-aloud potential may not be included in these lists, just because they're too new. Some examples:
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\f0\fs26 "Eragon" by Christopher Paolini (2003) is advertised as "One boy ... One dragon ... A world of adventure." And more -- an evil king, an ancient legacy, wicked enemies and a plot that flies along with the dragon.
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\f0\fs26 "The Goose Girl" by Shannon Hale (2003) is a fantasy based on the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale about a princess who serves the king as a goose girl before claiming her rightful place in the royal family. The appealing heroine is someone your children will want to claim for their own best friend. High adventure, plot twists and a fairytale ending combine to make this an excellent read-aloud.
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\f0\fs26 "Peter and the Starcatchers" (2004) by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson isn't my favorite book, but kids really love this silly, rollicking adventure that purports to be a prequel to "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie. The fast-paced chapters make it a perfect read-aloud.
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\f0\fs26 "The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread" (2003) by Kate DiCamillo is one of my favorites. In the midst of dark and threatening forces, the hero overcomes tremendous odds and accomplishes his mission with a heartening sweetness.
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\f0\fs26 All four of these books are recommended for children from about third grade through young adult. This is a wide age range, but that's the good news because it means that children of varied ages may be interested in the same book at the same time. The range may be even wider than it seems because first- and second-graders will often listen to books that are far beyond their reading comprehension.
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\f0\fs26 Reading aloud is one of the few remaining low tech and low-down-payment investments that pays soaring dividends.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 19, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Unconventional reading irresistible
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 'Silent sustained reading" (known to the cognoscenti as SSR) is the be-all, end-all of reading goals. How do we lead reluctant, recalcitrant readers to this reading mountain-top experience?
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\f0\fs26 Kids walk before they run. Kids read short passages before they read long books. In our school library, I wage an unrelenting campaign to insinuate books into the hands of students. If you think the word "insinuate" sounds subversive, you're right. I scour bookstores to find titles that will be irresistible to kids. If I have to set traps and hope they fall into them, so be it.
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\f0\fs26 There are levels of entrapment. Collections of comics are at the short, surefire end of the reading continuum. Students will pick up and read "The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes" by Bill Watterson when they won't pick up anything else. They hoot reading "The Mad Student Survival Guide" and collections from Mad magazine. "Far Side" collections by Gary Larsen also are quick pickups. If the reading is short and funny, that's about as good as it gets. For that reason, I also leave joke books on the table next to the rocking chairs. "The Pretty Good Joke Book" from Prairie Home Companion is one of my favorites. At home, I keep a joke book in the kitchen.
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\f0\fs26 When children come to visit, one of their favorite things to do is read jokes to me. One of my favorite things to do is laugh.
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\f0\fs26 Up another level are the books of lists. "The All-New Book of Lists for Kids" by Sandra and Harry Choron is perfect for middle schoolers and upper elementary grades.
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\f0\fs26 It includes a list of good deeds, a list of horrible names to call kids who wear braces and lists of virtually everything in between -- e.g. tricky techniques used in toy commercials.
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\f0\fs26 "The Scholastic Book of Lists" by James Buckley Jr. and Robert Stremme is academically oriented, but appealing and humorous. "The Best Book of Lists Ever!" by Geoff Tibballs is an amazing and fun collection of trivia that will grab kids' attention even if it doesn't make them smarter. At least they are reading and learning that interesting things can be found in books.
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\f0\fs26 "The Onion Ad Nauseam" requires a higher level of reading skills and a somewhat sophisticated sense of humor -- but the entries are short and funny, perfect for quick pick-ups.
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\f0\fs26 "The Darwin Awards," is a series of books by Wendy Northcutt. Each volume is a collection of short, lively accounts documenting incidents where people have managed to kill themselves in creatively crazy ways. Simultaneously macabre and funny, these stories are enormously popular with teenagers. "The 176 Stupidest Things Ever Done" by Ross and Kathryn Petras is in the same category -- whatever that category might be.
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\f0\fs26 "The World's Dumbest Criminals" is one of a series by Daniel Butler. It's laugh-out-loud funny. "The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook" by Joshua Piven provides detailed, accurate instructions for surviving, among other life-threatening situations, killer bees, alligators and quicksand.
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\f0\fs26 Maybe you don't have quicksand in your neighborhood, but your teenager should be prepared. This is not labeled a "humor" book, but unless you feel the imminent threat of a killer bee attack, it might strike you as funny.
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\f0\fs26 Besides being quick reads that pull in reluctant readers, many of these books have the added advantage of making kids feel smart as they compare themselves to people who are out there acting without benefit of a functional thought process.
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\f0\fs26 And if you buy only one book for this random reading experiment, buy the "Guinness Book of World Records."
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\f0\fs26 It's lavishly illustrated with color photos and has something for everyone: the tallest limousine, the longest touchdown in the Super Bowl, the largest bubble gum bubble blown through the nose, etc.
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\f0\fs26 These books aren't on standard reading lists. They aren't the great Russian novels or classic American literature. Think of them as an introduction.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 12, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Parents, gently prod kids to read in summer
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f0\fs26 For parents of ravenous readers, summer reading is a gentle zephyr wending happily through the long days of vacation. For parents of reluctant readers, summer reading is the hurricane of nightmares that transforms vacation into a battlefield. In a book called "My Great Idea," Family Fun magazine has collected creative tips from 350 parents that use "a playful approach to solving the daily challenges of family life." In the chapter on "Reading and Writing," there were some ideas with the potential to remove reading from the family battlefield and place it in the zephyr category.
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\f0\fs26 My favorite was "The Reading Tent." These parents provided a secret hideaway (a pup tent), flashlights, pillows, blankets and some snacks. And of course, books. The only rule for the reading tent was that, once inside, there could be no talking. The parents report that this simple idea turned reading into an adventure on which their children were happy to embark. A variation of this idea is to tell children they may keep their bedside light on as late as they like, as long as they are reading.
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\f0\fs26 Another parent rewarded reading with trips. At the beginning of the summer, the mother "filled a decorated shoe box with slips of paper, each with the name of a cool destination within an hour's drive of our home." Some of the destinations were educational and some were just for fun. After reading a set number of books, the children could draw a slip from the box. At the conclusion of each outing, the children wrote about their experiences. At the end of the summer, the mother put together the writing and photographs to create a "Summer Reading Adventure Book."
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\f0\fs26 The mother-daughter book club is an idea that works for little kids as well as teenagers. For younger children, the parents plan an activity that relates to the story. For example, the girls donated dresses to charity after reading "The Hundred Dresses" by Eleanor Estes. The girls keep journals to record their thoughts about the books they've read. The mothers are enthusiastic about these opportunities to help develop their daughters' critical thinking skills. I haven't ever heard of a book club for boys, but that's all the more reason to start one.
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\f0\fs26 Other activities include reading aloud. For some of the best suggestions check "The Read-Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease. A variation on just plain reading aloud is to ask a child to read into a tape recorder and create your family's own books on tape.
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\f0\fs26 My personal "great idea" is to scatter books (preferably not library books) in unexpected places, like the kitchen, bathroom and porch. If half the battle is getting the child to pick up the book, it may help to have the book in a convenient place.
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\f0\fs26 My reading motto: Whatever works!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at: fran {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:books@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 5, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Read about Mexican culture to celebrate Cinco de Mayo
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Viva Mexico!" in particular and Hispanic culture in general.
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\f0\fs26 Ten years ago, as the librarian at an elementary school on Johns Island, I was searching for ways to celebrate Mexican culture. Many of our students, permanent and transient, were Hispanic.
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\f0\fs26 For our Cinco de Mayo celebration, their parents brought food and artifacts, and we enjoyed the frenzied fun of breaking open a pinata.
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\f0\fs26 Although there was an abundance of information about the origin of the holiday and Mexican culture, there were few books that I could read or recommend to enlarge their understanding of Hispanic life.
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\f0\fs26 My, how things change. Now there are excellent books for children, from babies to teens, with a steady stream of new titles in Spanish and bilingual editions.
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\f0\fs26 The Spanish teacher at our high school, who came to the United States from Puerto Rico, especially appreciates the books that reflect Hispanic cultural values and give insight into the challenges of adapting to life in America.
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\f0\fs26 Her classes read "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros, which is practically a classic of that genre. She also uses "Cool Salsa" and "Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States" edited by Lori Marie Carlson.
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\f0\fs26 "Red Ridin' in the Hood and Other Cuentos" by Patricia Santos Marcantonio is a collection of favorite stories infused with Latino culture. As a Mexican-American, the author wished she could see "Latino culture embodied in the stories she cherished." The book is her wish come true.
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\f0\fs26 "Mama Goose: A Latino Nursery Treasury" by Alma Flor Ada is a perfect book for the youngest children. For elementary school children, there are numerous picture books. My favorite is "Fairy Trails" by Susan Middleton Elya. In the course of this rhyming story that introduces 34 Spanish words, the children encounter many familiar fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters, including "Humpty Huevo." Some other popular picture books are:
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\f0\fs26 "Borreguita and the Coyote" by Verna Aardema, "The Iguana Brothers" by Tony Johnston, "Hill of Fire" by Thomas P. Lewis and "Too Many Tamales" by Gary Soto. As early as preschool, children are wild about "Dora the Explorer." These books are written by different authors, but share the format of learning a few Spanish words in each story. This makes learning vocabulary fun without being overwhelming.
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\f0\fs26 The Web site {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.bilingualbooks.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.bilingualbooks.com}} lists books for all ages arranged in categories.
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\f0\fs26 My current Spanish vocabulary is limited to "hello," "you're welcome" and "the other shoe." The original "Cinco de Mayo" was about a victory of Mexican troops over the French army. My "Cinco de Mayo" is going to about a resolution to learn more about Spanish and the people who speak it.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be contacted a {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 28, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Out of print doesn't mean out of luck
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 In my column on media literacy, I recommended "The Berenstain Bears' Media Madness" by Jan and Stan Berenstain. It happens that this particular book, originally published in 1995, is out of print. Despair not! Although children's books go out of print with here-today-gone-tomorrow speed, it's still possible to locate them.
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\f0\fs26 Local library collections are the ideal place to start to borrow books. For purchasing, there are numerous Web sites. Using "The Berenstain Bears' Media Madness" as my test book, I comparison shopped at four sites.
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\f0\fs26 First, I tried {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.addall.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.addall.com}}, advertised as a "Book Search and Price Comparison," that will "Search and Compare among 40-plus sites, 20,000 sellers, millions of books!" I especially liked this site because it automatically figured the shipping costs for each book.
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\f0\fs26 Other sites list only the price of the book. In this case, the price of the book is 48 cents and the shipping is $3.49. That's worth knowing before you proceed to the checkout.
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\f0\fs26 Second, I tried {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.alibris.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.alibris.com}}. Its lowest-priced used copy was $2.95, but its site advertises: "We select for you: the lowest cost copy of a book in 'very good condition' or better from our most reliable sellers."
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\f0\fs26 Third, I tried www.bibliofind. com. Its lowest-priced used copy was 50 cents, but I had to look through the list of 20 copies to find the cheapest one.
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\f0\fs26 Last, I tried {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.half.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.half.com}}. Because this site is sponsored by eBay, shoppers who have an eBay user ID and password may use them on this site. Its least expensive copy of the book was 59 cents.
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\f0\fs26 Although the sites I tried were the most obvious, there are plenty more out there in cyberspace. Some examples are bookbrothers.net, GreatBuyBooks and thriftbooks.com.
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\f0\fs26 Sites like amazon.com also list "used" copies. In fact, in this search, amazon.com had the lowest-priced copy. I've noticed that amazon.com starts listing "used" copies of a book as soon as the book is published.
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\f0\fs26 In some cases, these "used" copies are actually new books that were advance reading copies sent to reviewers and never meant to be sold. It's not the crime of the century to buy these books, but it does undercut royalties.
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\f0\fs26 In summary, just because a book is out of print does not mean that you are out of luck.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 21, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Storytelling fest to be global celebration
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Except for the cost of driving to Columbia (which becomes more formidable every day,) the "A(ugusta) Baker's Dozen: A Celebration of Stories" is absolutely free and open to the public.
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\f0\fs26 This two-day event begins Friday and continues Saturday as an outdoor festival of "Storytelling for Families," with stories and music from around the world.
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\f0\fs26 I'm always enthusiastic about the event, but this year, I'm wildly enthusiastic because Christopher Paul Curtis is the featured guest. Curtis is the author of "The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963," "Bud, Not Buddy," and "Bucking the Sarge." He will deliver the Augusta Baker lecture at 7 p.m. Friday at The Koger Center and will sign books Friday and Saturday.
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\f0\fs26 All three books are critically acclaimed. More important, kids from late elementary on through high school absolutely love them.
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\f0\fs26 "The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963" is about a fictional family from Michigan that travels to Alabama during the summer of 1963 when Birmingham became the focus of the civil rights movement.
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\f0\fs26 "Bud, Not Buddy" is the first book to receive the Newbery Medal as well as the Coretta Scott King Author Award. It's the story of a young black child searching for his father. Besides being a great story, it's a great story for reading aloud to fourth- and fifth-graders.
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\f0\fs26 "Bucking the Sarge" is my favorite, mostly because it's funny and tremendously satisfying. The overbearing, greedy, mean-spirited mother (the "Sarge") is completely outwitted by her smart, hard-working, kind and compassionate son.
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\f0\fs26 Even if you miss the festival, don't miss these books!
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\f0\fs26 For more information, visit {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.richland.lib.sc.us/baker.htm"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.richland.lib.sc.us/baker.htm}} or call (803) 929-3474.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be contacted at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:fhawk@postandcourier.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 fhawk@postandcourier.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 14, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Teaching children how to deconstruct media's images and messages
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 My father used to tell me to believe none of what I heard and only half of what I saw. He would have approved of media literacy. If you haven't been bombarded with this concept, you soon will be.
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\f0\fs26 My working definition: Media literacy is the ability to evaluate, analyze, access and produce communication. It's the process of being able to think critically about incoming information.
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\f0\fs26 Thinking critically always has been a big deal, but it's an even bigger deal now because children are getting a large chunk of their information and entertainment from screens: television screens, computer monitors and video games. Kids need the savvy to evaluate the hundreds of messages, both overt and subtle, that they're exposed to every day.
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\f0\fs26 Even very young children can begin learning what's true and what's false. One kindergarten teacher taught her students fantasy versus reality by using advertisements for Froot Loops and Tang. She helped them understand that these products are more sugar than fruit and that advertising is not necessarily factual. The teacher's goal was to make the students see themselves as active participants of the media (Instructor Magazine, November).
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\f0\fs26 A third-grade teacher taught truth in images by showing slides of Africa that included sophisticated urban scenes, as well as jungle photographs. The students were amazed to learn that Africa had cities, because their only exposure to African landscape was through "The Lion King" and "Tarzan." Students also can take their own pictures, showing the same person in different poses, to convince them that photographs can be manipulated to send the message desired by the photographer (Instructor Magazine, November).
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\f0\fs26 A friend e-mailed me a digital photo of my face on a milk carton. I have it posted in the library, where kids exclaim over it while getting the message that they have to be able to differentiate between tricks and the truth. The availability of image-altering software makes it imperative for all of us to develop these skills.
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\f0\fs26 Life used to be so simple. The old, print-based world required very different, far less stringent, critical-thinking skills than those required in our current electronic world. In general, whatever our age and place, we need to learn how to deconstruct media, figuring out the where, when, what, who and how of information to determine whether it is trustworthy and authentic.
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\f0\fs26 There's lots of help out there help that can be trusted. The Sheridan Libraries at Johns Hopkins University sponsor a site called "Evaluating Information Found on the Internet" that can be found at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.library.jhu.edu/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.library.jhu.edu/}} researchhelp/general/evaluating.
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\f0\fs26 FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN:
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Berenstain Bears' Media Madness" by Stan and Jan Berenstain.
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Bionic Bunny Show" by Marc Brown.
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\f0\fs26 FOR AGES 10 AND UP:
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\f0\fs26 -- "Media Madness -- An Insider's Guide to the Media" by Dominic Ali.
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\f0\fs26 FOR TEENAGERS:
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\f0\fs26 -- "Teens and the Media" by Roger E. Hernandez.
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\f0\fs26 -- "Caution! This May Be an Advertisement -- A Teen Guide to Advertising" by Kathlyn Gay.
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\f0\fs26 "Media literacy is not just important, it's absolutely critical. It's going to make the difference between whether kids are a tool of the mass media or whether the mass media is a tool for kids to use" (Access Learning, March).
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 7, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Story Reader' almost as good as live reader
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 'Wrong Again" is the title of a book written by my friend Jane O'Boyle. Today I need to borrow her title for this column. As sort of a purist librarian and reader, I've scoffed at the notion of the electronic reading apparatus and dismissed the entire genre as an expensive and ineffective fad. Case open. Case shut.
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\f0\fs26 Recently, I was asked to consider the "Story Reader, which debuted on the scene of electronic reading machines in 2003. I didn't want to reopen a closed case, but I was sufficiently curious to want to field test the product. First I loaned it to a 17-year-old student to try with her 4-year-old child. The mother reads to this child regularly, so he definitely knows the difference between "live" reading and electronic reading. The child loved the "Story Reader." He called it "the noise book" because it talked to him and also made the sounds that went along with the story.
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\f0\fs26 The mother really liked the "Story Reader" because her son repeated what the book was saying. Through listening, he was making the connection that the words in print on the page were the actual words in speech. He could easily use the "Story Reader" independently. When I borrowed the "Story Reader" for another field test, he cried. (I apologize for his grief, which I didn't hear about until later. Yes, I will return the "Story Reader" to him!)
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\f0\fs26 Next stop was Sherry Church's first-grade classroom. Once again, the "Story Reader" triumphed. After several weeks of "testing," Church said, "My kids have really enjoyed using "Story Reader" during their center time. They like listening because the characters sound like the original characters. Some students, especially my lower-level kids, like just listening to the words and looking at the pictures. My higher-level students enjoy tracking the print. They think it's fun to put on headphones and read along. Their interest level is high because they are familiar with the characters, including Elmo, Nemo and Grover. It is a great way to get kids motivated to read unfamiliar text. Students feel comfortable picking up the book even when they can't read the words because the book is read to them."
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\f0\fs26 Publications International Ltd, the maker of "Story Reader," says their product "has been well-received by parents and critics alike and has even been referred to by one reporter as 'the next best thing to a parent's lap.' " In this case, there is truth in the advertising. "Story Reader" has won numerous awards, including The National Parenting Center's 2004 Seal of Approval. In online reviews, parents report that their children love "Story Reader" and that it helps children read independently. An article in Reading Research Quarterly reported that "Electronic reading produced experiences and effects similar to adult-read printed books. ... Findings suggested that children profited from electronic books at least when electronic books are read in a context where adults also read books to children."
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\f0\fs26 Especially in comparison to most toys, the price of "Story Reader" seems reasonable. A basic unit costs about $20 with each "book" available for about $8. The books aren't indestructible, but then neither are paper books.
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\f0\fs26 There is only one authentic "Real Thing" and that is a real live adult reading to a real live child. However, "Story Reader" is the "Next Best Thing."
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 31, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 S.C. Book Awards highlights annual school librarian meeting
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Of The Post and Courier Staff
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\f0\fs26 School librarians from all over South Carolina, 700 strong, gathered in Florence for their annual meeting. These are my people. In our own estimation, we are a very cool group of professionals. This year, we were even cooler than usual. All our banquets and general sessions were held in the hockey arena, where plywood was all that separated us from the ice rink beneath. If you hear a rumor that your beloved local librarian got cold feet, it's not a reference to her lack of courage. It just means she attended the conference on ice.
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\f0\fs26 The South Carolina Book Awards are a highlight of each year's gathering. The program began in 1975 with 16 participating schools. In the past year, more than 200 schools participated. The books are selected by volunteer committees in categories that include children's books and young adult books.
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\f0\fs26 The lists are circulated and voted on by readers all across the state. I pay special attention to these titles because I feel they are "our" choices, not nefarious, commerce-driven choices made by faceless expects far away in some big city.
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\f0\fs26 "Scribbler of Dreams" by Mary E. Pearson, recommended for young adult readers ages 12 and up, is one of my favorite winners for 2004. In her acceptance speech this month, Pearson (a former second-grade teacher) spoke about the inspiration for her novel. She wanted to write about the roots of hatred. She wanted to explore how and where hatred starts and what causes it to flourish. The novel succeeds admirably in showing that good and loving people do hate; that it's comfortable and easy to rest in the "dark, warm cocoon of pre-judgment;" that hatred can become a legacy that loudly reverberates through generations.
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\f0\fs26 She begins the novel with this quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility." The story is an updated, utterly believable "Romeo and Juliet" theme that grabs readers at the beginning, hurtles them through deceptions and revelations, and deposits them (breathless,) at the satisfying ending. Readers find all the messages that Pearson intended -- and more.
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\f0\fs26 "My Dog, My Hero" was the winner of the S.C. Children's Book Award. One of the authors of this book was Betsy Byars, who is a living legend in the world of children's books. Two of her most familiar titles are "Summer of the Swans" and "The Pinballs." The other two authors of the book were her daughters, Betsy Duffy and Laurie Myers. In her speech, Byars reminisced about Robert McClosky, another legendary author of children's books. McClosky had said he wanted his books to be "ladders" for children to reach other books. Byars wants her books to be "ladders" as well. For librarians, this is an important and inspirational image. Maybe the ultimate purpose of all books is to lead readers to more books.
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\f0\fs26 So now "my people" and I are back in circulation in our libraries, circulating books and hoping the circulation will eventually return to our feet.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franhawk@postandcourier.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franhawk@postandcourier.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 24, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Crusader calling for more reading in homes
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Jim Trelease, author of "The Read-Aloud Handbook," is one of my Top Five Reading Heroes. This was true even before I heard his keynote speech at the South Carolina International Reading Association Conference.
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\f0\fs26 He began his address by "doing the math." Children spend 900 hours a year in school and 7,800 hours a year outside of school. If we agree that teachers must be held accountable, the "teachers" who have the children for the most hours are the parents.
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\f0\fs26 Trelease's Manifesto (My title, not his): By changing the homes, we can revolutionize the schools. "Yes!" And "Yes!" again. We already know the critical importance of reading to children from infancy. We already know the critical importance of having printed material available to children in their homes. For me, it seemed like having the information and changing the homes are entirely different and daunting things.
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\f0\fs26 Trelease is a crusader who is completely undaunted by reading failures in the past. He is calling for a new in-your-face public awareness campaign similar to the anti-smoking campaign that changed the habits of 70 percent of Americans. A vast majority of parents rate their children's schools with "A's" and "B's." We don't need different schools. We need different homes. The students who read the best are the students who read outside of school. Students who read the most, read the best. These facts are basic, axiomatic, true and overlooked.
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\f0\fs26 The tens of millions of children who read "Harry Potter" probably read most of the pages outside school. One complaint from teachers was that students who were reading the Harry Potter books were skipping words. Trelease says that students learn new words by encountering them 12 times embedded in context, not by looking them up. Therefore, when a child is skipping words, she is still meeting those words. Readers have to read at a certain speed, otherwise comprehension is compromised. As proficient readers meet words they don't need, they skip them. Proficient readers often skip the middle letters in words. The student that's familiar with the most words, reads faster.
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\f0\fs26 The National Reading Panel reports that Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) can't be proven to improve reading skills.
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\f0\fs26 Trelease vehemently disagrees for the reasons cited above, as well as other research the panel failed to consider. In the long-term studies, SSR improved reading.
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\f0\fs26 Trelease also takes issue with another government study. Although the First Commission on Reading (1985) reported that the single most important factor was reading to children, the study done in 2000 didn't mention reading to children anywhere in its 500 pages. A child's listening vocabulary provides the reservoir of words from which he learns to speak, write and read. Listening comprehension is a critical antecedent to reading comprehension. The children who know the most words do the best. The lesson here is not to believe everything you read in a government document. (Maybe you already knew that.)
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\f0\fs26 Of everything Trelease said, I was most astonished by his statistics on reading in Finland. Finnish children have the highest reading scores in the world. They also watch the most TV, most of it U.S. exports. How can that possibly be true? It's true because more than 50 percent of Finnish TV is closed captioned. Closed-captioned TV is the most successful and cost-effective reading tutor. All families need to do is turn it on.
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\f0\fs26 For even more riveting information, consult Trelease's Web site at: {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.trelease-on-reading.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 10, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 How to 'produce' successful readers
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 What happens when thousands of South Carolina reading teachers gather for their annual conference? The short answer is: More than I could ever have imagined was possible.
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\f0\fs26 New books, new ideas, authors, speakers and colleagues with whom to process all the buzz.
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\f0\fs26 Dr. Richard Allington was a keynote speaker who addressed the fundamental requirements for "producing" a successful reader. According to the research he cited, a fourth-grader reading on grade level reads two hours a day. An advanced fourth-grader reads three hours a day. The very best students read four to five hours a day. Fourth-graders that are behind read less than two hours a day. These hours may accumulate in and out of school. The students who practice the most are the students who become the most proficient. That's not a surprise.
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\f0\fs26 It does surprise me that such a tremendous number of hours are required for proficiency. I've never worked in a school that emphasized the volume of reading, but it makes sense to me that the hours spent would be critically important.
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\f0\fs26 Taking into account the length of beginning chapter books, the average second-grader who reads two hours a day would plow through 1,000 books a year. (I didn't do the math, but presumably Allington did.) As an elementary school librarian, I remember children who could easily polish off three "Henry and Mudge" books in a single day. If their teachers had let them loose from their classrooms to come to the library five times a day, they probably would have read five books.
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\f0\fs26 Considering that a wide choice of titles is extremely important for motivating children, that would mean 2,000 or 3,000 second-grade books should be available. When children have easy access to interesting titles, they expand their reading.
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\f0\fs26 This partly explains why children need classroom and home libraries, as well as school and public libraries.
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\f0\fs26 On the subject of struggling readers, Allington was adamant that teachers have to match the student with the material. Rather than giving students texts that they can't read, it's imperative to start with the material that they can read accurately, fluently and with high comprehension. Inappropriate materials are useless. I know students that have desks full of books they can't comprehend.
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\f0\fs26 The same textbook won't be appropriate for every student in a class. I would rather have a sixth-grade student reading and learning social studies on a third-grade level than not reading and learning at all.
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\f0\fs26 In closing, Allington talked about the need to help our children develop the ability to engage in literate conversation. He believes this ability is critical to their development as readers and also results in higher test scores. Conversation, as opposed to interrogation, gives students the chance to discuss a book without right and wrong answers.
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\f0\fs26 Listening to Allington made me realize that the quiz questions we ask students on Accelerated Reader tests are the antithesis of the book discussions adults have with each other. I would never ask an adult to tell me the full name of the detective who appeared in Chapter Three. I might ask an adult to tell me how she thought the detective put the clues together. Those thought questions help students (and adults) learn to engage in literate conversation and (incidentally) help them to remember what they read.
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\f0\fs26 This column summarizes what Dr. Richard Allington said according to my notes. If you want to know what he really says and thinks, in his own words, you may be interested in his books, which include: "Classrooms that Work," "No Quick Fix," Schools that Work" and "Teaching Struggling Readers."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 3, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Campaign promotes reading every day
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 'You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child."
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\f0\fs26 "Read Across America," sponsored by the National Education Association, is a nationwide campaign to promote reading every day. Although technically it's celebrated on March 2, Dr. Seuss' birthday, any day is a good day to celebrate reading.
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\f0\fs26 When I was telling my son about a song I liked, he laughed and told me the singer was a guy who brags that he's never read a book. That singer best keep silent during the "Read Across America" celebration because celebrities of every stripe are bragging about reading. Sports stars, rock 'n' rollers, country singers, the Screen Actors Guild -- they're high-profile advocates of books and reading.
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\f0\fs26 Every year, the event gets bigger with people finding more innovative and original ways to celebrate. Elementary schools are famous for cooking up actual green eggs and ham and sponsoring activities that involve Dr. Seuss hats. I read my favorite Dr. Seuss book, "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins" to the first-graders. They looked puzzled when I told them that my teacher had read the book to me when I was in first grade. We stopped long enough to do some subtraction and figure out that this classic has been captivating children for more than 60 years.
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\f0\fs26 The events I like the most are those that promise to encourage reading beyond the celebration day and those events that can be replicated. Some examples are creating a library at a juvenile jail facility, collecting books to give to babies, and inviting grandparents to read regularly to schoolchildren.
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\f0\fs26 The events the media likes the most are splashy. The ultimate in "splash" was rechristening the USS Nassau to be the official "Readership." I hope the officers and sailors who read to the children on rechristening day will continue to read to the children on regular days.
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\f0\fs26 One school district partnered with a grocery-store chain and arranged to have students' book reports pasted on grocery bags. What an inspired idea to bring home the books and bring home the bacon at the same time! Other schools encouraged parents to unplug the TV and read as a family. In a literal interpretation of "Read Across America," one school challenged its students to read a book for every mile it would take to drive from coast to coast.
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\f0\fs26 I enjoy an hour each week baby sitting for a friend's triplets. At 14 months, they love their books and even have their favorite books. When I start reading a book, they start rotating through my lap. While they wait their turns, they sit with their books, pointing at pictures and turning the pages. Of course, it's important to read to children. It's also important to remember that it's a lot of fun -- for both you and the child.
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\f0\fs26 Reading is a good thing. Reading is a good time. Read America, read! (Apologies to "Go Dog, Go.")
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 17, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Variety of books celebrates black history
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Black History Month is a yearly opportunity to focus on the black experience in its wondrously varied manifestations and permutations. Some of my black students will read only books by and about black people. Fortunately, there are numerous books that fit that description. Unfortunately, they're limiting themselves.
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\f0\fs26 Prejudice, on both sides, is alive and well. I confront and combat that Hydra-headed monster every day. Basically what I tell the kids is: There are good and bad people of all races. To judge by skin color is to limit yourself.
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\f0\fs26 The same applies to books. Ideally, all colors of kids would read all "colors" of books. Hyperion "Jump at the Sun" has published several new series of books for young children. These small paperbacks present classic stories, holiday stories and easy readers featuring a girl named "Shanna" with illustrations that paint all the characters black.
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\f0\fs26 The titles include "Cinderella," "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Kwanzaa," and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." ("Goldilocks' " brown hair is braided into cornrows.) The first-graders enjoy these books.
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\f0\fs26 For slightly older children, Hyperion publishes a series of books about a spunky, black third-grader named Willimena. The author, Valerie Wilson Wesley, is an editor at large for "Essence" magazine. If simply changing the color of the characters helps young black children to identify with the books and encourages them to read, I'm all for it. I'm also all for children reading the books and then moving on and benefiting from the big picture, which is the enormous canvas of literature that includes every color that exists.
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\f0\fs26 "Skin Again" by Bell Hooks and illustrated by Chris Raschka is a new book by the same team that brought us "Happy to Be Nappy." It begins with, "The skin I'm in is just a covering. It cannot tell my story."
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\f0\fs26 The object of the book is to help children consider that the important part of people is what's on the inside. Although race does matter, loving and accepting one another will enrich our lives. First-graders were unfazed by the wild and crazy art. They could easily tell me the central message.
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\f0\fs26 Another new book is "African Princess: The Amazing Lives of Africa's Royal Women" by Joyce Hansen (who lives in West Columbia) and stunningly illustrated by Laurie McGaw. The book is outstanding. Although the reading level is upper elementary into middle school, I wish it could be in every elementary classroom for inspiration and insight.
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\f0\fs26 The Disney behemoth, with help from numerous sources, churns out reams of "Princess" paraphernalia. Movies, books and princess costumes are must-haves for the surprisingly wide age range that has bought into the princess cult. "African Princess" presents a powerful reality check. The first-graders were mesmerized.
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\f0\fs26 The jacket blurb reads: "The people of Africa are as varied as its landscape, with their own languages, music, art, religion, stories, and ways of life. The six African princesses and queens described here represent the rich cultural heritage of this ancient land. ... Their dramatic stories contain lessons for our own lives."
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\f0\fs26 Think of Black History Month as 28 days to maximize our opportunities to open the minds of children.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be contacted at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franhawk@awol.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franhawk@awol.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 10, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children learn about Charleston
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 1D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Charleston, charming Charle-ston. The beautiful city by the sea that launched a thousand children's books. Maybe not quite a thousand, but a lot! Like the city, each of these books is charming and unique. Each author and illustrator has presented Charleston and South Carolina as inviting and attractive places to visit and explore.
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\f0\fs26 "Palmetto Pals: Sal & Cal -- Adventures in South Carolina" was written by Folly Beach resident Ellen B. de Jong and illustrated by Katherine Du Tremble. In addition to being the stars of the story, Sal and Cal are also small stuffed dolls. The first-graders took one look and laughed themselves silly. The dolls are a cross between children and palmetto trees with green spiky hair that is hilarious and endearing. The children enjoyed the book. It's full of facts about Charleston and South Carolina and includes a bibliography of books and Web sites.
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\f0\fs26 "Stroll With Mr. Emmett: A Walk Through Charleston" was written by Theresa Lubbers, who is a Charleston resident and former teacher and librarian. The first-graders loved this book. Starting in January, Mr. Emmett (a miniature schnauzer) takes readers on a month-by-month tour of the city, hitting all the seasonal highlights, including Spoleto and Santa. Literally dozens of photographs illustrate the "stroll." Mr. Emmett wears a new bandanna for each month, which he enjoys sporting and the children enjoyed spotting.
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\f0\fs26 "Mr. Gator's Up the Creek" by Julie McLaughlin and illustrated by Ann Marie McKay, is the sequel to their highly successful "Hungry Mr. Gator." Both books depict Lowcountry animal habitats. This sequel is focused on science for elementary school students. The Mount Pleasant Barnes & Noble will host a book signing Saturday 2-4 p.m.
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\f0\fs26 "Hermy the Hermit Crab: The Adventure Begins" was written by Andrea Weathers and illustrated by Bob Thames, both Lowcountry natives. As Hermy grows from a tiny zoea (the first stage of his life) to a megalops (a juvenile hermit crab). he takes in the sights of Charleston, including The Battery, the S.C. Aquarium and the basket ladies. The attractive illustrations document his growth, as well as the sights of Charleston. Children are learning about the life cycle of hermit crabs as they learn about the city. An extensive glossary and a summary of hermit crabs follow the text.
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\f0\fs26 "The Big Storm," by Christi Sanford and illustrated by Warner McGee, is the newest adventure of "Legare the Lowcountry Lizard." This super little book succeeds in both educating and reassuring children about hurricanes.
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\f0\fs26 Legare's experience is written in rhyming large print. Scientific and historical information is written in small print at the bottom of each page. This arrangement makes the book useful for a wide range of ages.
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\f0\fs26 Some of these books are self-published, meaning that the authors have arranged to have copies printed and are handling their own publicity and marketing.
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\f0\fs26 Many authors choose this method of publication so that they maintain autonomy over the text and choose their own illustrators.
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\f0\fs26 The public (you and I) benefit because more books are available. This is especially true for books of local interest that a national publisher might overlook. Distribution may work differently for these titles. If you don't find them at a big outlet, be sure to request that the store carry the title(s) you'd like to see and purchase. This benefits you, Charleston at large, the authors and the children who read the books.
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\f0\fs26 These books would be perfect presents for Valentine's Day. They are all about loving (Charleston).
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be contacted at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 3, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children's imaginations take flight when dealing with sad endings
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Sandlapper Publishing Company in Orangeburg is a regional, independent publisher and distributor of books about the South, primarily South Carolina. They were publishing children's books about the H.L. Hunley and sweetgrass baskets years before these were everyday topics. With "Amadeus: The Leghorn Rooster" by Delores B. Nevils, Sandlapper is once again ahead of the curve. This is the first children's book illustrated by Jonathan Green.
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\f0\fs26 This true story about a "widow lady" and her pets takes place in the Corners community of St. Helena Island. True stories sometimes do have sad endings, and this is one of them. Nevils tells her tale as it actually happened, not as it might have happened in a perfect world. Dogs, cats and the rooster all leave the widow lady and "the tiny house that has twenty-six windows."
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\f0\fs26 Could first-graders handle a sad ending? Since I didn't know the answer to that question, I decided to hedge my bet by introducing the story through introducing the illustrator. I brought the lavishly illustrated coffee-table book "Gullah Images: The Art of Jonathan Green" and showed the children a sampling of the work. In the beginning of the book, Pat Conroy writes, "The Gullah people depicted in Jonathan Green's work look as if they got dressed while staring at rainbows."
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\f0\fs26 Maybe the first-graders wouldn't have phrased their opinions exactly as Conroy did, but they agreed with his concept. They loved the bright, bold colors and were quick to notice that the paintings showed everyday scenes such as fishing and laundry hanging out to dry. They could easily identify the illustrations in "Amadeus" as Green's art.
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\f0\fs26 When I finished reading, my sad face was looking out over a semicircle of sad little faces. I asked, "Now that you know how the story ends, do you wish you hadn't heard it?"
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\f0\fs26 I was very surprised by the responses. Although a few children would have chosen not to have heard it, the majority would not have wanted to miss it. Their teacher pointed out that it was important to hear all kinds of stories with all kinds of endings. The children pointed out that there could be a happy sequel if the whole community got together and helped to find the rooster. Their imaginations took flight with alternative endings. Some pages of the book were text only, which required that the children imagine their own illustrations.
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\f0\fs26 I left that classroom reminding myself, "Live and learn!"
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\f0\fs26 The colorful simplicity of Jonathan Green's paintings makes his art accessible to children. "Off the Wall and Onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green" will be presented at the Gaillard Auditorium on Feb. 11 and 12. Details are available at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.DancingTheArt.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.DancingTheArt.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 Learning about the same subject through several routes is what schools call "extension" of learning. In the case of Green, it also can be called "having a great time!"
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 20, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 What my family read over the holidays
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 The annual report on the Hawk Holiday Reading is finalized -- the column for which you've all been waiting. There has been a short delay because one of my fingers was dislocated in a skiing accident. Typing with an impaired left little finger results in many erratic and erroneous q's, as well as random "caps lock."
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\f0\fs26 Our youngest son works in New York and gets a lot of reading done on the subway ride to his office. He recommends: "We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda" by Philip Gourevitch; "Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith" by Jon Krakauer and "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser. For vacation, he brought "Our Dumb Century: The Onion Presents 100 Years of Headlines from America's Finest News Source." Anyone who enjoys the extremely politically incorrect will hoot, howl and guffaw over this book.
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\f0\fs26 Our twins are in graduate schools. After exams, they are ready to read anything that isn't a textbook.
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\f0\fs26 I persuaded one of the boys to read "All the King's Men" by Robert Penn Warren. It's one of those "oldies but goodies" that's good and good for you, especially if you live in the South. Our son was laughing out loud.
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\f0\fs26 The other twin really liked "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd (one of my all-time favorite books).
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\f0\fs26 My husband was reading "The Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren. It's a wonderfully spiritual book and perfect for starting the new year.
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\f0\fs26 This Christmas, I was mostly reading books I could recommend to my high school students. The one I'll recommend most highly is "Leaving Atlanta: A Novel" by Tayari Jones. It's the fictional, but very realistic account of the two-year nightmare in Atlanta during which 29 black children were murdered. It reminded me of the nonfiction genre of crime stories that includes "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote and "Who Killed My Daughter?" by Lois Duncan.
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\f0\fs26 "Make Lemonade" by Virginia Euwer Wolff is the first book in a trilogy of excellent stories written in a kind of blank verse. For reluctant readers who don't like pages crammed with text, these are perfect.
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\f0\fs26 This book is about a 14-year-old girl who baby-sits for a 17-year-old unwed mother with two young children. The plots clip right along, full of love, hope and the possibility for change.
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\f0\fs26 "The First Part Last" by Angela Johnson is about a 16-year-old boy whose girlfriend is pregnant. He struggles to "figure out what the right thing is and then do it. No matter what the cost." The "cost" turns out to be greater than anyone involved could have imagined.
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\f0\fs26 "Blue Blood -- An Ivy League Mystery" by Pamela Thomas-Graham was interesting and fun. It's a perfect "airport" book. I was fascinated by the author, who is a graduate of Harvard-Radcliffe College, Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.
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\f0\fs26 "When She Hollers" by Cynthia Voigt is about a teenager who is being sexually abused by her stepfather. Excellent advice of all kinds -- psychological, legal, practical -- is woven into the plotline, so that the protagonist is empowered to break away from her abuser.
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\f0\fs26 "The Same Stuff as Stars" by Katherine Paterson is about two children who come to live with their impoverished grandmother because their father is in jail and their mother abandons them. Despite the desperate circumstances, the story is uplifting.
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\f0\fs26 The best thing about this annual report is that being "annual," it only happens once a year.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 13, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Charleston-based book depicts horse as hero
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 If I were a grandmother (which I'm not) and I had grandchildren who lived in another city (which I don't), I would attempt to lure them to Charleston. As bait, I would use children's books that present Charleston in such an appealing light that those grandchildren would beg their parents to bring them.
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\f0\fs26 "Chestnut" is precisely the right book for purposes of persuasion. It's a brand-new picture book written by Constance McGeorge and gloriously illustrated by Charleston's own Mary Whyte. School Library Journal says, "The airy, soft-hued watercolor illustrations are as lovely as the lilting language."
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\f0\fs26 This story is about a wise and caring horse that rescues an important birthday party from ruin. Even though the story takes place when Charleston's streets were cobbled, Mrs. Church's first-graders immediately recognized their city and were thrilled to see it in a book. They enjoyed the gentle humor and were especially happy that the kindly hero was a horse. The story builds to an excellent conclusion and is perfect for reading aloud. This is one of those rare books that leaves children sighing with satisfaction.
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\f0\fs26 Whyte has illustrated many other books for children, including "P is for Palmetto" by Carol Crane. Critics outdo themselves in rhapsodizing about her work. Publishers Weekly says her "art encapsulates the lyricism of the text." School Library Journal refers to Whyte's "striking use of light, ... effective compositions and varied perspectives." Other admirers call her work "lovely," "witty," "delightful," "dynamic," "truly spectacular" and "gorgeous."
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\f0\fs26 Whyte's formal watercolors, as well as her books, are available at Coleman Fine Art on Church Street.
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\f0\fs26 Her books also are available at bookstores and online. For the past decade, her paintings have captured the Gullah way of life. Her book, "Alfreda's World," chronicles her friendships with Johns Island women who are descendants of slaves. Whyte is nationally recognized as an artist, illustrator and painting teacher.
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\f0\fs26 The world of children's books is a better place with Whyte in it. When Charleston fills up with grandchildren, give "Chestnut" some credit.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 6, 2005 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Second thoughts on Dave Barry's book
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\f0\fs26 It should have been, could have been, better. Last summer, I received my review copy of "Peter and the Starcatchers" by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. I put it on the top of my stack of "must-reads." I love Dave Barry.
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\f0\fs26 Reading Dave Barry in the Sunday paper has made me late for church more than any other single reason. I want to laugh before I leave the house, and Dave was sure to accommodate me.
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\f0\fs26 The concept of the book is terrific. The whole idea of a prequel by Dave Barry written for "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie was intriguing. In the original "Peter Pan," Peter hears his parents talking about what they expect him to be when he grows up. That overheard conversation convinces Peter that he will find a way to be a boy forever. This new version takes an entirely different tact.
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\f0\fs26 I wanted to laugh uproariously through the entire adventure. I didn't. I finished the book (all 451 pages) thinking that Barry and Ridley (a mystery writer) had had more fun writing it than I'd had reading it. Even the parts that were supposed to be funny didn't strike me as funny. For example, the pirates have a secret weapon that will make their ship sail faster than any other ship. It's a pair of sails designed in the shape of an enormous black brassiere and called "the ladies." "Captain Underpants" by Dav Pilkey uses the same kind of humor but manages to be a lot funnier.
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\f0\fs26 As the speaker at the Pinopolis Book Club, I was trying to sound as book-wise as possible because this is a group of real readers who know books. On the topic of celebrities as writers, I mentioned my disappointment in "Peter and the Starcatchers." One of the club members responded that two of her grandchildren had read and loved it.
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\f0\fs26 She described herself as the kind of grandmother who will buy any book her grandchildren request. In return, the children tell her about the books. (What a terrific grandmother! And a great idea!)
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\f0\fs26 With my credibility tattered around the edges, I quickly moved along to a different topic. The book, however, continued to make me wonder -- especially since it's now getting front billing in bookstores and is high on best-seller lists. In the most recent issue of the New York Times Book Review, Children's Books, I found a review of the book by Michael Gorra.
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\f0\fs26 In part, Gorra agreed with my assessment. He thinks the writers had a fine time writing the book, "but the result feels more manufactured than imagined." He, too, was struck by the sophomoric humor of "the ladies ... twin mountains of fabric, funnel shaped, pointed and bulging ahead in the breeze."
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\f0\fs26 Although Gorra was not too impressed when he read the book to himself, he decided to read the book to his 6-year-old daughter. (The book is recommended for ages 10 and up.) He reports that reading it aloud made him think better of it. The clear details of sailing, the action, the suspense and the "ever-escalating series of troubles" kept him reading and his daughter listening.
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\f0\fs26 When high-profile authors write highly hyped books, steel yourself. Even if the book doesn't get you, the (inevitable) movie probably will.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 30, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Creative incentives motivate children to read
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Reading and writing contests are foremost among my tactics to keep our school library interesting. "Your Write To Win" is a contest for which students write a poem or an essay to win the prize of the month. The prize is always random, since it's whatever I found on the clearance shelf at Marshall's or T.J. Maxx. One month, the prize was a basket full of Italian foods. A student rolled her eyes and told me she was not going to the trouble of writing an essay just to win some noodles. So OK ... some of my choices are more popular than others.
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\f0\fs26 This December, I put an elaborate, cellophane-wrapped gingerbread house in the center of the library. With end-of-course testing, exams and other distractions, I needed an extra incentive to keep kids reading. I also needed to motivate students to return all overdue books before the long holiday break.
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\f0\fs26 For every book checked out and for every book returned, I told students they could put one entry into a drawing for the gingerbread house. The more books checked out and returned, the more chances they had to win. Of course, there were the clowns who checked out and returned books in one fluid motion. Outsmarting the librarian is not that difficult! Overall, with the few requisite glitches, my plan was successful.
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\f0\fs26 "School Libraries Work!" is a research foundation paper published by Scholastic. It brings together findings "from nearly a decade of empirical studies that cite the measurable impact of school libraries and library media specialists on learning outcomes." Granted, they aren't talking specifically about contests to win noodles and gingerbread houses. They are talking about the important position of school librarians (and teachers) to serve as a students' daily contact with adults who "read regularly and widely and who serve as positive reading role models."
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\f0\fs26 "Simply providing teachers with a generous supply of children's books had little effect on the educational outcomes of students." This quote from The Journal of Educational Research says it all. A library is just a roomful of books until we make that room interesting to a child. And a book is just a book until we help the child make a connection. Children may be knee deep in gift books, but they may not be reading.
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\f0\fs26 When school libraries are closed for the holidays, children need other incentives to keep reading. Reading is probably not going to happen without parents who "serve as positive reading role models" and make libraries and books a vitally interesting and fun part of their children's vacation. Show enthusiasm for the books your child received as gifts. Visit your public library and borrow books on tape or a great read-aloud book. Or just books! Introduce yourself and your children to the librarians and ask for suggestions. Or ask for books of suggestions. If all else fails, try a contest.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 9, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Simplification the path to a perfect Christmas
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 'Understand that only you can make yourself less busy." "Ponder genuine joy." "Don't shop for friends on your lunch hour. Go to lunch with your friends." These are all quotes from a tiny red and green book called "How to Have a Perfect Christmas" by Helen Isolde. One of my friends used to have a soup lunch at her house for all of us who were dashing in circles getting ready for the holidays. I've long forgotten every errand I ever ran, but decades later I remember the joy and comfort of those lunches with good soup and good friends. Those time-outs epitomized what the holidays were supposed to be.
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\f0\fs26 "Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season" by Jo Robinson and Jean C. Staeheli is an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to reduce the materialism and stress of the holidays. Updated and now in its 13th printing, it stands out as the favorite reference for advice on how to teach children that Christmas is about much more than just presents.
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\f0\fs26 This book helps readers identify the parts of Christmas that really matter and are important to keep as traditions. It also helps readers to identify what needs to be jettisoned.
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\f0\fs26 "Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas" by Bill McKibben presents a short but powerful case for combating "those relentless commercial forces" that lead to overspending. McKibben picks $100 as almost a random amount to remind people to "give things that matter." He asks readers to consider what they remember about last Christmas. Was it the presents (can you even remember the presents?) or was it a concert or a special breakfast?
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\f0\fs26 McKibben isn't saying, "Don't buy gifts." He is suggesting that we give our giving more thought and keep our buying and giving in a realm that actually benefits people.
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\f0\fs26 When our children were small and I was determined to simplify Christmas, I got most of my inspiration, encouragement and information from Alternatives for Simpler Living. Its motto: "Living simply that others may simply live."
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\f0\fs26 It describes itself as a "nonprofit organization that equips people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and celebrate responsibly." It was started in 1973 as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas and now focuses on celebrations of all kinds that reflect conscientious ways of living.
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\f0\fs26 The Web address is: www.simple living.org/ Other resources are available on the Web just by searching under topics like "simple Christmas celebrations."
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\f0\fs26 Be forewarned. When you decide to simplify Christmas, you'll join a small minority bucking a powerful current. Information is power, as well as being empowering. Walk softly and carry a minuscule shopping list.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 2, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Old books return for special visit
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Holiday books started accumulating about the same time our first child was born. Tree ornaments and other paraphernalia accumulated as well, but not at the same rate as the books. Essentials such as "A Visit From St. Nicholas" by Clement Moore and "Frosty the Snowman" in various versions formed the core of the ever-expanding collection.
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\f0\fs26 Although the children loved these books in December, they were beneath notice the rest of the year.
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\f0\fs26 I can take a hint. After gathering up all the titles that had any relation to the holidays, peripheral or otherwise, I dumped them in a cardboard box and stuffed the box in a closet. Nobody complained or even commented. Since my intention wasn't to hide the books from myself, I made a note on my calendar that I'd stashed them in the coat closet under the stairs.
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\f0\fs26 The next December, as if by magic, the books reappeared in the living room. Such excitement. It was as if old friends had returned for a visit, which describes exactly what happened. Memories returned as the books returned and were re-read. Our little holiday reading celebration was very low-key and very low-maintenance, but very special for our family. The bonus was that reading the books created quiet oases in the midst of mostly chaos. Each year we added a book or two, whatever was our favorite from that year's crop of new stories. The Christmas Book Box tradition was born.
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\f0\fs26 Now, decades later, I still haul out that cardboard box of dog-eared books at the beginning of every December. They occupy a central place on the coffee table where we all sort through them, reading snippets, laughing and saying, "I remember ..."
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\f0\fs26 Friends have started similar collections for grandchildren. Instead of giving toys, the grandparents have started libraries that the grandchildren enjoy when they come to visit. These libraries probably are housed in something a little more elegant than a cardboard box, but whatever works.
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\f0\fs26 Suggestions for starting a Book Box:
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\f0\fs26 -- Regardless of which holiday you celebrate in December, I suggest you include "The Quiltmaker's Gift" by Jeff Brumbeau. In this wonderful story, the king tries to achieve happiness by getting as many gifts as he can accumulate from his subjects. The Quiltmaker convinces him that happiness comes from giving, rather than getting.
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\f0\fs26 -- Hanukkah books, like other holiday books, cover every aspect of the celebration from recipes to window art for everyone from toddlers to teens. "Nine Spoons -- A Chanukah Story" by Marci Stillerman is a kinder, gentler introduction to the Holocaust. As somber as the subject is, all children need to know about this. "Yesterday's Santa and the Chanukah Miracle" by Sarah Hartt-Snowbell is a story about taking pride in your religion, even if you are in a minority.
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\f0\fs26 -- For Christmas, buy a picture book of "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas for yourself. If the children enjoy it, so much the better. The older version is illustrated by Edward Ardizonne and a new award-winning version is illustrated by Chris Raschka. This story evokes an old-fashioned celebration with such eloquence that I get tears in my eyes every time I read it, tears of laughter and tears of appreciation for the beauty of the words.
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\f0\fs26 -- "Father Fox's Christmas Rhymes" by Clyde Watson is another of my favorites because it's funny, whimsical and sweet. The Fox family is threadbare but happy. They wish: "A wish for peace and love and joy
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\f0\fs26 "More precious things than any toy
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\f0\fs26 "There is enough, if we will share
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\f0\fs26 "For every creature, everywhere"
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\f0\fs26 -- "Santa's Littlest Helper" by Anu Stohner is the newcomer to my essentials list. Although the littlest Helper isn't chosen to ride with the big helpers on Santa's sleigh, he finds a way to bring Christmas where Christmas has never been brought before.
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\f0\fs26 -- Books about Kwanzaa are proliferating along with the rest of the holiday books. "Santa's Kwanzaa" by Garen Eileen Thomas is new this year and is one of the best of all the rest. A jolly African-American Santa with white beard and dreadlocks completes his traditional Christmas Eve rounds, then relaxes in his kente and celebrates Kwanzaa.
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\f0\fs26 For traditions, for memories, and for good times, books are the gifts that keep on giving.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 25, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children's book describes what the first Thanksgiving was all about
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 You're seated at Thanksgiving dinner. The expectation is that you'll convivially converse with your fellow guests. Some may be strangers about whom you know nothing. Some may be relatives with whom you must avoid all topics even related to politics, religion or other relatives. With such constraints, what will you say?
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\f0\fs26 How about: "... the time-honored image of Pilgrims inviting Indians to one meal is a myth." Surely that will start enough of a conversation that you can just coast on your contribution and relax for the remainder of the meal.
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\f0\fs26 I lifted that quote from a beautiful new children's book called "Giving Thanks: The 1621 Harvest Feast" by Kate Walters. The illustrations are vibrant color photographs taken by Russ Kendall at Plimoth Plantation.
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\f0\fs26 This book is designed to be an explanation of "what scholars think really happened."
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\f0\fs26 "Massasoit's visit (with his wife and 90 men) coincided with the harvest feast the English were already preparing."
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\f0\fs26 For the Wampanoag people (the tribe of Massasoit), prayers of thanksgiving were an integral part of daily life. For the Pilgrims, days of thanksgiving were days of prayer, not feasting. For that reason, scholars contend that the meal attended by the Indians was a harvest feast and not a thanksgiving feast. The story in the book is told by Dancing Moccasins, a 14-year-old Wampanoag boy, and Resolved White, a 6-year-old English boy. The intention is to give equal representation to the stories of both groups. The primary historical source material for the book was partly drawn from a letter written by Resolved's stepfather. In the letter, he described the meals and games for people back in England.
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\f0\fs26 If you're into sounding erudite, you can mention how much you're enjoying the "pompion" pie. I picked that appropriately Pilgrim word out of the glossary.
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\f0\fs26 After regaling your tablemates with historical conundrums, you may want to demonstrate your lighter side. Ask, "Why did the turkey cross the road?" While everyone is still pondering, share the answer: It was the chicken's day off! When the general hilarity die down, you could ask, "What is the vampire's favorite holiday?" Of course, it's fangs-giving! Then try the guests on, "What did the vulture say before dinner?" Let us prey! Everyone will be begging for more, but insist they consult "Thanksgiving Jokes and Riddles" by Craig Yoe.
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\f0\fs26 In recognition of your giving so much of yourself during the feast, the grateful hostess may want to reward your efforts by giving something back to you. She may want to give you directions to Ryan's so that you'll have plenty of time to find one of the convenient locations before next year.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 18, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Madonna's books get mixed reviews
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Madonna, the performer, is alive and well and reinvented as a children's book author. Years ago, "Borderline" was one of my favorite songs. Even so, I didn't appreciate her teaching my high school age daughter that wearing underwear as outerwear was the ultimate fashion statement. What could Madonna have to say that parents would want their children to hear?
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\f0\fs26 As an explanation of her new avocation, Madonna has said, "Now I'm starting to read to my son, but I couldn't believe how vapid and vacant and empty all the stories were."
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\f0\fs26 "Vapid," "vacant" and "empty." "ALL the stories ..." It's a miracle that English-speaking children's book lovers haven't evicted her from all their borderlines.
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\f0\fs26 Since she and her books seem here to stay, I read them. I asked children to read them. I read one to children.
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\f0\fs26 I considered the opinion of a teacher and parent. I read numerous reviews. I thought I knew what I thought, but now I'm totally confused.
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\f0\fs26 "Mr. Peabody's Apples," a 300-year-old Ukrainian folktale, is my far-and-away favorite of all Madonna's books.
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\f0\fs26 When I read it to the first-graders, they liked the illustrations, the story and the moral. Some of the reviewers agreed with us, but others accused Mr. Peabody of being self-righteous and suggested that the text was heavy-handed. I laughed out loud at the review that called this sweet little book "a hokey schmaltz-fest."
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\f0\fs26 Moving right along to my least favorite, "The English Roses." The moral of the book ("Don't hate me just because I'm beautiful") seemed appropriate for preteens, but the picture-book format seemed appropriate for elementary school.
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\f0\fs26 The illustrations struck me as appropriate for (if anything) an avant-garde fashion magazine. The parent, teacher and child who read it were under-whelmed. Some reviews agreed with us. Other reviews called the book "cleverly told" with "stunning illustrations."
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\f0\fs26 In my opinion, "Yakov and the Seven Thieves" has a great start, a great middle and a bewildering ending. The illustrations by Gennadii Spirin are museum quality. One reviewer advises people to cut out the pictures and forget about reading the book. Another reviewer says the book is "totally enticing and seductively unimpeachable." (Whatever the heck that's supposed to mean.) Yet another reviewer weighs in with, "The drawing is crude and the writing is lame."
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\f0\fs26 "The Adventures of Abdi" isn't high on my recommended list, but I know adults and children who love it. They suggest this title for older elementary children.
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\f0\fs26 Obviously, reviewers (including me, I admit) are having a field day with these books.
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\f0\fs26 Most of us can't resist the temptation to be snide, sarcastic and hilarious at Madonna's expense. You're cordially invited to join in the fun. The only price of admission is to first read the books. The question at hand: If underwear can be reinvented as outerwear, can Madonna be reinvented as an author?
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 4, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Storytelling a compelling way to open young minds
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 'Carolina Voices at South Carolina's Birthplace" is the perfect slogan for the South Carolina Storytelling Festival. Storytellers from Hilton Head, Greenville and points in between will converge at the Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site for a great day of storytelling in the park Saturday.
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\f0\fs26 And just why should we all go?
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\f0\fs26 I've heard Tim Lowry in person and on CD. He's an artist. He'll convince you that he actually is whoever he's pretending to be.
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\f0\fs26 I've watched as Linda Stout mesmerized children with her stories that involve participation. As Linda says, "Storytelling is powerful. By hearing stories, children gain a much better understanding of story structure. They build on this understanding to tell and write their own stories."
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\f0\fs26 We all know that our minds may wander during a sermon or a speech, until the speaker tells a story. Stories are compelling. They practically reach out, grab our attention and make us listen.
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\f0\fs26 The festival is centered around family storytelling. The roster of storytellers includes tellers with specialties in ghost stories, Southern living, comedy, drama, audience participation and singing.
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\f0\fs26 Children also may visit the puppetmaking tent at any time during the festival. Puppeteer and storyteller Yostie Ashley will help children construct simple puppets to take home.
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\f0\fs26 Mary Droge, the resident storyteller at the Gibbes Museum of Art, will conduct a workshop for parents and teachers at 10 a.m. called "Stories on the Spot." She'll be giving the participants tips on how to shape personal stories and family history into "tellable tales." The cost of the workshop is $15. Make reservations by calling 566-1380.
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\f0\fs26 I probably should mention that the South Carolina Storytelling Festival is free. Payment of the regular park fee admits visitors to all storytelling events.
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\f0\fs26 What a deal! What a great day in the park! Let's lend them our ears!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 28, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Kids of all ages can enjoy timely treats of silly, slightly scary Halloween tales
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Of The Post and Courier Staff
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Mom says, 'You children are in for a treat.
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\f0\fs26 " 'A good scare can knock you right flat off your feet
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\f0\fs26 " 'And make your eyes pop and your heart beat like thunder.'
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\f0\fs26 "She says that it's fun, but we do have to wonder."
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\f0\fs26 And so begins my favorite new picture book for Halloween, "Here They Come" by David Costello. In this silly, slightly scary tale, it's the human children in costumes who scare the socks off the innocent little monster children.
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\f0\fs26 Mrs. Church's first-graders loved this book right along with me. They agreed that it was exciting and that it made them curious about what would happen next. We all agreed that it was very funny.
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\f0\fs26 For the slightly older group who enjoy short, hilarious chapters, Junie B. Jones makes her Halloween appearance with "Boo ... And I MEAN It" by Barbara Park.
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\f0\fs26 The "Goosebumps" series by R.L. Stine has sold more than 250 million copies and has helped to make Stine the best-selling children's book author in history. These books are scary enough to hold a young reader's attention, but not so scary as to (necessarily) cause nightmares. Stine also has written the "Fear Street" series for teenagers who have graduated from "Goosebumps."
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\f0\fs26 "Mostly Ghostly" by R.L. Stine is his new series for kids ages 7-10, the younger brothers and sisters of the millions of "Goosebump" fans.
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\f0\fs26 It's the first of Stine's series that's based on continuing characters, but each book can stand alone. Max Doyle, the main character, is an ordinary kid except that two ghosts live in his bedroom and they're invisible to everyone except Max.
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\f0\fs26 The mildly grisly jackets of Stine's books may scare parents, who then forbid their children to read them. Fear not. The books often are described as terrifying and bone-chilling, but they are more funny than frightening. They're also relatively well-written and promote character values.
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\f0\fs26 What's really scary is the proliferation of Halloween books. Don't let your infant be left behind! "My First Halloween Board Book" by DK Publishing uses beautiful color photographs to introduce even the tiniest trick-or-treaters to "Creepy Creatures" and "Festive Foods."
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\f0\fs26 As Halloween morphs into yet another occasion for consumer spending, my sentiments may be best expressed by, "Boo-humbug!"
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 21, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Many 'geeks' steer clear of voting process
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz is sobering and uplifting, and it's a must-read.
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\f0\fs26 During my school career in the '50's and '60's, the geeks were the boys who could run the movie projector and fix the slide projector. They were smarter and more technically inclined than the rest of us. They were necessary, but not cool. Today, the geeks still are smarter and more technically inclined, but now they have access to computers and the Internet.
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\f0\fs26 Katz says the geeks' "digital world is more vital, colorful and engaging than their educational one. ... Geeks, perhaps more accustomed to free expression than their nonwired peers, increasingly and disturbingly refer to schools as 'fascist' environments in which they are censored and oppressed.
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\f0\fs26 "Geeks recoil from journalism's relentlessly phobic, shallow and hysterical portrayals of their culture; they simply disconnect.
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\f0\fs26 "There is no politician in Washington, or almost anywhere, whom people in the geek culture respect or pay much attention to, or who respects and pays much attention to them."
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\f0\fs26 The protagonist geek in this true story was intelligent enough to be accepted at the highly competitive University of Chicago.
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\f0\fs26 He and his "colleagues" nonchalantly eschew politics the way Charlestonians swat gnats.
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\f0\fs26 These geeks are our "best and brightest."And in significant ways, they're lost to our American political culture.
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\f0\fs26 Several years ago, I was working at a high school where we conducted a straw poll to give our students experience in voting. One teenager resolutely refused to vote. That one student sent alarm bells clanging in my head. The prospect of thousands of nonvoting geeks makes me fear for democracy as we know it.
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\f0\fs26 Understandably, any of us could refuse to participate in the political process based on the shenanigans in the media. Somehow we need to convince our children that there's a greater good that transcends the hype and the flak.
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\f0\fs26 Newspapers and magazines are starting places for conversations about the candidates and the election. Web sites may help parents build their children's enthusiasm for the democratic process: Time for Kids, Yahooligans! and Weekly Reader are just a few. These sites provide links to other sites about candidates, campaign games and other activities to involve children in the election.
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\f0\fs26 Uncle Sam can't afford to lose a generation.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 22, 2004
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 14, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Beloved Blume honored for her impact on youth
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'S
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\f0\fs26 ure-fire" books for elementary school readers are a small and treasured category. I'm referring to books that almost any child would enjoy, while parents and teachers celebrate the "educational" value. Judy Blume is famous for writing books of this doubly valuable genre. She is so famous, the National Book Foundation is awarding her its 2004 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Blume is the first recipient whose audience is primarily young readers.
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\f0\fs26 For more than 30 years, children have been enthusiastic about her books because the books address authentic children's concerns in a believable and readable style. The wildly popular "Fudge" books address the problems and frustrations of sibling rivalry through chapters and situations that make the reader laugh out loud.
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\f0\fs26 "Blubber" is the story of an overweight girl and the classmates who bully and humiliate her.
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\f0\fs26 "Freckle Juice" is a cautionary tale about wanting something that somebody else has -- in this case, freckles.
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\f0\fs26 "Then Again, Maybe I Won't" explores the downside of life in a family that becomes wealthy.
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\f0\fs26 "Otherwise Known As Sheila the Great" is about a girl who must face her fears of dogs and water.
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\f0\fs26 Judy Blume says, "For those of us who write for young readers, the hope is always that something we've written will so touch a young person that she or he will become a lifelong reader."
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\f0\fs26 Considering that Blume receives thousands of letters every month from readers of all ages is proof enough for me that her hope is continually being realized. Her books have sold more than 75 million copies and have been translated into more than 20 languages.
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\f0\fs26 When the National Book Foundation announced that Judy Blume would receive this award, it cited her tremendous impact on our youth and her ability to write the truth without sentimentality. In addition to her books, it recognized Blume's active participation in causes of special importance to the literary community, including censorship.
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\f0\fs26 In the 1980s, Blume experienced censorship firsthand. "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," published in 1970, is the story of a young girl coming of age and grappling with the issues of puberty and religion. It's one of the Blume books most frequently banned, challenged or placed on restricted shelves.
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\f0\fs26 Blume joined the board of the National Coalition Against Censorship to promote the belief of intellectual freedom for children and their right to read a variety of books.
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\f0\fs26 She has brought attention to the issue of censorship and the librarians and teachers who stand up for controversial books. She has raised money for the coalition by collecting and editing an anthology called "Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers."
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\f0\fs26 When this award is presented on Nov. 17, much more will be said to and about Judy Blume. The most important thing I can say is: "Thank you."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 7, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Lessons are enchanting in 'My Kindergarten'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'My Kindergarten" by Rosemary Wells enchants as it educates and educates as it enchants.
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\f0\fs26 The New York Times book review recommends it for the usual suspects (teachers and parents), then goes on to say, "If your own childhood was blighted by a wretched teacher and you want to erase your bad memories, get it ('My Kindergarten') purely for yourself."
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\f0\fs26 The book, which includes almost 100 oversized pages, is a cheerful, colorful, satisfying potpourri of possibilities for learning.
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\f0\fs26 The introduction begins, "If you found yourself on a desert island with a kindergartener and one book, this is the book to have." For many reasons, I agree.
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\f0\fs26 "My Kindergarten" is arranged by months, September through June. For each month, Wells presents a varied collection of activities. Letters, numbers and holidays are standard fare and welcome. Not such standard fare but equally welcome are activities that introduce money, measurement, senior citizens, music, poetry, maps, postage stamps, correct English, weather and the environment, to name a few.
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\f0\fs26 Since 1981, Wells has been writing and illustrating picture books that depict a classroom setting peopled by charming and lovable animal characters. The wise and venerable "Miss Cribbage" presides over "My Kindergarten" as she presided over "Emily's First 100 Days of School."
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\f0\fs26 New parents and new teachers will value this book for the ideas as well as the emphasis on creativity, flexibility and good humor. Veteran parents and teachers will value this book for all the new ideas and fresh presentations. Anthea, the young mother of 4-year-old Advanta, likes this book because it gives her a heads-up on what her son will be learning once he gets to kindergarten. She also appreciated the insights into the varied personalities within the class. She wants Advanta to understand that all his classmates will have similarities and differences.
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\f0\fs26 Beth McDowell, a well-respected veteran kindergarten teacher, is equally enthusiastic. She agrees with Anthea that this is a great book to share with a child who is getting ready to go to kindergarten. McDowell plans to read the book to her class as though it were a book of stories. Her class will compare what it is learning to what's happening in Miss Cribbage's class.
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\f0\fs26 "My Kindergarten" is proof that learning really can be fun.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 30, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Banned Books Week celebrates freedom to choose what to read
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 I liked Ike. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was my elementary school hero. After his heart attack, I taped a headline to my bedroom wall that said, "Eisenhower Walks Unaided." His life was my personal concern, although I was completely clueless about politics.
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\f0\fs26 Liberal and Conservative, Democrat and Republican meant nothing to me.
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\f0\fs26 I liked Ike all over again when I found this quote from his speech at the Dartmouth College Commencement in 1953:
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\f0\fs26 "Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book, as long as any document does not offend your own ideas of decency. That should be the only censorship.
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\f0\fs26 "... And even if their (the Communists) ideas are contrary to ours, their right to say them, their right to record them, and their right to have them at places where they're accessible to others is unquestioned, or it's not America."
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\f0\fs26 If this had been a quote from the ACLU, I might have thought "Ho hum. Business as usual." For me, the impact of this quote comes from the source, a source I consider conservative.
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\f0\fs26 Banned Books Week, through Oct. 2, "celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them." I think that Ike would have celebrated this week along with the librarians. This year, reader privacy is a front-burner issue because of the controversy surrounding the "Patriot Act" of 2001.
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\f0\fs26 The American Library Association provides posters, quotes and other materials to focus the public's attention on the dangers of censorship. My favorite poster shows "Captain Underpants" flying triumphantly through the "Ban No More" banner. One of my favorite quotes is from Joseph Alexandrovitch Brodsky: "There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them."
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\f0\fs26 The first time I looked at the list of "Most Frequently Banned Books," I laughed out loud. There was "The Witches" by Roald Dahl, one of my all-time favorite books for children.
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\f0\fs26 There was "The Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson, a classic I recommend enthusiastically.
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\f0\fs26 Although books and other materials are usually challenged and/or banned with the best intentions, "Banned Books Week" reminds us that even "best intentions" are subjective.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 23, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Pigeon' series wins over skeptic
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 'To each his own." "One man's trash is another man's treasure."
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\f0\fs26 In theory, I subscribe to these aphorisms. In practice, I struggle.
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\f0\fs26 Solely on the basis of the book jacket, I wanted to dismiss "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" a picture book for children ages 3-6. I reminded myself not to judge a book by its cover. I read that crazy book and felt fully justified in dismissing it. Although I guessed it was meant to be funny, it struck me as just plain stupid.
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\f0\fs26 This pigeon will not go away. In fact, he's multiplying. Now there's a sequel called "The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!"
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\f0\fs26 I decided to reconsider the pigeon after reading a recent raving review in The New York Times. I respected the reviewer's opinion because she had actually read the books to children who loved them.
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\f0\fs26 I settled down on the couch with my first- and second-grade critics. As soon as they saw which books I planned to read, they started joyfully bouncing in their seats. They knew both books. They loved both books. They could hardly wait to hear them again.
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\f0\fs26 Mo Willems, the author of these books, is a six-time Emmy Award-winning writer for "Sesame Street." He's also the head writer of Cartoon Network's "Codename: Kids Next Door." Editorial reviews praise Willems for his "artistic minimalism" and his "spare, hilarious dialogue." These professional reviewers also are impressed by Willems' ability to distill "the escalating emotions of preschoolers all too anxious to get their own way" ("Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!") and his expertise in exposing "the poker-face persuasive powers of young negotiators" ("The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!").
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\f0\fs26 An elementary-school librarian reported that her students asked her to read "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" every week for the entire year. Parents comment: "a thoroughly enjoyable, excellent book"; "I laughed hysterically out loud"; "Unique comedic style"; "I highly recommend adding this to your library"; "My fourth graders can't get enough" (fourth-graders?); and "Who couldn't like the pigeon?"
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\f0\fs26 What was I missing that made me a minority of one? To be accurate, there are two of us in this particular minority. I asked one of my high school students to read a pigeon book and she said, "This is the most pointless book I've ever read in my life."
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\f0\fs26 For starters, I missed the interaction of the first book. The children (the listeners) are given the responsibility of keeping that pesky, ill-tempered pigeon off the bus. They accept this responsibility wholeheartedly.
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\f0\fs26 Second, these books portray realistic emotions. One reviewer points out that most children's books feature characters that behave and do the right things. The pigeon is an easily angered, short-fused type not often found in children's literature. Some readers find this a refreshing change.
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\f0\fs26 I capitulate. "Uncle!" When kids love a book, I'm obligated (however grudgingly) to pay attention.
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\f0\fs26 One reviewer said she'd chosen an armload of picture books as a birthday present, but put them all back in favor of "The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!" You did not hear that advice from me.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 16, 2004 Thursday Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books help children understand the message of Rosh Hashana
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Of The Post and Courier Staff
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\f0\fs26 This week, the sound of the shofar (a curved ram's horn) has sounded in synagogues around the world as part of the ages-old tradition of Rosh Hashana. Rosh Hashana is the beginning of the Jewish New Year and the time when all living things are judged. The 10 days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are a time of repentance, prayer and charity, the Days of Awe.
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\f0\fs26 A shofar (borrowed from a friendly rabbi) also sounded this week at a very unlikely location: First (Scots) Presbyterian Church. Dr. Daniel Massie, the senior pastor at First (Scots), blew the shofar and made the important point that everyone needs to take a serious look at his quality of discipleship in the past year. Everyone stands in need of confession and repentance. Everyone needs to consider how he can be different in the year to come. We all need to ask ourselves what we intend to do for God in the coming year. Isaiah 58 (Old Testament) and Hebrews 10 (New Testament) remind us that God holds his children accountable.
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\f0\fs26 What a concept!
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\f0\fs26 Jewish or Christian, is this a concept that children can grasp?
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\f0\fs26 Without qualification, yes.
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\f0\fs26 "Apples and Honey: A Rosh Hashanah Story" by Jonny Zucker provides a simple introduction. It illustrates the ceremony of "Tashlich," where a family says goodbye "to the sad things from last year by throwing crumbs in the river." On the next evening, the family eats a pomegranate. As they munch through the seeds, they "think of next year and all the kind things we want to do."
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\f0\fs26 "When the Chickens Went on Strike: a Rosh Hashanah Tale" by Erica Silverman is described on the jacket as an "amusing and telling story about wise chickens and foolish villagers" that will be enjoyed by "anyone who has ever wanted to be a better person." Children can identify with this story about a little boy who wanted to do the right things and wanted to be forgiven for his past misbehaviors.
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\f0\fs26 "Gershon's Monster: A Story for the Jewish New Year" by Eric A. Kimmel will definitely hold children's attention. I read it to two Catholic boys (first- and fourth-graders) who completely understood that Gershon was going to be in big trouble because he kept doing bad things without ever saying he was sorry.
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\f0\fs26 As we observe another anniversary of 9-11, I'm wondering how much terrorism could be prevented by tolerance. What if more Christians looked deeply into Judaism to find beliefs in common? What if Muslims and Zen Buddhists checked out the Christian religion for congruencies with their own?
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\f0\fs26 What can we learn from a Protestant pastor who asks to borrow a shofar from his Jewish rabbi friend? What can we learn from the Jewish rabbi who obligingly agrees to the loan? What do the Catholic children teach us who learn so readily from one of the oldest Hasidic legends?
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\f0\fs26 Shalom.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 9, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Smart card opens door to house of knowledge
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f0\fs26 This card is smarter than an everyday, ordinary "Smart Card." This is all about the smartEST card. To celebrate September as Library Card Sign-Up Month, The Charleston County Public Library is joining the Public Library Association in the campaign, "The Smartest Card -- Get It! Use It!"
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\f0\fs26 Even a half-century later, I remember how excited I felt when I got my first library card. Our library in Baltimore allowed children to apply for their own cards as soon as they could write their first and last names on an index card. I knew I could write my name, but I was anxious about fitting it in such a small space. Because my mother and brother had cards, I really wanted my own. That card meant independence. I could ride my bike to the library and get a new book whenever I was ready.
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\f0\fs26 A friend who grew up in Moncks Corner read voraciously, but has no memory of ever having a card or checking out a book. When she made one of her frequent visits to the library, the librarian welcomed her by name and gave this young patron the stack of books that she'd already selected especially for her.
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\f0\fs26 Another friend didn't get her first library card until she was a new bride, living with her husband in Graniteville, S.C., about 70 years ago. I asked what she remembered about that experience and she actually radiated excitement as she talked. "Oh, honey! That card opened up worlds for me. We were just country bumpkins back then. I read books about New York and learned about what people did in other places. I've been reading ever since."
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\f0\fs26 I'd never heard of Graniteville (near Aiken,) but now I think of it fondly.
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\f0\fs26 A faculty colleague grew up in Traveler's Rest where there was a small branch library. She remembers her family's frequent visits to the big library in Greenville.
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\f0\fs26 She was impressed by the imposing architecture and the huge piles of books that she was allowed to bring home. Her memories associate quality family time with library time.
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\f0\fs26 Library Director Jan Buvinger says, "It's our goal to make the little yellow Charleston County Public Library card the most valued card in every Charleston County resident's wallet."
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\f0\fs26 Residents are invited to register for their cards at the Main Library or any of the branch locations. Bring a picture ID and proof that you live in Charleston County. Books, magazines and newspapers represent only a part of what's available at the library. The Little Yellow Plastic Card also is your ticket to computer classes, Internet time, subscription databases, author visits, book discussion groups, children's crafts and more.
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\f0\fs26 Libraries enrich lives. But they only enrich the lives of the people who use them. It's your right to acquire a library card; it's free and it's smart, smarter, smartest.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 2, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Students rave about book written by 12-year-old
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 1D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Prophecy of the Stones" by Flavia Bujor is the hot, new, rave-review, young adult novel. Bujor, who lives in Paris with her Romanian parents, is now almost 16 years old. She wrote this book at the age of 12, in weekly installments to amuse her friends.
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\f0\fs26 The author's youth is astonishing. More astonishing is the quality of her book. The themes of "Good triumphs over evil" and "Nothing is impossible" are played out in the struggle of three 14-year-old girls to save their homeland of Fairytale. A fourth girl, also 14, struggles for her life in a Paris hospital. Dreaming about the adventures of the other three girls gives her hope. Bujor says, "Her sickness was a symbol of life in general. It was a symbol of losing hope, of closing yourself off." As an allegory, the book is meant to "make people think about things in our world ... about hope, freedom and dreams."
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\f0\fs26 August Ellsworth and Dana Holloway are enthusiastic fans. Both girls, who are students at Clark Corporate Academy, say it's one of the best books they've ever read, and they'd be excited to meet the author. Their opinions get my serious attention, much more than any media hype.
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\f0\fs26 Dana describes the book as being "for anybody who is struggling to make sense of the war in Iraq and other world events." She says, "It brings the reader back to a time of childhood innocence and makes world events fathomable by describing them through the fairy-tale medium of battles of good against evil and light against dark. In this book, education is the key. It teaches great things about the human spirit and shows how working together and having faith are essential to triumphing over adversity."
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\f0\fs26 In Bujor's words from the book, "Where there is life, there cannot only be goodness."
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\f0\fs26 August and Dana recommend the book for children and adults because it's written with intelligence. They liked word choices such as "arabesque," "feigned," "torpor," "reverie" and "reverberate."
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\f0\fs26 Although the cover seems to target girls, they think guys also would enjoy the adventures. August's one-word description of the book is "strong."
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\f0\fs26 Would "Prophecy of the Stones" have gotten such tremendous attention if the author had been 20 rather than 12?
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\f0\fs26 Rather than debate that point, August, Dana and I prefer to recommend the book and have you decide for yourself.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 26, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Librarian makes most of summer reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Students, especially elementary school students, may think that librarians have read every book in their libraries.
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\f0\fs26 Don't I wish!
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\f0\fs26 When I know the students and know the books, I increase my chances of matching them up successfully. "The right book for the right child at the right time" is pure satisfaction whenever that magic combination occurs.
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\f0\fs26 My summer reading (and probably the summer reading of most school librarians) is anything I think I might like well enough to recommend to kids. "The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo got the summer off to an excellent start (elementary level).
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\f0\fs26 From there, I went to the autobiographical "My Losing Season" by Pat Conroy.
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\f0\fs26 Even if a student wasn't wild about basketball and was disinterested in The Citadel, I might still recommend this book. Conroy eloquently makes the point that we often learn more from going through tough times than happy times. His perspective on life with a difficult father and life with a difficult coach can help kids understand that difficulties don't last forever and ultimately may be beneficial (young adult and adult).
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\f0\fs26 "Racehoss: Big Emma's Boy" by Albert Race Sample is an autobiography written in 1984. Studs Terkel called it "an outcast's eloquent testament to life." It's all that and more. Sample's mother was a prostitute and a gambler. He was so busy helping with her enterprises that he barely had time or energy to attend school. His childhood, like his mother's life, was a brutal struggle for survival. During his 17 years in prison, he gradually discovered his leadership potential and worked on his education. As an ex-convict, he was recognized as the Outstanding Crime Prevention Citizen of Texas for his work in the field of corrections and the rehabilitation of ex-offenders. I will be tempted to give this book to any student who's whining about anything (young adult and adult).
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\f0\fs26 "Parable of the Talents" by Octavia E. Butler is set in the United States in the year 2030. Society has collapsed, life is cheap and the newly elected president believes that the country will be returned to its former power by imposing religious standards of the far right wing. The story is so well-written and riveting that I think it would compel students to consider their own views and viewpoints on politics, religion, tolerance and the future (young adult and adult).
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\f0\fs26 "Stoner and Spaz" by Ronald Koertge is short and easy to read. That alone will make it popular. It also received excellent reviews and was chosen as one of students' favorite books in South Carolina. The engaging story is about a girl who's addicted to drugs (the "stoner") and a boy who has cerebral palsy (the "spaz").
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\f0\fs26 It's not exactly "Romeo and Juliet," but it is an unlikely romance memorable for its humor and compassion. I'd recommend this book to all students from middle school on up. Because the subject matter is unusual and the reading level is 3.5, even reluctant readers may get hooked on this title (young adult).
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\f0\fs26 So many books, so little time. I didn't run out of books. I ran out of summer.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 22, 2004 Sunday Final Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Wilderness wonders
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 BY FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 ARTS [AMP] TRAVEL; Pg. 1E
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\f0\fs26 1. Whoops and shouts reverberate as white-water rafters negotiate the rapids on a river near Banff.
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\f0\fs26 2. The hiking trail through Johnson Canyon is partly built on catwalks that hang out over the roaring current.
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\f0\fs26 Drinking icy water straight from a melting glacier ... Hiking past springs that bubble up into turquoise pools ... Watching big horned sheep amble by the car ... Enjoying smoked salmon and bison in the elegant dining room of a "castle" ... Blissfully soaking in the hot springs, surrounded by snowy mountains.
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\f0\fs26 As fantastic as all this sounds, it's the reality of Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.
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\f0\fs26 Unless you opt to arrive by train, Banff National Park is accessed by one main road that leads to Lake Louise, past the Columbia Icefields and on to Jasper. In terms of time, it's a three-hour trip. In terms of wilderness wonders, it could take three days, three weeks or three months. We rented a car, but thousands of people tour the park by bus. Others ride bikes. Information centers are numerous and convenient. Brochures and pamphlets are well-written and cover every activity a tourist might pursue from golf to backcountry camping to rafting to horseback riding.
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\f0\fs26 The hike through Johnson Canyon is so popular that it's worth arriving before 10 a.m. just to get a place in the parking lot. The path is built partly on catwalks that hang out over the roaring current below. Farther along the trail, five springs create pools in varying shades of turquoise. As we were hiking back down, I was puffing, panting and congratulating myself on successfully negotiating the five-mile trek. That was when we passed a group of guys who were hiking up the trail with their kayaks. They weren't even winded.
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\f0\fs26 Athabascar Waterfall rivals Niagara in its sheer rocky beauty and power. Next to the falls, steps have been built through a channel abandoned by the river, and interpretive signs explain the natural processes that create the waterfall phenomenon.
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\f0\fs26 Six bridges span the Maligne Canyon. We parked at the second bridge and hiked the paved trail to the top. At some points, the canyon is so narrow that a squirrel could jump across. Only a squirrel would risk the 30 meter drop into the roiling, boiling water below.
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\f0\fs26 Everything and everywhere is a "must see," "must do" in Banff National Park, but Mount Edith Cavell was our personal ultimate. A rough, switchbacked, no-trailers-allowed, potholed road rises in altitude until travelers are practically face to face with the craggy, monumental Edith Cavell and her numerous glaciers. Frightening, thunderous booms echoed through the valley (and through our bones) as pieces of the glacier cracked. By loop trail, we walked right up to the pool created by the glacier's spring melt. Not all mountains are created equal. Edith Cavell is impressively majestic.
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\f0\fs26 At the Columbia Icefields Interpretive Center, we journeyed out to the Athabascar Glacier on a Brewster Ice Explorer. The gigantic wheels of the vehicle are only gently inflated so that they exert minimal pressure on the ice, which is 30 stories deep. The "Be Prepared" Japanese tourists brought cups to catch and drink the glacial run-off. Not to be left out, I knelt on the ice and caught the Ice Age melt water in my cupped hands. I like to think that I shared that drink with a woolly mammoth that preceded me by millions of years.
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\f0\fs26 Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and countless sister lakes are see-through clear, multi-hued and perfectly framed by the snow-capped mountains they reflect. Streams and rivers run like countless gallons of Evian water, tumbling rapidly along over rocks and boulders.
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\f0\fs26 Most days, we tossed sandwiches and fruit into our backpacks and enjoyed picturesque picnics. One memorable departure was the afternoon we made reservations at the Fairmount Banff Springs Hotel for their elegant buffet lunch. This "Castle in the Rockies" was built more than 100 years ago as part of the Canadian Pacific Railways plan to bring more tourists to Banff. The plan apparently worked.
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\f0\fs26 Banff National Park is bordered by Jasper National Park, Kootenay National Park, Yoho National Park and several other parks, including the Mount Robson Provincial Park, one of our favorites. In addition to the Banff Upper Hot Springs, the Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park and the Radium Hot Springs in Kootenay National Park are relaxing, inexpensive antidotes for trail and travel fatigue. Adult admissions range from $6.50 to $7.50.
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\f0\fs26 We started our trip in Calgary, Alberta, where we rented a car. For the first four nights, we stayed in a condo in Canmore, which we'd found on the Web through vacationrentals.com. Condo rental fees are often negotiable. This condo cost less than most hotel rooms and provided great views, spacious living and all the convenience of home. The town of Canmore is only 15 minutes from the Park gates, and is far less hectic, gridlocked and expensive than the town of Banff. Canmore has peaks and parks, charming river walks, eclectic restaurants, the microbrewery for Grizzly Bear Beer, a shop that sells everything lavender (including tea), and services such as "visceral stimulation." In addition to excellent grocery stores, Canmore has market days when shoppers gather around a trailer truck from British Columbia that brings fresh cherries and other produce.
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\f0\fs26 Unless you're camping, this pristine wilderness can be pricey. And with 46,000 visitors a summer, this place is also busy. Whether you decide to stay in or out of the parks, reservations are a good idea. The summer high season usually starts about mid-June. Jasper, like Banff, is crowded and expensive. We chose to stay in Hinton, which is charm-less but cheaper.
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\f0\fs26 Canadian crafts include quality wooden items and woolens. Jewelry made from ammolite, the rainbow colored gemstone of Canada, is sold in upscale shops. The gift shops in the Information Centers are stocked with stop-you-in-your-tracks posters of lakes and peaks and the usual small tourist items. I laughed at two aprons I'd never seen anywhere else. One pictured a bear with a fish in its mouth with the caption: Sushi. Another showed a trout in a frying pan with the caption: The end of the rainbow.
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\f0\fs26 In contrast to other mountain destinations, I'd had reservations that Banff was too remote and too expensive. My advice is to ignore that kind of reservation and make the other kind of reservations -- the kind that will get you there.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 19, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 First-graders vote animal books best in show
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 First-graders excel at expressing opinions, often without being asked.
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\f0\fs26 In my case, I did ask for their opinions on a stack of picture books. Kae Mance agreed to read the 16 books to her first-grade class over a span of a few weeks. After she read each book, the students were encouraged to read the books for themselves. When all the reading was complete, the students voted for their favorite book by secret ballot.
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\f0\fs26 "Chip Wants a Dog" by William Wegman was voted best in show. The children thought it was hilarious that Chip was surrounded by stuffed dogs, that he wanted a dog, yet didn't know he was a dog. Every page made the children laugh, and the ending was terrific.
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\f0\fs26 "Up in Heaven" by Emma Chichester Clark came in second. This is a sweet, thoughtful story about a child mourning the death of his beloved dog. The class immediately liked the book. They seemed to find solace in the fact that the dog kept watching over the boy even when the dog was in heaven.
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\f0\fs26 A few children mentioned that the boy was sad when his dog died, but happy when he got a new puppy. They seemed comforted by a story about life going on and joy returning.
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\f0\fs26 "Halibut Jackson" by David Lucas and "Bottle Houses: The Creative World of Grandma Prisbrey" by Melissa Eskridge Slaymaker tied for third place. A very shy student voted for "Halibut Jackson" because Halibut was a boy who went from being very shy to not being shy. In fact, Halibut was so shy, he liked to blend into his surroundings like a piece of camouflage.
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\f0\fs26 "Bottle Houses" is a true story with photographs at the end of the book. The children were fascinated by what Grandma Prisbrey accomplished.
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\f0\fs26 They were amazed that she recycled everything, and that she actually built houses out of bottles.
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\f0\fs26 "Beach is to Fun: A Book of Relationships" by Pat Brisson is one the children enjoyed, although it didn't get quite enough votes to be in the top three.
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\f0\fs26 Kae and I liked this book because it's a series of rhyming analogies. Rhyming is one of the first objectives in elementary school, and analogies require critical thinking.
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\f0\fs26 Of course, we teachers liked everything about this book, especially because it made analogies fun.
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\f0\fs26 For first-graders, the SAT is only about 10 years ahead. Time to start getting ready.
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\f0\fs26 Kae and I had agreed beforehand which books were our favorites. Our favorites also turned out to be the class favorites. Once again we prove: A good book is a good book.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 12, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Decline in reading breaks bonds provided by books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 A recent column by George Will was headlined "Decline in reading jeopardizes society's cohesiveness." He cites a report on the decline in reading put together by the National Endowment for the Arts called "Reading at Risk." The accelerated decline in the reading of literature is especially prevalent among young people. The decline in reading has many ramifications. I hadn't thought about "society's cohesiveness" until he mentioned it. Individuals bond by reading the same books. It makes sense that nations would bond by reading the same books.
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\f0\fs26 In a Post and Courier story about the new Piggly Wiggly fingerprint scanner, the reporter interviewed a person who called the technology "Orwellian." Everyone who's read George Orwell's "1984" knew exactly what that reference meant. The reporter, confident that all newspaper readers had not read "1984," explained the reference. I couldn't find a recent college graduate who could explain the term "Orwellian."
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\f0\fs26 Will discusses the desirability of the "cohesion of a common culture of shared reading." I would have called it the desirability of gaining General Knowledge, or GK.
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\f0\fs26 Sometimes I'm astounded by what my students don't know about history. There are children who've never heard of the Holocaust. There are children who've heard of the Holocaust but don't believe it happened. I don't know everything that should be included in a General Knowledge base, but surely the Holocaust deserves a place.
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\f0\fs26 Doesn't everyone know the term "helter skelter?" I thought so until I used the phrase and a student asked me what it meant. Again, reading almost anything would expose kids to vocabulary and idioms they won't learn any other way.
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\f0\fs26 Will points out that "reading requires two things that are increasingly scarce and to which increasing numbers of Americans seem allergic, "solitude and silence." When I visit students' homes, the blaring TV is often the centerpiece of the house.
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\f0\fs26 Less than 50 percent of adults read any literature for pleasure in the past year. Does that mean that less than 50 percent of adults believe that reading is important? If so, the 50 percent of us who are "believers" have a major mission. The only successful method I've ever observed is to create a nation of readers one child at a time.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 5, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Parents' guide can lead to reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 See PDF for photo of the book "How to Get Your Child to Love Reading"
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\f0\fs26 I've fallen in love all over again. The first time I fell in love with Esme Raji Codell was when I read "Educating Esme," her memoir about her experiences teaching. Now I'm re-smitten by "How to Get Your Child to Love Reading," also by Codell.
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\f0\fs26 This hefty, 531-page book is the best of the whole genre of guides that lead parents through the joys and minefields of combining books and children. Codell knows whereof she speaks, and she speaks eloquently. The book is billed as being written for "Ravenous and Reluctant Readers Alike."
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\f0\fs26 In a starred review, Publishers Weekly calls this book, "an exuberant treasure trove for parents ... akin to having one's own personal children's librarian at one's fingertips."
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\f0\fs26 Besides her experiences as a teacher and best-selling author, she's been a children's bookseller and a children's librarian. She runs the popular children's literature Web site PlanetEsme. com.
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\f0\fs26 She's witty, she's funny and she's a parent. She's also a parent's friend.
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\f0\fs26 And she's philosophical. For Codell, the most important question for us to ask about a book is, "Why did the author write this?" or "What did the author want to share?" She believes that it's critical for children to make the connection between the book and the person who wrote the book. By making this connection, the child understands that a real person wanted to share something so much that the person (the author) wrote a book.
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\f0\fs26 The child also understands that reading is a relationship between the author and the reader. In just the same way that a child won't like (or connect with) everyone he meets, he won't like (or connect with) every author he reads.
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\f0\fs26 The parents, teachers and librarians who are responsible for matching children and books need to know the child as well as the literature that's available. "How to Get Your Child to Love Reading" is virtually everything you need to know to make brilliant (at least appropriate) matches between books and children.
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\f0\fs26 Codell begins her book with five pieces of basic background knowledge that she considers essential. She elaborates on each:
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\f0\fs26 -- Reading aloud works.
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\f0\fs26 -- Kids have their own reasons for reading (which can be put to good use).
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\f0\fs26 -- Award-winning books are good ones to know.
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\f0\fs26 -- Reading levels are misleading;
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\f0\fs26 -- Long-lost books can be found.
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\f0\fs26 From there, the book is divided into sections that describe books for infants, books for "pre-readers," math and science books, fantasy books, social studies books and everything in between. There are sections on poetry and broadcast and performance. There's advice on volunteering, parties, rewards, fund raising and how to have fun with books. There are appendices, indices and more than 3,000 titles. Each of these titles has been enthusiastically endorsed by both Codell and kids.
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\f0\fs26 The cover of the book promises "Activities, Ideas, and Inspiration for Exploring Everything in the World Through Books." The book fulfills that promise.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 29, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Literature circles can bring families together
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Here's some good news. In their book, "Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation," William Strauss and Neil Howe report: "In the history of polling, we've never seen tweens and teens get along with their parents this well. Boomers are an obnoxious lot, and there are a lot of things they don't do well, but you could say they have done a pretty good job with their kids."
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\f0\fs26 The president of Youth Intelligence says, "(Teenagers) are looking for structure and safety. You can't trust government, religion, corporations. They want someone to get along with. Whereas before it was 'rebel against your parents' because everyone knew the rules and regulations, now it is 'hold on to your parents' because no one knows what the rules and regulations are."
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\f0\fs26 I was reading about all this in the Sunday Style section of The New York Times on May 16. What caught my attention was the color photo of a mother-daughter book club that's been meeting for six years. The teenagers talk about admiring the opinions, intelligence, openness and humor of their mothers. I've been in book clubs where I felt that way about fellow members, but I'd never thought about the mother-daughter combination. What a great idea!
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\f0\fs26 Often in the library setting, a mother will read the same book as her daughter just to keep up with "what's happening," or to establish a mutual point for conversations. This parent-child reading is also recommended for reluctant readers.
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\f0\fs26 But a mother-daughter book group (or literature circle) opens up a world of possibilities and connections. "Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups" by Harvey Daniels is a comprehensive guide for how to do it. There's also guidance online at www.literature circles.com and the Literature Circles Resource Center at fac-staff.seattleu.edu/kschlnoe/Lit Circles. It's perfectly reasonable to make it up as you go along.
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\f0\fs26 Just picture a group of teenagers and moms reading "Holes" by Louis Sachar, participating in spirited discussions, doing research on the author and reviews and then going together to see the movie. Or they could read the book "Promise You Won't Freak Out: A Teenager Tells Her Mother the Truth About Boys, Booze, Body Piercing and Other Touchy Topics (and Mom Responds)," which was written by the mother-daughter duo Doris and Natalie Fuller.
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\f0\fs26 Certainly there's no rule that limits this idea to mother-daughter. Father-son, uncle-niece, grandfather-grandson -- whatever works.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 22, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book encourages kids to keep healthy
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 What does a librarian do when she's on vacation? This librarian went to the Chicago Public Library Children's Department and sat in on Story Hour. I was on a reconnaissance mission to learn what's happening in the big urban league.
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\f0\fs26 That day, the featured title was "The Busy Body Book: A Kid's Guide to Fitness" by Lizzy Rockwell. I was struck by the choice because of all the statistics about the obesity epidemic that's affecting American children. The Chicago librarian played tapes to encourage the children to get their bodies "busy."
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\f0\fs26 A few weeks later, as the guest Story Hour librarian at the Landrum, S.C., library, I decided to try my own rendition of the "The Busy Body Book." The idea of the book is to make "healthy" attractive to kids. The full-page illustrations show kids of all ethnicities enjoying activities from dog walking to soccer. Simplified diagrams of the human skeleton, muscles, nervous system and organs are interspersed with the activities. The layout helps children make the connection between exercise and healthy bodies.
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\f0\fs26 The book closes with suggestions for deep breathing, stretching, strengthening and aerobic activities from the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education and "Yoga for Children" by Mary Stewart and Kathy Phillips.
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\f0\fs26 Both the Landrum children and the Chicago children (ages about 3-6) enjoyed this book. We talked about how important it is to drink water. We marveled over the fact that muscles get stronger when we use them, instead of getting worn out. I brought a bag full of food for a little "Which foods help you grow?" quiz at the end. Milk was easy, but the children weren't sure about yogurt. They knew potato chips were "junk," but they were puzzled about the nutritional value of peanuts. They did know for certain that sugar was not good food. Considering all the advertising aimed their way, I'm grateful they were reasonably knowledgeable.
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\f0\fs26 To encourage them to eat healthy foods that are also "fun" foods, I introduced them to several of my favorite cookbooks for children.
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\f0\fs26 "First Meals: Fast, healthy, and fun foods to tempt infants and toddlers" by Annabel Karmel is a perennial favorite. Parenting magazine calls it, "Recipes little kids can sink their teeth into."
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\f0\fs26 Family Fun magazine publishes a series of kid cookbooks, including "Super Snacks" and "Fast Family Dinners" by Deanna Cook. The children loved the salad face with cherry tomato eyes, the grapefruit face with grapes for hair and the octopus made from a hot dog.
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\f0\fs26 From ideas in these books, I brought whole-wheat bread baked in the shape of an unidentifiable animal (guesses ranged from a turtle to a crab). I'd also made deviled egg boats with green pepper sails and cheese sandwiches in the shape of trees. The children agreed that all that healthy food looked good enough to eat.
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\f0\fs26 There's a start.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 15, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Sometimes a 'turnoff' is a good thing
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 If a parent or student objected to a book in my school library, I would sweetly ask, "Have you read the book that you want me to remove?" Almost always, the person who's complaining is complaining on hearsay. If the complainant has read the book, I take the complaint seriously.
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\f0\fs26 TV is another matter. I strenuously object to TV, especially for children. I never watch it, but still I reserve my right to grouse, complain and cast aspersions. Usually my soap-box diatribe is lambasting TV because little kids who are watching aren't learning to read. Big kids who are watching aren't improving their reading skills.
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\f0\fs26 In the family of Hispanic children I mentor, the youngest child will start first grade this fall. I asked the older children if they were reading to this child every day, as I've been asking them to do, particularly during the long summer break. They said they couldn't read to him because he just wanted to watch TV. My strong suggestion was to insist that this child listen to a story before he is allowed to watch TV. Children aren't born knowing how to pay attention and make sense of letters and words.
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\f0\fs26 A recent story in The Wall Street Journal documented health and children's advocates complaining about TV advertising aimed at children. According to a recent study, the average child watches 20,000 commercials a year. Psychologists, pediatricians and others cite research indicating that kids are especially susceptible to ads. They also call for tighter restrictions on TV ads because The Kaiser Family Foundation and other studies have linked TV watching and TV ads directly to the rising rates in juvenile obesity.
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\f0\fs26 The head of lobbying for the Association of National Advertisers understandably objects to imposing restrictions. He says, "Parents must learn to say 'no' more frequently to their children."
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\f0\fs26 For starters, how about "no" TV.
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\f0\fs26 OK, even I realize the "cold-turkey" approach is unrealistic, especially in summer. In her book, "How to Get Your Child to Love Reading," Esme Codell suggests a kinder, gentler approach that is making the rounds. Instead of treating the TV as a member of the family, treat TV as a guest. When this electronic guest misbehaves (uses bad language, engages in violence, insults people or intelligence), his unceremonious exit is engineered immediately by the remote control. This policy would apply to ads as well as programs.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 8, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Tale of Despereaux' gives readers sigh of satisfaction
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 On summer vacations, our four children were often (economically) packed into a single hotel room or tent.
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\f0\fs26 These close quarters created epic border skirmishes, but they also provided excellent opportunities for reading aloud.
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\f0\fs26 A captive audience in a small space, a good book and no impending morning routine are key elements for the perfect reading-aloud ambience.
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\f0\fs26 The perfect book is "The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo. Newbery Medal books are seldom my favorites, but this is one exception to celebrate. The hero, Despereaux Tilling, is an unusual and unlikely mouse. Princess Pea is beautiful. That much is standard in once-upon-a-time.
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\f0\fs26 Other characters deviate into the politically incorrect. The king is ineffective and bumbling. The serving girl is dumb, fat and lazy. Parents are imperfect. The rats are thoroughly rats with one notable exception.
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\f0\fs26 Good triumphs over evil. Courage triumphs over fear. Rationality wins out over irrationality. Love finds a way. Odds are overcome. Forgiveness is life-changing and life-affirming. Music, light and stories are precious.
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\f0\fs26 One chapter tumbles into the next until readers and listeners are catapulted to the end, where they will sigh with satisfaction.
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\f0\fs26 The literary way is illumined with words such as "perfidy," "egregious," "capacious," "chiaroscuro," "abyss," "despicable" and "covert."
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\f0\fs26 Children will appreciate "Despereaux" on many different levels. Listeners could start as early as the first grade. Readers could start as early as the third or fourth grade.
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\f0\fs26 "The Tale of Despereaux" doesn't have a sequel (yet), but be sure to read "Because of Winn Dixie" while you're waiting. It was a Newbery Honor Book, also written by Kate DiCamillo. Although very different from "Despereaux," it's also very wonderful.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 1, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Fun activities 'extend' the memory of a book
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 Frozen, star-shaped pieces of watermelon on a Popsicle stick? Why didn't I think of that for our family's Independence Day celebration? How about a "campfire" made with Tootsie Roll "logs" and candy-corn "flames"? The June/July issue of Family Fun magazine is full of doable, interesting ideas. "A Backyard Summer Camp" and "10 Great Nature Escapes" are just two of many features.
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\f0\fs26 "Bringing Books to Life" is the feature that fully captured my attention. It is geared to "providing activities that keep the magic alive long after the story is over." In school parlance or education-speak, this is called "extension."
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\f0\fs26 "Neighborhood Quidditch" is based on the flying broomstick game in the "Harry Potter" books. This version is played with Hula-Hoops and pool noodles.
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\f0\fs26 The "A Parrot for a Pirate" activity is based on the popular picture book "Everything I Know About Pirates" by Tom Lichtenhel. The "Freezer Jam for Frances" activity is inspired by the classic picture book "Bread and Jam for Frances" by Russell Hoban.
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\f0\fs26 These examples of "extension" in Family Fun magazine may inspire you to think of your own. "Blueberries for Sal" by Robert McCloskey is an excellent inspiration for a family blueberry-picking expedition. There are several u-pick places in the Lowcountry.
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\f0\fs26 "Shrek!" the movie is an extension of "Shrek!" the picture book by William Steig.
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\f0\fs26 Numerous picture books about Charleston could be the inspiration to explore our fair city. "Hungry Mr. Gator," the picture book by Julie McLaughlin, is reason to go gator-watching. Nonfiction is even easier to "extend" than fiction. Read about sea horses and then visit the S.C. Aquarium. Read about the Civil War and visit the Hunley.
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\f0\fs26 "Extending" makes reading even more fun.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 24, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 County library Web site hot spot for what's 'cool'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Just when lethargy and inertia were about to steamroll me flat, I discovered that the Charleston County Public Library Web site (ccpl.org) is a whole lot "cooler" and more colorful, comprehensive and invigorating than the plain online catalog I expected. I wasn't looking for hieroglyphics, but I found them by going to the home page and then clicking on "Services," "Children," and "Just for Fun."
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\f0\fs26 Also under the heading of "Children" there are lists of "Recommended Reading" starting at age zero. "Homework Help" provides a condensed linking list of the most useful sites, including "B.J. Pinchbeck's Homework Helper," which gives 350 additional links.
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\f0\fs26 To reach the "Kids' Library," start with the home page and click on "Catalog." The screen lights up with bright pictures illustrating categories of books. Children can click on the "United States," which will take them to subcategories such as "Trains" and "National Parks." If they click on "Fun Stuff," they'll reach "Jumping Rope," "Parties" and "Shadow Pictures." By clicking on their choice, they'll find books on that subject and which branch libraries have those titles. The venerable card catalog was never like this!
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\f0\fs26 For serious or semi-serious research, go from "Home" to "Resources." There are reference databases suitable for elementary school students, octogenarians and anyone else who wants to learn anything. DISCUS is a phenomenally extensive database for all ages. "Junior Edition" searches articles appropriate for middle school students. (Forget the "Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature.") "Kid's Info Bits" is kid's info bits.
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\f0\fs26 As a librarian, I concede that I may get a trifle overly enthused about catalogs and databases. However, librarian or not, you've got to applaud the new system that allows you to renew library materials and check your account online. All you need is your library card number and a PIN number that you can register by phone. Borrow your books, CDs and videotapes, take them on vacation and renew them online. Voila!
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\f0\fs26 Details of summer programs and story hours for children are also on this site -- not to mention all the information for grown-ups from book clubs to business support.
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\f0\fs26 Flipping through drawers of index cards in a polished wooden catalog has been relegated to quaint customs of yesteryear. Hooray!
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\f0\fs26 Try ccpl.org. You'll like it.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 20, 2004 Sunday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 PERU ON A BUDGET
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 BY FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 ARTS [AMP] TRAVEL; Pg. 1E
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Photo: The solemn grandeur of Machu Picchu transforms "tourists" into "pilgrims."
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\f0\fs26 Budget travel. Bargain travel. Similar, yes. Identical, no. An all-inclusive tour to Machu Picchu, Peru, for $920, was definitely budget travel. The question was whether it would turn out to be bargain travel or a nightmare. The cost was so amazingly, attractively low, we decided to gamble on finding out. Our rationale was that we'd get to see the legendary Incan city no matter how horrendous the tour turned out to be. At the very least, it would get us there.
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\f0\fs26 Dining on an attractively roasted guinea pig (splayed out in a pose reminiscent of road kill) and chewing on coca leaves sold by street vendors turned out to be just two of the pleasant surprises we enjoyed on this trip. The luxury tour we didn't take did have a few advantages, though. Travelers who paid four times as much to cover the same territory had free oxygen at their hotels to help them cope with the high altitude in Cuzco. Our hotel just had the oxygen in the air, but we were served free coca tea reputed to have medicinal properties that forestall altitude sickness. (Coca tea also is used to bathe new babies and dead bodies.) The high-priced tour stayed at the Sanctuary, just outside the Machu Picchu gates. That hotel costs more than $600 for a double room with meals.
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\f0\fs26 We stayed in Aguas Calientes, a little hotel where our balcony in the $120 room overlooked the rushing river. For $5, we could ride the frequent buses to Machu Picchu.
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\f0\fs26 Our usual preference is to blunder around on our own, rather than succumb to the follow-the-leader indignities of a tour. However, travel in Peru is complicated enough that a tour is a wise choice. Traveland, from which we bought the tour, had contracted with Classic Tours to meet, transport and accompany us at every point on our itinerary. In the chaotic push and rush of clamoring humanity, knowledgeable native guides were welcome and effective.
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\f0\fs26 The Traveland package started in Miami with the flight to Lima. From Lima, we flew to Cuzco and arrived just after breakfast. Coca tea and a nap helped acclimate us to the 10,000-foot altitude. That was the first and last nap of the trip. From that afternoon on, we were in fast forward. Our tour that afternoon included ruins close to Cuzco. Somebody started a rumor that our guide, Marco, was a reincarnated Inca. We all believed it as he almost literally brought the stones to life. As he walked us over, under, around and through the ancient sites of Sacsayhuaman and the temple of water at Tambo Machay, he convinced us that we'd evolve from mere tourists into pilgrims.
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\f0\fs26 Early the next morning, we began our bus tour through the Sacred Valley. My favorite stop was Ollantaytambo, the huge astronomy observatory and temple constructed in the shape of a llama. The surrounding mountains, the terracing and the stone stairs created an atmosphere of intellect and accomplishment. As we willingly traipsed after Marco like a busload of sheep, Peruvian workmen were laying sod at the base of the ruins.
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\f0\fs26 They created a gentle sprayer for the new grass by punching holes in a plastic water bottle and taping it to their hose. I'm sure the original Incas would have respected and applauded their ingenuity.
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\f0\fs26 Lunch was a bountiful buffet, set in gardens where llamas grazed among the flowers. The trout lasagna alone would have convinced me that "budget" travel was the way to go.
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\f0\fs26 That night, our group enjoyed a traditional dinner, including alpaca stew and ceviche, for which Peru is famous. Traditional music and dance followed the meal. Early the next morning, we settled in on the train for a four-hour trip to Aguas Calientes. Maybe the expensive tour has expansive seats, but we sat knee to knee with strangers while the train negotiated several switchbacks and then chugged its way along the river, through the Sacred Valley. I watched children herding farm animals and women carrying sheaves of grass for their guinea pigs. The mountains and river were postcard perfect. I forgot to notice that I was cramped.
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\f0\fs26 Our official itinerary listed the afternoon as "on our own." So on our own, we took the short bus ride up to Machu Picchu. Photos, posters and guide books are pale representations of the actual ruins. Marco was right. As a result of his enthusiastic and reverent orientation, we felt like pilgrims who had arrived at our destination.
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\f0\fs26 The next morning, our group gathered for the official tour. Machu Picchu is so mysterious that different guides give different explanations for the same structures. Within the span of 100 years, the site was built, occupied and abandoned. The dates are approximately the mid-1400s to the mid-1500s. Since the Incas didn't have a written language and the Spanish conquerors never knew about the site, the secrets have remained secret.
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\f0\fs26 Nobody knows exactly how or why the Incas accomplished this Andean feat.
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\f0\fs26 In the summer months, there may be 3,000 visitors daily. Off-season (as we were in April), there are always people tramping around, but early and late in the day, it's possible to find quiet places to sit among the stones. When clouds and mist settle in, the buildings seem even more magical and otherworldly. While Shirley MacLaine claims that one of the gigantic observatory stones actually gives off energy, none of us personally experienced that phenomenon.
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\f0\fs26 Shopping is the perfect foil for the intensity of the Incan culture. Vendors and markets are everywhere except on the grounds of Machu Picchu. Bargaining will get you an alpaca scarf for $3. Trinkets such as handmade finger puppets and clay horns may cost as little as one solare, or 33 cents. Finer handicrafts, such as hand-knit, baby alpaca sweaters, sell for half of what they would cost in the States.
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\f0\fs26 Food is very cheap. For picnics, we bought seven fresh rolls, warm from the oven, for 33 cents. Tomatoes and homemade cheese from the marketplace cost about 50 cents. In the tourist restaurants, the ubiquitous large pizza was $8 and an omelet cost about $4.25.
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\f0\fs26 Marco had told us that the Peruvian national dish for festive occasions was guinea pig. Since we were celebrating a birthday, it seemed only fitting to indulge. It was our big splurge (50 solares, about $16.50) and our most hilarious event. We told every guinea pig joke in the universe.
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\f0\fs26 Even our waiter was laughing. Vegetarians and animal rights people would not have joined in the merriment.
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\f0\fs26 Prevailing wisdom has it that if a deal looks too good to be true, it is. Make at least one exception -- this deal to Peru. Budget travel doesn't necessarily rule, but what I'm suggesting is don't rule it out.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 17, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Vocabulary often a deterrent when students choose books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 irst They Killed My Father -- A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung is a riveting biography that documents the regime of Pol Pot through the experiences of a child who survived the work camps. Although the reading level is sixth grade, it's appropriate for middle through high school students. But it required serious browbeating to persuade just one courageous student to give it a try. Every morning, we talked about what she'd read. She also wanted to talk about the vocabulary.
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\f0\fs26 Gradually, I'm realizing that vocabulary often looms as a major deterrent when students are choosing books. If they think the text is going to have words they don't comprehend, they avoid the book. My mission is to convince them there is a revolutionary alternative to ditching the book. It's called: Learn the vocabulary! This particular student put sticky notes on pages to mark words such as "veer," "shrapnel" and "genocide." It was much easier for her to remember the unfamiliar words when she learned them in context.
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\f0\fs26 Earl Nightengale conducted a 20-year study of college graduates in which he learned, "Without a single exception, those who scored highest on the vocabulary test given in college were in the top income group, while those who had scored the lowest were in the bottom income group." The lesson here: Learn words. Get successful and rich.
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\f0\fs26 Of course, it's not quite that simple, but a superior vocabulary is the one common characteristic of "successful" people. Reading is the ideal way to learn more words, but other methods also work. When our son was studying for the LSAT exam, I copied words from a GRE study guide and put a new word on the breakfast table each morning. To tease me, he'd use the words in notes and conversation. He did fine on the exam.
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\f0\fs26 At SuperKids.com, there's a new word every day for elementary ("timid,") middle ("niche") and PSAT and SAT Prep ("expedient").
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\f0\fs26 Vocabulary.com also divides words into grade levels and provides vocabulary puzzles and activity sessions. Currently on the site there's a list of "Harry Potter"-inspired wizard words, including "legerdemain," "raconteur" and "harbinger."
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\f0\fs26 At dictionary.com, visitors can register for a free "Word of the Day" that arrives by e-mail. Many of the words are arcane, but the students and I have fun using them to confound, rather than communicate. "Psephology," the study of elections and voting, is currently handy. My favorite, "resistentialism," refers to the innate hostility of inanimate objects.
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\f0\fs26 When I'm rhapsodizing over some new word and students are rolling their eyes, I tell them they can only think in words. The more words they know, the more they can think. The more they can think, the more they can communicate.
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\f0\fs26 Expand your vocabulary. Words are our friends.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 10, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Junior Critics explain importance of owning, not just borrowing, books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 or the past 10 months, the Junior Critics have read their way through stacks of new books. For our monthly meetings at the Mount Pleasant Public Library, my job was to provide newly published titles, hot off the press and awaiting critical analysis. The Junior Critics were responsible for reading the books, discussing the books and writing reviews.
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\f0\fs26 Every meeting was seriously fun. Some afternoons we sailed off on tangents. One of those lively discussions addressed why it's important to own books, as well as borrowing books from a library. The critics prefer to own books because:
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\f0\fs26 -- They're handy.
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\f0\fs26 -- You don't have to risk doing damage to a library book.
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\f0\fs26 -- There's no anxiety.
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\f0\fs26 -- You want to own a book that you really like.
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\f0\fs26 -- Some books, such as "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien and "Hour of the Olympics" by Mary Pope Osborne you just want to read over and over.
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\f0\fs26 -- It's a good feeling to donate books you outgrow.
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\f0\fs26 -- It's a good feeling to read the exact copy of a book that your parents or siblings read.
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\f0\fs26 For all the parents who are buying books to fulfill their children's summer reading requirements, I hope these testimonials help to make it less painful.
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\f0\fs26 Another discussion focused on the temptation to judge books by their covers. Regardless of age, we all do it.
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\f0\fs26 We agreed that it's important to realize that publishers have done a lot of research to figure out what will make us select one book in lieu of another.
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\f0\fs26 We also agreed that we should read book jacket blurbs (which are also propaganda), read reviews and discuss books with friends.
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\f0\fs26 The Junior Critics were so diverse, there were very few titles that everybody liked.
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\f0\fs26 "The Red Hot Rattoons" by Elizabeth Winthrop (who also wrote "The Castle in the Attic") was the definite winner. Every kid who read it liked it because it was funny. The reading level is ages 9-12.
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\f0\fs26 "The Boys in Control" by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is another in a series of books, including "Boys Against Girls" and "The Girls' Revenge." This book got rave reviews from several girls. The reading level is ages 9-12.
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\f0\fs26 "Eragon" by Christopher Paolini is a long fantasy books that received high praise from the critics who liked the "Harry Potter" books by J.K. Rowling. These are also readers who enjoy the challenge of long, difficult books such as the "Redwall" series by Brian Jacques.
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\f0\fs26 Several girls gave top ratings to "The Meanest Doll in the World" by Ann Matthews Martin. This book follows "The Doll People." Both books have a reading level of ages 9-12.
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\f0\fs26 The following books were reviewed by only one critic, but that critic was enthusiastic:
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\f0\fs26 -- "The SOS File" by Betsy Byars (ages 9-12)
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\f0\fs26 -- "Death and the Arrow" by Chris Priestly (young adult)
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\f0\fs26 -- "Made You Look" by Diane Roberts (ages 9-12)
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman (ages 9-12)
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\f0\fs26 -- "Vampire High" by Douglas Rees (young adult)
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\f0\fs26 -- "Andrew Lost," the series by J.C. Greenburg (ages 9-12)
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\f0\fs26 The Junior Critics will continue to meet through the summer and crank up again with new books to review in the fall. For more information, call Nancy Filer at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library, 849-6161.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 3, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Museum fun, 'Hawk's Hogwarts' can help kids continue the magic
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Critics of "Harry Potter" warn against myriad dangers to children who read this series. One of their most serious charges is that children will confuse fantasy with reality and will believe in the witches and wizardry.
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\f0\fs26 I would have dismissed this as Hog(warts)wash, except that children actually do write to author J.K. Rowling asking how to enroll in a school that will teach them magic and the "Dark Arts."
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\f0\fs26 "Spend a Day at Hogwarts," sponsored by the Charleston Museum, is the dream come true for Harry Potter fans and (presumably) the worst nightmare for the critics.
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\f0\fs26 On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the museum will be transformed into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to celebrate the release of "The Prisoner of Azkaban."
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\f0\fs26 Crafts and activities will reflect Harry's third year of training. Mad Science will instruct children on how to make potions. Quidditch practice will be held in the museum courtyard.
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\f0\fs26 Children also will have their fortunes read and make magical creatures. Charleston IMAX is sponsoring a raffle to win free tickets to see "The Prisoner of Azkaban" at the theater, as well as providing movie posters and coloring pages.
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\f0\fs26 Reservations are required. (I've already made mine.) The cost is $8 for museum members and $10 for nonmembers.
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\f0\fs26 One adult per child is admitted free.
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\f0\fs26 For more information, call 722-2996, ext. 236, or visit www. charlestonmuseum.org.
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\f0\fs26 To continue the fun, Hawk's Hogwarts at Home is an additional option for those long summer days when "there's nothing to do." All the information you need is in the children's nonfiction section of the Charleston Public Library.
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\f0\fs26 In 745.5, look for "Lotions, Potions and Slime: Muddies and More!" by Nancy Blakey and "The Book of Wizard Craft: In Which the Apprentice Finds Spells, Potions, Fantastic Tales, and 50 Enchanting Things to Make" by Janice Eaton Kilby.
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\f0\fs26 In 133.3, look for "Telling Fortunes: Love Magic, Dream Signs and Other Ways to Learn the Future" by Alvin Schwartz and "The Kid's Guide to Fortune Telling" by Louise Dickson.
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\f0\fs26 In 793.8, look for "Magic Tricks" by Cynthia Klingel and "The Little Giant Book of Magic Tricks" by Bob Longe.
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\f0\fs26 The Hawk's Hogwarts version requires a high tolerance for the messes that invariably accompany slime and potions and slimy potions.
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\f0\fs26 I speak from experience as the parent who encouraged the whole play group to finger paint with chocolate pudding.
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\f0\fs26 On the positive side, creating a Home Hogwarts may assure that you are the neighborhood's happiest parent when school reopens.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 20, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 First-graders' reactions to books on distasteful subjects surprising
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 'Poynter Online" is a Web site designed to provide "everything you need to be a better journalist." From this site I learned that "Walter the Farting Dog" by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray is dominating The New York Times' best-seller list for children's picture books. Why is it important for journalists to know this and presumably pass along the information? The answer to that question eludes me.
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\f0\fs26 James Herriott, the beloved English veterinarian, wrote about a dog whose toxic emissions made him a pet pariah. The story ended happily when the perfectly matched owner welcomed this dog into his home -- an owner with no sense of smell.
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\f0\fs26 Walter's owners plan to disown him, but change their minds when his gastric genius overpowers burglars. Finally, extreme chronic flatulence elevated to heroism. That's news. I guess.
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\f0\fs26 Many reviews of this book promise that kids will laugh themselves silly. My experience reading this book to first-graders was quite different. For starters, I passed around gardenias. Everyone agreed that they were like perfume. We agreed that gardenias were a good smell. Then we segued into bad smells.
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\f0\fs26 The children seemed stunned. We discussed the offending word and solemnly promised not to use it in case an irate parent demanded to know what we thought we were doing. One child was thoroughly entertained by the story, laughing at each fiasco. The rest of the children seemed to feel sorry for the dog. One child took the story so seriously, he started to wave his hand in front of his nose.
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\f0\fs26 After the story, we talked about how to deal politely with flatulence to spare feelings. We talked about using the term "passing gas." I left the classroom wondering whether I'd opened a can of worms or performed a service to first-grade humanity.
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\f0\fs26 The authors of "Walter" have written a sequel. If you're hooked on this genre, there are other children's books in approximately the same category.
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\f0\fs26 I predict e-mails regarding this column will ask: "Why would you write about this book when more worthy books are out there?" OR "Where is your sense of humor?" I don't know the answers any more than I know the answer to why I'll be a "better journalist" for writing about "Walter."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 6, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Nonfiction picture books teach lessons with true tales
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Driving while we talk on the phone has become so common we don't even think of it as multitasking. As civilization "advances," we manage to do more and more things simultaneously. A high school principal told me about a prom where the students were chatting on their cell phones, narrating the prom as they participated in the prom. Even the social event of the year wasn't worthy of one's undivided attention.
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\f0\fs26 Nonfiction picture books are a recent trend in children's literature. To label this multitasking would be a stretch, but ... the authors and publishers are entertaining children and teaching them history at the same time. It's ingenious.
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\f0\fs26 "The Edmund Fitzgerald -- Song of the Bell" by Kathy-Jo Wargin is an excellent example of this genre. While crossing Lake Superior in a ferocious winter storm, the proud ship Edmund Fitzgerald sinks suddenly with 29 men on board. The illustrations by Gijsbert Van Frankenhuyzen capture the high-stakes drama. While children are absorbed in this "Perfect Storm" for kids, they also are learning about shipping on the Great Lakes and disasters at sea.
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\f0\fs26 "A Big Cheese for the Whitehouse -- The True Tale of a Tremendous Cheddar" by Candace Fleming is another example of illustrated nonfiction. In order to out-maneuver the cheese makers from Norton, Mass., the cheese makers from Cheshire, Mass., collect the milk from 934 cows and employ an apple press to construct a cheese that weighs 1,235 pounds. This entertaining and lively tale teaches children about problem-solving, cheese-making and various facts about life in the time of Thomas Jefferson. "The Daring Nellie Bly -- America's Star Reporter" by Bonnie Christensen is a picture-book biography. Although there is more text than in most picture books, the tale of Nellie's life careens along like the proverbial roller-coaster ride. Nellie meets a challenge that surely will defeat her, she rises to the challenge against the unbeatable odds, she meets and exceeds her goal, then she starts over. Children learn that girls are better than boys. (Just kidding!) They learn about determination and the issues of interest in the late 1800s.
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\f0\fs26 One of my children insists that I'm a lesson-oriented person. This may account for why I'm partial to these books. There are worse things to be than didactic -- even if my child can't think of any.
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\f0\fs26 I prefer to think that I'm partial to these books for a reason that I truly believe: The best stories are often true stories.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 29, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Poetry alive and well in children's literature
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Sometime during the '50s, I was reading a comic book and discovered a remarkable poem tucked into the center where there were usually word games and advertisements. I was delighted with the wit and wisdom of the piece. After reading it several times, I ran downstairs to enlighten my parents.
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\f0\fs26 Both parents rolled their eyes and laughed at me. The poem was so familiar to them that they could hardly believe there was anyone young enough to think it was new. The poem was "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest Lawrence Thayer.
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\f0\fs26 From that experience, I learned never to roll my eyes at a child who loves a poem. I also learned that I liked poetry. April happens to be National Poetry Month, which is sponsored by the American Academy of Poets. If you need an excuse to read a poem, this should suffice.
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\f0\fs26 "Entice Readers to Poetry," an essay by Carole D. Fiore, states that the love of poetry encourages the love of language. Poetry assists in the development of language and critical thinking skills. Beginning with Mother Goose, children tap into our common cultural heritage as well as assimilating the notions of rhythm and rhyme. At any age, there are poems that relate to children's everyday lives. Teens may say they reject poetry, but they're listening to it in their songs and rap music.
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\f0\fs26 Some of my favorite poetry books for children are "Chicken Soup With Rice" by Maurice Sendak, "Father Foxes' Pennyrhymes" by Clyde Watson and "Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young" selected by Jack Prelutsky. They are all oldies but goodies.
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\f0\fs26 If you ever wanted proof that poetry is alive and well, just look at the five-page list of children's poetry books published in 2003.
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\f0\fs26 This year is off to a great start with books like "Come to My Party and Other Shape Poems" by Heidi B. Roemer. "Camper's Prayer," written in the shape of a tent, says: "Starlight shine bright on my little tent tonight. If it should rain and skies turn bleak--I pray my tent won't spring a leak." Children love to hear, read and see these shape poems. They also enjoy writing their own.
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\f0\fs26 Another new children's poetry book is "Feathers: Poems About Birds" by Eileen Spinelli. Even the blue-footed booby, my favorite bird, is included. Children easily identify the hummingbird from this poetic description:
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\f0\fs26 "Dizzy-dazzle thrumming bird
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\f0\fs26 No bigger-than-my-thumb-ing bird."
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\f0\fs26 A silky, summer strumming bird.
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\f0\fs26 A going-and-a-coming bird."
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\f0\fs26 Shel Silverstein is probably the poet that today's children know best. "A Light in the Attic" and "Where the Sidewalk Ends" are staples of children's literature.
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\f0\fs26 From "Casey at the Bat," I went on to love John Donne and William Butler Yeats. I don't think it matters where you start reading poetry to children. It just matters that you start.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 22, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books can create bonds, even among strangers
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 D
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\f0\fs26 riving to and from work, I often listen to books on tape that I borrow from the Charleston County Library. Gridlock, bridge snarls and rude drivers are beneath notice when I'm making progress from chapter to chapter.
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\f0\fs26 Lately, I've been absorbed in "God Don't Like Ugly" by Mary Monroe. The plot is mesmerizing, but so depressing that I wouldn't recommend the book to anybody. The father leaves his poor black family and runs off with a white woman. To make ends meet, the mother takes in a one-legged man who's been approved by her pastor. This man cooks for the family, contributes his disability check to the household and baby-sits for the 7-year-old daughter while the mother works. The arrangement is perfect, except that this man begins sexually abusing the child when she is 7 and continues until she's in high school.
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\f0\fs26 When I was checking out at the Vegetable Bin recently, the lady behind me was calling a cab for a ride home. I offered a ride, which she accepted. I apologized for the mess as I cleared my "God Don't Like Ugly" tapes off the front-passenger seat. She laughed at my apology and said she understood because she'd been reading a book as she walked to the store.
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\f0\fs26 As further proof that truth is stranger than fiction, the book she was reading was ..."God Don't Like Ugly!" As soon as we recovered from the surprise of this coincidence, we launched into a heartfelt, emotional discussion of the book. In the short drive from Society Street to America Street, we exchanged passionate opinions and feelings about this dreadful story. As we hugged goodbye on the sidewalk in front of her house, I felt closer to this perfect stranger than I do to some of my neighbors.
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\f0\fs26 My point? Books create bonds.
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\f0\fs26 When I meet someone who's read trilogies by my favorite author Robertson Davies, I know we'll have countless subjects to discuss and ponder. An AmeriCorps worker told me that a small group of high school students had bonded for the year after reading "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque as a class.
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\f0\fs26 Reading with my children created bonds that wouldn't have been forged by any other means. In addition to the time together, we were sharing stories, thoughts and ideas that gave us common ground to last our lifetimes. We remember reading "The Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson. We remember crying together, and we remember why we were crying. Bond with books. It's alliteration. It's a motto I just invented. And it works!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 15, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books about gardens greet spring
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Fred Phillips, director of the Charleston Area Children's Garden Project, is an ambassador for children as well as for green spaces. Quoting from the brochure: "The Charleston Area Children's Garden Project is designed to transform vacant lots and unused spaces into growing places and learning places. It combines the efforts of neighborhood residents, community organizations, schools, public agencies and civic groups. " What an inspired idea!
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\f0\fs26 To date, the project has created seven gardens in Charleston, including the first garden that was established at 67 America St. on the East Side. The project is funded entirely by donations from groups and individuals. It's affiliated with the S.C. Coastal Conservation League and Clemson Center for Research and Education.
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\f0\fs26 I learned about the project when Clark Academy won a Clemson "Landscapes for Learning Project" grant. Our school environment is greatly enhanced by a central courtyard with a fish pond, a stand of fruit trees and a vegetable garden. Through these learning landscapes, students study math, science and other academic concepts, as well as teamwork and job skills. The Charleston Area Children's Garden Project is the coastal contact for the Clemson Landscapes for Learning Project. For more information, contact Mr. Phillips at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:fredphillips@bellsouth.net"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 fredphillips@bellsouth.net}}.
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\f0\fs26 I'm a big believer in gardening with children and have written previous columns about books on gardening for children.
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\f0\fs26 In the library, you'll find them shelved in nonfiction "635." There are books on how to grow multicolored radishes, windowsill gardens and everything green in between.
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\f0\fs26 One of my favorite new picture books, not technically a gardening book, is "Two Old Potatoes" by John Coy. When a child starts to throw out the sprouted potatoes, her father rescues them from the trash. With advice from Grandpa, they plant the sprouted "eyes" and grow a rousing crop of new potatoes.
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\f0\fs26 More than enough factual information is supplied to replicate their feat. Ms. Mazyck's first-graders loved this book and got very excited about planting their own potato "eyes."
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\f0\fs26 Another semi-gardening picture book is "One Child, One Seed -- a South African Counting Book" by Kathryn Cave.
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\f0\fs26 From seed to supper, this book uses text and vivid color photographs to document the communal farming efforts of a small South African village. It's especially effective in communicating the simple lifestyle of the families.
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\f0\fs26 Gardening -- an excellent excuse to play together in the dirt.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 8, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Heyward's tale guarantees satisfaction for young readers
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Of The Post and Courier Staff
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\f0\fs26 ottontail was a bunny who happened to be the "wrong" color (brown), the "wrong" size (small), and the "wrong" gender (female). Plus, she was from the "wrong" place (the country). To add worse to bad enough already, Cottontail was an organized and loving stay-at-home mom with 21 children.
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\f0\fs26 I asked Ms. Mazyck's first-graders if they thought Cottontail had any chance of fulfilling her dream to be chosen as the Easter Bunny. They carefully considered my question and sadly decided that was unlikely. Even though they feared an unhappy ending, they paid rapt attention to my reading of "The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes." This classic was written 75 years ago by Charleston native DuBose Heyward, who also wrote "Porgy."
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\f0\fs26 Any story that captivates children for generation after generation has got to be good. Although the big, white sophisticated jack rabbits are swift, Cottontail is chosen to be the Easter Bunny because she is swift as well as wise and kind. On her Easter mission, she also proves to be brave. This is one of a very few books that could have a sticker on the front promising "Satisfaction Guaranteed."
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\f0\fs26 Part of the satisfaction of this book is the illustrations by Marjorie Flack. The artist gave her original images to the Gibbes Museum for their permanent collection. These pictures are currently on exhibit at the Gibbes through April 18.
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\f0\fs26 Sallie Simons, a native Charlestonian and supporter of the arts, had the inspired idea to make "The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes" into a ballet. She knew Jenifer Heyward, for whom the story was written. The Charleston Concert Association enthusiastically undertook this ambitious project, which has been in planning stages for more than three years.
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\f0\fs26 Jason Nichols, executive director of the Charleston Concert Association, will serve as assistant producer of the $2.5 million-dollar, celebrity-studded project. Dick Robbins, who composed the scores for movies including "The Remains of the Day," will compose the music for the ballet. Ismail Merchant, the executive producer for the ballet, will help raise funds and will promote the project through his worldwide connections.
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\f0\fs26 Maya Angelou, who called the "Country Bunny" a "true work of art," has agreed to co-write the ballet's libretto as well as several monologues. Karole Armitage, who is internationally acclaimed, will choreograph the ballet.
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\f0\fs26 John G. Davis, CCA board chairman, says, "This ballet will celebrate the wonderful cultural heritage of DuBose Heyward's Charleston, and it has such enormous potential for becoming an Easter legend around the world."
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\f0\fs26 The bunny. The book. The ballet. Bravissimo.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 1, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Fun, lightweight pranks celebrate day for 'fools'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Wild and wonderful Joe Harlan lived in a brown, shingled house across the street from me when I was growing up. I was beneath his notice because I was a girl and because I was 4 years younger than he. I only heard about his exploits when my brother deigned to share details. Every April Fool's Day, I think of this trick Joe played on his younger brother.
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\f0\fs26 First, Joe squeezed toothpaste on his own toothbrush. Then he squeezed shaving cream from a tube onto his brother's toothbrush and arranged both brushes on the sink. Having set the scene, Joe found his brother in the back yard and challenged him to a race to see who could brush his teeth first. The brother took the bait, they raced into the bathroom, and the rest, as they say ... is foam.
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\f0\fs26 Students tell me their favorite trick is the fake pop quiz.
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\f0\fs26 Family Fun magazine has many ideas for gentle pranks. They suggest that kids create and print out fake parking tickets for parents. For parents, they suggest creating a fake chart of chores for kids. Probably the most popular trick with kids is to substitute vanilla ice cream with butterscotch sauce for the standard mashed potatoes and gravy.
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\f0\fs26 I like April Fool's Day because it's whimsical and silly, with no phone calls to make or gifts to buy. You don't even have to wear green. All that's really required is vigilance. The observance is thought to have evolved from celebrations involving the first day of spring.
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\f0\fs26 Before the Gregorian calendar was introduced in France in 1582, people used to celebrate the new year for eight days culminating April 1. With the new calendar, New Year's Day was moved to Jan. 1. The obstinate folk who refused to accept Jan. 1 and kept celebrating April 1 were ridiculed as "fools." These people were often the butt of jokes and were sent on "fool's errands." It's thought that this eventually evolved into the tradition of playing pranks April 1.
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\f0\fs26 If you're in the mood to read some lightweight stories on the first day of April, I suggest "April Fool -- A Harry and Emily Adventure" by Karen Ruelle and "Arthur's April Fool" by Marc Brown.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 25, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Circle Unbroken' celebrates Gullah heritage
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 1D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 399 words
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\f0\fs26 'Circle Unbroken: The Story of a Basket and Its People" is my choice for the children's picture book of the year, especially Lowcountry children, for whom the book is particularly relevant and important. The text by local author Margot Theis Raven and the illustrations by part-time resident E.B. Lewis almost literally make music together.
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\f0\fs26 Raven spent seven years researching and writing this book about sweetgrass baskets and the cultures in which they were developed.
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\f0\fs26 She used almost 100 sources, including McClellanville resident Dale Rosengarten's book, "Row Upon Row: Sea Grass Baskets of the South Carolina Lowcountry." There is a selected bibliography at the end of the book as well as a short treatise on the history of sweetgrass baskets.
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\f0\fs26 Although the book is classified as fiction, children will learn how the baskets have kept the Gullah people's African heritage alive through slavery, wars and modernization.
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\f0\fs26 Grandma begins her "circle tale" by saying, "Once your old-timey grandfather lived in a village by a fine flowing river, across a wide deep ocean, in faraway Africa." That poetic, lyrical tone is sustained throughout the book.
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\f0\fs26 The pictures are museum quality. Although that description wouldn't necessarily impress children.
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\f0\fs26 Children are impressed by the big, generous, colorful, evocative paintings that deepen the significance of the words.
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\f0\fs26 In a starred review, Publisher's Weekly characterizes the book as: "Gracefully constructed ... as intricate as the baskets and history to which it pays tribute."
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\f0\fs26 Also in a starred review, Booklist says: "Clear, poetic words and exquisite watercolor illustrations depict how the small circular basket holds the big circle of African-American history."
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\f0\fs26 Kirkus Reviews sums up the story: "In solemn Gullah cadences, an old woman passes on to a grandchild centuries of history embodied in the Sea Islands' distinctive sweetgrass baskets ... powerfully evoking the passage of successive generations linked by the ancient skill."
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\f0\fs26 My executive summary of all these reviews and more is: If you buy only one children's book this year, let it be "Circle Unbroken."
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\f0\fs26 Catherine, a third-grader, eloquently expressed my opinion in her book review. She wrote, "I think kids and parents will love this book as much as I did. It's like a poem, full of love and hope."
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 March 26, 2004
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 18, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Story teaches drastic consequences of bad behavior in man, animals
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 503 words
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\f0\fs26 The Sunday school class for 3-year-olds enjoyed a rousing rendition of the story wherein Jesus tells Zacchaeus, the short little tax collector, to come down from the tree he had climbed.
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\f0\fs26 The children understood that Zacchaeus had behaved badly when he stole people's money. They also understood that, after meeting with Jesus, he decided to give the money back and be an honest person. Hooray for Zacchaeus! He made the decision that God wanted him to make.
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\f0\fs26 From circle time, we adjourned to snack time. The snack just happened to be little elf cookies that just happened to look a lot like the Zacchaeus in our Bible story book. And we bit off his head, crunched up his feet and swallowed down every last crumb of that little man. That will teach him to do the right thing! Or so it seemed to me. I didn't ask the children what they thought, but they probably were thinking that the cookies tasted great.
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\f0\fs26 After all, we eat animal crackers, systematically biting off innocent heads and tails with no physical or psychological damage to animals or children. And gingerbread men, etc.
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\f0\fs26 Along comes "Gator Gumbo" by Candace Fleming. This picture book is delightful in every respect if you don't mind the ending where the sassy skunk, the snickering otter and the smirking possum tumble into the steaming gumbo pot, where they constitute the "special ingredients" that make "gumbo just like Mama used to make." Bad guys finish last. In this case, they finished (as) lunch.
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\f0\fs26 Granted, those pesky animals were teasing, taunting and tormenting slow old Monsieur Gator and begging for an ignominious end. Ending as soup meat is about as ignominious as you can get. It took me by surprise.
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\f0\fs26 The text is lovely and lilting. The illustrations are charming with depictions of the "bad" animals that made me laugh out loud.
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\f0\fs26 "Let me tell you about Monsieur Gator.
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\f0\fs26 Monsieur Gator, he live down in the bayou, oh yes he do.
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\f0\fs26 He lives on the edge of the swamp, uh-huh.
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\f0\fs26 He has big claws, big teeth, and a big appetite, for sure."
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\f0\fs26 First-graders love this book! I think that kindergartners and second-graders would love it as well. Reading it with a Cajun accent is a plus, but not essential.
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\f0\fs26 The first-graders pick up on the resemblance to the story of "The Little Red Hen." They see what's coming. They know the animals are going to get in trouble for teasing Monsieur Gator. Do they think the punishment fits the crime? With only a few children hesitating, the answer is a resounding yes!
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\f0\fs26 I went back to the page where the animals promise to stop teasing if Monsieur Gator will give them a taste of the gumbo. I ask if Monsieur Gator had any choices about what he could do with those misbehaving animals. The children understand that Monsieur Gator could have given the animals another chance, but they don't think the animals deserved it. I wonder if this reaction predicts the future of capital punishment. And then I wonder if I really do need to get a life!
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 11, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Finding Irish tales like finding four-leaf clover
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 My first job after college was in Uijongbu, Korea. My second job was in Saigon. From there, I traveled slowly around the world. Katmandu, Nepal and Angor Wat in Cambodia were my two favorite places. Then I went to Ireland and fell irrevocably in love with the whole country.
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\f0\fs26 "The Book of Kells," housed in the Trinity College Library in Dublin, is profoundly, movingly lovely. The peat bogs and peat fires bring past centuries into the present. I spent great days climbing around ancient ruins and great nights staying in castles and B and B's. Although I'm not Irish, I'm such a fan of the country that my husband says I sound like the Irish National Tourist Board.
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\f0\fs26 Even my favorite poem, "A Prayer for My Daughter," is by Irishman W.B. Yeats:
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\f0\fs26 "In courtesy I'd have her chiefly learned; Hearts are not had as a gift but hearts are earned
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\f0\fs26 By those that are not entirely beautiful."
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\f0\fs26 Until this year, I've scrambled to find stories to read to children on St. Patrick's Day that convey my love for Ireland and things Irish. "Kate Culhane" by Michael Hague is a chilling Irish folktale, but it's best saved for Halloween. "Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin: An Irish Tale" by Jessica Souhami is a good choice that children enjoy.
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\f0\fs26 "A Pot O' Gold -- A Treasury of Irish Stories, Poetry, Folklore and (of Course) Blarney," selected and adapted by Kathleen Krull, is the best book I've found for conveying Ireland and Irish literature to children. Where introductions and explanations are needed, Krull provides. David McPhail's illustrations are charming and plentiful enough to keep even kindergartners interested in the longer stories. The book is stuffed with enough entertainment for unlimited St. Patrick's Days or good fun all year.
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\f0\fs26 James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, John Millington Synge and other famous Irish authors are represented in child-friendly poems and stories. There are riddles, Irish oaths and curses, recipes and ancient Irish folk cures. In the unlikely event that the reader needs to cure a child under a fairy spell, that's there as well. There are tips for acquiring the gift of blarney. Oscar Wilde offers "Philosophies for the Very Young," including my personal favorite, "One should always be a little improbable."
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\f0\fs26 Of course, St. Patrick, leprechauns and fairies of many descriptions are covered in depth. There is no mention of green beer. "Erin go bragh!" ("Ireland Forever!")
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 March 12, 2004
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 4, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Would Seuss make cut in today's publishing climate?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 363 words
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\f0\fs26 Surely there is nothing new that I might add to the accolades for Dr. Seuss. I do have two observations.
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\f0\fs26 First: "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins" is my favorite Dr. Seuss book. Maybe it's my favorite because I remember my first-grade teacher reading it to our class. Maybe it's because the book has tremendous substance. Whatever the reasons, I love this book. In a recent column, I mentioned the chests where I stored "treasures" from our children's childhoods. In one of those chests are copies of this book and "Bartholomew and the Oobleck." "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is probably the best known of all the longer books written by Dr. Seuss. There are many others, including "Horton Hatches the Egg" and "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street." The earliest dates to 1937, and they are still worth reading. "Oh, the Places You'll Go" is a popular gift for students who are graduating from high school and even college. "The Lorax" is popular with environmentalists.
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\f0\fs26 Second: Consider what would happen if "Hop on Pop" (1963) and "Green Eggs and Ham" (1960) were unpublished manuscripts that children's book editors were considering today. Would they be trashed, or would they be chosen from among thousands of manuscripts for publication. Of course, I don't know, but I have my doubts that they would make the cuts that are predicated on which books are likely to sell the most copies. I wonder the same thing about gentle books like "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown. Would that title have been published in the publishing climate of 2004?
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\f0\fs26 This isn't an exercise in aimless speculation. By looking at the difference in children's literature then and now, it's possible to foresee in general terms the direction in which publishing is headed. One of our children (in his 20s) said he thought the books of his childhood were much better than the books that are around now. (There are plenty of gems being published every day, but he hasn't seen them yet.). Hopefully, most of the best books from his childhood will continue on in new editions, and Dr. Seuss will most certainly be among them.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 March 5, 2004
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 26, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'No More Handprints' author holding essay contest
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'N
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\f0\fs26 o More Handprints," a picture book written by Michael Hetzer, has received some rave reviews. Bookviews calls it "a touching story of love, ideal for the youngest reader," and goes way out on a limb to say the book "has the look of a classic about it."
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\f0\fs26 Children's Bookwatch picks this title as a "Reviewer's Choice" and describes it as an "excellent and unique book for the whole family to treasure."
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\f0\fs26 My interest in the book was piqued because Hetzer, a resident of Myrtle Beach, is visiting local schools and bookstores. He's also sponsoring an essay contest for which kids in grades 1-5 are asked to write a one-paragraph essay titled "What I do that drives my mom crazy."
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\f0\fs26 The winner will receive a portrait by the book's illustrator, Lowcountry folk artist Kim Clayton. In his next book, Hetzer will name characters after the winner and his or her mom. Details and entry forms are available at Barnes & Noble.
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\f0\fs26 Hetzer says, "We're hoping to change the way kids look at imperfection. It's a cliche, but true: No one's perfect."
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\f0\fs26 In his book, a mother assiduously wipes away every child's handprint she can find, only to treasure the child's handprint after he is grown. The book includes washable ink strips so that children can personalize the book with their own handprints.
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\f0\fs26 I listened and observed while a friend read the book to a first-grade boy and a third-grade boy. The children understood the concept and enjoyed the story.
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\f0\fs26 After reading in the living room, we relocated to the laundry room to make the handprints. The boys loved making hands with 13 fingers and just messing around with the ink. As promised, the ink was easy to wash off when the boys were finished.
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\f0\fs26 On a Saturday morning, I attended one of Hetzer's readings at Barnes & Noble. Hetzer obviously enjoys interacting with the kids.
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\f0\fs26 As he reads, he intersperses the text with comments and questions such as, "Do you put your hands on walls?" and "Do you see the dog helping to move the boy's bed?" Children were listening and parents were smiling. It doesn't get better than that.
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\f0\fs26 Everything about this book is right. The subject of the book and the focus of the publicity appeal to me tremendously.
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\f0\fs26 My dilemma is that I don't like the text because the rhyming rhythm strikes me as choppy and difficult to read:
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\f0\fs26 "On her white walls, oh, those filthy prints;
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\f0\fs26 Fingers splayed like a spider or a squid.
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\f0\fs26 He never knew what it was that made her wince
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\f0\fs26 About those marks, he only knew that it did."
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\f0\fs26 I don't like the illustrations because they strike me as strident and garish. Please remember that I'm the curmudgeon who dismissed "Clack, Clack, Moo" by Doreen Cronin, "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" by Mo Willems (both of which received top customer billing on Amazon.com) and "Love You Forever" by Sheila McGraw.
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\f0\fs26 There are so many books I do like, it's highly unusual for me to write about a book I don't like. It may be that the problem is with me and not the book.
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\f0\fs26 I greatly would appreciate any and all opinions. I will try to learn from them and then forward them to Hetzer.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at: franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 27, 2004
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 19, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Learning how to teach a child to read
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 he name of the book is "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons."
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\f0\fs26 The author, Siegfried Engelmann, also wrote "Give Your Child a Superior Mind." The front of the book announces: "In only 20 minutes a day, this remarkable step-by-step program teaches your child to read -- with the love, care and joy only a parent and child can share."
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\f0\fs26 If the question is "reading," this book believes that the answer is "phonics."
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\f0\fs26 In 1955, Rudolph Flesch wrote "Why Johnny Can't Read." In this book, he argued that reading methods based on phonics are more effective, but schools are using whole word or look-say methods. "Why Johnny Still Can't Read" was published 25 years later. At that time, only 25 percent of the schools were using phonics.
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\f0\fs26 "Making Schools Work" by Robert Benjamin sums up the situation by stating, "Many schools continue to employ instructional methods that have been proven ineffective. The staying power of the look-say or whole-word method of teaching beginning reading is perhaps the most flagrant example of this failure to instruct effectively."
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\f0\fs26 What's a parent to do? Many parents buy and use this book. Millions of parents like me, whose children were blessed with reading success, are grateful to the first-grade teachers who taught our children to read. I like the bumper sticker that reads, "If you can read, thank a teacher."
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\f0\fs26 Although each lesson takes only 20 minutes, parents must plan and prepare to give the lessons. An important aspect of this method is that it uses its own alphabet, based solely on sounds. There's a regular "a" and a long "a" with a line drawn over the top of the letter. The same is true for "e" and "o." "Sh," "th," and "ing" are among the other sounds that have a place in this alphabet. Although it looks alien at first glance, it's completely logical. It takes the guesswork out of what sound a letter may be "saying."
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\f0\fs26 The book is easily, readily and inexpensively available. I purchased my used copy on the Internet for about $5, which included shipping. Among parents who home-school, the book may be widely known. I'd never heard of it until a friend raved about the effectiveness of the method.
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\f0\fs26 After I'd read through the book, I asked my friend for some specifics on how she and her husband had taught their 4-year-old daughter to read using "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons." One of my concerns was that it would be difficult for a child to learn the phonetic alphabet in the book and then learn the regular alphabet. My friend assured me that there had been a smooth, problem-free transition. Another concern was that parents would have to spend an inordinate amount of time planning for the lesson that would take 20 minutes. My friend said that planning time wasn't an issue.
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\f0\fs26 "Stick with it!" was her adamant advice. Until Lesson 80, she wasn't completely convinced the method would work. At that point, there was an "amazing click," and the child was reading.
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\f0\fs26 Conventional wisdom used to advise against teaching a child to read before she started first grade. It was thought that the child would be bored and lose interest. That theory makes sense to me, but this particular child skipped kindergarten and is happy in her classroom.
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\f0\fs26 "Reading Recovery" is a one-on-one reading program used in the public schools for children who aren't learning to read in the regular classroom. It's as labor-intensive (one on one) as "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons," but the teachers are specially trained and use specified materials. "Teach Your Child" also is appropriate for children who have been in school but who have not learned to read.
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\f0\fs26 The introduction to the book assures parents who use this plan that they "will know more about teaching reading than most public school teachers."
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\f0\fs26 Those sound like fightin' words, but for parents who are agonizing over this issue, it may be worth adding this tool to your arsenal and embarking on the monumental commitment.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 20, 2004
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 12, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Give baby academic start by reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 1D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 501 words
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\f0\fs26 aby Jacqueline has finally arrived. For the siblings and cousins (and the parents), nine months was a long wait.
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\f0\fs26 One day after tutoring, Ezbaide, Juan, Coco and Alicia browsed through more than a dozen books to find the perfect one for their baby.
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\f0\fs26 They seriously considered "Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever." The first time I saw a Richard Scarry book I predicted that children would hate it because of all the tiny pictures crowding the pages. Everybody knows that children like only big, simple illustrations. Wrong! Children love these busy books. They also enjoy Scarry's sense of humor: "Do you like to go on picnics? Ants love to go on picnics!"
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\f0\fs26 Baby Jacqueline's siblings and cousins moved on to consider a plastic "Baby Einstein" book called "What Floats."
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\f0\fs26 Although this is a popular series and although that book is perfect for reading in the bath tub, the siblings and cousins kept looking.
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\f0\fs26 They liked the cardboard "Let's Play" book by Leo Lionni.
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\f0\fs26 Many distinguished children's authors are now in cardboard, including John Burningham and Sarah Boynton. The siblings and cousins read through several cardboard books in the "Baby Genius" series, including some on baby animals, colors and numbers.
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\f0\fs26 Finally, they chose the book they all agreed was perfect -- a "See Through" book by DK Publishing. This series invites children to answer silly questions and encourages parents to have fun with their babies as the babies learn basic concepts.
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\f0\fs26 Did these elementary schoolchildren think a book was an odd gift for a baby? No way! Even Jacqueline's first-grade brother intends to read to her while she's still tiny.
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\f0\fs26 Why? Reading encourages reading.
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\f0\fs26 Babies are attracted to the sound of the human voice. They especially enjoy the rhymes and predictable language found in picture books.
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\f0\fs26 Of course, babies hear voices around them in conversation, and on videos and TV.
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\f0\fs26 Reading is more powerful because the baby is enjoying the one-on-one attention of the reader. Babies begin to associate books and reading with special snuggly bonding times when they are the center of the universe.
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\f0\fs26 By the time Jacqueline enters first grade, she'll be expected to be able to write her name as well as about a dozen other words. She'll be tested on her ability to differentiate between letters and numbers and the front and back of a book.
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\f0\fs26 Reading to Jacqueline early and often will give her the background she's going to need for a strong academic start. Children who start behind tend to stay behind. Some of these children never catch up.
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\f0\fs26 The National Assessment of Education Progress survey of 2000 found less print material in homes than it had found in 1994.
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\f0\fs26 I believe it. I've taught students who have hundreds of videos, but no books, newspapers, magazines or encyclopedias.
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\f0\fs26 I've also taught children who arrive for their first day of kindergarten having no idea how to open a book.
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\f0\fs26 Could there be a correlation?
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 13, 2004
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 5, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'Sambo' worth saving for delightful tale of smart boy who outwits tiger
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 1D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Against my husband's better (more fiscally conservative) judgment, I bought cedar chests for each of our four children when they were still in elementary school. Our household was so completely chaotic that I wanted a small space for each child where I could store things that the child treasured. As the children outgrew their favorite toys and books, those items disappeared into the chests with the thought that they'd be preserved for posterity (should there ever be a posterity). These weren't valuable items, they were just favorite items.
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\f0\fs26 For instance, in John's chest, there's a cloth cap that his grandmother brought him from China, a karate outfit that he wore one Halloween (with the reflective tape still attached), a wooden dog on wheels and a small stack of books. One of those books is "Little Black Sambo," a classic picture book by Helen Bannerman that originally was published in 1899. I loved that book when I was a child, and our children loved it as well.
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\f0\fs26 For decades, controversy has swirled around this simple story. People love the book, hate the book or fuss because they believe the fuss is unwarranted. These anonymous quotes from the Internet illustrate my point: "Little Black Sambo" is "unashamedly, astonishingly racist." And on the other side: "Anyone interpreting this book ('Little Black Sambo') as racist has a slanted view on life."
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\f0\fs26 Richard Yarborough is an associate professor of English at the Bunche Center for African-American Studies at UCLA. In his opinion, "Little Black Sambo" has no redeeming social value or any other kind of value. He points out, "There are millions of stories in the world that come out of different cultural perspectives," so why try to "salvage" this one? Another professor calls the book "inherently flawed."
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\f0\fs26 So? Even if there are millions of other noncontroversial, presumably unflawed stories, this one is a gem.
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\f0\fs26 "Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo" by Julius Lester was an ALA Notable Book. Lester, who is black, evidently thought this "inherently flawed" book was worth "salvaging."
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\f0\fs26 Christopher Bing recently has illustrated a new version in which he preserves the original text, "Sambo" and all. Bing says that changing the text "would be hiding. ... I would see it as veiled racism." Bing's publisher, Handprint Books, says, "... We can't whitewash and erase history. ... I can't undo history, but I do hope that I can forge a better understanding of it."
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\f0\fs26 To this end, the publisher includes a note in the book acknowledging the story's "dark and complex history." The book is listed in the top 40 children's books on the Kirkus Reviews' 2003 Editor's Choice List.
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\f0\fs26 I believe that there must be something to a book that's been alive and kicking for more than 100 years. For starters, it was one of the first books to feature a black child (or any black person) as the hero. Sambo was brave. Sambo was smart. Sambo triumphed over tremendous odds, saving his own life and ultimately benefiting his family. From Sambo we learn to stay calm in a crisis, bide our time and determine the enemy's weakness and use it to our advantage. All in one little story!
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\f0\fs26 Recently, when I read the original version to first- and second-graders, I was surprised to rediscover the humor. We were all laughing about how ridiculous that tiger looked with shoes on his ears. I'd also forgotten about the lyrical quality of the text. After a few pages, the children could chime in on the repeating phrases.
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\f0\fs26 The author, Helen Bannerman, was a Scot who lived in India for 30 years. She wrote and illustrated the story for her two young children, never intending for it to be published. After one of her friends took it to a publisher in England, the book was successful there and in the United States. Unfortunately, several pirated versions followed. Each of these versions was unabashedly racist.
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\f0\fs26 Critics focus on the name "Sambo" as being the most racist element of the book. The illustrator Bing is convinced that Bannerman had no racist intentions. His research reveals that "Sambo" was derived from "Sam," a common prefix for an Indian boy's name. "Mumbo" and "Jumbo," the parents, were names that had mystical Indian roots and translate into something somewhat equivalent to "abracadabra" in English.
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\f0\fs26 Should Sambo be saved? I'm voting "yes." I'm voting "yes" to all versions, wherever they may be placed on the continuum of political correctness.
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\f0\fs26 When the time comes, I want to exhume that small, red, frayed-cover book from John's cedar chest and read it to my grandchildren. When I finish the story I'll ask, "What can we all learn from this courageous, intelligent little boy?"
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 6, 2004
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 29, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Good story will capture attention of kids
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 446 words
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\f0\fs26 My challenge was to capture the attention of a dozen young children who had virtually no interest in listening to stories. My guess is that they'd had little or no experience with books and lots of experience with videos and TV.
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\f0\fs26 Over the course of weeks, I tried valiantly to draw them in. I wore bright red "ear bags" and made fake snow to draw their attention before I read Jane Cabrera's "The Lonesome Polar Bear" and Judi Beach's "Names for Snow." Big yawn.
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\f0\fs26 I browsed through The Clown's Bazaar on Broad Street and bought a galimoto to demonstrate for these children when I read "Galimoto" by Karen Lynn Williams and a set of nesting dolls to show the children when I read "Sasha's Matrioshka Dolls" by Jana Dillon. The children loved the toys but gave only fragmented attention to the books.
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\f0\fs26 So now what? My bag of tricks was inside-out empty. The children and I were rescued by unexpected authors: The Brothers Grimm. When I read "Mother Holly, A Grimm Tale Retold" by John Warren Stewig, the children were practically transfixed. They may never have heard of a spindle, they may never have seen a well, and they probably wouldn't care that the theme is redemption. But they certainly "got" the story. The detailed and lovely illustrations by Johanna Westerman captivated the children. Everyone wanted a close look at Mother Holly's big teeth and Rose's golden dress.
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\f0\fs26 To my professional and personal embarrassment, I realized I'd been thinking backward. If I were assuming that these children had had a steady, lifelong diet of intellectual junk food, then I should have assumed that now they desperately needed some intellectual food of substance.
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\f0\fs26 Testing my theory, the next week I read "Brundibar," which is retold by playwright Tony Kushner and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Were the children familiar with a hurdy-gurdy or milk bought by the bucket? No. Do young children know the words "sagacious," "vanquish" and "tyrant?" No. Did they love the story? Yes! "Brundibar" is based on the 1938 Czech opera by Hans Krasa. With the help of friends, two children defeat a threatening bully and save their sick mother. The opera was performed 55 times by children living in a Nazi concentration camp, nearly all of whom died when they were deported to Auschwitz. Ironically, "Brundibar" gives children life-affirming hope that they can win the battle of good versus evil. One of my favorite parts of the book is a sign that says: "People are happy helping. It's never hard to find help. It's only hard to know that it's time to ask."
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\f0\fs26 Executive Summary: A good story is a good story. Accept no substitutes.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 January 30, 2004
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 22, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reluctant readers like humor books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 To understate the case, Billy is a reluctant reader. To compound the difficulty, his older brother and sister excel in all things academic and are applying to Ivy League colleges. Being the youngest, being a boy, being in middle school -- none of these factors help.
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\f0\fs26 Billy's mother takes this problem seriously, but she's upbeat, supportive of Billy, and calm. She'd read my column about reluctant readers being drawn to humor and wanted me to know that was exactly true for Billy. In elementary school he'd enjoyed the frontline funny books such as "Captain Underpants" by Dav Pilkey and the "Wayside School" books by Louis Sachar.
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\f0\fs26 Middle school meant a whole new challenge to find funny books that were more sophisticated and on a higher reading level, but still appropriate for his age. He loves Mad Magazine to which he subscribes. He reads Dave Barry's columns as well as his books. I wouldn't recommend just any Dave Barry book, but "Dave Barry Slept Here: A Short of History of the United States" is crazy enough to appeal to this age group. The text is full of misinformation. For example, Barry tells readers that it was easy to set fire to England because many houses had thatched roofs. As long as the kids aren't using this as a text for social studies, they'll probably be all right.
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\f0\fs26 "The Darwin Awards" keep Billy reading and laughing. He finds most of his information at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.darwinawards.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.darwinawards.com}}. These are tales of "awe-inspiring stupidity" that result in "culling the herd." There actually is a book called "Darwin Awards III: Survival of the Fittest."
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\f0\fs26 He likes the Guinness Book of World Records. Virtually all kids like this book, from elementary school on.
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\f0\fs26 Dumb criminals crack Billy up. He types "Dumb Criminals" into a search engine or goes directly to {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.thedumb.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.thedumb.com}}. The site lists books about dumb criminal acts, dumb facts, dumb laws (you may not tie an alligator to a fire hydrant), dumb warnings and dumb bumper stickers. Although I'm sure this site was not designed for middle schoolers, it may as well have been.
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\f0\fs26 None of this is Dostoyevsky. Billy may or may not ever read "Crime and Punishment." The point is: He's reading.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 January 22, 2004
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 15, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reading aloud pays off with lifetime joy of books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 This column is for Jack's terrific mom. She believes in the importance of reading to her children. Even though her children are still young, she already sees positive differences that reading aloud has made. The entire world, and particularly the education establishment, should be cheering her on.
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\f0\fs26 They aren't.
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\f0\fs26 In fact, there are forces arrayed against her that increase the difficulty of reading aloud. Video is "in." It's in homes, classrooms and even cars. Video requires virtually no effort and no adult-invested time. Jack's mom has to practically launch a crusade to persuade anyone to read a popular book rather than watch a popular book.
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\f0\fs26 About a quarter of a century ago (before the dawn of the household VCR) when I was knee deep in toddlers, my mother-in-law told me that time and effort expended when our children were young would pay off when they were older.
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\f0\fs26 I was thinking about that advice on a recent vacation. For hours (and hours) in airports, for the apres-ski evenings, even for hours cramped in the rental car, our family was reading. What a blessing! No gritting of teeth, no bad moods, no boredom -- just opportunities to return to a good book.
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\f0\fs26 From their infancy, we spent hours (and hours) reading to our children. We read to our children even when we barely could keep our own eyes open. Now we're glad. The payoff is more than worth our investment.
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\f0\fs26 In addition to giving our children an academic advantage, reading to our children gave them the lifelong joy of reading. As much as we enjoyed reading to them, at times it seemed like a chore and an obligation. Now it seems like the smartest thing we ever did.
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\f0\fs26 This vacation, one of the boys was reading "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. He liked it so much that he passed it along to another brother, and then several of us could haggle over the truths and falsehoods and consequences of the book.
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\f0\fs26 One son was reading Pat Conroy's "The Lords of Discipline." My husband was reading Conroy's "My Losing Season." It made me smile to hear him laughing out loud. These books gave those guys a lot to talk about.
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\f0\fs26 Another son was reading "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen. Since his sister and I had read it earlier, we could talk about the true-to-life issues and why I worried about turning out to be like the mother in the book.
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\f0\fs26 For our children, who are immersed in medical school and law school, and for us parents immersed in our jobs, recreational reading is refreshing and restorative. It even provides some perspective, humor and ideas that deserve thought.
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\f0\fs26 Sometimes I think there's an unwritten law of the universe that says: Whatever is the hardest thing is the right thing. According to this "law" and my beliefs, Jack's mom is doing everything right. And Jack is one fortunate child.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 8, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Junior Critics on a roll reading and reviewing
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 About 15 children, third through fifth grades, are sprawled in a casual circle on the conference room floor at the Mount Pleasant Town Library. A large collection of new books is scattered in the middle where everyone can reach. And everyone is reaching!
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\f0\fs26 This is the third meeting of the Junior Critics, so we all know the basic format. First the critics sift through the new titles, looking for something appealing. By then, most kids have arrived from their various schools. Volunteers take turns describing the book they chose to read over the past month. They briefly summarize the plot, rate the book on a scale of 1-10, and suggest the ages for which it's appropriate. Then that book is up for grabs. Depending on the review, there may be competition for the book or it may be beneath further notice.
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\f0\fs26 Nancy Filer, who heads children's services, hands out sheets on which each child writes a short review. These sheets are added to a notebook and kept in the library so that other children can refer to them for advice about a given title. Truly, this is very simple. And to my librarian's heart, very wonderful. Kids who love to read are brought together with fresh, new books and each other. Everybody's opinion of a book is respected. As months pass, more kids will have read the same books. I'm hoping this will precipitate some lively discussions when opinions clash.
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\f0\fs26 In this early stage, all is calm.
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\f0\fs26 "Dust" by Arthur Slade was rated a 9. No child who reads this book will ever accept a ride from a stranger. Educators will approve of the vocabulary and the historically accurate setting in Depression-era Saskatchewan. Kids will be intrigued by this spooky story about an evil man who mesmerizes a whole town to accomplish his supernatural plan. The story is nebulous enough to keep it open to different interpretations. The critic who reviewed this book says it will keep kids turning pages and recommends it for fifth grade and up.
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\f0\fs26 "Year of No Rain" by Alice Mead was dismissed by a critic as "boring." This story documents the civil war and drought in the Sudan as lived by a child who is orphaned by the conflict. This tragedy of children wandering in search of water, food and families is a reality that children in the United States need to understand. I would not have called it boring. Although the reading level is about fourth grade, perhaps it's better suited to older children.
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\f0\fs26 "Stephan's Story" by Valerie Hobbs is the sequel to "Carolina Crow Girl." The critic who reviewed the book rated it 9.5 and recommended it for boys and girls ages 8-13. Since the protagonists are dealing with first-love issues, I'd recommend an older audience. The story is a model of political correctness. A girl and a disabled boy set out to prevent the cutting of an old-growth forest. It certainly wouldn't hurt anybody to read this, unless the reader expired from perfection.
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\f0\fs26 "Precious Gold, Precious Jade" by Sharon E. Heisel was rated 9.5 by the critic who suggests it for girls only. This is historical fiction set in the early days of gold mining in Oregon. The story is about prejudice against the Chinese and what happens when Chinese and American girls become friends. I agree with the high rating.
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\f0\fs26 More, much more to come. These kids are on a roll -- a reading roll.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 1, 2004 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Even kids who hate to read like funny books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f0\fs26 Despite centuries of theories and research, probably starting with Aristotle's lost treatise on laughter, we still have no clear explanation for why we laugh. Dr. Richard Wiseman, who initiated a global humor study in 2002 to determine the funniest joke in the world, may have raised more questions than he answered.
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\f0\fs26 What I know is that most kids love to laugh. Kids who usually hate books will read "Captain Underpants" by Dav Pilkey, "The Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket and the "Wayside School" books by Louis Sachar because the books are funny.
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\f0\fs26 When I was reading "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by J.K. Rowling I was also reading "What's So Funny?" by Tad Friend, a scientific attempt to discover why we laugh. This story in The New Yorker (Nov. 11, 2002) made me laugh occasionally, but it was a serious consideration of what we know about humor.
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\f0\fs26 Although I've read all the books in the "Harry Potter" series, I suddenly realized how funny they are. Certainly children have realized this all along. Brent Forrester, a writer for "The Simpsons," claims that there are five "humor mechanisms." Once I was aware of these "mechanisms," I could see them at work in "Order of the Phoenix."
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\f0\fs26 Rowling is exceptionally skilled at wordplay. She uses words such as "Crumple-Horned Snorkbacks," "Blast-Ended Skrewts," "nargles," "Umgubular Slashkilter," and "Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-Bangs" to cite a very few. I can't explain why they make me laugh, they just do.
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\f0\fs26 On the wall of "St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries" is a sign warning: "ANTIDOTES ARE ANTI-DON'TS UNLESS APPROVED BY A QUALIFIED HEALER." Clever ... and funny.
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\f0\fs26 Forrester also cites "comic irony" as a "humor mechanism." In "Order of the Phoenix," the harder Professor Umbridge works to gain total control as "High Inquisitor," the more she loses control.
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\f0\fs26 Forrester also believes that the "unintentional revelation of something negative" makes people laugh. In Rowling's books, the bad guys reveal how bad they are just by being themselves. This may or may not be funny, but it's always effective.
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\f0\fs26 Of all the theories that Friend discusses in his article, I think the "incongruity theory" best explains the comic appeal of "Harry Potter." In the 17th century, Blaise Pascal wrote, "Nothing produces laughter more than a surprising disproportion between that which one expects and that which one sees."
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\f0\fs26 Rowling's books are replete with unexpected surprises. "Extendable Ears" are stringy, flesh-colored listening devices that worm their way under closed doors to broadcast clandestine conversations. A "Room of Requirement" is a room that appears exactly when and where it's required in terms of size and furnishings. The "Skiving Snackbox " is full of tricky treats that can instantly cause enough fever or vomiting to get a student excused from class -- and then just as quickly cure the malady. These and countless other feats of magic are outside of the experience of most readers.
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\f0\fs26 Even if I don't know why I'm laughing, I know that I'm laughing. And I know this is part of the mix that makes "Harry Potter" irresistible to millions of fans.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 18, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Christmas books set tiny tots' eyes aglow
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f0\fs26 How do authors think of anything new to say about Christmas? I don't know, but they certainly manage to do just that.
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\f0\fs26 For babies, there's a new board book called "Jingle Bells" with photographs by Michael Scott. Actually, these words aren't new. Scott has taken the traditional "Jingle Bell" song and illustrated it with jolly babies of several ethnic origins. Irresistible.
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\f0\fs26 "A Child is Born" by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Floyd Cooper has been published in board-book format for the first time this year. Because I'm deeply interested in the image and concept of the black Madonna, I was fascinated by this book, in which the Holy Family is beautifully depicted as black. Should the book interest you, there are abundant Web sites that explore the phenomenon of the black Madonna.
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\f0\fs26 For the preschool and first-graders, new picture books abound. "Father Fox's Christmas Rhymes" by Clyde Watson with pictures by Wendy Watson is one of my favorites. The Fox family celebrates Christmas in good old-fashioned style.
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\f0\fs26 Next to a picture of the family surrounding baby Fox in a high chair is the text:
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\f0\fs26 "With eyes so wise
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\f0\fs26 & a trusting heart
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\f0\fs26 & a spirit that sings like a dove
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\f0\fs26 Although you are little
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\f0\fs26 You're more than enough
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\f0\fs26 A sweet little plenty of love."
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\f0\fs26 Our children need to hear that, no matter what size they are!
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\f0\fs26 "A wish for peace & love & joy
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\f0\fs26 More precious things than any toy
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\f0\fs26 There is enough, if we will share
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\f0\fs26 For every creature, everywhere."
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\f0\fs26 And we all need to hear that, especially at Christmas.
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\f0\fs26 "Redheaded Robbie's Christmas Story" by Bill Luttrell is another new picture book. Robbie knows the true meaning of Christmas, even though his speech impediment prevents him from communicating to an audience with the traditional words. His friends come on stage to his rescue and speak the words they know are in his heart. This book opens many possibilities for discussions about friendship and Christmas.
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\f0\fs26 "Are You Grumpy Santa" by Greg and Evan Spiridellis is a lightweight picture book written to convey the "lesson" that: "When people do nice things for you, the GRUMPIES disappear." Children will be laughing as everything that can go wrong, does go wrong.
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\f0\fs26 For almost 30 years, our family has celebrated every Christmas morning by reading the same precious story. This old-but-new story is in the Bible, the book of Luke, Chapter 2.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 18, 2003
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 11, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Craft books promote joy of gift giving
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f0\fs26 Mr. Rogers, a man I adore, is still with us in spirit. I especially think of him during the holidays because of his belief that children should learn the joy of giving. He believed it was important for children to know that they were capable of making and giving gifts that could bring happiness to others.
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\f0\fs26 Our children painted aprons and made cookies to give to their grandparents and wrapped the gifts in paper they'd decorated. When I was cleaning out my mother's attic, I found that hand-colored paper, complete with little shreds of desiccated cellophane tape. She evidently thought the child-produced product was too precious to discard. Children need to know they can create something that important, something that a loved one will cherish just because they made it with their own beloved hands.
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\f0\fs26 Craft books, especially Christmas craft books, are easily found in libraries and book stores. Kwanzaa and Hanukkah crafts require a bit more searching. I found two I especially liked.
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\f0\fs26 "Hanukkah Fun: Great Things to Make and Do" by Judy Bastyra and Catherine Ward is a small paperback full of ideas. It begins with the story of Hanukkah and the explanation that Hanukkah is "a festival of light and giving ... celebrated by Jewish people all over the world." No surprise, there are directions for making menorahs and latkes, dreidels and candles. More surprising, there are projects to make helmets and shields (just like the Maccabees), oils and a scented lamp. Many of the projects require adult supervision and involvement. All the activities look more interesting than a trip to the mall.
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\f0\fs26 "Kwanzaa Fun: Great Things to Make and Do" by Linda Robertson and Julia Pearson is another small paperback. It begins with the history of Kwanzaa, the seven days of Kwanzaa and the symbols of Kwanzaa. There are activities for each of the seven days: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativityand Faith. Any time of year is a good time to consider these aspects of life. Food for Kwanzaa includes cornbread as well as peanut-butter stew.
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\f0\fs26 Whether your family is celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or otherwise, the point is to empower our children with the ability to give and a belief that the real joy is in giving rather than getting.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 4, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Fence lists library of impressive classics
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 The Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library is an increasingly impressive structure in progress at the corner of Coming and Calhoun streets. The construction site has been surrounded by a fascinating fence, simulated to look like the spines of literary classics.
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\f0\fs26 What an inspired idea -- to encircle a place of learning with a fence of learning. It's as though the College of Charleston and Hitt Contractors were determined to educate the populace of Charleston even if we never enter the finished building.
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\f0\fs26 As enthusiastic as I am about this fence, I'm also humbled. Pre-fence, I considered myself fairly well-educated and fairly well-read. Post-fence, it's debatable.
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\f0\fs26 Basho, born in Japan in 1644, is one of my favorite poets who wrote haiku I can recite from memory: "Traveling this high mountain trail, delighted by violets ..."
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\f0\fs26 Everybody knows that Jane Austen wrote "Pride and Prejudice" even if they haven't read it. Many of us have read works by Malcolm X and W.E.B. DuBois. Descartes, Sophocles, Galileo, Aristophanes, Goethe, Nietzsche, Lenin are familiar to liberal arts students. Kant, Euripedes, Milne, Marx, Locke and Confucius might not be household names, but at least we've heard of them.
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\f0\fs26 But what about Junichiro Tanizaki? Am I the only person completely ignorant of his existence, much less his importance? He wrote "The Makioka Sisters," considered by many to be one of the greatest Japanese novels ever written.
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\f0\fs26 And Murasaki Shikibu. When I looked up this author, I realized I did know of her most famous work, "The Tale of Genji." This 1,200 page epic, considered by many to be the world's first novel, chronicles courtly life in medieval Japan.
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\f0\fs26 Naguib Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1988. "The Cairo Trilogy," his 1,360 page epic, chronicles three generations of a family ruled by a tyrannical patriarch during the years between the two World Wars. It was originally written in Arabic.
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\f0\fs26 Yukio Mishima wrote "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea," which I'd read although I'd forgotten the name of the author. "The Sea of Fertility" is considered to be his masterpiece. He committed hara-kiri in 1970 as a political protest.
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\f0\fs26 Christine de Pisan sounds fascinating.
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\f0\fs26 She's called the first professional female writer, and her best known work is "The Treasure of the City of Ladies: or The Book of the Three Virtues." In the 15th century, she was a widowed Italian living in France who wrote about virtually everything -- history, love, philosophy, politics -- and also wrote poetry.
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\f0\fs26 I'm inspired to pursue these authors beyond my shallow, thumbnail sketches.
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\f0\fs26 Not since Tom Sawyer has a fence been this educational.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 27, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Parents can 'trick' finicky readers into visiting the world of books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 6D
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\f0\fs26 A friend was jogging in her neighborhood when she noticed her children's bikes parked next to a construction site. Although her children "know" that construction sites are way off limits, it was apparent that they'd disregarded parental warnings.
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\f0\fs26 Had I been that mom, I would have marched inside that semi-finished house, rounded up the kids, force-marched them home, re-lectured them on the subject of construction site dangers, and then placed them on restriction until Christmas -- of their senior years in high school.
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\f0\fs26 My friend took an entirely different tact.
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\f0\fs26 Since the children were talking and exploring on an upper floor, she easily hid herself on the first floor.
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\f0\fs26 She began making disembodied noises -- first knocking on wood and then banging on pipes.
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\f0\fs26 Each time she tried a different sound, the children's conversation would pause as they listened. Then they'd giggle nervously and resume their tour of the house.
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\f0\fs26 As soon as she judged that the children were sufficiently on edge, the mom disguised her voice and moaned, "Get out of here. Get out of this house."
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\f0\fs26 The children lapsed into total silence. The mom took advantage of their temporarily frozen state to sneak out of the house and jog home.
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\f0\fs26 When the children arrived home, they were entirely nonchalant in recounting their uneventful bike ride.
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\f0\fs26 The mom explained that she'd been worried about them because a neighbor reported that an escaped lunatic was somewhere in the neighborhood. The children looked at each other. Finally the mom abandoned all her subtle efforts to get the children to admit their terrifying experience. Replicating her scary voice, she moaned, "Get out of this house."
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\f0\fs26 Recognition. Shock. Anger. Capitulation.
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\f0\fs26 In my opinion, these children are cured of any future temptation to trespass on a construction site. The mom's creativity taught an indelible lesson.
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\f0\fs26 This same mom uses her creativity with her children's reading.
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\f0\fs26 Although her sixth-grader is bright and reads very well, the desire to be cool and disinterested is overpowering her desire to read.
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\f0\fs26 Without asking permission or mentioning it in conversation, the mom bought "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul" by Jack Canfield and left it on her daughter's bedside table.
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\f0\fs26 For a few days, her daughter ignored it. Then she began reading random selections. Then she began talking to her mom about what she was reading. Now they read the book together.
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\f0\fs26 This mom works full time and takes two graduate-level courses. Maybe she's creative because she doesn't have time to nag or repeat herself. Maybe none of us has that kind of time.
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\f0\fs26 Although it may sound unethical, I think some children won't read unless they're "tricked" into doing so.
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\f0\fs26 Maybe a reluctant reader will be "trapped" into reading an oversized, colorful book on NASCAR or the Porsche. Maybe the "Guinness Book of World Records" will keep a child turning pages. What about a sports magazine, a comic book or a cookbook? Even Pokemon requires some reading. Most Web sites, even game sites, require reading.
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\f0\fs26 If you can make reading fun, you've won half the battle. If you can interest the child, you've won the other half.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 20, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Teach gratitude through Thanksgiving books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Belief in entitlement is the cultural kudzu of our generation. From benign, perhaps legitimate beginnings, it's spreading over traditional mores and suffocating them. Gratitude is so close to being eradicated that it should be added to the endangered species list.
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\f0\fs26 From my observations in schools, entitlement and ingratitude are endemic regardless of socioeconomic status. The prevailing attitude is often, "Why should I be grateful? I'm entitled." "Why should I say 'thank you' to people who're just doing their job?" "I deserve brand-name clothing and everything must be new."
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\f0\fs26 I used to think that this entitlement attitude so rampant among children could be addressed by sending them off for a stint in a Third World country. For some kids, even a mission trip to Haiti makes no impression. One girl came back complaining that she couldn't plug in her hair dryer.
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\f0\fs26 Even though we may not have the resources to eradicate entitlement kudzu from the entire countryside, we can hack away at the incursions on our own turf. Thanksgiving is a perfect time and place to start conversations about gratitude. Books can help.
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\f0\fs26 In this year's new crop of books, the hands-down favorite was "The Memory Cupboard: A Thanksgiving Story" by Charlotte Herman. A loving grandmother teaches her granddaughter why she is grateful even for things that get broken. Themes of gratitude, forgiveness and memories intertwine simply enough that even kindergartners understand.
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\f0\fs26 "The Perfect Thanksgiving" by Eileen Spinelli tells the rhyming story of Abigail Archer's "perfect" family in contrast to the young narrator's wacky relatives. The ending sums up the point that our families are our families. We're grateful for them, idiosyncrasies and all."Giving Thanks" by Jonathan London is beautifully illustrated with paintings by Gregory Manchess.
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\f0\fs26 As a father and son walk through scenes of great natural beauty, the father gives thanks directly to the Earth and sky and trees. "Like his Indian friends -- singers and storytellers -- Dad believes that the things of nature are a gift.
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\f0\fs26 And that in return, we must give something back. We must give our thanks." The ethereal quality and the pantheism combine to make this book unusual.
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\f0\fs26 "Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving" by Laurie Halse Anderson is the picture-book biography of Sarah Hale. The first-graders enjoyed their introduction to the history of Thanksgiving Day, and gained a new appreciation for the fact that a national holiday doesn't just happen.
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\f0\fs26 The book includes additional information that puts Sarah's accomplishment in historical perspective. Children are encouraged to emulate Sarah by picking up their pens and changing the world.
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\f0\fs26 For second grade and above, "The Pilgrims at Plymouth" by Lucille Recht Penner provides detailed information about the living conditions and hardships that preceded the first Thanksgiving.
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\f0\fs26 Alongside the narrative, Penner highlights bits of information that make the story come alive.
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\f0\fs26 Children are intrigued to learn that some American Indian arrow points were made of bears' teeth and that one of the Pilgrim boys made firecrackers with gunpowder.
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\f0\fs26 Don't forget "Molly's Pilgrim" by Barbara Cohen, my personal oldie-but-goodie favorite.
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\f0\fs26 It's possible to be grateful without being happy.
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\f0\fs26 But I've never met anyone who was happy without being grateful.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 13, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Mentoring, tutoring students are good starts
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 From kindergarten through high school, our four children attended local public schools. I have no regrets, and I think they all felt they were well prepared for college. I'm increasingly concerned about the viability of public schools. Even in my own family, there are beginning to be defectors from our strong public-school stance.
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\f0\fs26 A first-year high school math teacher told me recently that he couldn't understand why he was so tired and stressed when he was only teaching classes for 4-1/2 hours a day. He puts incredible energy into the basic challenge of getting and keeping the kids' attention.
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\f0\fs26 My niece is teaching first grade at a poor, inner-city school in New York. As a first-year teacher, she'll have 28 children in her bilingual class and no other adult to help her. These children are strangers to books, reading, listening, concentrating and good behavior. Regardless of what miracles she manages to accomplish, chances are that many of these children who've started behind will stay behind.
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\f0\fs26 When I was renting a car recently, the guy behind the counter told me he'd been teaching at a Charleston County middle school but had quit because of all the hassles with students, parents and administrators. All three of these young people care about educating young people. All three are intelligent, motivated and hard-working. One third of them are already lost to the education system, and I'm worried about the other two-thirds.
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\f0\fs26 When children are prepared to learn and value learning, the teacher's job can be a joy. When children arrive for kindergarten and test "not ready," the nightmare begins. An English teacher told me about a child in Georgia who was in the fourth grade but couldn't read. To her, this was a crisis. To the child's grandmother, illiteracy was the expectation. The grandmother said, "I'm 55. I don't know how to read, and I've gotten along just fine. My grandson will do the same." When I'm in the library, I always gaze fondly and approvingly at parents who've brought their children. Today, the mother and child ahead of me in line were checking out two videos and no books. Sigh.
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\f0\fs26 A friend who participates in the Big Brother program took two young boys to the downtown library. When they entered the garage under the building, the little parking ticket popped out of the machine. Both boys assumed that this was the library card they'd heard so much about. I have tremendous respect for this twenty-something guy who's introducing at-risk kids to a world they might not ever discover without his intervention.
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\f0\fs26 One afternoon a week, friends and I do homework and read with two families of Hispanic children. A good time is had by all. We write spelling words in chalk on the sidewalk and make up songs to help memorize poems. Incidentally, homework gets finished and stories get read and enjoyed.
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\f0\fs26 Last summer, Mayor Riley called for volunteers to work with students who were struggling academically.
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\f0\fs26 I was skeptical, because I thought it would be difficult for nonteachers to work with kids who had learning difficulties.
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\f0\fs26 Phooey. The volunteers were terrific. Everyone I've spoken with felt positive about the students and their progress.
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\f0\fs26 Mentoring and tutoring may be only a small part of improving public schools and enriching children's lives, but it's a place to start.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 6, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Teens like true adventure, history
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Raising the Hunley: The Remarkable History and Recovery of the Lost Confederate Submarine" is a recent book written by Post and Courier reporters Brian Hicks and Schuyler Kropf. The Hunley story truly is remarkable. The Wall Street Journal says, "Forget the 'Titanic,' this sub wreck is hot." Because the book is riveting, fast-moving and well-researched, it was chosen for the approved list of adult books for high school libraries.
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\f0\fs26 For high school librarians like me who are looking for a break from the (almost) unrelentingly grim fare of young adult literature, adult books like "Raising the Hunley" are a tremendous boon to the collection. "Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster" by Jon Krakauer is another great teen read. Krakauer writes so convincingly that readers will feel their toes get icy.
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\f0\fs26 "The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea" by Sebastian Junger has excitement to match or exceed any fictional account. Another wonderful book with a movie tie-in is "October Sky" by Homer H. Hickam Jr.
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\f0\fs26 I didn't invent the idea of introducing adult books to young adults. Every year the "Alex Awards" are given to the top 10 adult books selected for their appropriateness for teen readers. The titles are chosen for literary quality, readability and appeal. The list is available on the American Library Association Web site.
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\f0\fs26 "Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague" by Geraldine Brooks recounts the daily life of families in a village who voluntarily choose to quarantine themselves to prevent further spread of the disease. Both the circumstances and the characters are fascinating. "My Losing Season" and "The Water is Wide" by Pat Conroy are popular choices for young adults. "Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year" by Esme Raji Codell is a hilarious reality check for anyone considering a teaching career. "A Child Called 'It' " by Dave Pelzer, is guaranteed to wrench teenage heartstrings.
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\f0\fs26 For mystery buffs, Phyllis Whitney and Dorothy Gilman will interest teens. Both authors have published young adult as well as adult books. "A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trial" by Bill Bryson, may encourage teenagers to get out and hike. First they'll need to recover from laughing over the author's adventures and misadventures. "Girl With a Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier is a good suggestion for teens who like history and art history.
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\f0\fs26 "Exploding the Myths: The Truth About Teenagers and Reading" by Marc Aronson cites evidence that teen reading is alive and well. Even though young adult literature has become a genre in its own right, I highly recommend well-chosen adult books for them.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 30, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Too many teen books full of darkness, despair
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Clark Corporate Academy, an alternative magnet school for at-risk students, opened in 1990. This Communities-in-Schools project is specifically designed to prevent high school dropouts.
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\f0\fs26 The first time I went to visit, the school was housed in the old tobacco factory on East Bay Street.
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\f0\fs26 Clark (named for our own Septima P. Clark) would later move to Archer Street and then to the old Gresham-Meggett campus on James Island.
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\f0\fs26 The building is quirky but serviceable, and the grounds are extensive and safe. Until last year, Clark was a program attached to a "real" high school. Starting in August, courtesy of a vote by the Charleston County School Board, Clark Corporate Academy became an alternative stand-alone high school with all the rights, privileges, responsibilities and accoutrements of its more well known counterparts.
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\f0\fs26 Which is where I come in. For the first time, Clark will have its own library. I was hired to select the new collection and preside over it once it's purchased and organized. For a librarian, this is a dream come true. Of course, I forgo the option of complaining about my predecessor's collection, but that's a small price to pay for the joy of building the new collection.
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\f0\fs26 In previous columns, I've written about the subject matter of young adult literature. As I read individual titles, I steel myself for horrific problems and agonizing solutions that teens encounter in the books written for them.
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\f0\fs26 Katherine Patterson agrees with me. Patterson's credentials include two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards. Her book, "The Bridge to Terabithia," is one of my favorite books for young people. In a recent interview, she said, "In the last few years there has been a whole raft of books that are just so depressing that I think, 'What child in the world would I ever hand this book to?' It's not that I think when you write for children you say, 'OK, time to tack the hope on.' But I don't quite understand why it is we want to give children total despair, because I don't think that's realistic either."
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\f0\fs26 In the past month, as I reviewed hundreds of fiction titles for the Clark library, the trend toward darkness, aberration and despair was overwhelmingly apparent. In one book, a homeless kid escapes from a child pornographer and runs away with a child prostitute and her boyfriend who has just killed his parents and kidnapped his baby brother. Things could be worse. But how!
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\f0\fs26 Another young adult novel tells the story of a Winnebago Indian boy whose grandfather, a Korean War Veteran, is denied burial in the "whites-only" cemetery. The protagonist in yet another novel is struggling to survive the aftermath of her best friend's suicide and her own murder trial for her role in her friend's death. We definitely are not talking about "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm."
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\f0\fs26 I don't want a collection that's unremittingly grim. I do want a collection that will interest students and encourage them to read. Part of the answer to this dilemma is choosing adult books that are appropriate for teens. Next week I'll write about some of the adult titles that merit the attention of high school students.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 23, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Haunting but happy tales abound
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 What did the dishonest butcher say to his customer when he sold him the empty sausage? "Happy Hollow Weenie!"
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\f0\fs26 Fortunately, the new Halloween books are a whole lot better than that old Halloween joke. There are so many good new choices, the first-graders and I couldn't choose a favorite. They were all favorites for different reasons.
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\f0\fs26 "The Pumpkin Fairy," by William T. Boyd, is written to "rediscover some of the lost innocence of Halloween." A new fairy is required to "find the right good deed to earn her magic powers." She saves the pumpkins from the marauding coyotes by turning the pumpkins into frightening jack-o'-lanterns that scare off the predators. The pictures by Mary Jo Roberts are reminiscent of the old Arthur Rackham illustrations.
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\f0\fs26 "Anancy and the Haunted House," by Ricardo Keens-Douglas, is in the tradition of the Anansi stories of Ghana. Big, brave, self-important Anancy brags that he can conquer any inhabitants of the haunted house. When the frightening inhabitants conquer him, it's all the little spiders who come to Anancy's rescue.
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\f0\fs26 "Annie Was Warned," by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, is a traditional haunted house story until it reaches the gently surprising ending. Even though readers are told that Annie's birthday is on Halloween, they might not realize that's an essential clue to the outcome of the story.
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\f0\fs26 "Jeoffry's Halloween," by Mary Bryant Bailey, tells the rhyming story of Halloween night through the eyes of Jeoffry the cat. Although the first-graders didn't know all the words, they could tell me exactly what happened. Instead of reaching down to children's understanding, this is a book that makes children want to reach up. For example,
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\f0\fs26 "Ghouls glide round the prickly tops
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\f0\fs26 of beeches twinkling in a copse.
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\f0\fs26 They're only squirrels flying by
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\f0\fs26 Dropping nutshells from the sky."
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\f0\fs26 "Pumpkin Eye," by Denise Fleming, is a much simpler rhyming story. It might be the perfect book to encourage young children to write their own Halloween rhymes.
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\f0\fs26 We liked "Pumpkinhead," by Eric Rohmann, just because it was very silly. Otho is born with a pumpkin for a head. All is well until his pumpkin head is stolen by a bat. Thus begin the perilous, ridiculous adventures that end with Otho's mother discovering his head in a fish market and taking it home to be reunited with his body ("His parents had kept it in a cool, dry place.")
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\f0\fs26 "A Tiger Called Thomas," by Charlotte Zolotow, is a reassuring story for all children at any time of year. Thomas worries that no one will like him in his new neighborhood. On Halloween, he discovers that his neighbors know who he is and want to be his friend, with or without his costume.
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\f0\fs26 For parents who are distressed about the negative aspects of Halloween in the millennium, these books provide ideas on how to round up the ghoulies and ghosties and make Halloween whatever you want it to be.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 16, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Teens rediscover poetry through slammin' nights, texts in unpredictable formats
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 My daughter patiently explained to me that "Shut up" no longer means "Shut up." Now the words are said in a neutral tone of voice and basically mean, "You don't say," or "You must be kidding."
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\f0\fs26 Since "bad" means "good" and "cool" means "hot," I'm only mildly surprised about "Shut up." The word "slammin'" is another story. I had no idea it meant a meshing of poetry and performance art until I read that "Slammin' at Your Library" is the theme of "Teen Read Week" from Oct. 19-25. According to the publicity, reading and writing poetry are immensely popular with teenagers.
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\f0\fs26 This isn't poetry like Shakespeare's sonnets or Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." To quote one young poet, "I believe through poetry, I can express my deepest feelings, fears and dreams. ... I am not a master or a pupil; I am both. I teach and learn. ... If I couldn't write, I would be like a wild bird locked away in a cage. ... "
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\f0\fs26 This resurgence of interest in poetry is evident in a growing number of novels for young adults that are written in poetry or blank-verse format. For teens who are reluctant to read or teens who are looking for something different, these books are a boon. In the standard book, paragraphs of print fill the pages in predictable format. In the poetry books, text is arranged differently on every page. There's plenty of white space. Generally speaking, less text is less intimidating.
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\f0\fs26 One of my favorite free-verse novels is "True Believer" by Virginia Euwer Wolff. It tells a complete story without the confines (rules) of paragraphs and punctuation. I think it's legitimate to criticize the snub of standard English. It's logical to make the argument, "If kids don't read proper English, how will they know it when they see it?" Although I won't climb way out on a limb to defend this nonconformist trend, I will venture far enough out on the limb to call it "refreshing." If you want to see what the buzz is all about, start with "Out of the Dust," the Newbery Award-winning book by Karen Hesse. "After the Death of Anna Gonzalez" by Terri Fields is another good example. In this book, the shock of a student's suicide is expressed by 47 different voices.
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\f0\fs26 The Teen Read Week Web site ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ala.org.teenread/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.ala.org.teenread}}) includes articles about poetry written by experts, as well as recommended lists for poetry. There's also information about open mike (microphone) nights, poetry contests and poetry slams.
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\f0\fs26 Slammin' is not just for doors anymore.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 9, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books, authors that changed writers' lives
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 A friend loaned me his copy of "The Book That Changed My Life: Interviews with National Book Award Winners and Finalists" edited by Diane Osen.
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\f0\fs26 I can't verbalize exactly what I was expecting, but I was somewhat surprised by what these authors said.
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\f0\fs26 Maybe I wanted a neat little list of titles that I could then recommend to anyone seeking a life-changing experience. Obviously, that's not how it works.
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\f0\fs26 The book jacket suggests that: "Every reader can name at least one book that changed his or her life." That's a strong statement and I wonder if it's true. A doctor in St. George told me that he had no idea what he wanted to be when he grew up. Then he read "M*A*S*H" and decided that medicine was an irresistible calling. I think he's the exception rather than the rule.
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\f0\fs26 The authors represented in this book cover a lot of reading territory. E.L. Doctorow ("Ragtime") says, "I was fortunate to grow up before television was all over America and in every home, and I also was fortunate to be part of a family of readers." Although he says he read "indiscriminately," he read many of what we rank as classic authors: Charles Dickens, Jules Verne, Sherlock Holmes and Leo Tolstoy, among others.
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\f0\fs26 Charles Johnson ("Middle Passage") says he was always attracted to books of suspense and adventure. He includes Richard Wright's "Black Boy" and Herman Melville's "The Sea-Wolf" in his list of books that were especially influential.
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\f0\fs26 Diane Johnson ("Le Divorce") loved sea stories and eschewed "girls' stories" to read books such as "Swiss Family Robinson" by Johann Wyss.
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\f0\fs26 As a college graduation gift, David McCullough ("John Adams") received Bruce Catton's "Stillness at Appomattox." He says, "It was as if a window had been thrown open. It had the breath of life in a way I had not yet experienced. I know it changed my life."
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\f0\fs26 Alice McDermott ("Charming Billy") grew up with Reader's Digest, Life and The Saturday Evening Post. She disdained the books that girls were reading in favor of what her older brothers read -- war stories, "The Hardy Boys" by Franklin Dixon and "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London.
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\f0\fs26 Katherine Paterson, author of many children's books including "The Great Gilly Hopkins," read fairy tales and Bible stories growing up as the child of missionaries in China. She tells the story of racing home from school to read "The Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens.
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\f0\fs26 She would lie on the living-room floor and read without even taking off her coat.
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\f0\fs26 Robert Stone ("Outerbridge Reach") discovered "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway when he was in college. He remembers "finding the language in it bubbling like champagne."
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\f0\fs26 So is it useful to accumulate this random information on the early reading habits of young people who became famous writers? I think it can be categorized as interesting but random facts we probably can't use.
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\f0\fs26 Even if we could ensure that our children emulated the reading habits of an author we admire, it certainly wouldn't ensure any particular outcome.
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\f0\fs26 This book does support the belief already documented by research and anecdotal evidence: reading and writing are inextricably linked.
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\f0\fs26 We already knew that.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 2, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Rules teach students good manners
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 S
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\f0\fs26 ince rules are made to be broken, I try to keep rules to a minimum. When our children were little, about the only rules were "Be pleasant or be absent" and "People are not for hitting."
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\f0\fs26 As an elementary school librarian, I asked children to use "inside" voices and to take turns speaking.
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\f0\fs26 After my first year as a high school librarian, I realized I had to make rules to legislate acceptable, civilized behavior that I'd assumed was basic. For instance, students were required to verbally greet me when they entered the library. Without the rule, they'd brush past me in silence while I stood rooted to the rug, marveling at the lack of standard courtesy.
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\f0\fs26 "The Essential 55: An Award Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child" by Ron Clark is a very basic book. His first two rules cover responding to adults and making eye contact. How can it be that kids don't know these simple necessary niceties of life? That's an oxymoron as well as a rhetorical question. The amazing, discouraging fact is that many do not.
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\f0\fs26 Clark has been a successful teacher in some of our country's most challenging school districts. He won the "Disney Teacher Award." Although I don't think his 55 rules are the be-all, end-all panacea for education, I do think they deserve attention from parents as well as teachers.
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\f0\fs26 Some of Clark's rules are strictly classroom management: You must complete your homework every day. When homework is assigned, do not moan or complain.
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\f0\fs26 Some of Clark's rules cover good manners: Always say thank you when given something. (After giving my library assistants several gifts that went unacknowledged, I told them that they were required to write me a thank-you note for each gift they accepted.) Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and say excuse me. (I've had to coach kids to remember this as well as to put their tissues in the trash.)
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\f0\fs26 Some of Clark's rules are things that kids just plain need to know: If you win, do not brag; if you lose, do not show anger. (One afternoon, I gave rewards to students who'd done a good job. One of the girls who'd wasted the class time loudly accused me of giving rewards because I was trying to buy friends.) When you are given something from someone, never insult that person by making negative comments about the gift or by insinuating that it wasn't appreciated. (To encourage students to write, I bought and displayed gingerbread houses, baskets of beauty products and other items as prizes for contests. My generosity was rewarded with comments that were so disparaging they sounded like practiced one-liners, which they may have been.)
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\f0\fs26 Some of Clark's rules reflect his philosophy of creating experiences and special moments for other people, especially children: Surprise others by performing random acts of kindness. (I brought flowers for students to take as surprises for their teachers. I asked them to think about how good it felt to make another person happy.) Learn from your mistakes and move on. (Instead of blaming children when something gets broken, it really gets their attention if you smile and ask if they learned anything.)
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\f0\fs26 I think there may be a temptation to buy this book as a gift for a teacher. Resist! What worked for Ron Clark may explode for a teacher with a different personality. His "rules" are useful as suggestions but not as a formula.
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\f0\fs26 But even though you don't buy this book as a gift for your child's teacher, you might encourage that teacher to borrow your copy.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 25, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Junior Critics to pen book reviews
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Calling kids who love to read! This week's column isn't a paid political advertisement, but it is an advertisement. On Oct. 7, The Junior Critics will have its first meeting at the Mount Pleasant branch of the Charleston County Public Library. Nancy Filer, the children's department manager and the assistant branch manager, brings her encouragement and professional skills to this project. I don't know exactly who the Junior Critics will be, but I do know that they will be in grades 3-6, and they will be the first 15 kids who sign up. We'll schedule meetings the first Tuesday of each month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.. I'll bring stacks of new books that have been sent to me for review. Each participant will select a book to read and review for the following meeting.
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\f0\fs26 I guess this is essentially a book club. Instead of everyone reading the same book, everyone will read a different book and then trade around. We'll compare our homegrown reviews of the books to published reviews. When the "Junior Critics" are enthusiastic about a title, I'll read the book. If we're all enthusiastic, I'll pass along the good news in this column.
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\f0\fs26 In my first job at the Wellesley Free Library more than 30 years ago, I started a Junior Critics Club that rocked the building. Kids strenuously disagreed about books and defended their opinions enthusiastically. They learned that other kids, even best friends, may have different opinions and still be friends. They gradually realized that it wasn't useful or appropriate to classify opinions about literature (and art and clothing, etc.) into categories of "right" or "wrong." For some people, reading and discussing books may not sound as exciting as a soccer match. For us, it was more so. I anticipate rollicking good times with this new crop of "Critics."
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\f0\fs26 If you think there would be enough interest to start a group for older students (maybe grades 6-9?), e-mail me.
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\f0\fs26 Contact Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 18, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Where does banning books stop?
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 'Banned in Boston, condemned in Cleveland and banished from Baltimore. ..." As a teenager growing up in Baltimore, I thought that song was hilarious. Now I think it's no laughing matter to ban anything, anywhere. To ban or not to ban requires serious thought and consideration of circumstances.
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\f0\fs26 Librarians are justifiably famous for refusing to ban. Their professional philosophy espouses complete freedom of public access to materials. As a school librarian, my job is to choose materials that are appropriate for students. In a sense, I'm banning some books by selecting others.
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\f0\fs26 When a parent or community member complains about a book, the temptation is to snatch it off the shelf and pretend it never was there. There have been occasions when a parent has complained to the school administrator and the administrator has snatched the book off the shelf, despite protests from the librarian. Snatching without thought and consideration is a bad idea. A very bad idea that creates more problems than it solves.
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\f0\fs26 The basic problem is: Once banning starts, where does it stop? A parent may sincerely and strenuously object to all the "Harry Potter" books by J.K. Rowling for religious and other sound reasons. Even if I agree with the parent and ban "Harry Potter," that's just a start. The whole "Narnia" series by C.S. Lewis will have to go. The fairy-tale section will be decimated. It's like a (Russian) roulette wheel --where it stops, nobody knows.
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\f0\fs26 As you might expect in a bureaucracy, there's a procedure for filing a complaint about a book. Once a standard form is on file, the careful thought and consideration may begin. Everyone who wants to weigh in on the book has that opportunity. When the evaluation is complete, the book may be removed. Even if the book remains in circulation, of course the parent still has the option of banning his own children from reading the book.
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\f0\fs26 Parents may wish to consult the American Library Association Web site that lists books that have been banned. If I had to choose between letting my children read books on that list or letting my children read books on the Caldecott and Newbery lists, I'd choose the banned books. That censored list is a compendium of some of my all-time favorite titles.
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\f0\fs26 In this column, I've reviewed many banned books because they were my favorites, not because I knew they were banned. Readers have complained about "Junie B. Jones" by Barbara Park because they objected to Junie B.'s behavior and her misuse of English. The child's behavior is reprehensible and her English is fractured, but there are innumerable redeeming features to this series of books. Junie B. faces many of the same fears faced by her young fans. Whether it's a monster under her bed or cheating on a test, every situation is handled with humor and compassion. Many children, teachers and parents love these books. I respect the legitimate objections voiced by the detractors, but I recommend these books without hesitation.
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\f0\fs26 "Captain Underpants" by Dav Pilkey is another of my recommendations that drew fire from readers. When kids could be reading the educational and entertaining "Magic Tree House" series by Mary Pope Osborne, why would I suggest off-the-wall, no-redeeming-social-value "Captain Underpants?" Sometimes silly is perfect, and this series is seriously silly. Children won't learn any history from these books, but they will learn that books can make a reader laugh out loud. That's important!
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\f0\fs26 When I was about 8 years old, I read a story in Reader's Digest about atrocities perpetrated in the Nazi death camps. The profoundly horrific content has haunted me ever since. I even remember exactly where I was sitting when I read the article. Obviously, I was too young. I needed protection that I didn't get. There's no question that our children need our unrelenting protection. What they don't need is our overprotection.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 11, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 It's kids reading only classics vs. reading period
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 When our daughter was a preschooler, one of her favorite books was "The Oxford Book of Nursery Rhymes." Inside the plain black cover, the poems were printed in tiny text one after another. I remember reading and singing all the obscure verses to "The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night." Twenty-five years later, I still can't account for her attraction to this collection of classic old literature that had no illustrations.
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\f0\fs26 Now along comes another collection of classic poems and prose in tiny print with no illustrations. A friend who's getting his Ph.D. in English gave me "Stories and Poems for Extremely Intelligent Children of All Ages" selected by Harold Bloom. My friend wants to know what I think about it. Reading it, thinking about it and stewing about it have landed me in a bottomless philosophical puddle and muddle.
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\f0\fs26 My answerless question is: As children's literature continues to pile up around us at the rate of thousands of new books every year, how shall we select the best to present to our children? Who decides what's "best"? Should the old stuff be omitted in favor of the new, or vice versa?
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\f0\fs26 I'm confident that I don't know the answer. Harold Bloom is equally confident that he does.
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\f0\fs26 In Bloom's opinion, "What is read remains the pragmatic question, the difference that will make a difference." I agree that "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls gives the reader more depth than "Captain Underpants" by Dav Pilkey. However, I think the "difference that makes the difference" is whether the child reads something or nothing.
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\f0\fs26 I know a high school student who is struggling to plow through Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." The old-fashioned prose is so difficult for her that she's going to abandon the project. Would it be sacrilege for today's students to read "Frankenstein" simplified and paraphrased into today's language? Or is it better to just miss out on a terrific, terrifying tale?
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\f0\fs26 Bloom's book is arranged by seasons of the year and includes writers from the 19th century or earlier. He proclaims that his choices are "open to authentic readers of any age." He says that no selection is "difficult or obscure," and every selection will both "illuminate and entertain."
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\f0\fs26 Here is Bloom's challenge: "If anyone finds a work here that does not yield immediately to their understanding, I would urge them to persevere. It is by extending oneself, by exercising some capacity previously unused that you come to a better knowledge of your own potential."
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\f0\fs26 This is America and apple pie. Of course, we all want to extend ourselves and our children and reach our potential. When I'm reading to children, my goal is to make them stretch. The trick is to stretch them as far as possible without breaking communication. In my opinion, some of Bloom's selections would lose kids entirely. Is it a travesty that modern children might miss out on these literary chestnuts? Or have the chestnuts passed the time when they can be consumed without indigestion?
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\f0\fs26 Aesop, Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll and Hans Christian Anderson are standard fare for a children's anthology. Bloom says these authors prepare children for authors such as Leo Tolstoy, Alexander Pushkin and Edgar Allan Poe.
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\f0\fs26 "The King of the Golden River" by John Ruskin is a fantastic and complicated fairy tale that children would love if they could "persevere" with the language of the mid-19th century. And if they do persevere and if they do progress to Henry James and Jane Austen, is that what we want for them? Or would we be equally glad to have them reading the stunningly well-written "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen? Bloom believes, "Reading well makes children more interesting both to themselves and others, a process in which they will develop a sense of being separate and distinct. To be alone with a true book is to be able to see more about who you are."
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\f0\fs26 Down here in the bottom of my philosophical puddle, I'm still muddling the definitions of "authentic reader" and "true book."
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 4, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books based on TV shows, movies vary in quality
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 My mother hand-embroidered the bench cover by the door in our front hall.
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\f0\fs26 She did a lovely job, but nobody ever sees it because the bench always is covered with books. Some books repose there a lot longer than others. If I'm unenthusiastic about a book, it can remain "benched" indefinitely.
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\f0\fs26 Series books based on TV shows and movies are relegated to that category. I had to grit my teeth to force myself to start reading them
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\f0\fs26 "Justice League -- Wings of War" by Michael Jan Friedman is "All New Adventures Based on the Hit TV Series." It's a paperback book that includes a poster, one of the four posters necessary to assemble the entire Justice League. Surprises started on Page 1 and continued throughout the book. Sentences like this were not what I expected to find: "In a matter of minutes, they had homed in on the man's destination -- the pale brick edifice that housed Conklin Carnivals, or so it said on the side of the building in a tumble of primary colors."
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\f0\fs26 I was impressed by the challenging vocabulary. I also was impressed by the cooperation and ego suppression necessary to save the world when all seven superheroes (male and female) are working together. The author is a prolific writer of comic books and novels, eight of which have been New York Times best sellers. Obviously, the man has experience in churning out plots that keep readers turning pages.
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\f0\fs26 "Kim Possible" is based on the hit Disney channel original series created by Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley. "Bueno Nacho," the book I read, was adapted by Kiki Thorpe. If there's a redeeming feature, it may be that the book is funny. The disturbing feature is that Kim is very snobbish toward a kid who has pimples and wears a snap-on bow tie as part of his uniform at the restaurant. Kim is too cool to tolerate anyone who falls beneath her "standards" of appearance and behavior. Kids from the first grade on probably could read these, although they could be reading "The Magic Treehouse" series by Mary Pope Osborne instead.
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\f0\fs26 The "MythQuest" series is based on a critically acclaimed TV program that places modern kids in traditional myths. "Red Wolf's Daughter," put into book form by Tom Mason and Dan Danko, is based on a myth about the Nez Perce and Blackfoot Indians that is presented at the end of the story. The book is written on a fifth-grade level and occasionally uses words such as "ambiguous." Both the show and the books are popular with kids and stand a good chance of being educational.
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\f0\fs26 Presumably, series based on their video counterparts are here to stay. As with all genres, the quality is wildly variable. With a little help from their informed and discerning friends (that's us), I'm optimistic that children will figure this out for themselves.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 28, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Series books spark a love for reading in children
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Sometimes I'm in a group of young people, usually my children's friends, whom I don't know. By way of starting a conversation, I usually ask someone to tell me his favorite childhood book. This may well be the nerdiest conversational gambit ever used by a parent, but it works for me.
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\f0\fs26 I asked my stock question during a social event at a recent medical school graduation. Medical students are smart kids. That means they must have been reading in every spare moment since first grade. Wrong. These medical students could barely think of a single book outside of academic requirements. After consulting each other in consternation, they agreed that they'd all liked "Nancy Drew." It is sobering to consider that it may be "Nancy Drew" that is nurturing our best and brightest.
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\f0\fs26 Harold Bloom, pre-eminent literary critic and Yale professor for almost 50 years, says, "My own students at Yale ... are as gifted as their forerunners, and yet they have read less. The obstacles to reading are, to some extent, merely a matter of fashion, or of inadequate examples set by parents for children."
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\f0\fs26 I don't know about "a matter of fashion" or "inadequate examples," but I do think that students are reading less. If it's series books that keep them reading, I say, three cheers for series books.
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\f0\fs26 In "The Best Children's Literature," Ellen Trachtenberg says, "As in the case with Easy Readers, series play a large role in the lives of middle-grade children. The breadth and scope of these series are mind-boggling, with approximately 400 children's series available at any given time." So if reading series books is the most direct route to medical school, there are certainly a lot of choices.
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\f0\fs26 Along with the antediluvian "Nancy Drew" and "Hardy Boys," there's a current revival of "Trixie Belden" by Julie Campbell. "Cherry Ames" by H. Wells and "The Bobbsey Twins" by Laura Lee Hope are alive and well.
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\f0\fs26 Children who are just beginning to read love all the "Nate the Great" books by Majorie Sharmat and "Pinky and Rex" books by James Howe. They graduate to easy chapter book series such as "Cam Jansen" by David Adler, "Junie B. Jones" by Barbara Park and "The Magic Treehouse" by Mary Pope Osborne. From there, they go to Matt Christopher's books about sports and the "Boxcar Children" series by Gertrude Chandler. All these are established series that have been around for years.
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\f0\fs26 Consider "Harry Potter" by J.K. Rowling and "A Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket. Kids love these books. "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Montgomery is a beloved series. The "Redwall" books by Brian Jacques go on and on with prequels and sequels.
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\f0\fs26 My guess is that series are attractive to children because kids embrace the familiarity of characters as well as the style and level of the writing. They know what to expect. They're in a comfort zone. This can be a solution as well as a problem. I remember an arduous battle of wills with an adorable curly red-headed first-grader who had run out of "Henry and Mudge" books. He preferred to wait until Cynthia Rylant wrote another book, rather than move on to the "Paddington Bear" books by Michael Bond or the "Big Max" books by Kin Platt. The same confidence that started him reading also stopped him in his tracks. This too, can be overcome, especially if you have a lot of patience.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 21, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Friendly books ease back-to-school jitters
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 The going-back-to-school anxiety syndrome has no statute of limitations. I still dream about harrowing struggles to prepare myself to begin classes. Apparently, this genre of dreams is one of the most common.
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\f0\fs26 This week, I received a letter from a smart and precious child who is starting the second grade. She wrote, "I wish I was back in first grade."
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\f0\fs26 She sounded wistful. She reminded me that children continue to need reassurance even when we may think they're solidly grounded. I would call her, but the phone number she carefully copied in her note is missing a digit. So I'll write her and reminisce about all her successes last year and add a long list of things she learned and accomplished. In other words, I'll provide documented, undeniable proof that school is a place where she can thrive. And I'll send her a copy of "Little Witch Goes to School" by Deborah Hautzig.
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\f0\fs26 Little Witch's mother reluctantly gives her daughter permission to go to school. Her instructions include, "Remember to be bad! Don't make any new friends! And DON'T LEARN ANYTHING!"
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\f0\fs26 Little Witch is "bad," but in an unexpectedly delightful way. This is a "Step Into Reading -- Step 3" book that my second-grade friend will be able to read by herself, but I hope someone reads it to her as well so that they can laugh together at this silly, kid-friendly story.
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\f0\fs26 In case you hadn't heard, "Junie B. Jones" by Barbara Park has graduated from kindergarten and is four books into the first grade. Whether it's losing teeth or cheating on a test, Junie B. introduces children to first-grade foibles in such a funny way that school seems welcoming and full of adventure.
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\f0\fs26 My favorite first-day-of-elementary-school book is "Spider School" by Francesca Simon. One reviewer calls this book a "must-have" for children going into the first grade. It's also appropriate for kindergartners, but a little spooky and kooky for the younger set. For the very little ones who have first-day jitters, there's an abundance of books that provide gentle persuasion. "Corduroy Goes to School" by B.G. Hennessy (based on the Don Freeman character) is an upbeat story that doesn't even mention the possibility of being scared. "Off to School, Baby Duck" by Amy Hest does address the reasons that Baby Duck is reluctant to leave home. A reviewer says, "No matter how many going-to-school books you already have, don't miss this one." One of my favorite moms agrees with this opinion.
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\f0\fs26 I'm completely empathetic with students who groan about starting classes in August. I wonder if kids ever realize that the teachers may be equally or more reluctant. Maybe what the world needs now is a book called, "Baby Duck Attends a Faculty Meeting." Adults need reassurance, too.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk may be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 14, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Pick book titles both at random and those on lists
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Growing up in Baltimore, I rode my bike to the neighborhood branch of the Pratt Free Library and checked out whatever happened to be on the shelf.
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\f0\fs26 When our children were little, I took them to the (then) tiny branch library in Mount Pleasant, where they checked out whatever happened to be on the shelf. In some respects, this could be called "reading by default" or "library laissez faire."
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\f0\fs26 Why wasn't I more discerning and selective?
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\f0\fs26 Why didn't I take lists to the library?
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\f0\fs26 What kept me from asking the librarian if he had any suggestions? There is joy in autonomy. Our children liked the freedom of choosing their own titles based on whatever criterion was in their heads.
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\f0\fs26 We read some strange books and had many opportunities to talk about why we didn't like a book as well as why we did.
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\f0\fs26 Alternatives to this scattershot method do exist.
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\f0\fs26 Like police officers, librarians are our friends. Every children's librarian I've encountered in the Charleston County system has been friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Ideas and suggestions are their business.
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\f0\fs26 Also, there are excellent guidebooks for children's literature. In previous columns, I've described some of my favorites.
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\f0\fs26 Recently, I found a new favorite called "The Best Children's Literature" by Ellen Trachtenberg, published in 2003.
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\f0\fs26 I'm impressed that Trachtenberg knows whereof she speaks, probably because I agree with her philosophy and most of her book choices.
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\f0\fs26 The publisher of "Children's Book Insider" calls this "A comprehensive, well-organized and practical guide to first-rate children's literature for all ages." That sums up my opinion as well.
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\f0\fs26 Trachtenberg has annotated more than 1,000 books.
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\f0\fs26 She includes helpful advice for parents on choosing books, reading readiness and encouraging reading.
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\f0\fs26 The book is indexed by author, title and awards.
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\f0\fs26 Chapters are arranged chronologically, starting with books for infants.
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\f0\fs26 Each chapter is introduced with helpful information about the age group for whom the books are intended.
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\f0\fs26 "Parent/Child" reviews, profiles of famous authors, and information on subjects like TV watching add value and appeal.
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\f0\fs26 Researched titles.
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\f0\fs26 Random titles.
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\f0\fs26 A combination of both. Just read!
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 10, 2003 Sunday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 McClellanville makes you feel at home
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 LIFE; Pg. 1G
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\f0\fs26 There's not a single red light in McClellanville. Even without them, visitors stop frequently just to absorb the history and charm of this enclave that has escaped prosperity and development.
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\f0\fs26 Dr. Walter Bonner's book, "Home in the Village: McClellanville in Old St. James Santee Parish," is the story of the people who founded and maintained this unusual community. Read his book and then visit the village. Or visit the village and then read the book. The reading and the visiting are a winning combination regardless of which comes first.
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\f0\fs26 For generations, residents of McClellanville have loved to tell stories. Bonner recounts the story of a cousin-in-law who said, "Here the people all walk to the Post Office twice a day even though the mail is put up just once."
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\f0\fs26 Bonner points out that hard times brought the people of McClellanville together. They looked out for each other. When an elderly bachelor worried that he might die alone and not be found, a young boy was assigned to check on the old man. Without fail, the boy appeared daily, yanked open the door and yelled inside, "Is you dead yet?"
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\f0\fs26 What makes these stories even more delightful is that the place where these things happened still exists. The Dupre House, built in the late 1700s, was constructed in Echaw and moved to McClellanville, where it was reassembled. Rutledge Court, Walter Bonner's childhood hangout, was built by the Seabrooks in 1872.
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\f0\fs26 The Episcopal "Chapel of Ease," constructed by master builder and former slave Paul Drayton, was consecrated in 1890. The scalloped shingles and overhanging oaks invite a pause for contemplation. The door is open for visitors. The boarding house and hotel, now a private home at 114 Oak St., overlooks Jeremy Creek and the shrimp boats, swathed in nets and resting in the little harbor. Gnarled and mossy live oaks, many planted by May Brailsford in the 1930s with the help of Boy Scouts, contribute to the profoundly tranquil feel of the place. Dirt roads, many overarched with oaks, lead around and between the paved roads. The cemetery is so wooded, peaceful and serene it looks like a perfect movie set for "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
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\f0\fs26 Although the ambiance of the town strikes many people as Colonial, it's truly Victorian, having been established after the Civil War. Large extended families were the norm. An Episcopal rector was father to 27 children.
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\f0\fs26 From 1860-1920, the character of the village was defined. Bonner quotes an occasional visitor of the era as saying, "McClellanville is a little like heaven. It's hard to get to, but when you do, you don't want to leave." When agriculture and finances failed disastrously in the 1920s, it was as though clocks stopped in the town and in the parish. From 1920 to 1980, "progress" left McClellanville virtually untouched.
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\f0\fs26 Before Highway 17 was completed in 1928, travel in the parish was notoriously difficult. The Santee Path was one water route that led from Charleston Harbor to Santee Bay. Instead of going into the ocean, it followed a tangle of shallow creeks through the marsh.
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\f0\fs26 A sport fisherman once asked a relative of Dr. Bonner's if there was a lot of water around the parish. The relative paused from his work gathering oysters and thoughtfully replied, "Lots of water, but it's spread out real thin."
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\f0\fs26 The King's Highway in St. James Santee Parish follows the route of a trading path once used by the American Indians.
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\f0\fs26 This unpaved road, traveled by George Washington on his presidential tour of the states, can now be traveled by car, bike or foot, although a truck may be the best option.
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\f0\fs26 Across Highway 17 from McClellanville, take Route 45 for 2.3 miles and turn right on Old Georgetown Road.
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\f0\fs26 Even though the road has a new name, deep woods preserve the illusion of traveling two centuries back in time.
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\f0\fs26 The illusion is shattered temporarily when you pass Dan Wheler's Moss Swamp Horseshoe Club, the home of the annual Moss Swamp Horseshoe Competition and Backyard Boogie. Dr. Bonner authenticates the event with his assurance that T-shirts are available.
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\f0\fs26 After bouncing over 3.6 miles of ruts and avoiding the deeper puddles, you'll see on your left the Parish Church of St. James Santee, sometimes known as "The Brick Church" or "The Wambaw Church."
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\f0\fs26 This highly unusual structure recently has been restored and stands as it was when completed in 1772. The grounds encourage "setting a while."
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\f0\fs26 "Home in the Village" includes chapters that document the arrival of slaves, the influence of religion, the inner workings of small-town banking and how people earned money. Bonner also writes about integration, the McClellanville School, Hurricane Hugo, the impact of newcomers ("Neos"), and McClellanville in the role of "exurb" or "amenity place."
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\f0\fs26 The importance of family and family loyalties are stated and restated. In one of several mini-biographies, Bonner describes an aunt who refused to believe that any negative traits or bad deeds could be the result of family genes.
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\f0\fs26 She firmly believed that slips from the narrow path of righteousness could be attributed to "contamination by outsiders."
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\f0\fs26 Outsiders -- that's most of us -- are warmly welcome in new millennium McClellanville. Wander the streets on foot.
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\f0\fs26 Buy some very fresh seafood at the Carolina Seafood Retail Market or stop at Livingston's Bulls Bay Seafood a little farther down Morrison Street for very fresh clams and soft-shell crabs. If you prefer your seafood cooked, there are two restaurants in the village and several just outside the village on Highway 17.
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\f0\fs26 The McClellanville Arts Council sponsors a shop featuring local artists, artisans and writers. "Sassafras" is a lively boutique, offering a beautiful collection of clothing, jewelry and gifts.
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\f0\fs26 Exhibits in The Village Museum remind visitors of the rich cultural heritage of McClellanville that includes the Sewee Indians and the French Huguenots.
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\f0\fs26 The Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, The Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, the Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center and access to the Palmetto Trail and the Francis Marion National Forest are within about a half-hour range.
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\f0\fs26 Although McClellanville has fewer than 500 residents, growth isn't the first priority.
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\f0\fs26 Considering that the town is centered in the midst of 350,000 acres of forest, marsh and water and is plagued by mosquitoes, sand gnats and horse flies, this is realistic. Even Walter Bonner's wife was incredulous when he expressed a desire to move there from Charleston.
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\f0\fs26 Even though visitors may have no intention of making a "Home in the Village," residents of McClellanville will make y'all feel at home in their village.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 7, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Craft book provides new ideas for family fun
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Here's my theory: Generation V (that's "V" for "Video") is easier to entertain than earlier generations of children. While plunked in front of TV sets and computer screens, they've missed out on most of the simple entertainments. Consequently, the old, simple stuff is new and entertaining to them. This sounds too good to be true, but I wouldn't promulgate a theory I hadn't personally tested.
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\f0\fs26 When summer vacation started, a bunch of kids and I celebrated by blowing bubbles and making Icees. These are the same kids who celebrate the end of summer with a shaving cream party. In between, we make candles and candy and gifts for Christmas and Mother's Day. The kids have great fun, but I have more fun than they do. More importantly, we're making memories. I wouldn't trade any of our gatherings for a raked lawn or a clean house.
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\f0\fs26 Just when I was running out of ideas, I discovered "FamilyFun Boredom Busters: 365 Games, Crafts and Activities for Every Day of the Year." The spiral-bound book is illustrated with color photographs and edited by Deanna F. Cook. Over 25 years, I've used and perused a lot of craft books. This one is the gold standard. If I had consulted this book before my bubble party, I would have known how to use paper clips, fly swatters, coat hangers, hula hoops and plastic drinking straws to create amazing bubbles. We could have made our own bubble soap with the recipe in the book. We could have practiced the party trick of sticking our fingers into a bubble without popping it. We would know a fun fact about bubbles (the longest bubble was 105 feet long) and how to blow a double bubble.
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\f0\fs26 Instead of tossing ice and lemonade in a blender, we could have stuffed half a honeydew melon with raspberry sherbet, sliced it into wedges and studded the wedges with chocolate chips to look like watermelon seeds. Wait 'til next year!
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\f0\fs26 "FamilyFun Boredom Busters" is arranged in chapters that cover possibilities like "Backyard Games," "Arts and Crafts," "Kitchen Projects" and "Brain Boosters." Each of the eight chapters is packed with ideas that were new to me, such as how to make a magnifying lens out of gelatin, create a lava light with ordinary kitchen stuff, organize a lemon derby and race raisins in a glass of carbonated water.
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\f0\fs26 Tried and true standards like puppet shows, gardens, pet rocks and greased watermelons are presented as well. And there are excellent ideas for engaging children in activities based on reading, writing and math.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 31, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Youngsters savor tale about Arnie Doughnut
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Have you run out of excuses to visit the doughnut store? Here's a compelling one.
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\f0\fs26 "Arnie the Doughnut" by Laurie Keller is a funny, entertaining new picture book that will produce such irresistible cravings for doughnuts that it's best to have the doughnuts on-hand before you start reading.
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\f0\fs26 This new book may still be en route to bookstores and library shelves, but it is available online. A book about a doughnut. How does a children's book author think of such a thing?
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\f0\fs26 When I first glanced through the book, I was put off by the unusual angles of both pictures and text. It seemed chaotic and a bit on edge.
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\f0\fs26 I thought it might be hard to read to children because of the numerous little insertions of text at odd places. While I had reservations, Mrs. Murray's first-graders absolutely loved everything about the book. They enjoyed the wacky illustrations.
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\f0\fs26 They wanted to hear all the "asides" of the text. They laughed out loud, captivated by the absurdity of Arnie's adventures. After immersing ourselves in the life of a doughnut, we realized we probably hadn't been giving doughnuts the respect they deserved.
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\f0\fs26 We ate doughnuts with sprinkles as a loving tribute to doughnuts everywhere.
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\f0\fs26 In a similar format for children from kindergarten through second grade, Laurie Keller has also written "The Scrambled States of America."
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\f0\fs26 The "School Library Journal" gives this book a starred review and calls it "A geography lesson par excellence."
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\f0\fs26 "Publisher's Weekly" named it "A Best Book of the Year."
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\f0\fs26 What would happen if all the states changed places?
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\f0\fs26 Would they be happy?
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\f0\fs26 Would they remain in their new locations?
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\f0\fs26 These unusual questions are addressed in the book.
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\f0\fs26 "Open Wide-Tooth School Inside" by Laurie Keller would be a good book to have on hand before the obligatory before-school-starts dental visit.
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\f0\fs26 The presentation is lighthearted and cartoony, but there's plenty of solid information that kids can really get their teeth into. In some ways, it's also a cautionary tale.
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\f0\fs26 Doughnuts, states and teeth are mixed together in one column only because Laurie Keller chose those three subjects for her fun and funny books.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 24, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children's magazines casual approach to stimulating young minds
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 My older brother received Boy's Life magazine because he was a Boy Scout. As soon as he lost interest in his latest issue, my childhood ritual was to grab it up and devour the jokes on the last page. I enjoyed the jokes and enjoyed the mildly forbidden thrill of sneaking off with my brother's property, property that was meant only for boys.
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\f0\fs26 Boy's Life still is around. The jokes even seem familiar. Highlights, Jack and Jill, Ranger Rick, American Girl and National Geographic Kids still are prominent features on the children's magazine scene. Newcomers abound as well.
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\f0\fs26 A highly conscientious and thoughtful mother of three girls introduced me to New Moon -- The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams. Where was New Moon when I was reading secondhand copies of Boy's Life? A recent issue included articles about the downside of plastic surgery, the importance of recycling and the ins and outs of kids starting a business.
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\f0\fs26 The tone is upbeat with both serious and silly features for girls about ages 8-12. This magazine provides viewpoints that girls are unlikely to get from the standard mass media.
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\f0\fs26 Some children's magazines are published in graduated editions, with the entry-level titles aimed at babies from 6 months to two years. (The magazine scene for infants from 0-6 months appears to be wide open. An oversight is my guess.)
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\f0\fs26 Babybug, Ladybug, Spider and Cricket are of that graduated genre. Click, Ask and Muse start at age 3 and go to 10 and up. Chirp, Chickadee and Owl are another series. Owl, written for kids 9-13, includes advice on topics such as "What to do When Friends Fight."
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\f0\fs26 Creative Kids -- The National Voice for Kids and Stone Soup -- The Magazine by Young Writers and Artists are written by kids who are 8-14 and are intended for an audience of that age range.
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\f0\fs26 These magazines are especially inspirational for children who like to write and draw. They provide a wide range of insights into what other kids are creating. They also present the challenge to submit manuscripts for publication.
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\f0\fs26 Kids Discover is one of my favorite magazines for elementary school-age children because each issue is devoted to one subject that is covered from many angles. Appleseeds, Calliope-Exploring World History and Footsteps-African American History are presented in similar formats. The information is lively and interesting, pictures abound and children get ambushed by the facts before they can muster their defenses against learning something.
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\f0\fs26 For the budding archaeologist, Dig is published for children in partnership with Archaeology Magazine. There are math magazines and nature magazines to encourage and nourish interests in those fields.
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\f0\fs26 Just as the ad says, "Soup is good food," I believe magazines are good reading. Whether the young reader is avid, average or reluctant, magazines are an excellent source of stimulation. Magazines may seem approachable and casual in ways that books aren't.
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\f0\fs26 There's something special about the ownership of a magazine that belongs to you and shows up at regular intervals in the mail. If your sibling covets each issue enough to steal it, that's an added bonus.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 17, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reading, talking to babies can enhance literacy
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 I used to laugh when I heard about pregnant women who read to their babies before they were born. Then I read "Creating Readers" by Pam Schiller, and now I'm wondering if those proactive moms-to-be are on to something. Schiller says that babies in utero begin to hear about four months before they're born. Parents who start reading and talking to their baby at that early point are contributing to the baby's auditory discrimination.
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\f0\fs26 Most people already know that talking and reading to infants is critically important. Between the first four to eight months of an infant's life, a neuron is assigned to every sound in the native tongue. Whenever I see people in the grocery store chatting with their tiny babies, I want to congratulate them. In the cereal aisle recently, I heard a mother chatting with her newborn about the brands and the sizes of the boxes. It may sound like these parents are talking to themselves, but they're not.
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\f0\fs26 "Emergent literacy" is the current term that preschool and elementary educators use to describe the interdependent development of all aspects of literacy -- listening, speaking, reading, writing and thinking. Many experts advise parents to provide an environment rich in experiences for brain development and then allow the child to develop at her own pace. The normal range for learning to read can vary as much as three years.
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\f0\fs26 When our daughter was a toddler, I used to put her on the floor with paper and crayons while I settled in at my desk. I explained to her that we both were writing. She dismissed my plan and insisted on writing all over my arm. This peculiar penchant is not listed on Schiller's accomplishments for babies from birth to 3 years. She does include:
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\f0\fs26 -- Recognizing specific books by cover.
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\f0\fs26 -- Pretending to read books.
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\f0\fs26 -- Understanding that books are handled in particular ways.-- Entering into a book-sharing routine with primary caregivers.
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\f0\fs26 -- Demonstrating enjoyment of rhyming language and nonsense words.
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\f0\fs26 -- Labeling objects in books.
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\f0\fs26 -- Listening to stories.
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\f0\fs26 -- Requesting adults to read or write.
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\f0\fs26 -- Showing attention to specific print, such as letters in names.
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\f0\fs26 -- Using increasingly purposeful scribbling.
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\f0\fs26 -- Distinguishing between drawing and writing.
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\f0\fs26 -- Producing some letterlike forms and scribbles with some features of writing.
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\f0\fs26 Schiller provides a list of books for infants that includes "Clap Hands" by Helen Oxenbury and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" by Iza Trapani. Her book list for toddlers includes "Teddy Bears' Picnic" by Jimmy Kennedy and "Who Hops?" by Katie Davis.
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\f0\fs26 When our twins were toddlers, we lived in Japan and "read" them Japanese picture books. The texts were as indecipherable to us as they were to our babies.
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\f0\fs26 Those books and countless others do not appear on Schiller's list, but our children loved them and they served the purpose. In short, don't sweat the titles. It's the process that counts.
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\f0\fs26 The "Baby Einstein" phenomenon, based on the latest brain research, is dominating baby book sales. The publishers encourage parents to invest in a vast series of books and tapes.
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\f0\fs26 I think that children will enjoy and benefit from these materials.
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\f0\fs26 I think they also would enjoy and benefit from outdated magazines with colorful pictures that they "read" while snuggled in their dad's lap.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 3, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books about free speech can prompt lively family debate
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Our post-9-11 world is fraught with wrinkles (Can a wrinkle be "fraught?") that as yet have not been smoothed. How much freedom of speech and freedom from censorship can we afford when we're fighting terrorism?
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\f0\fs26 On "Prairie Home Companion," Tom Paxton prefaced a protest song about U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft by saying, "I'm exercising my right to free speech while I still have it."
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\f0\fs26 What are the issues here? Are our First Amendment rights actually in danger?
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\f0\fs26 "The Day They Came to Arrest the Book" by Nat Hentoff was published in 1982. Old book. Ho-hum. Not exactly.
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\f0\fs26 At the time of publication, Booklist called it "Timely and articulate." Publisher's Weekly praised the book for its "comprehensive coverage of all sides of the argument over 'dangerous freedoms.' " Twenty-one years later, it's as current and relevant as it was when it was new. The high school students in the book use the library card catalog instead of the library computer, but that's the only "giveaway" of the book's age.
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\f0\fs26 The plot is based on a parent's demand that Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" be removed from the school on the grounds that it offends black students.
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\f0\fs26 The entire community swirls in the debate. Fervent opinions are voiced left, right and center. (Ironic aside: I just finished reading an autobiography of a black writer who chose "Huckleberry Finn" as one of his favorite childhood books.)
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\f0\fs26 Has your family been looking for a good, clean argument/debate that easily could last all summer? If so, here's a plan.
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\f0\fs26 Involve everyone from the eighth or ninth grade and up, including parents and grandparents. After everyone agrees to read the book (It's available in paperback.), let the debate begin!
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\f0\fs26 Arguments over curfews, belly-button rings and disaster-area bedrooms will pale in comparison.
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\f0\fs26 If any family members still are coherent after this exercise, you may want to read "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury. The temperature in the title is the temperature at which books burn. The cover of the book touts it as: "The classic best seller about censorship -- more important now than ever before."
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\f0\fs26 "The Giver" by Lois Lowry is another powerful book that describes a place where all freedoms have been circumscribed.
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\f0\fs26 You have my blessing and permission to read these books at the beach. However, they can't technically be classified as "beach books."
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 26, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Open mind before closing the book
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 I'm critical and judgmental about people who are critical and judgmental. All I can offer in my own defense is at least I know how obnoxious I am!
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\f0\fs26 On the basis of a cursory reading of "Click, Clack Moo - Cows That Type" the Caldecott Honor Book by Doreen Cronin, I dismissed the book. I summarily judged it unworthy to be read to children. That was my professional critical opinion and I was sticking to it. Since I was already up on my high horse, I rode it a little farther and declared that this was just another example of the far-out books chosen by the Caldecott committee.
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\f0\fs26 Even though a closed mind is a difficult thing to open, I sat next to a young mother at lunch. As we chatted, she explained that she was an attorney. I asked which picture book her children liked best. Without having to pause for thought, she said enthusiastically, "Click, Clack, Moo!" I started laughing. I asked, "Why?"
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\f0\fs26 In an articulate evaluation of the book, she explained that the author is an attorney. The book is a spoof on legal maneuverings, including escalating demands, negotiations and compromise. I had missed that entirely. She enjoys the book as much as her children. This is the ultimate compliment for a picture book.
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\f0\fs26 At Barnes & Noble, I re-read the book. I was beginning to catch on. I asked a discriminating friend to read it. She was enthusiastic. What I've learned from this is not to trust myself.
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\f0\fs26 In "Giggle, Giggle, Quack," Cronin continues the adventures of Farmer Brown and his animals. When Farmer Brown goes on vacation, the animals write their own instructions for how they should be treated. These include bubble baths, pizzas and movies. Even I thought this sequel was funny.
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\f0\fs26 Since it's been chosen as a "Children's-Book-of-the-Month Club" Main Selection, I guess other critics agree.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 19, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Literary critic misses value of 'Harry Potter'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Eventually, I'll read "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by J.K. Rowling.
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\f0\fs26 I enjoyed the first four "Harry Potter" books, and I expect to enjoy No. 5.
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\f0\fs26 While bracing myself for the inevitable onslaught of new reviews, I decided to read an old one. Harold Bloom, an eminent literary critic, professor at Yale and author of "How to Read and Why" wrote about the Harry Potter "epiphenomenon" in The Wall Street Journal in July 2000. Although I've read and received negative assessments of Harry Potter, they were universally based on parental objections to witchcraft and sorcery.
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\f0\fs26 Bloom's merciless indictment is based strictly on the literary value of the work.
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\f0\fs26 Bloom read only "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" because it was reputed to be the best of the series.
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\f0\fs26 For starters, Bloom faults the book for not being well-written. Rather than considering this a tragic flaw, he likens it to "The Wizard of Oz," as he believes the movie is better than the book in both cases.
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\f0\fs26 Bloom seems resigned to the fact that people who read "Harry Potter" will not read "superior" books such as Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows." He doubts that "Harry Potter" will become a classic, partly because the book is simply a reflection of our popular culture and partly because the book is full of cliches. If people can't find anything better than this to read, he suggests that they read the book quickly to get it finished.
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\f0\fs26 He asks, "Is there any redeeming educational use to Rowling?" And then he responds, "Why read, if what you read will not enrich mind or spirit or personality?"
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\f0\fs26 He comes closest to a positive remark when he writes, "At least ... fans are momentarily emancipated from their screens, and so may not forget wholly the sensation of turning the pages of a book, any book." Bloom closes his remarks by citing The New York Times for "the dumbing-down it leads and exemplifies."
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\f0\fs26 Before you cancel your reserved copy of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and destroy the first four volumes, consider a few responses of Wall Street Journal readers. One letter supported Bloom's views, although for reasons I can't summarize because I didn't understand them.
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\f0\fs26 Another letter pointed out that Bloom's "real-life criticism of the book and its lead character perfectly mirrors the jealous sniping that so many of Ms. Rowling's characters aim at Harry Potter. ... Harry is a modern literary hero precisely because he defies the petty critics."
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\f0\fs26 And more: "I suspect our man Bloom considers the baby boomers poisoned not only with Tolkien but ... the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew."
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\f0\fs26 "What a curmudgeon. Mr. Bloom desperately needs a day of fun and frivolity."
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\f0\fs26 The prosecution and defense are resting, but only temporarily. They'll be at it again Saturday.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 12, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book lists online: Not knowing what to read no excuse for not reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Public school teachers in South Carolina are required to take a graduate course in technology every five years, and eight technology workshop hours every year. Although I need the tech knowledge, I wouldn't voluntarily have reported for a three-hour class after work every Monday afternoon from January through April. Luckily for me, my instructor for "Integrating Technology into the Curriculum" was Sissy Harris. She is the most knowledgeable and patient teacher on this (or any other) planet. I was in danger of learning a lot. Thanks to Sissy, I did.
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\f0\fs26 One of our class projects was to compile a "hot list" of Web sites on the topic of our choice. I chose book lists for children because I have a vested interest in that topic, and because I thought it would be super easy (and quick). In many respects, when teachers are the students, they behave exactly as the students behave.
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\f0\fs26 The problem was too much material, rather than too little. "Yahoo" and "Google" each list about 20,000 entries under the subject "Book lists for Children." I conscientiously checked out all 40,000 and culled the top 10. Not!
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\f0\fs26 One of my favorite nonprofit sites, "The Internet School Library Media Center," is being dismantled because of problems with people taking the nonprofit information and selling it for a profit. Agh!
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\f0\fs26 Fortunately, there are many good sites still up and running. The Charleston County Public Library ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ccpl.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.ccpl.org}}) is the perfect place to start looking for book lists. Click on "Kids' Page" to find book suggestions listed by grade. There's also information about the summer reading program.
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\f0\fs26 The National Education Association site ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.nea.org/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.nea.org/}} readacross/resources/#catalist) lists the "Kids Top 100 Books" as well as the "Teacher Top 100 Books" under the heading "Other Useful Resources."
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\f0\fs26 The lively "Kidsreads" site ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.kidsreads.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.kidsreads.com}}) includes book reviews, games, trivia and lots of links to relevant sites.
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\f0\fs26 The venerated "Horn Book Magazine" provides a site ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.hbook.com/childclass1.shtml)"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.hbook.com/childclass1.shtml)}} that includes book lists for "Very Young" children as well as "Stories," "Times Past" and everything in between. There is a 14-page list of children's classics.
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\f0\fs26 Kids may concoct countless reasons for not reading. Not having a book list is not one of them.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 5, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Young adult books deal with horrific problems
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 As advertised, Utah is a scenic wonder. An unadvertised wonder in southern Utah is radio station 1660 FM. As we drove around Snowbasin, Powder Mountain and Antelope Island, we were listening to the "real old oldies" (the 1950s and 1960s) that swamped me with memories, especially memories from high school when I was actually paying attention to what was on the "Top 40." Those sweet, sappy songs of yore were my vacation listening.
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\f0\fs26 My vacation reading was in diametric contrast. For this trip, I'd brought along two critically acclaimed, highly recommended books that I'd recently purchased for our high school library.
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\f0\fs26 When I was in high school listening to "Please, Mr. Postman," books like these were not available. Now, books in which kids deal with horrific problems are the norm, not the exception.
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\f0\fs26 "The Body of Christopher Creed" by Carol Plum-Ucci is about the disappearance of a high school student who's been a friendless misfit all his life.
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\f0\fs26 As his fellow students try unsuccessfully to discover the secret of Chris' whereabouts, they inadvertently reveal other secrets. Some of these are sordid and one involves an imploding corpse. Details, details. The overarching theme is the importance of tolerance.
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\f0\fs26 "Crooked" by Laura and Tom McNeal is just your average high school romance. One father dies unexpectedly of cancer. One mother leaves her husband and daughter for a teaching job in Spain. One parent throws her two teenage boys out of their house.
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\f0\fs26 The boys set up their own household, supporting themselves by theft and entertaining themselves by terrorizing other students. One wealthy and well-endowed student, left with the "help" while her parents are out of town, hosts parties with brandy and porno flicks. The book ends with the good guys in the lead but the bad guys gaining.
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\f0\fs26 The theme here, however thinly stated, is that a person's inner self is more important than outward appearance. What do I think about this? I think there is better young adult fiction out there.
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\f0\fs26 "Tears of a Tiger" by Sharon Draper and "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes" by Chris Crutcher come to mind. I think that young adults will read and enjoy these two hip, fast-moving books and maybe even benefit.
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\f0\fs26 I also think there's no return to the simplicity of "Goin' to the Chapel and We're Gonna Get Married" -- except on radio station 1660.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 1, 2003 Sunday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 LIFE; Pg. 1E
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'Alfreda's World" by Mary Whyte is an unusual combination of several book forms, all seamlessly interwoven to create a lovely small volume with tremendous impact. It's an art book, full of Mary's luminous watercolors and perfect for the coffee table. It's also a book of gentle and profound wisdom. It's a thumbnail sketch of Gullah culture. It's a book about strength and gratitude derived from faith. And it's the compelling story of the friendship that evolved between women from two different worlds.
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\f0\fs26 Most important, it's a book of possibilities. It's a book about what happened when two women put aside all prejudice and preconceived notion, shut out dissenting voices and based their connection strictly on their feelings for each other. Impossible as it would seem, Mary and Alfreda LaBoard proved that it was possible for them. By extension and example, they suggest that it could be possible for the rest of us.
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\f0\fs26 I met Mary about 10 years ago when she came to visit my library at Mount Zion Elementary School on Johns Island. The principal, spying this tall, beautiful stranger in her halls, dragged Mary into her office and demanded to know her intentions. Undeterred, Mary made many subsequent visits.
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\f0\fs26 The children loved Mary.
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\f0\fs26 They loved the drawings she made for them. They loved the stories she told and the way she encouraged them to tell their own stories. They loved her dog, Boomer. And they loved her book, "Boomer Goes to School," which was written by Constance McGeorge. Besides her visits with the classes, she mentored one student who was gifted in art and had a perpetually runny nose.
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\f0\fs26 This woman who is unafraid of rampaging principals and runny-nosed kids is famous for being fearless.
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\f0\fs26 In "Alfreda's World," Mary is candid about her bout with cancer, which drastically changed her point of view. She describes her courage as coming from her awareness that she doesn't have forever to claim opportunities that will make a difference. She doesn't have the luxury of letting fear be her excuse for procrastinating over painting or friendships or anything else that's important.
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\f0\fs26 "Alfreda's World" begins with Mary's succinct story of why she and her husband, Smitty, moved from Philadelphia to Seabrook Island. Mary's health was failing, their gallery wasn't flourishing, and they needed a fresh start. Mary describes the inspiration that can come from failure. In conversation, she talks about "those amazing moments when the world stops spinning and senses are heightened." Instead of walking away from those times and "living in parentheses," this book and her life are about paying attention and embracing these moments.
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\f0\fs26 After settling into her new home, Mary began her quest for subjects to paint. One afternoon on Johns Island, she happened upon a group of black senior citizens making quilts in a small, dilapidated church. There she met Alfreda. The treasured friendship with Alfreda, as well as astonishing changes in Mary's life and painting, grew from this unlikely and unanticipated encounter.
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\f0\fs26 The book describes Mary's first meeting with Alfreda: "Hello!" she said loudly, "I'm Alfreda! Welcome!" Then she drew me into her large arms and hugged me tight. ... I stood as straight as a pole, my eyes blinking."
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\f0\fs26 Tall, willowy, Caucasian Mary wrapped in Alfreda's strong, dark arms must have been a striking sight. Mary and Alfreda continue to be a striking sight.
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\f0\fs26 In the book, Alfreda tells Mary and her grandchildren that Mary is one of her two best friends. She describes a best friend as "someone who always knows what you thinkin'. And a best friend is someone who always be doin' for you, and always know what you need before you ask. It's someone who always there for you, even when there's no soup in the pot."
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\f0\fs26 Reflecting on the book and on life in general, Mary describes true friendships as not being planned, which certainly applies to meeting Alfreda. She also talks about the reciprocal nature of friendship, how both friends give and receive. She appreciates the countless ways she's benefited and learned from Alfreda, particularly from her wisdom, integrity and infinite capacity for gratitude.
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\f0\fs26 In the first few pages of "Alfreda's World," Mary describes her life growing up as a teenager near the Amish country in rural northeast Ohio. She filled many sketchbooks with pictures of Amish life, but not because the people were quaint or the scenery was appealing. In her words, "What really appealed to me about the Amish was what was inside them. Here, I discovered, were people whose lives centered unswervingly around God and family, self-sufficient from the rest of the world. I wanted to capture as much as I could of it on paper, save it and protect it before it was changed and lost forever. I feared it was a community shrinking acre by acre and generation by generation as the modern world buffed up against it and frayed its corners. It is for many of the same reasons that I paint the people of Johns Island."
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\f0\fs26 In the next 80 pages, art and text alternate in telling the story of Alfreda's world and the story of how Mary became included. There are vignettes of Alfreda's early life and everyday doings of the Hebron ladies from funerals to quilting to bingo. One of the funniest and most endearing accounts is when Mary asks Alfreda for the secret to Alfreda's sweet potato pie.
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\f0\fs26 "Alfreda's World" was published by Pete and Connie Wyrick of Wyrick and Company in Charleston. Pete calls it "a wonderful honest story from the heart."
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\f0\fs26 He acknowledges that it could have been published as an oversized coffee-table art book. Mary is nationally recognized as an artist and illustrator and painting instructor. He chose a smaller, more intimate and inviting format because he wanted it to be a book that people would pick up and read. Connie is most impressed by the way Mary has captured the dignity of Alfreda and her friends, in her words and her paintings.
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\f0\fs26 Mary's concern is that Alfreda and her senior friends at the Zion and Hebron Presbyterian Church Center know how important it is that people hear their story. Because she wants them to have ownership in the book, she is donating a portion of the proceeds to Alfreda and the Hebron Center.
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\f0\fs26 In an era characterized by insistence on becoming invulnerable, "Alfreda's World" reminds us of the unexpected blessings that enrich life when we allow ourselves to be exactly the opposite.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 29, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Stories of faraway places give youths new perspective on own lives
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Our youngest son is working as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua. He's eating rice and beans for breakfast and raising a pet pig that will become barbecue before he leaves. When he flew home to join us for a family vacation, he was a happy guy. Standard amenities such as hot water and easy telephone access were luxuries to him. He was dazzled by the superstore where we bought groceries.
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\f0\fs26 When I was his age, I worked in the wilds of Korea. Returning to the United States affected me exactly the same way. The deprivations of life in Korea made me grateful to live in the United States for the rest of my life. I predict that our son will be grateful as well.
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\f0\fs26 Working in schools for the past 10 years, I'm troubled to detect a sense of entitlement among many students. These kids scorn clothing, school supplies and even food unless it's perfect and perfectly acceptable. Perhaps they can't imagine a circumstance where they'd be denied designer wardrobes and cell phones. These students come from a wide range of economic circumstances. What they have in common is their belief that they DESERVE only the best. Anything less than the best is considered intolerable. Can books help to chip away at this mind-set? At the very least, I want to believe they can't hurt.
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\f0\fs26 When our children were in middle school, I encouraged them to read "The Endless Steppe: Growing Up in Siberia," an autobiographical novel by Esther Hautzig. At age 10, the author, her mother and her grandmother were arrested by the Russians and shipped by cattle car to a remote Siberian village. Through the harsh winters and near starvation, they weeded potato fields and worked in the mines. Their crime was that they were capitalists -- enemies of the state.
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\f0\fs26 "Upon the Head of a Goat: A Childhood in Hungary, 1939-1944" and "Grace in the Wilderness: After the Liberation, 1945-1948," both written by Aranka Siegal, are first-person accounts of the life of a Jewish child before, during and after World War II.
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\f0\fs26 "China's Son: Growing Up in the Cultural Revolution" by Da Chen is an autobiography that describes the author's life in Communist China as the grandson of a former landlord. He calls it "a book about love in the face of hate, a book about hope for the hopeless."
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\f0\fs26 All four of these books are recommended for "young adults."
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\f0\fs26 Children of this new millennium are unlikely to gain much perspective at the mall. Maybe they can find this precious commodity at their library.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 22, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 The best in summer reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 1C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 They're everywhere! They're everywhere! Summer reading lists, that is. Mrs. O'Leary's middle school students read this list of books during the winter, but they recommend them for any time of the year. Most of these titles are new, which may account for most people never having heard of them.
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\f0\fs26 Jimmy recommends "Ghost Soldier" by Elaine Marie Alphin. In addition to the ghost, this book includes interesting information about the Civil War. Alphin also wrote "Ghost Cadet." These books are popular with upper elementary and middle school students. I hope these books encourage kids, especially Charleston kids, to track down the Hunley and Fort Sumter and other local Civil War sites.
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\f0\fs26 Last semester, Keela read "The Shattered Mirror" by 18-year-old author Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. This semester she read "Midnight Predator" by the same author. The protagonist is a "macho girl" who was abducted by vampires when she was young. Neither of these books are recommended for the faint-hearted.
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\f0\fs26 Carrie read "The Making of a Writer" by prolific author Joan Lowery Nixon. She thought it was "good," but she would have liked "a little more detail."
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\f0\fs26 Kelsey thought "After the Death of Anna Gonzales" by Terri Fields was a "great book." For most students, it would have two strikes against it: It's a series of poems, and all the poems reflect on the suicide of Anna. Kelsey appreciated that each poem gives a different point of view. The book is listed for "young adults."
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\f0\fs26 Sam is very enthusiastic about "Matchit" by Martha Moore. He highly recommends the book to kids whose parents are divorced, because they will relate to the characters. Sam says that "Matchit learned an important lesson -- that though your family isn't perfect, you can still find people who care about you."
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\f0\fs26 Cecelia read "Spyhole Secrets" by Zilpha K. Snyder. She liked the book more than I did. We thought there'd be ghosts, but all the characters are regular people. Cecelia thought there was a mix of the predictable and the unpredictable, which made the book "very interesting." I thought this book had less substance than other Snyder books, including "Cat Running," "Gib Rides Home" and "The Egypt Game."
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\f0\fs26 Cecelia also read "Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn" by April Lurie. This is a story about a Norwegian community in Brooklyn in 1944. Cecelia "liked how the author used memories of her childhood." She called the book "fantastic." Once again, she liked a book more than I did. Maybe I'm just a curmudgeon. Jessica liked "Remembrance" by Theresa Breslin. This is the story of five teenagers in Scotland during World War I.
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\f0\fs26 As Jessica says, "This book tells the hardships of war and really shows how different classes of people felt about the war. It's truly a tear-jerking story of young people going through war in love and heartbreak." This isn't an easy book. I'm impressed by Jessica's appreciation and understanding. Andy really liked the suspense in "Sammy Keys and the Search for Snake Eyes" by Wendelin Van Draanen. I received a nameless e-mail highly recommending "Feather Boy" by Nicky Singer because the protagonist faced his fears. Kelly bowled me over with her reflections on "The Year of My Indian Prince" by Ella Thorp Ellis. This young adult novel is the story of April, a 16-year-old girl with tuberculosis who is sent to a sanatorium in 1945. When I read it, I was wondering what young person today could relate to this story. Kelly evidently did. She says, "I could see myself reacting in many of the same ways as April throughout the whole book."
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\f0\fs26 Happiness is lots of book choices, lots of different opinions and lots of summer days to read, read, read.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 15, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 'P is for Palmetto' a special alphabet book
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 'P is for Palmetto -- A South Carolina Alphabet," illustrated by local artist Mary Whyte, was the big buzz at a recent meeting of the S.C. Council of Teachers of English. The book vendors had to hustle back and forth from their vans to keep up with the demand. When discerning, hard-to-impress English teachers are excited about a book, we can all assume the book is worthy of admiration. In this case, we would all be right.
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\f0\fs26 Yet another alphabet book may not sound special, but this one is very special. The pictures are lovely. The rhyming text, written by Carol Crane, is descriptive. Best of all, every letter depicts a salient feature of South Carolina.
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\f0\fs26 Many of the subjects are general knowledge that most schoolchildren could identify. Others are a bit more arcane. I wasn't familiar with Edgefield Pottery. Not to worry. In addition to the short rhyme about each subject, there is a longer prose description added in a sidebar format. This added text makes the book valuable for children who are beyond the alphabet stage.
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\f0\fs26 A month later, I attended the conference for the South Carolina Council of the International Reading Association where Crane and Whyte were featured speakers. This time, it was reading teachers who were lining up to purchase this book.
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\f0\fs26 "P is for Palmetto" enchants children as well. After reading it to the first-graders, I asked that each child choose a favorite page. All the topics are so appealing that almost every child chose a different page. And not surprisingly, their teacher said, "This is one book I want to buy!"
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\f0\fs26 She also may want to buy other books in the "Discover America State by State Alphabet Series."
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\f0\fs26 Seeing is believing. You'll understand all the excitement as soon as you open the book.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 8, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books are tributes to motherhood
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Decades ago, when the ultrasound technician told me I was pregnant with twins, I learned why he kept such a large stock of Kleenex in the office. Just the thought of twins was overwhelming. Someone dear to me has just learned that she's having triplets.
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\f0\fs26 Even though we had four children in four years, triplets are beyond my imagination. Our twins introduced us to 24-7 chaos. There were many days when I couldn't remember whether I'd brushed my teeth. With triplets, I couldn't be held responsible for remembering my name -- or the names of the babies.
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\f0\fs26 The least I can do is dedicate a Mother's Day column to this precious mother-to-be, mother-to-be, mother-to-be. So B.G.B., this one's for you.
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\f0\fs26 In case you are relegated to "bed rest" (which I was), I have a recommendation that will help pass the hours as it prepares you for the eventualities of motherhood. "101 Secrets a Cool Mom Knows" by Sue Ellin Browder and Walter Browder illustrates the importance of laughter, persistence, curiosity and many other valuable traits. Each "secret" includes a "Cool Mom Saying" and directions for such indispensable accomplishments as how to hang a spoon from your nose, wiggle your ears, fix a bicycle chain or spin a basketball on one finger.
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\f0\fs26 Just as I was getting discouraged in my search for a book that was actually about motherhood, one of my favorite others/grandmothers told me about "Dear Mom, Thank You for Everything" by Bradley Trevor Greive. This is a small book of short sayings illustrated with photographs of animals. My friend was so charmed by the book that she bought several copies. I went online to read reviews of the book. Several reviewers agreed with my friend, confirming, "The pictures are priceless and the sayings are wonderful." An anonymous reviewer wrote, "This book is so awesome ... especially if you're an animal lover." Another anonymous reviewer wrote that this book "is insulting to animals" and "insulting to the intelligence of the reader." I laughed out loud. This book may or may not be the perfect reflection of motherhood, but the reviews say it all. Regardless of what a mother does, some "authority" will think she should have done the opposite. My (unsolicited) advice is to ignore the "reviewers" and trust your wonderful, warm, loving heart. On Mother's Day in 2023, your children will be expressing their appreciation to you. They'll be writing their own deeply felt versions of "Dear Mom, Thank You for Everything."
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 1, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 The right read-aloud book encourages reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Reading aloud is a great strategy to encourage enthusiastic reading. Of course, it's important to choose the right books. Mrs. Fallon's fourth-grade class at Whitesides Elementary School loved "Islands of the Black Moon" by Erica Farber (a children's book editor) and J.R. Sansevere (who works in children's entertainment). These two authors have pulled out all the stops in plotting an adventure story that combines science, mythology, magic and fairytales.
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\f0\fs26 Mrs. Fallon shares her students' enthusiasm. She talks about "teacher" things such as comprehension skills, prediction skills, character analysis and identifying with the main characters. She points out the plentiful themes in the book: good vs. evil, the value of hope, the importance of fantasy, the necessity to believe in oneself and the strength of family ties. She notes the descriptive language that allowed her students to imagine the islands and the creatures. She thinks that the authors used just the right mix of reality and fantasy, so that the story was easy to follow and not "over the top." She says, "The book subtly encourages students to work hard in their studies."
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\f0\fs26 Lilo, a science buff, uses her knowledge again and again to avert doom. Mrs. Fallon also admits, "I couldn't help but get choked up as I tried to read the ending. Now that's awesome story writing!"
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\f0\fs26 Every student had his or her own reasons for loving the book. The great thing was that they were such a variety of reasons. There were boys who chose the female protagonist as their favorite character and girls who chose the male.
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\f0\fs26 Students chose many different incidents as their favorites. Lauren expressed the ultimate compliment: "My least favorite part was the end because I didn't want it to end."
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\f0\fs26 Alicia said, "The book was great. I think there should be a series of them!"
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\f0\fs26 Guess what, Alicia. The good news is that "Islands of the Black Moon" is listed as being part of the "Dark Moon Chronicles," which suggests that there is a series or that there will be a series. We don't know how long it will take for the authors to write the next book.
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\f0\fs26 We do know it will be hard to wait!
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 24, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children's books make math more interesting
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Before I could risk taking the national exam for teacher certification, my husband had to patiently teach me how to multiply fractions. Last week when I was helping Jovanni with his fourth-grade math homework, I got completely stumped.
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\f0\fs26 When our children were in high school, they knew they had to wait for their dad to get home if they needed help with anything that had numbers in it. "Math phobic" is too mild a description for my affliction. I squeaked through the college math/science requirement by memorizing the textbook.
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\f0\fs26 When Judy Blitch, a middle school math teacher at Buist Academy, reminded me that April was Math Month, I cringed and cowered. She cajoled. I capitulated when she listed the titles of picture books that actually make math interesting and accessible.
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\f0\fs26 "The King's Chessboard" by David Birch is a picture book for all ages. Ostensibly, it's a story about an obstinate king. Math-wise, it's the visual, mind-boggling illustration of exponents. It may not have increased my understanding of exponents, but it certainly increased my respect. "One Grain of Rice" by Demi deals with the same concepts.
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\f0\fs26 "How Much Is a Million?" by David M. Schwartz declares that if "... one million kids climbed onto one another's shoulders, they would be ... farther up than airplanes can fly."
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\f0\fs26 Schwartz also puts billion and trillion into terms that children can grasp.
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\f0\fs26 "Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar" by Masaichiro and Mitsumasa Anno is a beautifully illustrated explanation of factorials. Factorials? Just read the book. If I tried to explain it, you would be completely confused.
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\f0\fs26 "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins" by Dr. Seuss is more my speed. The first time I heard this wonderful story was when I was in first grade. It's straightforward. There are 500 hats. No exponents. No factorials.
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\f0\fs26 "Spaghetti and Meatballs for All: A Mathematical Story" by Marilyn Burns is fun on the story level as well as the numbers level.
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\f0\fs26 Judy also suggests: "Math Curse" by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith; "The Grapes of Math -- Mind Stretching Math Riddles" by Greg Tang and "The Greedy Triangle" by Marilyn Burns. When you look for these books in the library, some are shelved according to the author and others are shelved in the nonfiction "513" section.
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\f0\fs26 When I was in third grade, I remember crying in frustration over my inability to memorize the multiplication tables. I would like to spare every child from my math experience. On one of the Christian radio stations (88.5 in Charleston) a commentator was touting the importance of making math a source of family interest and fun. These books, and many others, could start your family in that direction. When you reach the point that you really want to get into this, try "Math for Smarty Pants" by Marilyn Burns. She says, "The real trick to being a math smarty pants is believing that math makes sense, or can make sense if you put your mind to it." Math: It's not just for mathematicians anymore.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 April 27, 2003
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 17, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Good books can explain Passover
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Browsing around in the children's department at Barnes & Noble, I was uninspired by the books for Easter. Of course, there's "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams and the books explaining the reasons for Easter. Then there's a lot of fluff stuff that I wouldn't recommend to be inflicted on children.
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\f0\fs26 I was looking for books I could read to the first-graders. Nearby was a rack of Passover books full of possibilities. I chose "No Matzoh for Me!" by Nancy Krulik and "My First Passover Board Book" by Clare Lister, published by DK Publishing. (So you know it's good.)
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\f0\fs26 Since none of the children are Jewish, I knew the concept of Passover was going to require some explaining. I took my Bible, which all the children recognized instantly. We talked about how the Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. I told them that the Passover story was in the old part and helped them to remember bits and pieces of how it went.
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\f0\fs26 The pictures and simple text in "My First Passover Board Book" helped tremendously. Gradually all the children combined the familiar and the unfamiliar and got the gist. We moved on to "No Matzoh For Me!" This is the story of a Hebrew-school class that's putting on a Passover play. Sammy hopes to be cast as one of the 10 plagues. He's disappointed and disgusted when he's cast as the matzoh.
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\f0\fs26 Sammy's mother comforts him by explaining that matzoh was the hero because it kept the Jews alive in the desert. With this whole new slant on his part, Sammy takes some artistic liberties and becomes the star of the play. The children liked the story, which reviewed all the points we'd just talked about, introduced some new vocabulary and had a surprise ending.
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\f0\fs26 The surprise ending to the story time was the big box of matzoh I'd brought. The children loved it. There were so many crumbs on the rug that it looked like snow. The cleaning people may be referring to me as the 11th plague.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 10, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Picture book charms youngsters
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Formula for a guaranteed good time: Find a young child and read "Hungry Mr. Gator" out loud. Really get into the swing of:
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\f0\fs26 "He spied six ducks with a quack, quack, quack,
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\f0\fs26 Green head mallards with feathers on their backs.
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\f0\fs26 Talky, squawky ducks with a quack, quack, quack
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\f0\fs26 And he watched as still as could be."
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\f0\fs26 Julie McLaughlin, a teacher for 25 years, wrote the story. Ann Marie McKay, a retired English teacher who's been painting for 35 years, provided the watercolors. Together, these two local women have produced a gem of a picture book.
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\f0\fs26 When I read this Lowcountry story to Mrs. Murray's first-graders, they loved it as the listeners, and I loved it as the reader. They knew about frogs, otters, ducks, geese, fish, snakes, raccoons and alligators. They liked learning the words for things they'd seen, but not identified: tupelo trees, anhingas and egrets. A glossary at the end of the book gives concise definitions of the less familiar terms.
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\f0\fs26 On one level, "Hungry Mr. Gator" is a counting book. I de-emphasized that aspect. I thought the first-graders would think that counting was too easy and therefore was beneath their dignity. Wrong. They wanted to count the animals on every page. I think it was their ruse to make the book last as long as possible. This also is a science book, a poetry book and a book of watercolors.
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\f0\fs26 Julie and Ann Marie have been visiting schools to promote their wonderful book.
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\f0\fs26 Ann Marie shares her artwork, and Julie tells the students: "If you've had an experience, you've got an experience to tell."
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\f0\fs26 Julie says "Hungry Mr. Gator" is a world of innocence and fun set within the normal world of hyperbole and commercialism. The book is dedicated to all young children, as well as the young at heart.
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\f0\fs26 Book signings are scheduled at both Mount Pleasant Wonder Works locations April 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Beidler Forest on April 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet on April 27; and the Mount Pleasant Barnes & Noble on June 7 after 11 a.m. Books may be purchased at Litchfield Books and Barnes & Noble (after June 7).
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 -----End Of Story----
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 3, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Hearing adults read aloud gives children love for books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 A
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\f0\fs26 few weeks ago, I ventured into the fantasy world (for a librarian) of the South Carolina State Council of the International Reading Association. It's a world where all the 2,300 attendees, plus the speakers, care deeply about literacy.
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\f0\fs26 Authors read their work. Teachers shared strategies that have been successful in promoting reading in their schools. I overheard a woman saying she would skip lunch and spend that money on books. For three glorious days, I was amid and among "my people."
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\f0\fs26 Research by the U.S. Department of Education has revealed that 20 percent to 40 percent of children in all grades are reading below their grade level. In the United States, 25 percent of the adult population lacks basic reading skills.
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\f0\fs26 That means that these people can't read stories to their children or read and write e-mail. A spokesman for the current Bush administration says, "Reading is the new civil right."
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\f0\fs26 Unless citizens can read, they can't access their other civil rights.
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\f0\fs26 Every keynote speaker and every speaker in the break-out sessions presented ideas on promoting literacy. What surprised me most was the oft-repeated, insistent rallying cry for teachers to read aloud. Old fashioned? To say the very least! Does it work to improve reading? No question!
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\f0\fs26 With all the emphasis on test scores and the pressure to use class time efficiently and effectively, can teachers afford to take "time out" to read aloud? Evidently, according to research, they can't afford not to.
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\f0\fs26 I vividly remember my first-grade teacher reading aloud from a series of adventures about three boys. I remember my elementary school librarian reading aloud from "Homer Price" by Robert McCloskey. At the public library, I remember the librarian leading us single file down the narrow steps to the basement meeting room.
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\f0\fs26 She always lit a tall candle before she started reading fairy tales.
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\f0\fs26 In middle school, my best friend's mother used to take us on picnics and read to us as we ate tomato sandwiches with homemade mayonnaise. Reading aloud is a powerful way to get children interested in books and reading. It is uniquely effective in getting books inside children's heads.
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\f0\fs26 Children need to hear adults read so that they learn to appreciate and duplicate the fluency and intonations used by good readers. Books on tape have their place, but I don't think there's any commercial substitute for the magic that happens between a real live reader and a real live listener.
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\f0\fs26 Some suggestions:
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\f0\fs26 -- "Junie B. Jones" series by Barbara Park for kindergarten through grade 2.
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams for grade 2 and up.
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis for grades 3-6.
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\f0\fs26 Consult "The New Read-Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease for more ideas.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 27, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children still need to know about historical hard times
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Before a major South Carolina election, all the high schools were asked to participate in a straw poll.
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\f0\fs26 It was set up so that each student could go to a specific online site and cast his ballot.
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\f0\fs26 Teachers prepared the students by holding class discussions on the merits of each candidate. Nobody seemed excited about "voting," but it's standard operating procedure for high school students to appear cool and slightly bored.
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\f0\fs26 What completely surprised, exasperated and ultimately frustrated me was that one African-American boy refused to vote.
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\f0\fs26 He was polite, but he was adamant.
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\f0\fs26 I tried to persuade him with lighthearted cajoling.
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\f0\fs26 When that didn't work, I wanted to beat on his chest with my fists and scream, "Do you remember that people died in their efforts to win you the right to vote?
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\f0\fs26 Do you realize that voting is a privilege and a responsibility for everyone in this country?!" Luckily for that kid, we teachers are not allowed to touch students. And screaming is unprofessional.
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\f0\fs26 Amnesia is a very dangerous debility.
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\f0\fs26 Lessons we learned from the civil rights movement, the Holocaust, the internment of Japanese citizens and other unproud times in history are in jeopardy of being lost if our memories are lost.
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\f0\fs26 I might always prefer to read gentle stories, funny stories or fairy tales but children need to know about historical hard times.
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\f0\fs26 They need to know they can be part of preventing "bad" history from repeating itself.
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\f0\fs26 There are many excellent resources for finding children's books by a subject heading.
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\f0\fs26 Of course, there's the computer that lists the library's holdings by subject, as well as author and title.
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\f0\fs26 Nine out of 10 librarians recommend "A to Zoo-Subject Access to Children's Picture Books" by Carolyn W. and John A. Lima and "Best Books for Children Preschool Through Grade 6" by John T. Gillespie. I made up the part about "nine out of 10," but I do know that I recommend these references.
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\f0\fs26 I also recommend remembering.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be contacted at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 20, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reading teacher a hero
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Sylvia is my new hero/heroine. She's a middle-school reading teacher who works with students who are struggling. In her class, they're enthusiastically reading, listening to and writing about popular books such as "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech, "The Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson, "Holes" by Louis Sachar and "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli. These books aren't easy to read, and they aren't simple to understand.
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\f0\fs26 How does Sylvia get these "struggling" kids interested? For starters, she chooses interesting and compelling books. Unless she's read the book and is enthusiastic, she won't inflict the book on her students. Because she's enthusiastic, her classes become enthusiastic. They know they can trust her judgment.
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\f0\fs26 Sylvia was raised by her grandmother, who was not a high school graduate. She doesn't remember anyone reading to her as a child. I asked if she'd attended preschool. She gave me a "you've-got-to-be-kidding" raised eyebrow kind of look. Sylvia hadn't even gone to kindergarten.
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\f0\fs26 For first and second grade, Sylvia went to an integrated school in New Jersey. When she returned to South Carolina, she attended a segregated school from third through sixth grades. She remembers that the books were secondhand.
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\f0\fs26 As Sylvia was recounting her childhood, I was thinking, "She had three strikes. Why wasn't she 'out?' " Nobody read to her, she didn't go to preschool, and her school wasn't funded or supplied as well as others.
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\f0\fs26 Sylvia believes there were several factors that led her to become a college graduate. Even though her grandmother hadn't finished high school, she valued education and always encouraged Sylvia. She also punished Sylvia when Sylvia didn't complete her school work.
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\f0\fs26 There were newspapers and other written material in Sylvia's home. The Bible and church were centrally important. She and her friends played outside and used their imaginations. She had friends who liked to read.
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\f0\fs26 I laughed out loud when Sylvia told me that her favorite books were the "Caddie Woodlawn" series. That choice made more sense to me when she explained that there weren't any stories about African-American girls, so she chose stories about girls who had adventures. "The Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder also were her favorites.
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\f0\fs26 Role models were another critical factor in Sylvia's academic success. She had aunts who were the first in their families to go to college.
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\f0\fs26 I'm thrilled by Sylvia's story. It proves that a lot of things can be "wrong" or missing in a child's life, but if a few important things are "right," the child can triumph.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 13, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books show a world full of miracles
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 5C
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\f0\fs26 Even as a teenager, autographs didn't interest me. They still don't. With curiosity and some consternation, I watched autograph-seekers at a recent conference. About 100 people waited in line for an hour to have their books signed by author/illustrator Patricia Polacco. This went on for two days.
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\f0\fs26 Young children sat on the floor reading her picture books while they waited. Ms. Polacco graciously signed as many books as her fans bought and brought. She personalized the inscriptions. She posed for photographs with anyone who asked. Ms. Polacco is beloved. She deserves admiration and adulation.
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\f0\fs26 Polacco's books remind me of special times when our family took time out to pay attention to important sounds such as raindrops. Her books made me think of summer thunderstorms when we would all run outside and up the ladder to the playhouse, so we could listen to the hammering rain on the corrugated plastic roof. She believes our world is full of miracles, including violets, stars and butterflies. She believes in the abiding importance of families, to which she gives eloquent testimony in "The Keeping Quilt."
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\f0\fs26 "Thank You, Mr. Falker" is based on her own childhood. Because she had several undiagnosed learning disabilities, she couldn't read. She felt so stupid and miserable. Mr. F. realized her dilemma. Since it was before the era when learning disabilities were addressed in schools, Mr. Falker found and paid for a reading specialist to work with her after school. She credits him with saving her life. If you look at the Polacco books on Amazon.com, you'll see consistent ratings of five stars and selections for Reading Rainbow.
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\f0\fs26 Discover Patricia Polacco. You may find yourself waiting in line for her autograph. I may be right there with you.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 6, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Grim tale can teach children to waste not
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2C
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\f0\fs26 One afternoon when our children were little, my mother-in-law stopped by for a visit. I was busy cutting apart empty cereal boxes to make flat rectangles of cardboard. The children had been left to entertain themselves and ran to greet their grandmother enthusiastically. Finally someone would pay attention to them!
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\f0\fs26 As I tried to explain what I was doing, I started laughing. Surely this must seem ridiculous. My children are left at loose ends because I was loathe to part with used boxes. I felt compelled to figure out how every castoff might be reincarnated into a Sunday school lesson or a rainy-day project.
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\f0\fs26 I'm not a child of the Great Depression, but waste bothers me. I recycled before recycling became fashionable.
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\f0\fs26 When I taught English at an elementary school in Korea, I made a cardboard clock to use as my visual aid for teaching time. After the class, I wanted to leave the clock for the children to use for practice. The teacher thought this was beyond the limits of generosity. The "clock" was too great a gift.
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\f0\fs26 Despite enormous strides in recycling, Americans still are justifiably famous for waste. How can we teach children not to waste when we live in the "land of plenty"?
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\f0\fs26 A first-grade teacher whom I respect and admire shares my concern. She was particularly upset about her class wasting food in the cafeteria. Many of her students discarded cartons of milk and other unwanted items without even tasting them.
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\f0\fs26 The teacher confronted this dire problem with a dire solution. She gathered her class around her and read them "The Little Match Girl" in a picture-book version that was adapted and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.
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\f0\fs26 I was horrified. Of all the Hans Christian Andersen stories, that one is piercingly, hauntingly, pitifully sad. The impoverished, shoeless Little Match Girl freezes to death trying to sell her wares. She's too scared to return home to her tyrannical father when she hasn't made any money.
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\f0\fs26 Two weeks later, the class remembered the story in great detail. Julia even remembered that the family had stuffed rags in the wall of its room to keep out the cold. I asked why the children thought their teacher had read them that book. They all agreed it was because some kids weren't drinking their milk and juice. I asked if anyone was behaving differently after hearing that story. They assured me that they were drinking their milk. One boy went so far as to describe how he was "trying" his vegetables!
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\f0\fs26 Enrico told us that thinking about the Little Match Girl made him sad. Other children talked about how they thought of that pitiful child when they were lonely, when someone had yelled at them or when they were trying to go to sleep. They agreed they felt lucky in comparison.
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\f0\fs26 All the prevention research I've ever read suggests that scare tactics don't work to prevent anything. I wouldn't say "The Little Match Girl" is exactly a scare tactic, but it certainly is a heavy-duty cautionary tale.
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\f0\fs26 I can't decide whether I recommend this strategy, but if you don't have time to waste, you might try it.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 27, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book helps convey 'Something Beautiful' in volunteerism
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Until I was old enough to get a work permit, I spent my summers volunteering as a candy striper at a nursing home in our neighborhood. One morning I was assigned to help a lady put on her shoes. I asked if she'd like to reverse the left and right, just for the sake of doing something different.
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\f0\fs26 Her amusement was far out of proportion to the feebleness of my joke. She told me how much it brightened her day to have me tease her and treat her as a real person. What that dear lady taught me was that I could make a difference.
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\f0\fs26 After Hurricane Hugo, when altruistic volunteers were swarming over the Lowcountry, I searched for places where our children could help somebody in some way. They organized canned goods at a church and helped with the ubiquitous yard work. I wanted our kids to experience that satisfaction of making a difference.
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\f0\fs26 Through high school and even after they left home, our kids continued to volunteer. They coached soccer, did fund raising for charity, joined the Peace Corps, worked at a hospice in Peru and enjoyed the experiences.
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\f0\fs26 As saccharine as it sounds, they learned that making a difference for somebody else ultimately rebounded and made a positive difference in their own lives. It's a double win, or win-win. However it's stated, it's as good as it gets.
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\f0\fs26 Teaching children to volunteer is currently a hot topic in education.
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\f0\fs26 Proponents believe that mandated volunteering will build character in students.
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\f0\fs26 Opponents point out that "mandated volunteering" is a contradiction in terms.
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\f0\fs26 I'm not entering that particular debate, except to recommend "Something Beautiful" by Sharon Dennis Wyeth and beautifully illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet.
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\f0\fs26 Before reading this book to some first-graders, I showed them several items and asked if they thought they were ugly or beautiful. There was total agreement that dirty candy wrappers were ugly and a flower was beautiful. We decided that we all knew how we wanted a place to look.
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\f0\fs26 Then I read "Something Beautiful," a story about a little girl who lives in an apartment surrounded by trash, graffiti and other ugliness.
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\f0\fs26 The child asks her friends and neighbors what they think is beautiful. Their answers help her decide that she can create beauty through her own efforts. She scrubs away graffiti as a start to what she knows she has the power to accomplish.
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\f0\fs26 The class really liked this book. They could see themselves as the heroine.
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\f0\fs26 They understood why the child felt "powerful" and realized that they, too, had that power to volunteer, to make a difference and to create "Something Beautiful."
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 20, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 It's nice to be wrong about book that first-graders liked
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Somewhere I read a bumper sticker that said, "One time I thought I'd made a mistake, but I was wrong."
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\f0\fs26 That bumper sticker will never be on my bumper. Even in book selection, where I'd like to maintain the illusion of flawless judgment, my judgment is flawed. Books that I've loved, children have hated. Books that I've dismissed as boring or poorly written, children have loved.
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\f0\fs26 "Visiting Langston" by Willie Perdomo is on my lengthening list of "mistakes." When I first read it, I dismissed it because the story about Langston Hughes was shallow and hard to follow, and I wasn't enthusiastic about the collage-type illustrations. I put it on a shelf and didn't think of it again. I was confident that children would be as nonplussed as I was.
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\f0\fs26 Then the book awards were announced. I don't take these awards too seriously, but I thought I'd better look again at "Visiting Langston" because it won the Coretta Scott King Honor Award for Illustration. Bryan Collier, the illustrator, has won other awards, including the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. On second consideration, the pictures reminded me of the work of Ezra Jack Keats.
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\f0\fs26 If I were ever going to "field-test" this book, I decided that Black History Month was the best possible time. Armed with a big poster of Langston Hughes and one of his poems, I visited the first-graders. I thought the typewriter on the poster might throw them off, but Reggie knew what it was. The class picked up the clue and identified Langston Hughes as a writer.
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\f0\fs26 They loved the book. They recognized that the poetry of the book was like the poetry written by Hughes. They recognized that the little girl in the story could be a poet, which meant that they also could be poets. They realized that poems could be about everyday things such as "hip-hop, hopscotch and double Dutch."
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\f0\fs26 They thought the illustrations were "wonderful." On second thought, I did, too.
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\f0\fs26 As nice as it is to be right, this time I was glad to be wrong.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 13, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books approach history in fun way
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Dr. Charles Anderson, my dearly beloved dentist, is going to love this book. Anyone who has ever tried to get a child to brush her teeth will love this book. Social studies teachers will love this book. Children ages 5-7 will love this book.
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\f0\fs26 In case you're curious, the book is "George Washington's Teeth" by Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora.
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\f0\fs26 This rhyming picture book is based on the true story of George Washington's lifelong problems with his teeth. The story of Washington's losing battle with his teeth is told in the context of his winning battles in the American Revolutionary War and his presidency. For example:
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\f0\fs26 "Poor George had two teeth in his mouth,
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\f0\fs26 the day the votes came in.
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\f0\fs26 The people had a president
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\f0\fs26 But one afraid to grin."
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\f0\fs26 The story ends with George dancing the night away wearing his new teeth carved from hippopotamus ivory and secured with gold screws. The book ends with a timeline that cites: "The important events in George Washington's life from his own letters, diaries and accounts." This biographical information includes portraits of George Washington, as well as two views of the famous dentures. Chandra and Comora also have included a bibliography of sources from which the timeline was written.
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\f0\fs26 When I introduced this book to Ms. Murray's first-graders, I wore a set of jagged fake plastic teeth. This definitely got their attention. Actually, the book didn't need my help. The children were focused from the first page. They were laughing as they were learning.
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\f0\fs26 "Abe Lincoln -- The Boy Who Loved Books" by Kay Winters is another new picture book about a famous president. Winters has done a masterful job of selecting facts about Lincoln's life that intrigues children ages 4-7. Abe slept on a bed of cornhusks and used a bear skin for a blanket. He learned to write his letters with a charcoal stick. His parents had never been to school. He didn't have books in his house until his stepmother arrived.
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\f0\fs26 The theme and perspective of the story is that Lincoln loved books, and the books changed his life. In turn, Lincoln changed the world. The whole book supports this powerful message.
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\f0\fs26 "George Washington's Teeth" and "Abe Lincoln -- The Boy Who Loved Books" are perfect for Presidents Day, which is Monday, or any other day.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 30, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children's stories can be gentle tales
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 3D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 I'm in the process of papering a wall with letters of rejection. Publishers and agents are just not interested in the two gentle children's books I've written. Children like the books. Friends (say they) like the books. So why do my books keep getting rejected?
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\f0\fs26 A pragmatic, business-minded friend assures me that a children's book has to be jazzy, pizazzy and a commercial knockout to be considered for publication.
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\f0\fs26 He cites the "Star Wars" books and books based on TV shows as proof of this theory. He's welcome to his opinion. But he's wrong.
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\f0\fs26 Sleeping Bear Press is one publisher that consistently turns out lovely, gentle and instructive books for children. Subjects include making dreams come true by determination and hard work, children learning how to behave better, and the importance of concentrating on what you can do rather than what you can't do.
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\f0\fs26 In previous columns, I've mentioned "Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot" by Margot Theis Raven and "Christmas Humbugs" by Colleen Monroe. Children enjoy both of these Sleeping Bear books because they are good, solid, satisfying stories.
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\f0\fs26 This week, the first-graders were completely captivated with the story "Jam and Jelly by Holly and Nellie" by Gloria Whelan. This is another signature Sleeping Bear book in the sense that it's a satisfying, gentle and instructive story. Holly and her mother spend their summer picking berries and making jam. They sell the jam at a roadside stand built by Holly's dad. The family uses the coins collected in an empty jar to buy a winter coat and boots for Holly. With her new, warm clothing, she won't miss any school during the snowy winter months in northern Michigan.
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\f0\fs26 The story is beautifully illustrated by Gijsbert Van Frankhuyzen and weaves information about birds, berries and other natural phenomena into the story line. How can this book share the same planet with "Rugrats," much less the same bookstore?
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\f0\fs26 Sleeping Bear stories quietly convey the values and virtues traditionally treasured by parents. These are the kind of stick-in-the-head stories that encourage children to adopt those values and virtues as their very own.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 -----End Of Story----
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 23, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Family values fuel a child's moral growth
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 3D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Recently, our family spent a week in the jungle. Out of an array of unusual encounters, one of the most unusual was with Vielka, the co-owner of our lodge.
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\f0\fs26 She told me that her daughter's family was living in San Francisco. They have two preschool children. When the oldest is ready for first grade, the family will move back to the jungle. Their home will have no TV, no computer, no phone and very little electricity.
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\f0\fs26 They want to remove their children from television and other influences that they believe are pernicious.
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\f0\fs26 They want their family to be the greatest influence on their children. They believe in the power of the family to strengthen and equip children for adulthood.
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\f0\fs26 While we were at the lodge, the cook's daughter used to spend an hour at a time playing with a wild parrot. She had taught him to laugh. They would lie in a hammock laughing at each other.
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\f0\fs26 Is there an American teenager alive who could spend an hour entertaining and being entertained by a parrot? I'm not placing a value judgment on this unusual activity, but I do admire the ability to be easily entertained.
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\f0\fs26 I'm confident that nurturing families have more to do with success, academic and otherwise, than the "right" toys or the "right" school. I could have spared myself considerable grief if I'd just bought into this belief early on.
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\f0\fs26 When our oldest child was an infant, a close friend insisted that it was our parental responsibility to buy a specific, expensive mobile to hang over her crib. Otherwise, she would be destined to grow up dumb.
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\f0\fs26 As a new mother, I didn't have the confidence to say, "Nonsense." We capitulated and bought the mobile.
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\f0\fs26 Having weathered the mobile crisis, she seemed to be progressing normally. She made it to age 5. Then I started losing sleep over where to send her to first grade. Every neighbor and every friend had a different, strongly held opinion. People I consulted were convinced that she would grow up dumb unless I followed their specific advice. The decision was literally agonizing.
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\f0\fs26 In retrospect, I decided that people held such strong opinions because they'd been through the agonies of deciding, and they had to believe that whatever decision they made was unequivocally right.
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\f0\fs26 After I finally made my decision, (public schools all the way), I was equally (if not more) insufferable.
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\f0\fs26 Incidentally, for parents facing the prospect of choosing preschools and elementary schools, I can promise you that choosing colleges is easier. This news may not be reassuring, but it is accurate in my experience.
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\f0\fs26 I concede that the jungle alternative is an extreme, but it makes me wonder.
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\f0\fs26 I'm not exactly sure what I'm wondering, but it has something to do with differentiating between the essentials for a child's optimum growth as opposed to the fluff. Reading to a child and having books available are essentials. My jury is still out on the rest of it.
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\f0\fs26 Listening to the car radio on a long New Year's Day trip, I heard that the top country song for the year was about a father who decided his priority was spending time with his family.
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\f0\fs26 My judgment may be fuzzy, illogical, suspect and not worthy of consideration. But surely we can trust country music to steer us in the right direction.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 16, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children can read about supportive families in their own literature
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 3D
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 On a recent family vacation, my job was to choose and reserve the accommodations. Simple enough, except that we had considered several options and had voted to stay in the wilds of the Costa Rican jungle. Choices were limited even further due to my age-related prejudice against tents. The list of possibilities became even narrower because of the limited-budget factor and the crowded Christmas-week factor. If all this sounds like an apology for the place I finally did choose, it is and it isn't.
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\f0\fs26 The Terrapin Lodge met all the criteria. It had three cabins available, it was in the rain forest and it cost $50 a day per person, which included all meals. Beyond those basic criteria, the grounds were exquisitely lovely and the staff was as lovely as the place.
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\f0\fs26 Usually the solar and hydro-electric power worked. Sometimes mud came out of the water faucets. Always the air was hot, with no air conditioning and no fans. Each cabin had a private bath, with shower water that was never hot.
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\f0\fs26 Was there ever even a peep of a complaint from any of our children? Was anyone even a shade less than enthusiastic? No. Each of the four kids, on more than one occasion, congratulated me on finding such a great place.
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\f0\fs26 In the after-vacation cleaning of the house, I found an article from the Dec. 1, 2002, issue of Parade magazine that my husband had torn out so I wouldn't miss it. "Ten Keys to a Strong Family" by Dr. Joyce Brothers made me teary. Almost reflexively, I compared our recent family time together with the author's list of "shoulds."
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\f0\fs26 We did choose our vacation as a "democracy." We do "treat each other well," "roll with the punches" and "cherish family time." Our whole point in isolating ourselves in odd corners of the Earth is to "pay attention" to each other without the common distractions. As might be expected, we ranked stronger in some categories than others. As I considered Brother's list, I was mentally cataloging where children could read about strong families in their own literature. Before our children were born, I read "All of a Kind Family" by Sydney Taylor.
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\f0\fs26 I wished I could have grown up in a supportive family like the one in that series of books. Students who read these books in the upper elementary grades may wish the same thing. And, as in my case, they may store ideas for how to create a strong family when the opportunity arrives.
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\f0\fs26 In my family of origin, chores were punishment. In "All of a Kind Family," the mother hid buttons around the house to make dusting into a game. I was so struck by this novel idea of taking the misery out of chores, I actually did remember and implement it a decade later when it was useful information.
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\f0\fs26 I'm not suggesting that children's reading should be limited to tales of perfect families. Many of the children in Roald Dahl's books were raised in families that would never have made the DSS approved list.
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\f0\fs26 I am suggesting that books are one way that children learn about families and decide for themselves what they'll adopt and reject in their own lives.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be reached at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 9, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Investing in technology necessary
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 3D
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\f0\fs26 E
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\f0\fs26 Even at the beginning of the school year, state budget cuts had a negative impact on the budget for my high school library.
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\f0\fs26 To pay the bills for technical support of essential software systems, I had to transfer money out of the book budget that already was smaller than last year.
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\f0\fs26 For an old-school librarian such as I, this was sacrilege. Awarding dollars to technology instead of books for young people is analogous to buying Coke instead of milk.
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\f0\fs26 Or is it?
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\f0\fs26 As much as I balk about spending scant resources on technology, sometimes it makes sense.
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\f0\fs26 Even if my budget were quadrupled, I wouldn't have the monetary resources to buy books on all the issues of current importance.
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\f0\fs26 Students log on to the Internet for the latest information on global warming, bioterrorism and the stock market. The initial investment in computers and Internet access would have bought shelves full of books, but in the long term the investment is wise. The preference for technology over the printed word may be especially wise in the area of encyclopedias.
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\f0\fs26 I am completely enamored by the World Book Encyclopedia and doubt that I could function as a research librarian without at least one edition resting in a handy place of honor. I've resorted to rummage sales to buy the latest edition.
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\f0\fs26 However, it would take more than half my budget to buy the current printed edition. It would cost only about $50 to purchase the seven CD-ROMS that comprise the current computer edition. Besides the advantage of price, there's the advantage of glitz. Kids want to use the computer with a passion that rarely (actually never in my experience) applies to books.
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\f0\fs26 If a student is researching Mozart, she can hear excerpts from his work. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, imagine the value of sounds. In many instances, video clips also are provided. I may be able to find things faster in the book version, but "cool" counts and audio and video are cool indeed. I agree with most of what Walter S. Mossberg said in his article about computer encyclopedias in The Wall Street Journal on Nov. 20, 2002. Although Microsoft Encarta reference library 2003 is more expensive ($74.95) than comparable electronic encyclopedias, it is the best for students.
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\f0\fs26 It's easy to use, even including all the bells and whistles. For homework help, it is outstanding.
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\f0\fs26 My husband is smugly fond of advising me, put aside your principles and do what's right. This is a case in point.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 2, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Despite better programming, limiting TV still beneficial for children
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 The cover of Newsweek on Nov. 11, 2002, caught my attention. "Why TV is Good for Kids" by Daniel McGinnis shared the spotlight with "No, It's Not" by Karen Springen.
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\f0\fs26 So what's new? Parents are routinely bombarded with contradictory information.
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\f0\fs26 The gist of the pro-TV argument is that programming for children is better than ever, with more excellent choices available for children ages 2-5. Networks employ Ph.D's to supply the latest child development theories and interject them into the shows. Studies show that interacting with the TV improves problem-solving skills. Shows such as "Blue's Clues" and "Dora" utilize this research.
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\f0\fs26 Since "Sesame Street" began in 1969, it has set the standard for quality children's programming that advances learning. In addition to employing Ph.D's to help develop goals and scripts, "Sesame Street" tests their material at daycare centers whenever there's a question about children's understanding.
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\f0\fs26 After years of research, psychologist Daniel Anderson concluded, "Television viewing is a much more intellectual activity for kids than anybody had previously supposed." In a survey by Public Agenda, 93 percent of parents agree, "TV is fine for kids as long as he or she is watching the right shows and watching in moderation.
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\f0\fs26 The crux of the debate "To Watch or Not to Watch" depends on figuring out which shows are "right" and what constitutes "moderation."
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\f0\fs26 Karen Springen writes her reasons for maintaining TV-free kids in her article "Why We Tuned Out." She discusses the social and educational considerations and drawbacks. One prominent physician called her decision "awesome."
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\f0\fs26 Another told her that there's "no valid reason" that her children need television.
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\f0\fs26 Springen cites the unflattering research on TV. According to the American Medical Association, "Kids who watch more than 10 hours of TV a week are more likely to be overweight, aggressive and slow to learn in school."
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\f0\fs26 The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends "... no TV for children younger than 2 and a maximum of two hours a day 'screen time' (TV, computers or videogames) for older kids."
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\f0\fs26 With 2-0/20 hindsight, I believe that Draconian TV limits were a benefit to our children. As preschoolers, they watched "Sesame Street" and other ETV shows such as "Mr. Rogers." In elementary school, they could watch two hours of TV per week. Usually, it was shows such as "The Muppets" that our whole family watched together.
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\f0\fs26 At the time, they claimed to feel grievously deprived. While other kids watched TV, they were stuck with reading, playing outside and inventing their own entertainment. Most of their friends had no rules regarding TV. Our limits were so unusual that our family seemed on some kind of fringe. It wasn't until our children went to college that I met numerous parents at Dartmouth and Davidson who had restricted or outlawed TV.
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\f0\fs26 Now that 20 years have passed, our children actually appreciate that TV deprivation. Currently, at least two of them don't have time for TV because they're in medical school.
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\f0\fs26 Limited TV. Academic success. Could we be so bold as to suggest a correlation? The New Year is young. Second semester is just beginning. With the stroke of one New Year's Resolution, you can put your family on the fringe along with mine.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at fran {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:books@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 26, 2002 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 With right tools, kids can figure crafts out for themselves
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 S
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\f0\fs26 Shopping has never been on my short list of favorite activities. It hasn't even been on my long list.
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\f0\fs26 Even when I have a shopping list, I don't want to go shopping. Except at Big Lots. After church on Sundays, en route to my weekly nursing home visit, I rarely can resist the opportunity to make a circuit around the aisles of this surprising store. What I find is often an item I didn't know existed, much less that I needed.
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\f0\fs26 A case in point: Recently I was cruising the food aisles at Big Lots and stopped to inspect an unusual-looking cake-decorating kit. It included small bottles of edible paint (otherwise known as food coloring), brushes and edible paper. The basic idea is to paint the paper and then embed this decoration in frosting on cakes or cookies. Intrigued, I bought two sets.
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\f0\fs26 On my daughter's birthday, I produced the kits from where I'd stored them on the pingpong table. I enlisted my college-age niece to decorate the frosted cake. She mulled over the directions and then produced exuberant designs in colors seldom found in nature. At the party, she received accolades for her decorating. She also got to announce to the guests that (against their better judgment) they could eat her handiwork.
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\f0\fs26 With Christmas approaching, I invited several children over to make cookies and experiment with the edible-paper kit. First I had to prove the paper was edible by eating a piece. With their complete attention secured, we read over the directions together.
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\f0\fs26 It was obvious to them that we were making a group effort to figure out what to do. They knew that their thoughts and suggestions were valued. When the basic concepts were clear to all of us, I turned them loose. After experimenting to figure out how to fit the paper onto the frosting, they drew pictures, painted scenes, wrote messages and ate the scraps.
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\f0\fs26 Although this column may seem to be about Big Lots and edible paper, those are only the "means to my end" of writing my heartfelt convictions about how children learn. I believe older children often can be trusted to take the tools and figure out things for themselves. As the adult, my role is to suspend judgment and be available and encouraging.
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\f0\fs26 For younger children, my role is to supervise without being overbearing. With a minimum of rules and directions, children tend to be more enthusiastic and creative.
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\f0\fs26 The edible-paper project was an ideal learning situation because children and adults were equally uninitiated. We were all learning together.
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\f0\fs26 Nobody was the expert. John Holt writes about many of these ideas in his book, "How Children Learn."
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\f0\fs26 When you're looking for something to do during the holidays, consider trying a recipe or an activity previously unknown to anyone in your house.
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\f0\fs26 Maybe pulling taffy? If you have the courage to attempt that, please let me know how it turns out. If you happen to still be speaking to me.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 19, 2002 Thursday FINAL Edition
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Tots can explore Web with parents
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 During the Thanksgiving weekend, our family began an interesting discussion on who had experienced the most dramatic changes in their lifetime. Was it a dear family friend in her 80s who had experienced the advent of air and space travel but had not participated personally in the computer revolution? Or was it our children, all in their 20s, whose lives were changed by computers after they started school? In short, is computer technology more life-changing than all the other technology combined?
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\f0\fs26 I thought of this family debate when I was reading Marcelo Prince's Wall Street Journal article concerning how to entertain a child on the Internet. He begins with advice for parents of preschoolers ages newborn to 5. According to education-technology consultants, very young children who are familiar with computers will catch on to the technology more quickly when they're older. The implication is that the opposite also is true. Even children who can't yet read probably will enjoy certain Web sites when their parents are exploring the sites with them.
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\f0\fs26 The recommended starting point is PBSkids.org, which provides links to the official, advertisement-free sites for "Sesame Street" and other PBS favorites. The educational entertainment includes games, sing-alongs and coloring opportunities.
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\f0\fs26 I was checking out the sites using a high-speed Internet connection. Even so, waiting for the pages to load required patience. A parent warned me that her home modem connection was virtually useless because the children were ready to move on long before the site was ready. Before you gather your child onto your lap for an idyllic Web-sharing hour, experiment. For confident, easy access, I would explore the site ahead of time and bookmark it.
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\f0\fs26 For ages 5-8, PBSkids.org is still a recommended destination. Popular commercial sites include Lego.com, Crayola.com, Pokemon.com and Barbie.com.
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\f0\fs26 In my experience, children are magnetically attracted to commercialism. Junk is seductive. Even though PBS sites eschew advertising per se, stores are well-stocked with books, dolls, videos, games, etc., featuring PBS characters. Of course, children know this.
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\f0\fs26 MaMaMedia.com is all about kids just being themselves and expressing themselves creatively with no mass media involved. In addition to games and art projects, there are jokes such as: "What do rabbits like to listen to? Hip-hop."
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\f0\fs26 At NeoPets.com, children create their own pets and then care for them. For kid-friendly information about real pets, visit Animaland.org, sponsored by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
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\f0\fs26 Although librarians across the country are rallying to prevent the use of filters on the Internet, I'm rallying to encourage parents to use filters. Pornographic sites are incredibly easy to access, even inadvertently. Before we had an Internet filter in the Charleston County school system, I was helping a student search for information on the Royal Palace in Madrid. To our mutual embarrassment, the search engine took us to an entirely different kind of "palace."
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\f0\fs26 In addition to making our planet smaller, the Internet has marked out new divisions between the "haves" and the "have nots." Whatever our apprehensions, most of us want our children to be Internet savvy, safely in the category of the "haves."
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 12, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Equal time given to sillier Christmas books for children
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 I
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\f0\fs26 I have something in common with Guy Noir, the radio detective on "Prairie Home Companion." We both are "still trying to find the answers to life's most persistent questions." Such unrelieved seriousness can be dull as well as exasperating. When my friends reach that exasperation point, they insistently insist that I "lighten up!"
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\f0\fs26 Last week's column was a list of my favorite Christmas books. Every one of them was a serious, message-laden story. This week, equal inches will describe the lighter, sillier side of Christmas titles that are available this year.
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\f0\fs26 "Gaspard and Lisa's Christmas Surprise" by Anne Gutman made Mrs. Murray's first-graders laugh out loud. The two little dogs, one black and one white, are both naughty. They succeed in their good-hearted effort to make a perfect present for their teacher, but they create gentle havoc in the process. I think that children as young as 3 would be entertained by this adventure.
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\f0\fs26 At James B. Edwards Elementary, Ms. Mills' first-graders and Ms. Moore's third-graders listened carefully to two books so that they could choose their favorite.
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\f0\fs26 Their favorite turned out to be both books. "The Christmas Humbugs" by Colleen Monroe is a rhyming story about keeping the spirit of Christmas.
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\f0\fs26 The children liked the illustrations by Michael Glenn Monroe. Realizing that the "Humbugs" were expert mischief makers, the classes enjoyed hearing about the pestiferous pranks concocted by the tiny rogues to make people lose their Christmas spirit. The children easily understood that the point of the book was to encourage us to keep our Christmas spirit even when every detail isn't perfect. The teachers particularly liked this book because of the rhyming, and the fact that "Humbug" does actually happen. We've all been victims.
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\f0\fs26 "Peter Claus and the Naughty List" by Lawrence David also made the children laugh. In this book, the son of Santa (who is on The Naughty List himself) gathers all the miscreant children together and helps them atone for bad deeds with good deeds.
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\f0\fs26 If you know any little children who are in danger of receiving coal and straw (or who just think they are), this book would be a good choice. It's also good for anyone who just wants a book that's funny, new and different.
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\f0\fs26 A teacher mentioned that one of her all-time favorite, lighthearted Christmas stories is "Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree" by Robert Barry, published in 1963.
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\f0\fs26 Even very young children will appreciate the humor as the top of Mr. Willowby's tree is recycled and recycled and recycled.
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\f0\fs26 If Guy Noir is ever looking for the answer to the persistent question of how to put the "merry" in "Merry Christmas, he might want to start with these books.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 5, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 New children's books about Christmas have potential to be classics
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Consider new titles
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\f0\fs26 But keep the old.
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\f0\fs26 The new have potential
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\f0\fs26 But the others are gold.
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\f0\fs26 Publishers celebrate each holiday season with a slew of new Christmas books.
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\f0\fs26 This presents two problems.
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\f0\fs26 First, I'm attached to my dearly beloved old favorites.
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\f0\fs26 Second, the new books are often trite or downright junky.
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\f0\fs26 Braced for disappointment, I read through the New Slew and was pleasantly surprised by four titles.
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\f0\fs26 "Christmas Day in the Morning" was written by Pearl S. Buck, an American author who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938.
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\f0\fs26 This beautiful new picture book was illustrated by Mark Buehner and published in 2002.
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\f0\fs26 I especially liked this book because a child gives a gift of love to his father that the father treasures all his life.
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\f0\fs26 I want children to realize that they are capable of giving the most valuable presents -- the presents that come with love from their hearts.
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\f0\fs26 "The Christmas Tapestry" is the newest book by critically acclaimed author Patricia Polacco. Most computer users in the Western Hemisphere have received a version of this poignant, touching story in their e-mail "Forwards." I particularly liked this book because Jewish and Christian people come together to create a joyous miracle. Although this is a picture book, the story is probably too complex for children younger than 5.
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\f0\fs26 "The Light of Christmas" by Richard Paul Evans published in 2002 is similar to the classic tale of "Why the Chimes Rang" by Raymond MacDonald Alden. The author donates his proceeds from this book to a shelter for abused and neglected children.
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\f0\fs26 "A Small Miracle" by Peter Collington is a heart-warming wordless picture book. Even very young preschoolers can follow the plot, but the story is ageless and timeless.
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\f0\fs26 If I were buying four new books this year, these would be my choice. However, I wouldn't buy these new potentially classic books unless I already owned my favorites:
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Quiltmaker's Gift" by Jeff Brumbeau
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Gingerbread Doll" by Susan Tews
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\f0\fs26 -- "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas
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\f0\fs26 -- "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at fran {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:books@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 28, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 New books were piling up, so librarian enlisted 7th-grade reviewers
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 The good news about being a children's book reviewer is that publishers send me books. The bad news about being a children's book reviewer is that publishers send me books.
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\f0\fs26 Tempting titles arrive at the front door almost every day. Meanwhile, I'm leaving through the back door to work full time at the Lincoln High School library.
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\f0\fs26 Even if I weren't employed outside my home, I wouldn't have enough time to read all those books.
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\f0\fs26 I worry that some great books are gathering dust when they could be gathering enthusiastic readers.
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\f0\fs26 Mrs. O'Leary's class to the rescue! These seventh-graders at DuBose Middle School in Dorchester County have been reading through my stack of neglected titles and e-mailing me their opinions. I'm impressed with their thoughts. If you have any young adults on your holiday shopping list, these books may interest you.
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\f0\fs26 Kristin absolutely loved "Dr. Franklin's Island" by Ann Halam. I'd read this book, but wanted a kid's opinion because some of the science-fiction plot was scary enough to make my hair stand on end. She thinks that children probably need to be ages 11-15 to enjoy the book. It reminded me of "Jurassic Park," but Kristen found it "highly original."
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\f0\fs26 Keela read "Shattered Mirror" by an 18-year-old author named Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. She thought it was "awesome" and recommends it for kids 12 and older because "it does have some pretty gruesome parts." Witches and vampires battle for dominance while appearing to be average high school students.
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\f0\fs26 Kelsey read "Silent to the Bone" by award-winning children's author E.L. Konigsburg. She thought it was "such a great book." She describes one character as "so cool" and another as "very evil." That sounds like a winning combination. Cecilia read "An Ocean Apart, A World Away: A Novel" by Lensey Namioka. She liked the book very much but wished there had been more "conflict." The book is about a Chinese girl who leaves China and comes to college in America.
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\f0\fs26 Elizabeth and Victoria read "Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis" by Peter Nelson. They liked the adventure, the grisly details, the pictures and the complexities of the moral issues.
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\f0\fs26 Brittany read "Melanie Martin Goes Dutch: The Private Diary of My Almost Bummer Summer with Cecily, Matt the Brat, and Vincent Van Go Go Go" by Carol Weston. She reports that it's a "really good book" even though "most books written from a diary don't seem interesting."
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\f0\fs26 C.J. read "The Trouble With Lemons" by Daniel Hayes. He wrote: "This book was like a piece of candy. It looks good at first, but you find something even better inside. This book shows that things are never as bad as you think they are. (The book) showed some good ideas about life." That's high praise from anyone, especially a middle school student.
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\f0\fs26 This column is not to say that these books will stand the test of time. But they certainly have stood the test of Mrs. O'Leary's class!
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 21, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Hanukkah books foster understanding
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 A highly intelligent man told me he saw no point in reading about Hanukkah to a class of first-graders who were all Christians. I was speechless in response to his wrong-headedness. This column is dedicated to that guy.
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\f0\fs26 This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown Nov. 29. I appreciate the early start. Most years, Hanukkah gets jumbled in with Christmas and Kwanzaa, as well as holidays around the world. As a librarian, I want to honor the religion and culture of the Jewish children who don't celebrate Christmas. I want children (Christian and non-Christian) to recognize the vitality and importance of the Jewish faith. My hope here is that learning facts will lead to learning tolerance. Understanding forestalls prejudice.
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\f0\fs26 Fortunately for everyone who agrees with my approach, there are two excellent new books about Hanukkah. Both celebrate Jewish religion and culture, but they're very different.
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\f0\fs26 "Runaway Dreidel!" by Leslea Newman is a rollicking, frolicking rhyming picture book. A boy receives a new dreidel on the first night of Hanukkah. As you might gives chase. For children unfamiliar with the terms, be prepared to explain the menorah, babka, latke, Star of David, Hebrew letters (nun, gimel, hey, shin), challah, kosher, gelt and hora.
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\f0\fs26 Off I went to St. James-Santee Elementary School in McClellanville, my usual testing ground for new books. Although none of these children was Jewish, Mrs. Murray's first-graders knew about Hanukkah because they'd learned a Hanukkah song in kindergarten (and remembered it a year later!).
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\f0\fs26 We started out by acknowledging that people worship in different ways. We agreed that was an important freedom. We decided that we could understand the Jewish faith better if we knew more about it. I showed the class a dreidel. We talked about the Hebrew letters written on each of the four sides. I introduced them to an aromatic loaf of braided challah. Then I read "Runaway Dreidel!," which they understood and thoroughly enjoyed.
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\f0\fs26 As a reward for being such good listeners, we made a circle to play the dreidel game. I'd brought pennies to use for the "tokens." Even as novices, we had fun spinning the top. By frequently consulting our directions, we figured out which Hebrew letter had surfaced when the top stopped spinning. We added, subtracted and counted our pennies. Win or lose, everyone was a good sport.
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\f0\fs26 To relax and recover from the excitement, the children settled back at their desks and ate (and ate) challah bread.
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\f0\fs26 I like to think of this activity as an inoculation against prejudice. In the future, if these children are confronted with an anti-Semitic germ, they will have resistance. I even like to be so bold as to think they'll extrapolate from this experience that whenever they're tempted to be prejudiced they'll make a point to try for understanding.
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\f0\fs26 For children who are beyond picture-book age, "Alexandra's Scroll -- The Story of the First Hanukkah" by Miriam Chaikin is a terrific chapter book. Because the story is realistic and compelling, even younger children will enjoy hearing it as a family read-aloud.
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\f0\fs26 In a smooth narrative, Chaikin describes Old Testament locations (Jaffa to Jerusalem) and customs (food, games, festivals) as she retells the riveting events before and after the revolt of Judas Maccabeus.
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\f0\fs26 This book is perfect for Hanukkah, but equally appropriate year-round. A good story is a good story. Parents and teachers can help children draw parallels between "Alexandra's Scroll" and other historical and current events (e.g., are there parallels between Antiochus and the Taliban?), This book reminds us that those who don't know history are condemned to repeat it. If polio can be eradicated with a special sugar cube, perhaps we can begin to eradicate prejudice with special books. "Runaway Dreidel!" and "Alexandra's Scroll" are good places to start.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at fran {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:books@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 books@yahoo.com}}
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 14, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Memories of books linked to shared reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 "Expect the unexpected." For a library, that motto may be unexpected, but it fits my library at Lincoln High School.
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\f0\fs26 Recently, the Teacher Cadets were preparing large-scale versions of favorite children's books. Their project required that they take their "Big Books" to read to young children at the nearby elementary school. Their adviser asked if I'd bring in my collection of picture books to give the cadets more options for books to enlarge.
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\f0\fs26 Without signage or ceremony, I piled stacks of my children's books on a table where the cadets could choose whichever titles they liked. The unexpected result was that random students, not members of the Teacher Cadet class, were attracted to these little-kid books.
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\f0\fs26 One morning I was surprised to hear Rachael Threatt reading aloud "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. Shonna Weston, with her head propped on her hand, was listening and smiling. This was so unexpected, so unbelievably counter to the cool image these girls project. I surreptitiously shot photos. I wanted proof! I was happy, but perplexed.
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\f0\fs26 Weeks later in Parade magazine, Sara Brzowsky wrote an article called "Why We Love Picture Books." The article didn't specifically explain the phenomenon in the Lincoln library, but it came close. Nick Clark is the director of the new Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art opening Nov. 22 in Amherst, Mass. He points out that we remember the best picture books while simultaneously remembering how close we felt to the adult who was reading that book to us. Memories of the book bring back memories of sharing and snuggling together.
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\f0\fs26 Eric Carle, who is royalty in the realm of children's books, says, "Part of the whole (reading) process between adult and child is showing the child, 'I have time for you, I respect you, I love you, I care for you -- therefore I read to you.'"
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\f0\fs26 Yes!
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\f0\fs26 Rachael and Shonna may not articulate their feelings in exactly those words. Still, I'd bet their joy in that picture book from their youth was related directly to the delight, security and importance they felt when an adult first read "Where the Wild Things Are."
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\f0\fs26 Some of my favorite picture books for preschool children are:
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\f0\fs26 -- "I Promise I'll Find You" by Heather Ward.
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\f0\fs26 -- "Mr. Gumpy's Outing" by John. Burningham.
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\f0\fs26 -- "Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney.
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\f0\fs26 -- "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown.
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\f0\fs26 -- "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Carle.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 7, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books help parents teach children about good health
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 3C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Around the time of the first 9/11 anniversary, people expressed many outstanding ideas on how to memorialize the victims of the tragedy. I thought one of the most unusual suggestions dealt with fitness.
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\f0\fs26 The essence of this idea was that Americans could (and should) honor their country with their commitment to good health. By achieving physical fitness, citizens would be prepared to meet and deal with emergencies. They would also be in shape to serve the United States in other capacities such as volunteering and mentoring.
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\f0\fs26 It made sense to me. I thought of this idea again when I saw the October issue of "Health" magazine. In an article called "Junk Food Fight -- Who's to Blame for America's Feeding Frenzy," author Nancy Stedman says that: "Obesity increased by 60 percent between 1991 and 2000." The Harvard School of Public Health says: "The risk of childhood obesity increases 60 percent with each additional soft drink consumed per day." The American Obesity Association says: "More than 50 percent of deaths among adult women in the United States can be attributed to obesity." Yow!
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\f0\fs26 I'm certainly not casting stones. All four of our babies were butterballs with multiple chins, thunder thighs and fat "bracelets" around their wrists. A shoe salesman told me my child was shaped like a fire hydrant. I was concerned about my own overweight children, and I continue to be concerned about my overweight students. Sometimes I hear students boast that they only eat junk food. It's a point of pride! Although being unfit and being overweight are not the same thing, overweight certainly contributes to lack of fitness.
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\f0\fs26 Thirty years ago, my pediatrician discounted my concerns and told me to keep on serving whole milk. There was very little to read about children's problems with obesity. One of the few books I found 20 years ago suggested that children outgrow weight problems with no interference from parents. I don't think so.
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\f0\fs26 Now there's help out there for parents who want to steer their children toward fitness and healthy diets. This list is limited by space, but there are more titles in libraries and bookstores.
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\f0\fs26 -- "American Dietetic Association Guide to Healthy Eating for Kids" by Jodie Shield.
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\f0\fs26 -- "Healthy Kids: Help Them Eat Smart and Stay Active for Life" by Marilu Henner.
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\f0\fs26 -- "Healthy Treats and Super Snacks for Kids" by Penny Warner.
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\f0\fs26 -- "How to Get Your Kids to Eat ... But Not Too Much" by Ellyn Satter.
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\f0\fs26 -- "Fit Kids -- Getting Kids Hooked on Fitness and Fun" by Mandy Lederer.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 31, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Chilling stories for youngsters may require parental reading first
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 3C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 In the old, brown-shingled Victorian house where I grew up, the bathtub sat up from the floor on ball and claw feet. The medicine cabinet was recessed into the wall. Through my childhood, I worried that a severed head waited for me on that cabinet shelf, ready to terrify me when I pulled open the little wooden door. I can still vividly picture the head that never existed. By reading aloud just the right terrifying tale, you can succeed in filling a child's imagination with fears that will persist for years, maybe even a lifetime.
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\f0\fs26 "Kate Culhane -- A Ghost Story" is just such a tale. This book could haunt the most jaded and stalwart disbeliever in ghosts. The story is scary enough. The illustrations by Michael Hague make it even scarier. This book should come with a warning label.
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\f0\fs26 After railroads and education ended the isolation of the Irish countryside and the famine of 1846 and 1847 decimated the population, scholars began to worry that the ancient Irish folklore would be lost forever. To prevent this irretrievable loss, people traveled to the Gaelic-speaking areas in Ireland and began to write down the stories that were still extant. "Kate Culhane" is based on one of those old stories called "The Blood Drawing Ghost."
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\f0\fs26 This tale was transcribed by Jeremiah Curtin, an Irish-American scholar who was hired by the New York Sun. His stories were published in the Sunday supplement in the late 1800s and later were collected as "Tales of the Fairies and of the Ghost World."
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\f0\fs26 What I like most about this book is that the protagonist gets smart instead of getting scared. I continuously preach to children about the wisdom of that approach.
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\f0\fs26 Here's my personal warning label: Before reading "Kate Culhane" to any child, please read it for yourself. Make an executive decision about whether this grisly chiller is appropriate for your audience. Remember: Many children live in houses that have medicine cabinets.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "mailto:franbooks@yahoo.com"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 franbooks@yahoo.com}}.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 24, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Abundance of information on Internet poses a challenge to literacy
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 When our twin sons chose to spend their sophomore year abroad in New Zealand, I chose to learn how to use e-mail.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail is practically effortless and lightning quick. There was no turning back to stamps and envelopes.
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\f0\fs26 Recently, my niece apologized for e-mailing me a "thank you" rather than sending it by the Postal Service. I didn't think she was being lazy. I thought she was using her time wisely.
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\f0\fs26 Every day I use the Internet to find something, from directions on how to dance the "Electric Slide" to directions for the best route to Barnwell.
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\f0\fs26 After the expense of hardware, software, a filter and an Internet connection, information online saves money for my high school library. My budget is too limited to buy the latest and greatest books on terrorism and other current topics that fascinate students. They find an abundance of information online.
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\f0\fs26 The abundance is good news and bad news. Since anybody can post anything, it requires wisdom and discernment to determine "good" information from "bad" information. Many high school students believe they've achieved that level of judgment, but I've seen evidence to the contrary. Abundance also is time consuming.
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\f0\fs26 Depending on the topic, I can find the information in a book much faster than students can sift through thousands of options to find the information online. It may be "cooler" to find the material online, but it's not necessarily quicker.
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\f0\fs26 When most people want a cup of hot water, they stick it in the microwave for a minute rather than heating the water in a pot on the stovetop. The microwave is more efficient for some tasks in the same way that the Internet is more efficient for some tasks.
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\f0\fs26 Instead of consulting the time-honored Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature and then hunting for the correct article on microfiche, students consult "findarticles.com." Presto! Why argue whether using the Internet is lazy vs. diligent? There's no argument that it's a different way to do research. It's easier and more convenient than the old ways, and it works. With a mouse to click and colorful graphics jumping around the screen, it's also more interesting and more fun.
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\f0\fs26 Try the Charleston County Public Library online at www.ccpl. org. Whether you want to find a newspaper article, look up "ants" on an elementary school level, or renew and reserve materials, all that and more is there.
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\f0\fs26 Should parents and teachers worry? Of course, we should worry! Our job description is to worry. How will our kids manage this glut, this unrelenting tsunami of facts and fiction masquerading as facts? Will this generation totally miss the tangible joys of dealing with books? Will our kids be seduced by readily available gambling and pornography?
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\f0\fs26 The challenge of this generation is to become the most discerning, critical and sophisticated readers ever to have encountered the printed word. To whom much is given, much is expected.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 24, 2002
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 17, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Kids get moral lesson without knowing it
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 3C
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\f0\fs26 Chicago is a super city for children. Our kids loved the coal mine in the Museum of Science and Technology. They liked wandering through the Egyptian exhibits at the Natural History Museum. The aquarium and the planetarium were favorite spots. Boat trips on the Chicago River, Cubs games, the zoo, the Sears Tower, the Chagall windows in the Art Institute, special exhibitions like poisonous frogs and special concerts like Celtic music, standing in the spray from the huge fountain in Grant Park -- all that and more, with the backdrop of spectacular architecture and the lake that looks like an ocean.
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\f0\fs26 Even with all this distracting competition, the Chicago library is still on my personal list of favorites.
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\f0\fs26 Probably I should "get a life," but I love settling into the children's room, pulling out a tall stack of books and reading away the afternoon.
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\f0\fs26 When I was there this fall, I concentrated on the folk- and fairy-tale section. In our Charleston library, these books are cataloged in the "398" nonfiction section.
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\f0\fs26 As I read on and on, it occurred to me that children hearing these stories could receive a painless, entertaining moral education without ever knowing what hit them. William Bennett, the editor of "The Children's Book of Virtues," is a major player in the morals field, but he's a long way from being the only player. Call me stodgy and preachy, but I love these books with morals. Children love them as well.
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\f0\fs26 w "The Empty Pot" by Demi is a delightful and compelling story about the rewards of being honest.
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\f0\fs26 w "The Stonecutter" by Demi cautions against wishing for what you don't have.
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\f0\fs26 w "The Firebird" by Robert D. San Souci advocates being kind because the kindness will be returned.
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\f0\fs26 w "The Moon Dragon" by Moira Miller is a story about boasting.
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\f0\fs26 w "The Badger and the Magic Fan" by Tony Johnston is a funny book that makes a convincing case against stealing.
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\f0\fs26 w "The Monkey and the Crocodile" by Paul Galdone is an old favorite about force being no match for wit.
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\f0\fs26 If the notion of moral tales doesn't attract you, think of these stories as bargain tales. In the very same book, you get an entertaining story and a sermon.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks @yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 10, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Sustained reading can help youngsters develop the discipline of concentration
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 Brain research is a hot topic with educators. As a teacher, I'm inundated with information concerning how children learn. Theoretically, all this information about learning styles and multiple intelligences will improve the way we teach.
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\f0\fs26 I think I believe this. I remember being bewildered in a graduate course in statistics. The professor realized that some of us were lost and said, "Let me explain this another way for the visual learners." When he drew a picture of the concept, I understood perfectly. This isn't a case of smart vs. dumb. It's a case of individuals learning in different ways. On some common-sense level, we knew all this anyway.
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\f0\fs26 Just when I was getting comfortable with these concepts and the teaching strategies that accompany them, one of our savviest district consultants dropped a late-breaking bombshell. She told our faculty that the current generation of students has a 15-minute attention span.
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\f0\fs26 These kids have grown up watching television shows in 15-minute segments. They've gone to school in an era when test scores rule education. Teachers are under constant pressure to cover the content. Who has the luxury of time to wade through textbooks? Outlines and summaries are a quick fix that hits the highlights. Why would any self-respecting student slog through books to find information when he can "Ask Jeeves" on the Internet? Considering their lives to date, maybe their attention span is less than 15 minutes! What happens to these 15-Minute Wonder Kids when they get to college? What happens to them when they get to the big wide world? We don't know ... yet.
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\f0\fs26 Maybe a nation of kids with short attention spans isn't a problem. Maybe society will increasingly accommodate this thinking mode.
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\f0\fs26 Maybe not. My concern is that these children will be dealing with increasing demands on their abilities to decipher complex issues and make sense of the reams of data that will spill into their lives.
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\f0\fs26 Even considering that my perspective is skewed, I think that accomplished readers are going to have major advantages in the brave new world. The "haves" are going to be the people who can concentrate on reading critically, solving complex problems and writing with clarity and persuasion. None of that happens in 15 minutes.
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\f0\fs26 Although I can't boast that I've created a solution to the problem, I can suggest that sustained reading is a key to helping children develop the discipline of concentration. Reading chapter books to young children is a very powerful, very old and very good place to start. Another good strategy to develop concentration is to ask questions about the stories and ask children to predict what they think will happen in the story.
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\f0\fs26 Some suggestions for read-aloud books from "The New Read-Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease:
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\f0\fs26 w "Stone Fox" by John R. Gardiner, grades 1-7
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\f0\fs26 w "Fantastic Mr. Fox" by Roald Dahl, grades K-4
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\f0\fs26 w "Chocolate Fever" by Robert K. Smith, grades 1-5
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\f0\fs26 w "The Monster's Ring" by Bruce Coville, grades 2-4
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 3, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 To hone analytical skills, it's best to crawl toward classics
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 1C
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\f0\fs26 Mrs. Murray's first-grade class at St. James-Santee Elementary School listened attentively as I read "The Saggy Baggy Elephant" by K. Gaines. This simple yet profound "Golden Book' has captivated children for more than 60 years. A baby elephant is happy in his own skin until a parrot taunts him for being saggy and baggy. He tries hard to change his size and shape, until some adult elephants assure him that he's perfectly dandy just as he is.
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\f0\fs26 After reading the story, I asked the class what the baby elephant had learned that we could also learn. They enthusiastically raised their hands and gave me all the right answers. Eventually I thought that everything had been said that could possibly be said, but Reggie was still patiently holding up his hand. When I finally called on him he said, "We can also learn not to be mean like the parrot."
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\f0\fs26 Although all the children had understood the story and were able to analyze it for the meaning beyond the obvious text, Reggie had out-analyzed us all. This is the good news.
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\f0\fs26 Even with young children, we need to be asking questions that teach children to think analytically and comprehend on levels be-yond the obvious.
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\f0\fs26 "The Crisis You Don't Know About" by Patrick Clinton in the September/October issue of "Book" (sent to me by Charles Wyrick of Wyrick Publishing) addresses the issues of reading comprehension and analysis. Clinton makes a strong case for his belief that children in the United States are doing well in learning to read, but falling behind from the fourth grade on when the skills of comprehension and analysis become necessary.
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\f0\fs26 It's logical but erroneous to think that children learn to read once and for all. Reading is like math in the sense that one skill builds on another. Reading doesn't stop with "Go, Dog. Go!" by P.D. Eastman, and math doesn't stop with learning to count. Even after a child is reading fluently, it's imperative to keep learning with the focus on comprehension.
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\f0\fs26 In a widely accepted system developed by Jeanne Chall, she describes the progressive stages of reading. From grades four through eight, students need to be expanding their vocabulary, gaining experience with different kinds of prose and understanding how to read for different purposes.
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\f0\fs26 In high school, the emphasis should move to developing critical-thinking skills -- evaluating, judging, analyzing. A college-educated reader should be able to choose her own reading materials to extract and utilize the information she needs. Only 2 percent of 16- to 24-year-olds in the U.S. score at this level.
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\f0\fs26 In 1999, The National Research Council reported that "... aspects of high literacy are required of almost everyone in order to successfully negotiate the complexities of contemporary life." Skills that were optional in previous generations are now critical.
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\f0\fs26 Where will our children get these skills? In my Lincoln High School library, the students read magazines, exchange e-mails and "chat" online. They check out a lot of Stephen King terror novels and romantic melodrama. They are typical teens. All this is good because it's reading and writing, but these activities are not enough to hone analytical skills.
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\f0\fs26 To continue the process of bringing our students up to the higher levels of comprehension, our teachers require students to read, discuss and analyze books like "A Lesson Before Dying" by Ernest Gaines and "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain. They read and analyze plays by Sophocles, important speeches and short stories.
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\f0\fs26 Patrick Clinton thinks that the proliferation of young adult books is at least partially responsible for the lack of interest in such high-level literature as "Ivanhoe" by Sir Walter Scott and "Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I wonder. I read "Ivanhoe" in middle school and felt fortunate to have survived the experience. If teachers and librarians had gradually led me through excellent, progressively more difficult books, I might have been better prepared to tackle the rigors of "Ivanhoe." Because I hadn't developed the necessary critical-reading skills, I was bewildered and hated the book.
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\f0\fs26 Reggie is off to a great start. He knows how to listen for the meaning in "The Saggy Baggy Elephant." Soon he'll start solving the mysteries in the "Henry and Mudge" series by Cynthia Rylant and the "Cam Jansen" series by David Adler. He'll move along to the sports series by Matt Christopher and the fantasies by Roald Dahl. These easier books and challenging teachers will have prepared him to tackle the complexities of "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis and the "Narnia" series by C.S. Lewis. He'll move on to "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes" by Chris Crutcher. When he's taught to read and analyze "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, he'll be another step closer to the evaluating, judging and analyzing skills that Chall describes. Like many children, he may read the "Harry Potter" books by J.K. Rowling in the second grade and throw off my entire timeline. Even if he does, he'll read and comprehend those long, complicated books on different levels, depending on his grade and the reading skills he's been taught.
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\f0\fs26 In 12th grade, Reggie may be among the select 6 percent of students who read at an advanced level. When Reggie finishes college, he may be in the minuscule 2 percent of young people who can read and comprehend on the highest levels and are adept at finding, extracting and synthesizing the information they need.
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\f0\fs26 Despite a lot of negative press, American kids actually do fairly well in early reading. The dismal statistics start showing up in the fourth grade. We can avert and mitigate the impending "crisis" only if we concentrate on reading skills for older students with the same consistent time, energy and effective strategies we use when they're young.
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\f0\fs26 First we'll learn to ignore any pesky "parrots" that try to undermine our determination to develop each child's full reading potential. Students will read their way from "The Saggy Baggy Elephant" to Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment," from the Weekly Reader to The New York Times. And beyond.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 26, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Challenging books may confuse, but still beat boredom
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 First- and second-graders have sometimes complained to me that a story is "too easy."
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\f0\fs26 When they say that, I don't think they're just bragging and trying to seem super-smart. I think they really mean they're bored and would like a story that has some interesting complications.
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\f0\fs26 I know of one librarian who reads easy books like "Swimmy" by Leo Leonni and "Mr. Gumpy's Outing" by John Burningham. When children complain, she tells them that, regardless of their ages, the books have excellent messages that they should hear over and over again.
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\f0\fs26 Both of those books are outstanding. Both teach timeless truths. Still, I think children deserve to be challenged by books that demand their attention. Aiming too high can probably have as many disastrous consequences as aiming too low, but I always prefer to take that chance.
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\f0\fs26 "The King's Chessboard" by David Birch is based on a mathematical principle of exponents that turns my brain to mincemeat. Although a wise man insists he wants no gift, the king commands him to take a gift. Not only does the wise man decide on a gift, he makes a fool of the king. He tells the king, "Tomorrow, for the first square of your chessboard, give me one grain of rice; the next day, for the second square, two grains of rice; the next day after that, four grains of rice; then, the following day, eight grains for the next square on your chessboard. Thus for each square give me twice the number of grains of the square before it, and so on for every square of the chessboard."
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\f0\fs26 Before reading this story to young children, I show them a chessboard. I actually put grains of rice on the squares until the rice won't fit. Once they understand the concept, they thoroughly enjoy the story.
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\f0\fs26 "Weighing the Elephant" by Ting-xing Ye is a wonderfully complex story that takes place in China "long ago." The baby elephant Huan-Huan is adored by his parents and all the villagers, especially the children. The jealous, greedy emperor sends his soldiers to bring Huan-Huan to the palace for the prince and princess. In order to win back the baby elephant for the village, the emperor says the villagers must figure out how much the elephant weighs. Neither the village wise men nor the small-market scales can reveal the weight of the elephant. It seems that all is lost until the very last moment when the boy who takes care of Huan-Huan has an idea.
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\f0\fs26 He puts Huan-Huan in a boat. He marks the side of the boat with charcoal to show how far it sinks in the water. He leads the elephant out of the boat. The villagers keep stacking bags of rice in the boat until it sinks back down to the charcoal mark. Then they take out the bags of rice and weigh them. Presto! The answer.
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\f0\fs26 Before reading this book to first-graders, I showed them a simple experiment in water displacement. I had a clear plastic bowl, so they could see that it was half full of water. I told the children that was the lake. I floated a plastic cup on the water. That was the boat. Each child put a nickel in the cup. The nickels were the elephant and the bags of rice. They easily understood what I was trying to prove, and easily understood and enjoyed the story as well.
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\f0\fs26 Fifth-graders enjoy these stories as much as first-graders. It may seem like a hassle to invent visual props to help the children understand, but the "Aha!" is well worth it. Even if you wind up totally confusing your listener, confusion beats boredom.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk at franbooks@ yahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 September 29, 2002
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 19, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Columnist defends 'Captain Underpants'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 FAMILY LIFE; Pg. 2C
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 552 words
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\f0\fs26 One of the many joys of this column is e-mail from readers.
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\f0\fs26 I respond to questions and points of disagreement. I apologize for goofs. I celebrate points of agreement. Sometimes I get ideas for future columns. Whatever the email, I'm grateful.
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\f0\fs26 Phone messages are different. Very different.
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\f0\fs26 I'm still feeling sheepish and apologetic about a call I returned last week. It was the end of a long day. I was tired. When I'm tired, I'm easily exasperated. I might have handled this call with more tact and patience if I'd been rested, but maybe not.
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\f0\fs26 Earlier that day, the caller had been to a bookstore. She was shocked by her first encounter with "Captain Underpants" by Dav Pilkey. She doesn't read this column, but someone at the bookstore told her that I write about children's books. She was confident that I would share her distaste and horror, which proves she doesn't read this column.
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\f0\fs26 She cited the violence and the nastiness (her words) of "Captain Underpants." She quoted another customer in the bookstore who insisted that his granddaughter would never be allowed to read such trash.
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\f0\fs26 Usually when an adult is outraged about a children's book that I've recommended, I have an easy escape. I simply ask the person to get back to me after they've actually read the book.
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\f0\fs26 There was no easy out here.
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\f0\fs26 The woman had stayed in the bookstore and read the book. She was obviously intelligent and genuinely concerned. She was far too serious to have seen any humor in the captain's adventures.
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\f0\fs26 In defending "Captain Underpants," I realized that she would write me off as being as smarmy and loathsome as the books. I defended the books anyway. I've been vilified for lesser causes.
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\f0\fs26 I impatiently explained that many children will happily read "The Magic Tree House" books by Mary Pope Osborne and the "Akiko" books by Mark Crilley.
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\f0\fs26 Other children just plain balk.
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\f0\fs26 Along comes "Captain Underpants." These books are so wonderfully funny, ridiculous and deliciously risque (in an elementary school sort of way) that reluctant readers snatch them from the shelves. In spite of themselves, they are reading! Crazy jokes, wacky adventures and other kids getting into trouble are irresistible -- especially for boys. In spite of themselves, the reluctant readers are finding out that books can be interesting, entertaining and userfriendly.
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\f0\fs26 Whether you approve of "Captain Underpants," here is the critical question: Would you prefer that a child read nothing from your approved list, or would you prefer that a child read anything (approved or not) just to get him started reading?
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\f0\fs26 As an additional precaution to protect my professional opinion, I bought and read all the "Captain Underpants" books I hadn't already enjoyed. Call me irresponsible and sophomoric, but I was laughing out loud. Yes, there are words that aren't generally considered to be socially acceptable. Words like "poopypants" and "pee pee" are unabashedly present in the texts. Yes, there are characters like toilets with nasty dispositions.
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\f0\fs26 In some parts of the text where the children are writing their own comics, words are spelled phonetically (as opposed to correctly).
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\f0\fs26 Since the school principal is hypnotized to become "Captain Underpants," I guess it could be construed to suggest a disrespectful tone.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 12, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Brand-name indifference carries over to books with one exception
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 My younger brother came to visit last weekend. Even though he's now 50 years old, I'm still his bossy big sister. I'm immersed in the lifelong habit of taking his upbringing seriously. Occasionally, he'll express an opinion that gives me the satisfaction of knowing I've done an outstanding job of molding him.
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\f0\fs26 On this visit, he expressed his preference for no-name clothing. At the time he said this I was wearing a Post and Courier T-shirt.
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\f0\fs26 Even so, I totally agree with him. For as long as I can remember, kids have plastered themselves with brand names of everything from the clothing manufacturer to their favorite surfboard.
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\f0\fs26 When I finally outgrew this phase, I completely outgrew it. I eschewed brand-name clothing and brand name everything else. In the drugstore and the grocery store, I buy whatever's cheapest. I'm not trying to impress anybody and I truly can't tell the difference.
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\f0\fs26 My indifference to brands, or publishers, carries over to books. I concentrate on the quality of the book and rarely even notice the publishing house. Granted, this is an oversight on my part. If I paid more attention, I might develop an educated opinion on which publishers were likely to publish the books of merit.
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\f0\fs26 Currently, there is one exception to my inattentive rule. DK (Dorling Kindersley) Publishing Company consistently grabs my attention and knocks off my socks. This is partly because the "DK" is featured prominently on the front of the book and partly because the quality of these books is unerringly excellent.
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\f0\fs26 The "Star Wars" books, praised in an earlier column, were published by DK. A relatively new series, "The Backpack Books," are equally wonderful. Written for children ages 8 and up, this series is advertised to be "just the facts." Although each book is compact enough to fit in a backpack or smuggle into Thanksgiving dinner, each volume of the series qualifies as a mini-encyclopedia. "1001 Facts About Sharks" by Joyce Pope starts with copiously illustrated information about sharks and is followed by a section on resources, a glossary and an index. Unless you are prepared to hear a LOT about sharks, do not let this book fall into the hands of a young shark enthusiast. Space, dinosaurs and the human body are other subjects in the "Backpack" series.
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\f0\fs26 "Secret Worlds" is another excellent DK series. Each book cover proclaims: "It's a weird world out there ... dazzle your friends with wacky facts ..." Each book is full of ammunition suitable for dazzling. Top Web sites are included for each topic. "Tornadoes and other Dramatic Weather Systems" by Michael Allaby explains that air heated by lightning is five times hotter than the sun. I didn't know that. I may not be exactly dazzled by this fact, but I am impressed. I'm confident that kids will be impressed as well. Dinosaurs, mummies, explorers and American Indians are other subjects in this series.
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\f0\fs26 The DK Web site is {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.dk.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf2 \ul \ulc2 www.dk.com}}. Prepare to be dazzled and impressed.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 29, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Gadget books can capture the attention of young video generation
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f0\b0 Pg. 2C
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\f0\fs26 A soggy, sizzling summer doldrums day. Eight children to entertain, ranging in age from 4 to 12. Add three adults whose combined energy was less than an AAAA battery. What to do?
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\f0\fs26 I capitulated and chose a movie, but it wasn't just any movie. None of the children had ever experienced 3-D, so we went to the IMAX "Space Station 3D."
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\f0\fs26 Although I called ahead and was assured that this would be the best choice for these children, the most excitement was when we got the special glasses. Otherwise, it was a bust. The 4-year-old was intimidated by the size of the screen. The first- and second-graders got bored with the long, static shots of the rocket and the space station. The older girls were not especially interested in the topic of space, even though one of the astronauts in the documentary was a woman. The one scene that caught everybody's attention was the M&M's floating in the weightless environment.
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\f0\fs26 Since I felt kind of guilty about taking video generation children to a movie, I'd put a book in my car for the trip from Mount Pleasant into town. A few of these children are reluctant readers, so I didn't expect them to be especially interested. So, of course, they were amazingly interested, totally absorbed and considered the book the high point of the afternoon's outing.
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\f0\fs26 Fortunately, I'm a woman accustomed to consternation. In this case, I was consternated for less time than usual. The book I'd randomly thrown in the backseat was called "Where Is Otis?" by Jennifer Loya. It had a plastic key attached to the front cover. On each page, the child inserted the key to find out what was behind the locked door. I'm willing to wager that the same stories without the keys would have remained on the seat untouched.
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\f0\fs26 Sometimes my husband will advise me to "put aside my principles and do what's right." I put aside my principles to take children to a movie. Now I'm putting aside my principles to recommend gadget books. They work for children who need a little junk, a gimmick or maybe moving parts to stimulate their interest.
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\f0\fs26 "The Secret Mermaid Handbook -- How to be a Little Mermaid" by Penny Dawn is full of junk. I gave copies to two elementary school girls who loved the stick-on "jewel" earrings and the sparkly hair decorations and (incidentally) the story.
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\f0\fs26 "What Makes a Rainbow" by Betty Ann Schwartz sports colorful ribbons that appear one by one to complete a rainbow by the end of this story that teaches colors. It's attractive, if not durable.
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\f0\fs26 "Big Rigs" by Gina Shaw is a heavy cardboard book that stands up on wheels.
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\f0\fs26 "Ten Little Ladybugs" by Melanie Gerth includes the 10 colorful plastic ladybugs.
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\f0\fs26 Maybe it's dangerous to set this sort of gimmick precedent for young readers. Maybe when they advance to reading "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, they'll demand a scratch-and-sniff sticker to smell the roast turkey. Until research substantiates that frightening possibility, I say, "Put aside your principles ..."
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 22, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 National Institutes of Health call reading difficulties 'major public health problem'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Books on tape make me actually anticipate my commute to work.
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\f0\fs26 Currently I'm listening to the "The Hammer of Eden" by Ken Follett. The plot is ho-hum. What intrigues me is the character who functions perfectly well without being able to read or write. He drives and navigates, he was a businessman and now he's a terrorist.
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\f0\fs26 I also know people who are barely literate and seem to function reasonably well. I don't know how they manage. When we lived in Japan and couldn't read the road signs, we used to memorize the "word" for our destination and scrutinize the highway signs looking for the "word" that matched. It was a white-knuckle way to travel.
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\f0\fs26 I knew the literacy statistics for the United States were grim. How grim? So grim that the National Institutes of Health call reading difficulty in our society "a major public health problem." Although it may seem odd initially that the NIH would be involved in this issue, a branch of the organization is funded by Congress to study reading development and reading difficulties.
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\f0\fs26 After studying 35,000 participants, it was estimated that 17 to 20 percent of children in the U.S. are likely to experience serious reading problems. Research also indicates that "slow readers" (kids who don't read well and are disinterested in reading) account for an additional 20 percent of U.S. students. These children can be helped with intensive and effective instruction.
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\f0\fs26 Unfortunately, in the average school system, only about 6 percent of the children receive that kind of help.
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\f0\fs26 The research discredits the wide belief that boys have more reading problems than girls. Boys are four times more likely to be referred for help, probably because they are four times more likely to misbehave, but girls need help as much as boys. Reading problems were evident as early as kindergarten. At most, only 25 percent of the children outgrew the problems.
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\f0\fs26 The Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities publishes a list called "Early Warning Signs of a Learning Disability." This list is included in the book "Parenting a Struggling Reader -- A Guide to Diagnosing and Finding Help for Your Child's Reading Difficulties" by Susan Hall and Louisa Moats, Ed.D.
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\f0\fs26 For preschoolers, the list cites late talking, slow vocabulary growth, problems with pronunciation and learning series like the alphabet and days of the week, extreme restlessness and distractibility and trouble with peer relationships and following directions.
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\f0\fs26 For kindergarten through fourth grade, the list includes letter reversals, confusing basic words, heavy reliance on memorization, delays in learning new skills and recalling facts, lack of planning and awareness of time, poor coordination and an unstable pencil grip.
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\f0\fs26 If you see your child reflected in these lists or you want common-sense information about reading or you're interested in the authors' push for phonics-based reading instruction, I recommend "Parenting a Struggling Reader."
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 22, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 National Institutes of Health call reading difficulties 'major public health problem'
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk Special to the Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Books on tape make me actually anticipate my commute to work.
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\f0\fs26 Currently I'm listening to the "The Hammer of Eden" by Ken Follett. The plot is ho-hum. What intrigues me is the character who functions perfectly well without being able to read or write. He drives and navigates, he was a businessman and now he's a terrorist.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I also know people who are barely literate and seem to function reasonably well. I don't know how they manage. When we lived in Japan and couldn't read the road signs, we used to memorize the "word" for our destination and scrutinize the highway signs looking for the "word" that matched. It was a white-knuckle way to travel.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 I knew the literacy statistics for the United States were grim. How grim? So grim that the National Institutes of Health call reading difficulty in our society "a major public health problem." Although it may seem odd initially that the NIH would be involved in this issue, a branch of the organization is funded by Congress to study reading development and reading difficulties.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 After studying 35,000 participants, it was estimated that 17 to 20 percent of children in the U.S. are likely to experience serious reading problems. Research also indicates that "slow readers" (kids who don't read well and are disinterested in reading) account for an additional 20 percent of U.S. students. These children can be helped with intensive and effective instruction.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 Unfortunately, in the average school system, only about 6 percent of the children receive that kind of help.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The research discredits the wide belief that boys have more reading problems than girls. Boys are four times more likely to be referred for help, probably because they are four times more likely to misbehave, but girls need help as much as boys. Reading problems were evident as early as kindergarten. At most, only 25 percent of the children outgrew the problems.
\f1\fs24 \

\f0\fs26 The Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities publishes a list called "Early Warning Signs of a Learning Disability." This list is included in the book "Parenting a Struggling Reader -- A Guide to Diagnosing and Finding Help for Your Child's Reading Difficulties" by Susan Hall and Louisa Moats, Ed.D.
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\f0\fs26 For preschoolers, the list cites late talking, slow vocabulary growth, problems with pronunciation and learning series like the alphabet and days of the week, extreme restlessness and distractibility and trouble with peer relationships and following directions.
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\f0\fs26 For kindergarten through fourth grade, the list includes letter reversals, confusing basic words, heavy reliance on memorization, delays in learning new skills and recalling facts, lack of planning and awareness of time, poor coordination and an unstable pencil grip.
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\f0\fs26 If you see your child reflected in these lists or you want common-sense information about reading or you're interested in the authors' push for phonics-based reading instruction, I recommend "Parenting a Struggling Reader."
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 8, 2002 Thursday
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 First-day-of-school books ease fears, give comic relief
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK Special to The Post and Courier
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\f0\fs26 When our children were in elementary school, my plan was to take a picture on the first day of school and the last day of school and compare the pictures. The pictures from the first day of school are among the funniest in the whole family album. I never remembered to take pictures on the last day because we were too busy celebrating.
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\f0\fs26 In the first-day photos while waiting for the school bus, the three older children are bent over trying to swat mosquitoes on their legs and simultaneously smiling for the camera. The youngest child, still a preschooler, is looking left out and pitiful. He looks bedraggled because he's wearing whatever he slept in. The first day of school is a big day for everyone concerned, even for the little ones who are so young they can only aspire to be concerned. When our oldest child started preschool, the teacher called to tell me she'd been crying steadily for two hours. I didn't have a car, so I beseeched a friend to drive me to the school and rescue her. As I walked past the playground fence, I saw my daughter inside playing happily with her new classmates. "First Day" by Joan Rankin is about a dog that has a similar experience with her puppy.
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\f0\fs26 My favorite first-day-of-school book is the hilarious "Spider School" by Francesca Simon, but it's hard to find. "The Teacher From the Black Lagoon" by Mike Thaler is humorous in a similar scary, but not scary, way.
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\f0\fs26 "Island Baby" by Holly Keller is another favorite. A boy helps his grandfather rescue wounded birds. Together, they restore the birds to health and release them back into the wild. When the boy is old enough to start school, he's reluctant to leave his mother and grandfather. The adults gently explain that he is prepared to go to school in the same way the birds are ready to go into the wild. I'm not making it sound nearly as poignant as it is.
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\f0\fs26 I like "Amanda Pig, Schoolgirl" by Jean Van Leeuwen. It's reassuring to children whether they are shy or outgoing. For comic relief, I recommend "Lunch Money and Other Poems About School" by Carol Shields and "The Bug in the Teacher's Coffee and Other School Poems" by Kelli Dakos.
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\f0\fs26 I called an outstanding first-grade teacher to ask which book she was using to start the year. One of her choices is "Wemberly Worried" by Kevin Henkes.
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\f0\fs26 Excellent!
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\f0\fs26 I'm planning to read "Virgie Goes to School With Us Boys" by Elizabeth Howard. This beautifully illustrated book is the story of black children eagerly walking seven miles to attend a Quaker school, which was founded shortly after the Civil War. I'll be tempted to preach a sermon on the duty of today's children to appreciate all their advantages, but this strongly written book says it all.
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\f0\fs26 Whether your child is shrinking with dread or bounding in anticipation, books can be the catalyst for conversations that will make the first day the best day.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 11, 2001 Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Text messaging may be the next big craze
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Britain: 68 percent.
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\f0\fs26 U.S.: 38 percent.
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\f0\fs26 Those are the percentages of people in these countries who carry mobile phones. Even if you keep yawning, keep reading. This information may be crucial to your linguistic health.
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\f0\fs26 To state the obvious, people talk on mobile phones. Not so obvious is that mobile phones can be used to send text messages. In a logical (if unwieldy) sequence, the number keys are used to type the letters.
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\f0\fs26 In one month this year, Britons sent more than 8 million text messages, including marriage proposals. A major constraint to text messaging is that most phones limit messages to 160 characters. A major advantage is that they are cheap. In the U.S., Verizon charges just 10 cents per message.
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\f0\fs26 In 1968, William Steig wrote a children's book called "CDB."
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\f0\fs26 (Translation: "See the bee.") Steig was ahead of his time. You can read this book as an introduction to text messaging lingo. Deciphering vanity license plates would also be good training.
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\f0\fs26 My prediction is that this tsunami of text messaging will soon wash up on U.S. shores. Maybe we don't have as high a percentage of mobile phone users, but we do love a fad. Be ready!
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\f0\fs26 When you get seriously into the craze, you can scrap your dictionary and thesaurus and just use the brand-new St. Michael's dictionary called "Wan2talk? Ltl Bk of Txt Msgs." Typing this makes "Spell Check" work overtime.
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\f0\fs26 In addition to offering everything from pick-up lines to insults, the dictionary codifies some of the bewildering rules. For example, "When a capital letter appears in the middle of a word, it means a double letter."
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\f0\fs26 Maybe the text messaging craze will unleash a glut of books like "CDB."
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\f0\fs26 There are already a bunch of children's books on palindromes, oxymorons, idioms, eponyms, homonyms and figures of speech. Children like the challenge of figuring out some of these word puzzlers.
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\f0\fs26 Teen-agers will probably love text messaging because teen-agers like to speak their own language.
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\f0\fs26 For the rest of us, "Is this wot we hav all bin w8ting 4?"
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\f0\fs26 George Orwell is somewhere LOL.
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\f0\fs26 E-mail Fran Hawk franbooks.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 13, 2001
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 August 12, 2001, Sunday, SUNDAY EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 ROMANIAN ORPHANAGE\uc0\u8232 Charleston volunteers offer children hope
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f0\fs26 Special to The Post and Courier Weeks before I left for Bucharest, I was second-guessing my decision to join the ICAN team.
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\f0\fs26 Every member of the International Children's Advocacy Network team pays expensive air fare and land travel costs. The shots hurt. The trip took a 10-day chunk out of a short summer. Most unsettling was my conviction that I probably wouldn't or couldn't make any difference.
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\f0\fs26 In retrospect, the expense, the shots and the time were generously compensated. Most important, my heart believes that some Romanian orphan children are happier and healthier because we worked in the orphanage with them. \uc0\u8232 \'a0\u8232 GETTING THERE
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\f0\fs26 Travel to Romania isn't a walk in the park. With layovers, the trip takes close to 24 hours. As soon as team members arrived in Bucharest, we rode in vans for the two-hour trip to Slobozia. Fields of sunflowers spread from the roadside to the horizon. Shepherds herded sheep. Horses pulled carts overloaded with hay. This different country appeared to be more like a different world.
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\f0\fs26 Our ICAN team of 23 had gathered from several states and professions. Our ages ranged from 15 to 56 and included boys, girls, men and women. Five volunteer Romanian interpreters, an artist, a nurse and three students joined us in Bucharest. Some team members had made numerous trips to Romania. For others, it was our first.
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\f0\fs26 Certainly there are orphanages and needy children much closer to home. Romania was ICAN's destination because it is a very poor country with an average annual income of about $ 1,000 a year. Romania remained under the rule of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu until the revolution of 1989.
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\f0\fs26 Ceausescu decreed that every woman was required to give birth to five babies. Many mothers could not afford to feed this many children and put their babies in orphanages.
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\f0\fs26 In 1990, the ABC news program "20-20" did a documentary on Romanian orphanages that galvanized individuals and organizations to aid these neglected children. This spring, "20-20" returned to a Romanian orphanage and revealed that many orphans are still in desperate situations.
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\f0\fs26 The Slobozia orphanage we visited ranks high largely because of ICAN efforts over the last four years. This orphanage has an honest director and dedicated staff who have shown they can be trusted with ICAN donations. When ICAN donates a set of blocks, the blocks are there the next year and the next. Nothing is siphoned off to the black market, as is sadly true in many orphanages.
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\f0\fs26 Our hotel in Slobozia was spartan by American standards. We celebrated the air conditioning, which had been installed the week before. Slobozia is one of the hottest places in Romania, with temperatures over 100 degrees during the week we were there.
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\f0\fs26 On Sunday, our first whole day in Romania, we met as a team to discuss logistics and organize the donations we'd brought. ICAN had collected 20 huge duffle bags full of toys, quilts, shoes and diapers, as well as small gifts for the staff.
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\f0\fs26 Later that afternoon, we visited the orphanage to meet the children and the staff. Without realizing it, I'd developed expectations of abject misery. I've never been happier to be completely wrong.
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\f0\fs26 We entered the grounds through a wrought-iron gate. Flowers, planted since last year, were blooming in the front yard. The staff greeted returning team members like dear old friends.
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\f0\fs26 First we gathered upstairs to meet the infants. Their cribs were arranged four to a room. Most of the babies were lying quietly on their backs. The cribs were a bit battered. The baby clothes were faded and worn. Much more important, the rooms and sheets were clean, and the babies were well-tended. Several cribs had colorful toys attached to the crib railings.
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\f0\fs26 Next we came downstairs and met the toddlers. These energetic little people adopted us into their playground routines as though we came every day.
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\f0\fs26 This orphanage also houses older children who are HIV positive. Although our team plan did not include working with these children, we did interact with them in the small world of the orphanage.
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\f0\fs26 In Romania, at least 90 percent of the AIDS cases are children. Under Ceausescu's regime, babies were given blood transfusions for the standard reasons, as well as for anemia and malnourishment. Also, school nurses often vaccinated dozens of children using the same needle. By the time Ceausescu was dead, tens of thousands of children were HIV positive. Very few of these children can afford the expensive anti-retroviral drugs. Many of the HIV positive children in the Slobozia orphanage will die within two years.
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\f0\fs26 Sunday night at dinner, Pamela Price, the volunteer director of ICAN, filled in more of the "what, how and why" of what we hoped to accomplish. After four years of building trust with the orphanage staff and the director, we were being allowed to present training sessions for the orphanage staff each day of the week. Our ICAN nurse and board member, Liz Blair, would present most of the training, with an emphasis on developmental stages of childhood and how to stimulate maximum development. Various members of our team were prepared to present segments on music (with CD player and CDs to donate to the orphanage), smoking cessation (requested by the staff) and the importance of reading to babies and children.
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\f0\fs26 While the orphanage staff was attending these training sessions, most of the ICAN team members were taking care of the infants and toddlers. The rest of the team was painting a mural on the side of the building, the second one drawn on the building by our artist/translator.
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\f0\fs26 That was The Plan. And The Plan, unlike many plans, worked perfectly.
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\f0\fs26 Each morning that week, our breakfast was sheep's cheese and chewable coffee. We walked to the orphanage. By 8:30 a.m., we had fanned out to our assignments. By 9 a.m., the staff had left for their training.
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\f0\fs26 We lifted babies out of cribs, held them and played with them for hours. We brought a wading pool for the toddlers where they played with water toys. However much the children loved us, we loved them more.\uc0\u8232 \'a0\u8232 REASONS TO VOLUNTEER
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\f0\fs26 Giamasi's mother is a homeless beggar who said she was coming back for her daughter, but hasn't. Romania doesn't declare children "abandoned" as long as parents check in on them just once every six months. At 7 months old, Giamasi is tiny and dark with eyelashes so long it's difficult to see her eyes. At the beginning of the week, she'd lie uncomplaining in her crib. By Friday, she was reaching out for colorful toys and smiling when we danced together to a Mozart CD.
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\f0\fs26 Carmeluta, 8 months old, had only been at the orphanage for a month. She had a worried look. Her brow was furrowed, and she constantly intertwined her fingers. My heart went into meltdown. Even after she went to the infirmary with a fever, I claimed her each day and brought her to the playroom. By the end of the week, she was smiling and lifting her arms for me to pick her up.
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\f0\fs26 Giamasi and Carmeluta are two reasons to volunteer in a Romanian orphanage. Just a few of the other reasons are Magdelena, Ionut, Robert, Alexandru, Adrian and Eugenia. Team members were shameless about choosing favorites. We were helpless to resist the children's charms.
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\f0\fs26 Although the orphanage staff is caring and loving, they don't have time to lavish on individual children. When the staff changed a diaper, they efficiently changed a diaper. When the ICAN team changed diapers, we sang, we wiggled the babies' toes and blew raspberries on their tummies.
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\f0\fs26 The staff picked up on our different approach and commented on how "advanced" each child became when we played with them. The last day at the orphanage, each staff member proudly received her certificate for completing the ICAN training.
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\f0\fs26 The ICAN team attended the ceremony, held babies and applauded each "graduate." The mural of the famous Romanian castle was complete. We felt as though we were leaving "our" children. On that night and many nights after, I dreamed about babies.
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\f0\fs26 Four years ago, when ICAN first came to the Slobozia orphanage, the staff believed that drafts would make babies sick. Even in stifling weather, all windows and doors were kept closed, there were no fans, and the children were kept clothed from head to toe. After considerable debate, the ICAN nurse was able to convince the orphanage director that research supported fresh air, fans and minimum clothing.
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\f0\fs26 Even though the building is still hot and the children are still hot and even the volunteers get heat rash, the children are cooler and healthier than before. This is only one minor example of making a long-term difference.
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\f0\fs26 The Romanian government provides a third of the funds required to operate the orphanage. Donations provide the rest of the $ 200 per year per orphan. A group of ICAN volunteers from Kinston, N.C., raised $ 18,000 through St. Mary's church and their community. ICAN used that money to purchase items on the orphanage wish list.
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\f0\fs26 Mariana, a former orphan at this orphanage who is now on staff, came with us to Bucharest for the major shopping trip. She filled 12 flatbed carts with something for everyone in the orphanage. For the children, there were dried fruit, cereals, cookies, fresh fruit, toys, baby swings, art supplies and baby walkers. For the kitchen staff, there were new pots. For the maintenance men, there were new tools. For the older HIV kids, there were toy trucks and Barbie dolls.
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\f0\fs26 As we waited at the checkout, her joy was so overflowing that she kissed Pamela Price, ICAN's volunteer director, on both cheeks. The next morning, children came running up to us, each with an apple in one hand and a banana in the other. They thanked us, while the neighborhood children stood outside the fence and looked on in wonder at the orphans' good fortune.
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\f0\fs26 Unemployment in Slobozia is 60 percent. Each day as we walked through a poor neighborhood of shabby apartment blocks, we wondered if our orphans were better fed and better dressed than the children who lived with their families.
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\f0\fs26 For this year, the orphanage wish list is filled. The basic needs are met, and there was even money for a special treat of cookies. ICAN hopes to raise $ 35,000 for a new roof. ICAN has virtually no expenses. Nobody is paid to work for the organization. Any money leftover from the trips is returned to volunteers or donated back to ICAN.
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\f0\fs26 When I first considered going to Romania, friends teased me about bringing home souvenir babies. This turned out not to be such a joke. If I could have, I would have.
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\f0\fs26 Sometimes I would hold Carmeluta or Giamasi and realize that tears were running down my face. The orphanage director had proudly showed us pictures of children who had been adopted. At least until September, Romania has frozen international adoptions in a major effort to eliminate corruption from the adoption process.
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\f0\fs26 Freezing adoptions is probably necessary, but unadopted children with uncertain futures will pay the price. For some children who are economic orphans (their families can't afford to keep them), the government is providing subsidies to parents so that their children can stay at home. For others, the government is working to have the children adopted within Romania.
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\f0\fs26 Because of the 2001 ICAN team, the Slobozia orphanage is better equipped. The orphans have progressed developmentally, and the staff is trained to maintain that progress. Team members have returned to the United States knowing their efforts helped reverse the ravages of communism and poverty.
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\f0\fs26 A Romanian taxi driver said, "This is a sad country. It took communism 50 years to steal our soul. It will take at least 50 years to get it back.'
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\f0\fs26 Restoring a country's soul is a serious challenge. ICAN is off to a strong start. TO HELP ICAN
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\f0\fs26 Contact: Pamela Price ICAN 1505 Hurtes Island Drive Charleston, S.C. 29407 763-3914 AtingeAOL.com\uc0\u8232 \'a0\u8232 TO GO TO ROMANIA
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\f0\fs26 AIR FARE: Approximately $ 1,200
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\f0\fs26 GROUND COSTS: Approximately $ 1,100. This includes lodging and meals in Slobozia, as well as a tour of Romanian mountains and castles. Hotel rooms in Slobozia (with air conditioning) are approximately $ 25 per night. Hotel rooms in resorts (such as Brasov) are approximately $ 60 per night.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f2\b\fs26 GRAPHIC: 
\f0\b0 TWO COLOR PHOTOS;TWO B&W PHOTOS; TWO B&W BOXES Sally McCrea from Kinston, N.C., plays with babies at the Slobozia orphanage in Romania. (Photo of child) Sarah Weeks, Sally McCrea and Geoff Engleback, ICAN team members, are surrounded by babies in the Slobozia orphanage. ICAN founder Pamela Price helps paint a mural on a wall of the Slobozia orphanage.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 26, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children can identify with captivating characters of virtue
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Football. Soccer. Rich kids. Poor kids. Ecology. Prejudice. Moral dilemmas. Psychosis. Recovered memory. Cowardice. Bravery. Death by lightening. Gangs. Friendship. Families. Natural disasters.
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\f0\fs26 All this and even more fill the chapters of "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor. Don't judge this book by the title.
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\f0\fs26 The critics praise this book up one side and down the other. More important, a 13-year-old girl stayed up all night to read it. I read it when I was a house guest. I was more like a house ghost because I kept disappearing to read this book. The plot speeds from crisis to crisis and carries the reader along with it.
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\f0\fs26 "Tangerine" is one of the titles in my favorite genre of literature for young adults. This genre is only authentic to me because I made it up.
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\f0\fs26 This group of books features a hero/heroine who is endowed with the time-honored virtues of honesty, loyalty, good sportsmanship and compassion.
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\f0\fs26 It's still the same old story - a fight for love and glory, a case of do or die, but these books captivate readers. Not only do the "good" guys win, but they win precisely because they are "good." Other terrific books with virtuous underdog hero/heroines are "Holes" by Louis Sacher and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
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\f0\fs26 Although I'd hesitate to say this to a prospective young reader, the books are heartwarming. Good triumphs over evil. Virtue is rewarded.
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\f0\fs26 Forty-five years ago, my little brother and I walked to school together every morning. One day he found a bracelet on the sidewalk. He told my mother.
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\f0\fs26 My mother found the "Lost Bracelet" notice in the paper and called the owner. The owner came to our house and gave my brother a box of chocolates and $ 5! Ever since that moment, I've been scouring sidewalks for lost bracelets that I could reunite with their grateful owners.
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\f0\fs26 Not every child will benefit from a lost-bracelet experience to teach him honesty. However, if enough kids read these books, identify with the hero/heroine, and assimilate the virtues, today's fiction could be tomorrow's future.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawkcan be e-mailed at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 July 27, 2001
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 19, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children need a break in summer
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 In my neighborhood, all the parents are perfect. On vacation, I was walking in a different neighborhood where there was a mother who, in my opinion, wasn't quite perfect.
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\f0\fs26 The morning was perfect. Mangoes were ripening and falling in the street. Breakfast at my feet. This mother bypassed the mangoes. She was pushing a stroller with grim determination. As she strode along, she was quizzing her son as he rode ahead of her on his bike. "What's the capital of Alabama?" "What's the capital of Nebraska?"
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\f0\fs26 The boy was about 6. He kept trying to ride far enough ahead not to hear the questions.
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\f0\fs26 Why am I quibbling about this? Because it's summer!
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\f0\fs26 My major regret as a parent is that I sent my children to summer "enrichment" classes rather than sailing lessons.
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\f0\fs26 Without SOME stimulation, children will lose academic ground over summer vacation. They need to be reading and hearing books. They may need to be reminded that 8 times 7 equals 56. Still, I have two bones to pick with that capitals-questioning mother.
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\f0\fs26 First bone: Instead of making it fun to learn, she was making it a chore and a bore and borderline punishment. What about a board game or a card game or an invented game that teaches capitals? What if they just walked along making up funny rhymes about the capitals so that they were laughing and enjoying the process?
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\f0\fs26 Second bone: That morning time with her son will never return. Did she really want to spend that half-hour quizzing the child? They could have been chatting about the book they read the night before or what he wants to be when he grows up. They could have been bonding while that (presumably pesky and time-consuming) baby was confined to the stroller and they could give each other their full attention.
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\f0\fs26 More than 10 years ago, David Elkind wrote "The Hurried Child." It must have made sense to a lot of people because the third edition was published this year. Elkind believes that kids need time to watch clouds and follow ants. My children told me recently that some of their best summer memories were of when our neighborhood installed a sewer system. Every day, they played in those mounds of mud and had to be hosed down to enter the house.
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\f0\fs26 I forgot to ask my children if they know all 50 capitals.
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\f0\fs26 And what if they don't?
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk can be e-mailed at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in Library Science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. Contact her at franbooksyahoo.com or write to her at The Post and Courier, Features Department, 134 Columbus St. Charleston, SC 29403.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 12, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Good reading guides for parents abound
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 A friend invited me to lunch because she had "something" to show me. The "something" turned out to be a photo of her 18-month-old grandson. He was sitting in his birthday suit reading "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by Bill Martin. Adorable. Hilarious. And smart. Very smart.
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\f0\fs26 My friend had bought this book because I'd recommended it. In addition, she was planning to buy the new edition of "Jim Trelease's Read-Aloud Handbook" for her grandson's parents.
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\f0\fs26 I felt important. I felt influential. I felt powerful. I felt uneasy.
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\f0\fs26 From lunch, I drove straight to the library. Jim Trelease is great, especially because he includes the "how" and "why" of reading. And yet, he's not the one and only - as I may have implied in my column.
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\f0\fs26 In the Juvenile Reference section, which sounds more complicated than it is, there are several excellent guides to children's books. One of my favorites is "The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children."
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\f0\fs26 It was updated in 2000 and annotates 1,700 titles. Along with the new books, it includes gems of yesteryear: "Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain" by Edward Ardizzone (1936 and 2000), "Pat the Bunny" by Dorothy Kunhardt (1940) and "All-of-a-Kind Family" by Sidney Taylor (1951).
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\f0\fs26 This guide is attractive and readable and full of illustrations from the books being annotated. Books are divided into ranges from "Wordless" to "Young Adult." Indexes cover the usual author, title, subject as well as books to read aloud.
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\f0\fs26 My other favorite is The American Library Association's "Best of the Best for Children." This guide covers books as well as videos (listing connections to books), audiotapes (music made for children), software, toys and travel. All categories are divided into age groups.
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\f0\fs26 The "Travel" section connects books with destinations. For each trip, there's travel advice and a list of books to read before, during and after. The places include "Fossils in the Field," "Hot-Air Ballooning" and "Covered Wagon Trips."
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\f0\fs26 In the "Toys" section, there's an impressive list of great toys as well as the books, software and videos that connect well with the toys. Among the toys chosen are face-painting, Grow-A-Frog, Lego Technic Sets and Electronic Sketch Pad.
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\f0\fs26 "What Do Children Read Next" is "A Reader's Guide to Fiction for Children" by Cindy Colborn. This isn't a book you'd find on anybody's coffee table. I mention it because it has one extremely useful feature: After every book that's listed, there's a section called "Other Books You Might Like." When I'm helping children find books, my leading question is invariably, "Tell me the title of a book you liked." From there, the shelves open wide.
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\f0\fs26 Countless other guides exist. "Great Books About Things Kids Love" by Kathleen O'Dean is an excellent up-to-date example of the guides that are arranged by subject.
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\f0\fs26 "Hug a Librarian" is a popular bumper sticker with my profession. With this column, you can begin to be a librarian. Fran Hawkcan be e-mailed at franbooksyahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 July 17, 2001
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 July 5, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Some award-winning books not the best
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
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\f0\fs26 Years ago, my children were very excited about going to one of the "Indiana Jones" movies. My best friend was horrified. She chastised me for even thinking about taking my children to see a live beating heart extracted from a live human chest. Or something like that. I capitulated. Better to have disappointed children than shell-shocked children.
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\f0\fs26 One of our twins read every book he could find on fireworks and how to make them. Then he asked me to buy his list of ingredients. When I innocently asked the pharmacist for whatever it was, the guy self-righteously lectured me about parental responsibility. I felt dumber than a nubbin and guilty on top of that. My son's career in pyrotechnics was put on permanent hold.
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\f0\fs26 Parents need a few safe passages through the minefields. There ought to be some things in the world they can absolutely trust to be good for their kids.
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\f0\fs26 The Caldecott Medal books OUGHT to be on this short list. There ought to be a guarantee that reading these books means you're reading the best. But the Caldecott winners aren't necessarily on my short list, and there isn't any guarantee that these books are the best.
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\f0\fs26 Every year at awards time, I grit my teeth. I know that the library will be required to buy the Caldecott winner (and the runners-up). I will buy the books even if I'm ambivalent, and even if I know the children will hate the books.
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\f0\fs26 This year the Caldecott winner was "So You Want to be President?" by Judith St. George. The children thought it was "OK." The text included a lot of interesting facts about the presidents. The book might even inspire more children to think about being the president. But I sincerely hope this book isn't "the most distinguished American picture book for children." If it is, I'm missing something. Something major.
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\f0\fs26 I won't deign to mention most of the Caldecott winners of the past decade. Parents don't need to go there.
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\f0\fs26 There are a few perfectly safe (no live beating hearts, no firework ingredients) winners. "Officer Buckle and Gloria" by Peggy Rathman (1996) and "Joseph Had a Little Overcoat" by Simms Tabeck (2000) are wonderful stories that children enjoy reading again and again.
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\f0\fs26 "Tuesday" by David Wiesner is a wordless picture book that will surely encourage discussion, and maybe cause weird dreams.
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\f0\fs26 My guess is that "political correctness" and "avant garde-ness" enter into the judges' decisions.
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\f0\fs26 That is not the ideal criteria for picking winners that are the best for children. Fran Hawkcan be e-mailed at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 July 23, 2001
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 28, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reading, say, Dante's 'Inferno,' conditions infant to human voice
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 When our oldest child was 2, I used to read to her while I was feeding her infant twin brothers. This was dexterity born of necessity.
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\f0\fs26 According to Jim Trelease, author of "The New Read-Aloud Handbook," I was actually reading to all three children.
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\f0\fs26 Parents often ask me at what age should they start reading to their children. I defer to Mr. Trelease. He replies to this question by asking, "At what age should parents start talking to their children?"
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\f0\fs26 His point is that any child old enough to benefit from talking is old enough to benefit from reading. Both reading and talking condition children to the sound of the human voice.
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\f0\fs26 Until age 6 months, this has nothing to do with comprehension. You could read the Bible, Dante's "Inferno" or the rules of duplicate bridge. As you read, your child becomes accustomed to the sound of your voice, as well as the sight of a book. Also, your voice works to calm your baby and to condition your baby to listen for your voice.
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\f0\fs26 Some research "proves" that babies benefit from being read to in utero. In case this is a waste of time in terms of the baby, just read something you wanted to read anyway.
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\f0\fs26 Even if you wait all those months until the baby is born, the sooner you start reading, the sooner your baby will gravitate toward your reading voice. As I've mentioned before in this column, your baby will associate your reading with attention and security.
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\f0\fs26 This is not about pushing, forcing or assuring that your child will read by age 3. It's about giving children an advantage. Children who've had this reading advantage arrive at school asking questions, speaking in sentences, using an extended vocabulary and paying attention.
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\f0\fs26 The "disadvantaged" children, those without reading in their lives, arrive at school without the skills they need to learn.
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\f0\fs26 These skills don't just happen as a child matures. These skills are cultivated and taught.
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\f0\fs26 Our oldest child was the child who was read to the most. At age 2, she would say ridiculous things such as, "Would you hold my hand, my sweet hand?" I mention this as comic relief, not necessarily because it proves anything.
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\f0\fs26 The major idea here is that it's never too early to start reading to your child. The secondary idea is that, theoretically, until age 6 months you can read the phone book.
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\f0\fs26 In theory, I agree. In reality, I would rush out and buy "Mr. Gumpy's Outing" by John Burningham and "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown. Fran Hawkcan be e-mailed at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 June 14, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Parents can help make summer reading fun
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f0\fs26 I, the book columnist, have been recruited to settle a marital dispute.
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\f0\fs26 My editor never mentioned this in my job description, but it probably comes under "other tasks as assigned." Somebody has to do it.
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\f0\fs26 The dispute is this: The wife thinks their children should be required to read a half-hour a day during the summer. The husband thinks that such a requirement smacks of a totalitarian regime and will cause their children to hate reading forever and ever.
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\f0\fs26 There are two good reasons why I can't be objective in settling this disagreement. First, I know and respect the wife and have never met the husband. I am unlikely to run into him on the street. Second, I'm a librarian, for Pete's sake.
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\f0\fs26 If I can't be objective, I can be resourceful. I started by presenting this problem to a group of first-grade teachers who prefer to remain nameless. In general, they liked the concept of enforced daily reading, but they agreed it could possibly backfire. Their suggestion was to make the reading as pleasant as possible. Since this reflects my own opinion, I think they were wise to say this.
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\f0\fs26 One of the teachers had required that all her children read for set amounts of time in the summer. Although the kids groused about it at the time, they all became avid readers. The teacher thinks that daily reading helped her children develop the habit of reading and learn the pleasure of reading.
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\f0\fs26 The teachers also suggested books on tape. Children can read along with the tape or just listen to the tape. Either way will be beneficial to the child.
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\f0\fs26 One teacher remembered a sage pediatrician recommending a rest/quiet time every summer day for both the children and the mother. This hour was never presented as a penalty timeout, but as an opportunity for each family member to have his own time for his own stuff. Like reading.
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\f0\fs26 Another suggestion was the tried-and-true reading to the child. If the children are required to spend a half-hour reading, it could be the parent reading to the children. At the annual librarian's luncheon, a friend told me about reading to the faculty at her school and getting rave reviews.
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\f0\fs26 Maybe parents would enjoy having their children read to them. Maybe parents and children could take turns.
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\f0\fs26 I have a well-earned reputation for denigrating TV. Therefore, it's no surprise that I would make the Draconian suggestion to link TV watching with book reading. Parents would invent their own formulas such as every hour spent reading would be rewarded with one minute of watching TV. Maybe two minutes. If it were educational television.
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\f0\fs26 I hope the parents who were embroiled in the summer reading dispute will consult this column, and their entire family will read happily ever after.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawkcan be e-mailed at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 31, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books are portable, so take them along
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Cruising along in a friend's boat, we came to one of those sleepy little creeks that only birds seem to have discovered. When I commented on the serene setting, my friend told me that her son had put his books in the boat and floated on the creek to make himself finish his last summer's reading.
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\f0\fs26 The father was chagrined that such a lapse would be permitted. In his opinion, books should be read in the appropriate place. Which leads to the obvious question: Where is this "appropriate" place to read?
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\f0\fs26 In the book, "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas, the occupant of a burning house inquires if the firemen would care for something to read.
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\f0\fs26 Even I would agree that her timing was inappropriate. She should have waited until the fire was out.
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\f0\fs26 Except for that small flaw, her behavior was impeccable.
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\f0\fs26 Was I ever steamed up when I read the children's advice column in the Sunday comics! A child wrote in to ask for suggestions on ways to pass the hours on a long car trip. In her response, the advice-giver did not mention reading. Did it occur to her that her own column is doomed to extinction unless kids read? Does she think the car is not an appropriate place to read?
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\f0\fs26 Unless a child gets car sick, the car is a superb place to read. Sometimes our family would get carried away on vacations and drive 3,000 miles after we got to where we thought we were going. Our children read away the miles. I bet they still remember some of the books just by remembering where they were when they read them.
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\f0\fs26 With the exception of signed first editions, books are perfect for reading in bathtubs and pools. Of course books will get soaked occasionally.
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\f0\fs26 That's the small cost for a great luxury.
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\f0\fs26 In doing research for this column, one of my friends told me she did all her summer reading on the beach. Parents, I assure you that this friend turned out exceptionally well. A few grains of sand in the pages and sunscreen blotches on the cover are disasters on a scale we can handle.
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\f0\fs26 Books are the ultimate in portability. Let your children benefit.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 24, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Suggested summer reading list makes more sense
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Here comes summer! Hooray!
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\f0\fs26 Here comes summer reading. Boo, hiss.
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\f0\fs26 When a librarian is unenthusiastic about summer reading, how do kids and parents feel? My guess is: Bad.
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\f0\fs26 My "momeries" (short for "mom's memories") of summer reading consist of driving around trying to find the books. Although schools may have different lists, many of the same books are on all the lists.
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\f0\fs26 Competition for these books is fierce. I can remember looking at full shelves in the library, and wistfully thinking it was crazy that none of the available books happened to be the right books.
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\f0\fs26 Although my children and I had interesting times rummaging through libraries and second-hand bookstores, I'm convinced that book lists should suggest rather than dictate.
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\f0\fs26 At Whitesides, I've been experimenting. The only ground rule is that the reading must be done approximately on the student's reading level. One summer, students were asked to read books from the categories of fiction, nonfiction, biography and poetry.
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\f0\fs26 Last summer, I made copies of our Accelerated Reading list for the county library. Students were encouraged to read books from those 3,000 titles and take tests when we opened the school library once a week.
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\f0\fs26 Neither of these solutions is perfect, but (in my opinion) they are both better than a restricting list.
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\f0\fs26 The Charleston County Public Library is singing my song. Participation awards in their summer reading program are based on the number of hours a child reads. This tactic puts slow readers and fast readers on a level shelf (so to speak).
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\f0\fs26 Friends of the Library and the Charleston RiverDogs are joining the Charleston County Public Library to present their summer reading program called "Extra! Extra! Read All About it!" Activities start on Saturday and run through June and July.
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\f0\fs26 Consult the "Children's Activities" brochure for activities ranging from reptiles to recycling. You and your children are invited. I'm so enthusiastic about this program that I plan to borrow some children so I can attend!
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawkis the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 17, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Some books more filling than others
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f0\fs26 "Bellwether" is kind of an old-fashioned word. It's the only word I can think of to describe Rion.
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\f0\fs26 If a librarian had invented the perfect kindergartner, Rion would have been the result. He came to story time, listened intently, and then quietly indicated his verdict on the book. I will never forget the afternoon when Rion pronounced, "I feel satisfied." My world was complete.
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\f0\fs26 I had chosen a book that measured up to his high standards. (I wish I could remember the book half as well as I remember the incident.)
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\f0\fs26 "The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language" (my favorite) defines a bellwether as "a leader or a leading indicator of future trends." Rion was my bellwether in the sense that his approval meant that the book was bursting with the "right stuff," the stuff that would propel a book into a long and successful future. He was only "satisfied" with the best.
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\f0\fs26 When I'm choosing a book for story time, I read at least 25 picture books before I find one that qualifies as "satisfying." I think of these books as the "meat and potatoes" books. The plots don't proceed as expected, the characters show courage and wisdom, and there is often a moral. When you're looking for a short book to read before bedtime, don't choose one of these. Wait for a long, rainy afternoon.
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\f0\fs26 Many of these books are classified and cataloged as folktales and fables. In libraries, they are shelved in the nonfiction "398.2" rather than in the easy or picture book section of the children's room.
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\f0\fs26 Over the years, these titles have been favorites. "Tatterhood and the Hobgoblins; a Norwegian Folktale," illustrated by Lauren Mills "The Four Gallant Sisters" by Eric A. Kimmel "The Silver Cow; a Welsh Tale" by Susan Cooper "The Nose Tree" by Warwick Hutton "The Fourth Question; a Chinese Tale" by Rosalind C. Wang "The Crystal Mountain" by Ruth Sanderson Fran Hawkis the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 May 18, 2001
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 May 10, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children need chance to express views about books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Clay, a fifth-grader, brought me "The Bad Beginning," the first book in Lemony Snicket's "An Unfortunate Series of Events."
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\f0\fs26 He predicted that I would love it, order it for the library and encourage kids to read it. In exchange, I gave Clay "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman. I'd just listened to the tapes and really enjoyed this Harry Potter-esque adventure. What I needed was a kid's opinion. Clay cheerfully agreed to slog through this tome and give me his personal review.
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\f0\fs26 Erin and her mother encouraged me to read "The Doll in the Garden" by Mary Downing Hahn. I probably would have ignored such an old (1989) nondescript book. Now I recommend this ghost story to dozens of upper elementary school students.
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\f0\fs26 Another student told me that "Ruthie's Gift" by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley was a great book. I don't know how the student ever happened to choose this book. But she was right. The story is so compelling that kids stay up all night to finish it.
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\f0\fs26 When I read Sharon Creech's "Absolutely Normal Chaos," I gave it a "ho-hum" review. Fifth-grade girls read it and are wildly enthusiastic. They vehemently contest my opinion and state solid reasons for liking the book.
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\f0\fs26 In the world of reading, this is as good as it gets.
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\f0\fs26 My favorite teacherism: Whatever you wish to get from students is what you must first give to students.
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\f0\fs26 What I want to get from students is confident readers who can (and do) form and express their own opinions. What I need to give to students is opportunities and an environment where their opinions can count.
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\f0\fs26 Spencer, a fourth-grader, is reading all the J.R.R. Tolkien books. I told him I didn't like "The Hobbit" or anything else Tolkien wrote. I truly believe that my aversion to this author is spurring him on. It's tantamount to declaring his independence. Whatever works!
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\f0\fs26 If we want children to value our opinions, we must value theirs. If we want children to listen to our opinions, we must listen to theirs.
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\f0\fs26 This isn't about agreement or disagreement. It's about respect.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawkis the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 26, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Real-life character lesson reinforces books on virtue
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f0\fs26 One of my favorite (I know I'm not supposed to have favorites) fifth-grade boys needed to copy a picture for a class project. He asked if I would use the faculty copier to make his copy and save him from certain doom.
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\f0\fs26 I lectured him about thinking ahead, being responsible and "what if all 630 students asked me to make copies?" Then I agreed to make the copy if he agreed not to tell anyone in his class. He promised silence. I made the copy.
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\f0\fs26 He went back to class and told everyone. I think he must have stood at the front of the room and made an announcement. I was besieged with kids wanting copies.
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\f0\fs26 Full of righteous indignation, I power-walked to his class, retrieved the copy (already pasted into his project) and tore it up. I might even have said something pontifical like, "Let that be a lesson to you!"
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\f0\fs26 That night at dinner, I was recounting these riveting events to my husband and son. They pointed out that I'd done the wrong thing (making the illicit copy and extracting a promise of secrecy from a student) before the fifth-grader did his wrong thing. I was appropriately chastened.
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\f0\fs26 It just happened that our book of the week recounted a similar circumstance. The protagonist was punished because he did not keep a promise. In mid-book, I paused and interjected the story of the fifth-grader and me, telling what we both did wrong. This true story focused the children's attention on the relevance of the book we were reading.
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\f0\fs26 "Character education" is a current buzzword among educators. William Bennett got a lot of attention for his "Children's Book of Virtues." There are plenty of other titles out there.
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\f0\fs26 "I Did It, I'm Sorry" by Caralyn Buehner is about as subtle as a lightning bolt, but it may be exactly what a child will understand.
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\f0\fs26 In addition to being edifying, the book is fun to read. "The Honest-to-Goodness Truth" by Patricia McKissack is about a child who learns that it's right to tell the truth, but that there are right and wrong ways to tell the truth. Children will easily identify with this book.
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\f0\fs26 I don't apologize for filling children's heads with the notion that truth is better than lying.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawkis the librarian at Whitesides ElementarySchool. She has a master's degree in library sciencefrom Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 April 5, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Go pick up a totally silly book
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK;
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 By actual count, 17 towels.
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\f0\fs26 Used by one teen-ager.
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\f0\fs26 Tossed hither, thither over the space of one bathroom. I was justifiably, maternally outraged. I marched that girl into the bathroom and demanded an explanation. Tell me how, with a family two-towel-per-person maximum, she had exceeded the limit by 15.
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\f0\fs26 Thoughtfully hesitating, she began picking up towels and telling a story. She reported that an alien had floated through the bathroom window. In no uncertain terms, she told him the family maximum-towel rule. He ignored her and wantonly tossed damp towels into every corner.
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\f0\fs26 I started laughing. She started laughing. As she laughed, she elaborated on this alien and continued to pick up towels.
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\f0\fs26 My children knew that if they could make me laugh, they could weasel out of anything.
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\f0\fs26 Laughing is a family value. Being silly is part of that value.
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\f0\fs26 Laughter is serious. Laughter is important. Humor makes the rough places sane.
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\f0\fs26 This week a kindergarten class was listening to "The Monster's Lunch Box" by Marc Brown. They were literally hooting with laughter. They thought that "booger custard" and "green gorilla snot" were horrifyingly hilarious.
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\f0\fs26 A sense of humor doesn't grow and flourish without being valued and nourished. Books can help.
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\f0\fs26 The poetry books of Jack Pretlusky and Shel Silverstein are laugh-out-loud funny. "Pickle Things" by Marc Brown is totally silly.
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\f0\fs26 "Pete's a Pizza" by William Steig is wonderfully ridiculous. Some giggle-filled chapter books (great for read-aloud) are "The Wayside School" books by Louis Sacher and the "Junie B. Jones" books by Barbara Parks.
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\f0\fs26 Laughing is low risk and high return - provided you can adapt to the occasional alien landing in your bathroom.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawkis the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 22, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books aimed at campers
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f0\fs26 Our children attended a (relatively) inexpensive church camp about four hours from home. The camp may as well have been at the bottom of a Nepalese gorge.
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\f0\fs26 My only chance of hearing a word about their camp experience was to snatch them straight off the camp bus as soon as it pulled into the curb. From the bus, I'd sequester them in a booth at McDonald's and ply them with caffeine and grease. Using this motherly method, I learned that the boys' counselor chewed tobacco, the girls' washroom was infested with spiders, and the most fun was sloshing in the mud pit.
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\f0\fs26 Our family camping trips were rife with disasters. Dinner blew off the table in Monument Valley. Marauding cows circled our tent and scared me witless in New Mexico. On the North Cascades Highway, we cocooned one child in plastic wrap because his out-of-control poison ivy was seeping into the upholstery. We couldn't let him stick permanently to the seat because it was a rental car.
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\f0\fs26 Considering the collective experiences, our children would seem to be candidates for anti-camping activists. Determined to confound me once again, they all love camping. One of our teen-agers camped in a place so cold, he had to pour boiling water on his boots to de-ice his shoelaces in the morning.
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\f0\fs26 Even if your child resists the notion of camp, it's probably worth sending him anyway. With luck, he'll probably grow up hiking and camping and having his toes amputated for frostbite.
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\f0\fs26 "Pinky and Rex Go To Camp" by James Howe is my favorite
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\f0\fs26 read-before-departure book. For first- and second-graders, it addresses the issues of leaving home and verbalizing fears.
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\f0\fs26 "Camp Ghost Away," a Pee Wee Scout book by Judy Delton, covers many camp fears. Parents may choose to avoid this book because the homesick child is allowed to go home even though the scouts are only camping for a weekend. One of the campers wants to "hex" everything that goes wrong. This may present some spiritual dilemmas.
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\f0\fs26 "Arthur Goes to Camp" by Marc Brown and "Ronald Morgan Goes to Camp" by Patricia Reilly Giff have familiar characters but aren't necessarily reassuring.
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\f0\fs26 "Camper of the Week" by Amy Schwartz is about friendship and the temptation to misbehave. The message is appropriate for any child.
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\f0\fs26 Reading books is one way to help prepare your child for camp. But it's talk, talk, talking with your child that will assure that this "rite of passage" is the right passage. Fran Hawkis the librarian at Whitesides ElementarySchool. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 8, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Books on personalities can give children understanding, insight
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 A neighborhood friend consulted a psychologist. The psychologist administered the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory. I was fascinated (and jealous) of all her resulting insights.
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\f0\fs26 Not to be underanalyzed, I bought the book "Please Understand Me" by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates and administered the test to myself. The resulting insights were even more fascinating. I made a nuisance of myself by imposing the test on everyone I knew. The MBPI identifies 16 personality "types."
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\f0\fs26 The appealing philosophy of the book is that all the types have outstanding strengths and gifts. No type is "better" than another type. My mother believed that an extrovert was better than an introvert. An extrovert may be noisier, but not better.
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\f0\fs26 Although I prefer the old stand-by, there is now a "Please Understand Me II," as well as related books. A therapist friend was preparing a presentation on the MBPI. While searching the Internet, she found an MBPI for cats. That reminds me of the saying, "Nothing's worth doing unless it's worth overdoing."
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\f0\fs26 I'm not suggesting that young children take the MBPI, but I do think that children need a basic understanding of personality. They need to understand and respect the fact that Bill likes to think about what game he wants to play while Sally makes immediate decisions. Ashley wants her toys in specific places, but Lauren doesn't mind having stuff in a big heap.
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\f0\fs26 Josh opens and finishes one box of cereal at a time. Zach wants six boxes open so that he has choices. One way is not necessarily better than the other.
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\f0\fs26 My favorite book for children to illustrate these personality concepts is "The Checker Players" by Alan Venable. Two very different characters find out they have a lot to learn from one another. Unfortunately this book is out of print, but it's worth finding.
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\f0\fs26 "A House Is Not a Home" by Anne Liersch is my new favorite. Badger learns that his way to build a house is not the only way to build a house.
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\f0\fs26 Understanding personalities is a form of tolerance. Tolerance is a learned response rather than a natural response. These books are a good place to start the learning.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 March 1, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reading is a fun way to expand vocabulary
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 One summer afternoon, I was chatting with a casual acquaintance and happened to use the word "miasma." I was describing a steamy, low campsite near a swamp. As we walked away, my teen-age daughter assured me that my acquaintance had been baffled by my choice of words.
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\f0\fs26 Once I was telling an editor friend about a "truncated" meeting. He laughed so hard that I couldn't finish my sentence.
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\f0\fs26 Throughout their childhoods, my children assailed my vocabulary and asseverated that nobody, themselves included, ever knew what I was talking about. (Funny how these same kids blew the lid off the verbal SATs.)
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\f0\fs26 The children claimed that there was no point in knowing two words that meant the same thing. When William Buckley pointed out that there are no two words that mean exactly the same thing, I was exonerated. And also absolved, cleared and justified. (Not to mention satisfied, smug and insufferable.)
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\f0\fs26 As a librarian, I'm still crusading for expanded vocabularies. I tell my students that they use words to think. The more words they know, the more things they can think.
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\f0\fs26 We recently read a book that used the word "edacious." I'd never heard that word. I shared my ignorance with the class. I told them how excited I was to learn a new word. I encouraged them to get excited and use the word.
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\f0\fs26 William Steig uses phenomenal words in his picture books - words like "copse," "stench," "blithe" and "varlet." Even when children don't know the definitions, they enjoy the sounds and use the context to draw their own conclusions.
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\f0\fs26 Lemony Snicket is writing new books called "A Series of Unfortunate Events." The fortunate event is that the books are terrific and the vocabulary is dazzling. The author uses unusual words and then has the laudable audacity to define them right there in the text.
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\f0\fs26 Reading is the most enjoyable, least painful way to expand vocabulary. It is possible that you'll alienate friends and family and confound everybody else. But it's not required. Fran Hawkis the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 15, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Wee ones can leap chasms into fiction
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 One of our favorite family vacations was hiking and rafting through the Grand Canyon. My job as The Mother was to worry early and often. I did.
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\f0\fs26 Among the most worrisome aspects of the hikes were the chasms. With the mere slip of a foot, a child could have been at the bottom of any one of those dangerous pits.
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\f0\fs26 However dramatic it may sound, I think of those chasms when I watch fledgling readers. The first- and second-graders progress through the easy chapter books like "Henry and Mudge" and "Little Bear." When they get to the point that they're barreling through these books faster than one a day, I urge them to move on. Moving on involves leaping the chasm from picture books to fiction. In one sense, it's a geographical chasm because the two kinds of books are usually in different places. The young reader has to leave the familiar books on familiar shelves and cross the chasm to the unfamiliar.
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\f0\fs26 Without apology, I'm a Mother Hen librarian. When children are ready for the leap, I actually take them by the hand and walk them around the strange new world of "big kid" fiction.
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\f0\fs26 Foremost, I want them to experience success. I want them to read a longer book, enjoy the process and then pass the Accelerated Reader test. Since they'll be moving from half-point books to whole-point books, their success is tangible and motivates them to keep going.
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\f0\fs26 Starting at the beginning of the alphabet, the best-loved fledging fiction is:
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\f0\fs26 The "Cam Jansen" series by David Adler.
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\f0\fs26 The "Arthur" chapter books by Marc Brown.
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\f0\fs26 The "Pee Wee Scouts" series by Judy Delton.
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\f0\fs26 The "Polk Street School" series by Patricia Giff.
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\f0\fs26 The "Magic Tree House" series by Mary Pope Osborne.
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\f0\fs26 The "Junie B. Jones" series by Barbara Park.
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\f0\fs26 I spend a lot of time cajoling, bribing and otherwise encouraging children to make the leap. When they pass that first test on their first real chapter book, they are practically dancing around the library with excitement. I'm more excited than the children. I prefer my chasms empty.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawkis the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 February 16, 2001
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 February 1, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Program makes kids book fans
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 More than 30 years ago, my husband and I came to Charleston on our spring break from graduate school. My mother-in-law, Nancy Hawk, proudly toured us around the old warehouses on East Bay Street. She and other preservationists had labored against all odds to raise the money to buy and save these dilapidated buildings.
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\f0\fs26 I just couldn't see it, didn't get it and otherwise failed to understand the importance of what she had done. To me, they were old warehouses. Period.
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\f0\fs26 Now, of course, they are the Lodge Alley Inn, High Cotton, etc. I cite this total lack of vision because it also plagues me as a librarian. Another case of my major lack of vision (vision blindness?) concerns Accelerated Reader.
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\f0\fs26 Accelerated Reader and similar programs are touted at every library c conference. I attended the presentations, but I couldn't see it, didn't get it and otherwise failed to understand the importance of what this kind of program can accomplish.
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\f0\fs26 To me, it was a ho-hum concept: A child reads a book. The child takes a computerized test on the book. For each test that is passed, the child earns points. What's the big deal?
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\f0\fs26 Where's the excitement? I can't answer those questions. All I can tell you is that kids love this program.
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\f0\fs26 Students who are difficult to motivate get involved in reading and taking the tests. Highly motivated students search for longer and more difficult books. Average students just clip right along, reading on their grade levels but reading more books because they want to accumulate the points. Students compete with each other (which may be a plus or minus). What I respect is that they compete with themselves. Children often tell me how many more points they have this year compared to last year.
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\f0\fs26 At Whitesides, parents receive an Accelerated Reader report with each report card. It lists all the books their child has read, the reading levels of the books and the scores on the tests. These reports leave no place to run and no place to hide. Parents know exactly what and how their child is doing.
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\f0\fs26 I wish I'd had the vision to invent this program. And I wish this were a paid testimonial because the program is expensive and the money would buy more tests.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 25, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Babies enjoy parent's attention more than details of the plot
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 Before our first child was born, I read all the advice-to-new-mother books. Some of the "wisdom" was useful, some was contradictory, and some was discouraging.
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\f0\fs26 One book attempted to be reassuring by creating different guidelines on what behavior to expect from bright, average and slow babies. Our baby was slower than the "slow." In my continuing efforts to bring her up to speed, I read to her every day from the time she was about 3 months old.
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\f0\fs26 One evening I was reading the classic "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. When I read that Max waved good-bye, our daughter waved good-bye in response. That's how I knew for certain that she'd be accepted to medical school.
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\f0\fs26 Parents and grandparents ask me to recommend titles for babies. Since there are some frightening elements in "Where the Wild Things Are," not too many loving caregivers are going to share my enthusiasm for that book. My true (very un-librarian) belief is that babies probably aren't too particular about the titles. Babies (along with older children) like reading because they are one-on-one with you. Having your undivided attention, snuggling and hearing the sound of your voice matters more than whether you have the "best" edition of Mother Goose.
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\f0\fs26 No baby ever actually told me this. It's just my hunch.
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\f0\fs26 Bookstores have lots of cardboard books with big, colorful pictures. My husband used to read these to our boys. I think he liked the nonfiction nature of "ball," "fire engine" and "dog." He and the boys took turns pointing as they read, so it's reasonable to call these sessions "interactive." Tiny children also like pictures that are full of tiny details. Richard Scarry is my favorite author of this genre.
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\f0\fs26 John Burningham ("Mr. Gumpy's Outing"), Eric Carle ("The Very Hungry Caterpillar"), Pat Hutchins ("Titch"), and Leo Lionni ("Fish Is Fish") are wonderful authors for the youngest children. Even before the children understand the simple plots, they enjoy the colorful illustrations.
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\f0\fs26 Chances are, whatever the title, if you're enjoying the reading, the children are enjoying the listening.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 18, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Reluctant readers may like biographies
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f0\fs26 The upcoming inauguration reminds me of the fifth-grader who was my most unnerving challenge. In one year, he read one book. I used a combination of gentle threats and attractive incentives, but he refused to read and stopped coming to the library.
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\f0\fs26 Conceding defeat, I called his parents. His father had a great idea. I call it a "great" idea because it worked. First, the father turned off the TV for one hour each evening. Second, the father and son sat together, each reading his own book. Third, the books were biographies of presidents, which happened to interest both father and son.
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\f0\fs26 Back in the old days, we had "The Childhood of Famous Americans" series. (I remember being amazed that famous people had once been children.) Now children have virtually unlimited choices in biographies. Some are picture books like the new book, "If a Bus Could Talk" by Faith Ringgold, that tells the story of Rosa Parks in a way that will interest first- and second-graders.
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\f0\fs26 There is even a wonderful, easy-to-read "biography" about Balto the dog.
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\f0\fs26 Of course, there are numerous biographies of the presidents. A reluctant reader may be tempted to read about the president-elect or the presidents honored by President's Day.
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\f0\fs26 Like my challenging student, some kids are fascinated by real people. One fourth-grader read all the biographies of Robert E. Lee and was eventually persuaded to read books about the Civil War.
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\f0\fs26 I just bought a new copy of Frank Gilbreth's "Cheaper By the Dozen," which is an engaging biography of a family. A very bright fifth-grade girl is reading it and loving every page.
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\f0\fs26 Tiger Woods may have as many biographies as he has trophies. From Madonna to Mozart, the biographies are available. All kids need is the incentive to read them.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 January 11, 2001, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children read when parents do
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f0\fs26 In the campaign for seatbelt use, one billboard tells parents to buckle up because children will copy their parents' behavior. Children will wear seatbelts because they SEE their parents wearing seatbelts.
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\f0\fs26 In the campaign for reading, the same principle applies.
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\f0\fs26 Other than newspapers, recipes and street signs, do your children SEE you reading? Do they see you absorbed in a book when you have other options for your leisure time? Before I learned to read, I remember watching my mother read for hours at a stretch. I was jealous of the books and curious about what could be moreinteresting than paying attention to me. I felt left out of the secret of reading and determined to be a reader myself.
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\f0\fs26 I have worked with children who had no written material in their homes. One child owned more videos than I own books. Another child told me that her dad would rent five videos a day during school vacations. These children had no reading role models. Books and reading were not family values. With very little motivation to read, they read very little.
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\f0\fs26 Informed parents know that they should read to their child every day, that their children should own some books and visit the library regularly, yada yada yada. Parents should believe that they are the important reading role models. The adage, 'Don't do as I do...' comes to mind.
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\f0\fs26 If you tell your child to read while you watch TV, your child is getting the message. It's probably not the message you intended.
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\f0\fs26 On a recent family vacation, our children (all in their 20s) were snorkeling and climbing a volcano. They were also reading, swapping, requesting and talking about books.
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\f0\fs26 Most of their motivations are obscure to me. The reading is something I think I can explain. Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 December 14, 2000, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Hanukkah stories celebrations of faith
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
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\f0\fs26 On the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, The Christian Jewish Council of Greater Charleston sponsors a worship service. Both rabbis and ministers participate. Congregations are invited from synagogues and churches. Both in symbolism and substance, this service is important to the community as a whole and to me personally.
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\f0\fs26 Hanukkah books are obviously important for Jewish children. For children of other faiths, these stories build an understanding of the Jewish faith that (hopefully) leads to tolerance and respect. And aside from all the heavy stuff, a good story is a good story.
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\f0\fs26 "Elijah's Angel: A Story for Chanukah and Christmas" by Michael J. Rosen is a study in political correctness. A Jewish child receives a Christmas angel from his Christian friend - a black barber whose father was a slave. In return, the Jewish family gives the barber a menorah. The illustrations are striking (if not off-putting). The story emphasizes the connections between the two faiths.
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\f0\fs26 "Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story" by Fran Manushkin and "Moishe's Miracle: A Hanukkah Story" by Laura Krauss Melmed are lighter fare. Both stories are thoroughly enjoyable. Both convey the spirit of Hanukkah and provide historical background as well as other information.
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\f0\fs26 "One Yellow Daffodil: A Hanukkah Story" by David Adler uses a picture-book format to tell the story of a lonely, aging Holocaust survivor. When children invite Morris to celebrate Hanukkah with their family, he brings the menorah that he hasn't used since the Nazis took away his family.
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\f0\fs26 "Jason's Miracle: A Hanukkah Story" by Beryl Lieff Benderly is a chapter book about a Jewish boy who is disgruntled about his family's refusal to celebrate any aspect of Christmas.
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\f0\fs26 In a dream, Jason is transported into the midst of the rebel Maccabees. Jason and the reader gain an appreciation for the importance of keeping the Hanukkah rituals.
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\f0\fs26 If you need further encouragement to read a Hanukkah story, think of the Maccabees' victory as a victory for religious freedom. And the menorah? Consider Proverbs 20:27: "The soul of man is a candle of God ..."
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 December 15, 2000
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 November 30, 2000, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Book series make enduring gifts
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f0\fs26 Long after I stopped collecting china, my dearly beloved aunt insisted that I choose a new pattern. This was actually for her convenience as well as my pleasure. She reasoned that her gift-giving would be completely simplified when she could add a piece to this new collection for birthdays and Christmas.
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\f0\fs26 I'm not one who particularly enjoys starting collections of such things (especially when it's a fourth set of dishes), but I honored her request. Before and after her death, I've especially enjoyed those plates and cups because they remind me of her.
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\f0\fs26 Collecting series of children's books can work the same way.
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\f0\fs26 Preschoolers want to follow all of the adventures of Boomer the dog, written by Constance W. McGeorge and beautifully illustrated by local artist Mary Whyte. The state of Georgia chose "Boomer goes to School" as the gift book to be given to every new baby. That decision reflects the belief that once young children hear one Boomer story, they will want to hear more.
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\f0\fs26 Other choices include the old standbys like "Curious George" and the "Mr. Gumpy" books by John Burningham. Kindergartners enjoy the "Frances" books by Lillian Hoban, the "Arthur" books by Marc Brown and the "Franklin" books by Paulette Bourgeois.
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\f0\fs26 Very early readers follow the "Henry and Mudge" series by Cynthia Rylant as though it were late-breaking news. They also enjoy the "Berenstain Bears" series by Stan and Jan Berenstain, the "Frog and Toad" series by Arnold Lobel and the "Little Bear" series by Else Minarik.
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\f0\fs26 First- through third-graders are big fans of several series. Once they read one, they have the confidence to try the others. It's probably the same principle as eating at a fast-food chain. They know what they'll get. The most popular series are "Junie B. Jones" by Barbara Park, "The Magic Treehouse" series by Mary Pope, the "Marvin Redpost" series by Louis Sachs, the "Arthur" chapter books by Marc Brown, the "Bailey School Kids" by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton, "Horrible Harry" by Suzy Kline and "Amber Brown" by Paula Danzig.
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\f0\fs26 From fourth grade on, choices abound. The "Narnia" series by C.S. Lewis is a classic series. Children still enjoy several series ("Ramona," "Henry,") by Beverly Cleary. More recently written, "The Unicorn Chronicles" and "The Magic Shop Books" by Bruce Coville keep kids wanting more. The "Wayside School" series by Louis Sachs keeps children reading because it's totally wacky and hilarious.
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\f0\fs26 Younger children who like mysteries will enjoy "The Boxcar Children" by Gertrude Warner. Older children like "The Hardy Boys" by Franklin Dixon and "Nancy Drew" by Carolyn Keene. Older children and excellent readers enjoy the "Redwall" series by Brian Jacques, the series of books about "Dicey" by Cynthia Voight and the "Anne" books by L.M. Montgomery.
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\f0\fs26 Collecting series of books and dishes have things in common. They save wear and tear on the giver. They can be enjoyed over and over and kept for children and grandchildren. The recipient can depend on receiving at least one predictably wonderful present. And the collection will always be a remembrance of you.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail her at franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 26, 2000, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Children enjoy gently scary tales
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 When the human genome is totally decoded, scientists will identify the gene for liking-to-be-scared. Children are born with it. Librarians and parents take advantage of it. When my daughter was 2, I growled at her, "I'm the Big Bad Wolf and I'm going to gobble you up." Her impassioned reply: "Eat my grandma!"
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\f0\fs26 Halloween in the Year 2000 is probably scarier for adults than it is for children. It's a nightmare out there. Of course, books can help.
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\f0\fs26 My goal for little children is to make them resilient and resistant to scary stuff. I want to convince them that an everyday face is behind every terrifying mask. I want them to be confident enough to laugh in a "haunted" house and enjoy being scared.
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\f0\fs26 "What was I scared of" by Dr. Seuss is a good book to build confidence. Clifford the Big Red Dog, Arthur, Georgie the ghost and many other favorite picture-book characters are the heroes in Halloween books with gentle, reassuring adventures.
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\f0\fs26 Starting in first grade, I emphasize stories in which the hero uses his head to turn the tables on any frightening apparition. "The Man Who Tricked a Ghost" by Laurence Yep and "Esteban and the Ghost" by Sibyl Hancock are perfect for that purpose. Subtlety is not useful here. I tell children that when their hair is standing on end it means their brains are ready to work.
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\f0\fs26 From third grade, I want to make the children wonder (and maybe shiver). I ask them to carefully weigh the evidence that's presented in each story. Ghost stories are guaranteed to provoke lively discussions.
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\f0\fs26 Nancy Roberts has written several collections of ghost stories. "The Haunted South," "South Carolina Ghosts" and "Ghosts of the Carolinas" are especially riveting. Older children also enjoy "Short and Shivery" by Robert D. San Souci, "World's Most Mysterious 'True' Ghost Stories" by Ron Edwards and "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" by Alvin Schwartz.
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\f0\fs26 Halloween wasn't invented as an excuse to have fun. But you have my permission. Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in Library Science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. Contact her at franbooksyahoo.com or write to her at the newspaper's Features Department.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 19, 2000, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Young male readers drawn to action books
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
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\f0\fs26 Real guys do read books.
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\f0\fs26 But from fifth grade on, they don't read just ANY books. To be appealing, the book may have to appear adventurous enough to throw itself off the shelf.
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\f0\fs26 Will Hobbs writes the bursting-with-action books that real guys really like.
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\f0\fs26 The plots are totally plausible. Children can identify with the characters.
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\f0\fs26 This isn't easy reading, but even readers who are challenged by the difficulty keep going to find out what happens next. Although the kids focus on the action and are carried along by the momentum of the story, Hobbs writes much more than an exciting plot.
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\f0\fs26 Superficially, "Far North" is the compelling story of two boys who survive a subarctic winter in the Northwest Territories. Intertwined in this account is the boys' growing respect for the wisdom of a tribal elder and their realization of the value of friendship.
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\f0\fs26 "Ghost Canoe" is a mystery set in the Pacific Northwest. Indian lore and family love are dexterously mixed in with stopping a killer and finding lost treasure. "Beardance" combines action with Ute rituals and legends. "The Maze" describes the difficult life of a runaway boy who learns hang-gliding and protection of condors. "Downriver" is the dramatic adventure of kids paddling through the Grand Canyon without a permit or adult supervision.
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\f0\fs26 The American Library Association has chosen four of Hobb's books as Best Books for Young Adults. "Downriver" was chosen as one of the Best of the Best Young Adult Books in the Past Twenty-five Years.
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\f0\fs26 If your "young adult" tells you that reading is boring, tell that kid to read anything by Hobbs.
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\f0\fs26 Real guys and real girls from about fifth grade up get interested and stay interested in these books.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. E-mail questions to franbooksyahoo.com, or send them to The Post and Courier Features Department, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C. 29403.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 12, 2000, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 It's no mystery what children enjoy reading
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f0\fs26 Mysteries and ghost stories fascinate most children. Authors know this, of course, and churn them out by the hundreds.
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\f0\fs26 If other kinds of books fail to get kids going, try mysteries.
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\f0\fs26 Preschoolers like them. Adults like them. Some children refuse to read anything but mysteries. They help children develop deductive-reasoning skills. Reading mysteries encourages children to identify clues and put the clues together.
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\f0\fs26 Any book with "mystery" or "ghost" in the title is likely to be attractive. As attractive as they may be, they certainly are not all created equal.
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\f0\fs26 "Stonewords: A Ghost Story" by Pam Conrad is a book I don't recommend. The plot is forced, it's not well-written, and there are gratuitous descriptions of a decomposing corpse that are truly haunting.
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\f0\fs26 "The Ghost of Fossil Glen" by Cynthia DeFelice is a book I recommend enthusiastically for both boys and girls from the fourth through the sixth grades. The plot is carefully crafted, it's well-written, and all the scary parts are integral to the story. Loving families, good teachers, friendship and environmental issues are weaved through the background.
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\f0\fs26 For older kids, "The Fire Raiser" by Maurice Gee is a great hair-raiser. Although it's listed as being on a seventh-grade reading level, fifth-graders would enjoy it if they understood the historical background. The setting is a small New Zealand town during World War I. Four kids from different backgrounds band together to solve the mystery of repeated arsons.
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\f0\fs26 The author skillfully explores issues of bigotry, hate and the psychology of grief. This sounds heavy-duty, but readers keep turning pages as the arsonist strikes again and again.
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\f0\fs26 Children's mysteries are available on every age level and virtually every subject. Some other examples of mystery series and grade levels:
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\f0\fs26 "Nate the Great" - a boy detective. First and second grades.
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\f0\fs26 "Cam Jansen" - a girl detective with a photographic memory. First through third grades.
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\f0\fs26 "The Boxcar Children" - youths who solve mysteries everywhere they go. Second through fourth grades.
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\f0\fs26 "Nancy Drew" and "The Hardy Boys" - still sleuthing after all these years. Fifth-grade reading level, but many children start reading them in the third grade.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. Send questions to franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Copyright 2000 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 406 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 October 5, 2000, Thursday, POST AND COURIER EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Junie B. Jones popular with young readers
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 Fran Hawk
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 E, Pg. 2
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 545 words
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\f0\fs26 Fact: Kids love Junie B. Jones.
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\f0\fs26 Boys, girls, struggling readers and great readers jostle each other to check out these books from the library. At my elementary school, the kindergarten graduates have reported that their favorite time of day was when their teacher read aloud from Junie B. Jones. First-graders who hear their teacher read these books want to read them for themselves.
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\f0\fs26 One Christmas break, I read six Junie B. Jones books in a row and was completely charmed from first to last. l also saw a child reading a Junie B. Jones book in church and wondered how she could keep from laughing out loud.
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\f0\fs26 Because children love reading about other children getting in huge trouble, these are books that can't help but encourage reading.
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\f0\fs26 My best guess is that children are magnetically attracted to the dramaof crime and punishment. They vicariously enjoy the 'bad' behavior thatthey wouldn't dare try themselves. Of course, it helps if the stories are falling down funny, as these are.
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\f0\fs26 Junie B. Jones is a feisty, funny five-year-old. She's the terror ofher kindergarten class. She exasperates the school administration. She speaks fractured English. She tries the patience of both her parents and grandparents. As a big sister, she's dangerous. Undeniably, she's hilarious.
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\f0\fs26 A second-grader once told me that her mother had forbidden her to read any more Junie B. Jones books because this second-grader was starting to act like Junie B. Jones. I happen to know that that particular second-grader has always acted like JBJ and never needed a book to tell her how to do it.
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\f0\fs26 In some school districts, parents have asked to have the JBJ books removed from libraries because JBJ does not speak perfectly grammatical English.
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\f0\fs26 A perfectly grammatical kindergartener is a rare occurrence. JBJ is linguistically the real thing. She hits Grace with the 'plumpery' pillow, feathers explode out of it, and there are "a million bazillion of those floaty things."
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\f0\fs26 Another objection to these books is that Junie B. uses the word "stupid." My opinion is that this word provides teachers and parents with a "teachable"moment. As these children get older, they will encounter worse words.
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\f0\fs26 They will need to be told not to use them just because they heard them or read them.
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\f0\fs26 Author Barbara Park addresses issues that loom large with young children. She writes about troublesome problems with humor and offers comforting resolutions. Whether it's the "Stupid, Smelly Bus," or a monster under her bed, Junie B. always feels better by the end of the book. And you will too.
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\f0\fs26 The Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park is published by Stepping Stone Books, Random House, N.Y. They're widely available.
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\f0\fs26 Here are some that I recommend:
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\f0\fs26 Junie B. Jones...
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\f0\fs26 and the Stupid Smelly Bus.
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\f0\fs26 and a Little Monkey Business.
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\f0\fs26 and her Big Fat Mouth.
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\f0\fs26 and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying.
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\f0\fs26 and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake.
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\f0\fs26 and That Meanie Jim's Birthday.
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\f0\fs26 Loves Handsome Warren.
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\f0\fs26 Has a Monster Under Her Bed.
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\f0\fs26 Is Not a Crook.
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\f0\fs26 Is a Party Animal.
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\f0\fs26 Has a Peep in Her Pocket.
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\f0\fs26 Fran Hawk is the librarian at Whitesides Elementary School. She has a master's degree in library science from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. Send questions to franbooksyahoo.com.
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 October 6, 2000
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Copyright 2000 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 407 of 407 DOCUMENTS
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 September 10, 1995, Sunday, SUNDAY EDITION
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\f0\fs42 \cf0 Rafting through canyon grand
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\f2\b\fs26 \cf0 BYLINE: 
\f0\b0 FRAN HAWK; Special to The Post and Courier
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\f2\b\fs26 SECTION: 
\f0\b0 D, Pg. 8
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\f2\b\fs26 LENGTH: 
\f0\b0 838 words
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\f0\fs26 Sunset gilds the upper ridges of the Grand Canyon. The temperature drops to a balmy 100 degrees. Night settles in. The only sounds are the Colorado River rushing by and small rodents running across sleeping bags. Stars and moon shine with such distracting brilliance, it's difficult to sleep. Fortunately, insomnia keeps campers alert for scorpions, rattlesnakes and red ants.
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\f0\fs26 "Restful" would not describe seven days of rafting 280 miles through the Grand Canyon. At first light, about 5:30 a.m., our trip leader shouted "Coffee!" which was the signal to get up. Breakfast was always a substantial incentive with fresh fruit, yogurt, cereals and cooked stuff like sausage and French toast. By 6:30 a.m., the raft was loaded with 20 passengers, 3 crew and very well organizer gear.
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\f0\fs26 Morning was my favorite time on the river. Even though I was wearing the required life jacket and the desired rain suit, I was relatively cool. Sunlight was just beginning to work its way down the canyon walls, illuminating higher elevations and moving forward the river.
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\f0\fs26 Peaceful contemplation of sunlight was usually interrupted at about 6:40 when we prepared to meet the day's first rapid. Because the river drops 2,000 feet in its journey through the canyon, rapids are numerous. Some are unremarkable. Some are treacherous, including Lava Falls, which drops 37 feet. During the approach to a serious rapid, our guides would casually recount the history of people and boats lost over the years in this particular swirl of river and rocks.
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\f0\fs26 Rafts are constructed of heavy rubber with a hinged center to give maximum flexibility. Imagine a demonic combination of roller coaster and bucking bronco as the raft hits the rapid. Waves of 45 degree water pour into the boat. It's frightening. It's freezing. It's fantastic!
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\f0\fs26 River days followed no pre-arranged agenda. The priority was to find shade and stay as cool as possible. Although some rafting groups don't pursue hiking, our group hiked in side canyons every day. Our destination was always water related. Creeks, waterfalls and pools were our specialties. My favorite hike was 14 miles that criss-crossed a creek, traversed rock ledges, passed idyllic pools, led through fields of grape vines and ended at a spectacular waterfall. The trail, maintained by the Havasupai Indians, included log ladders and climbing ropes at strategic spots.
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\f0\fs26 Lunch was build-your-own gourmet sandwich. If we happened to float to a shady spot on the river, we stayed on board. Otherwise, we picnicked on beaches in the shade of rock overhangs. Curious lizards often ventured forth to check out our menu, but we were instructed not to feed them. Both guides and rafters were conscientious about packing out absolutely everything we had packed in. We didn't even leave crumbs for the ants.
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\f0\fs26 Between rapids, meals and hikes the guides told tall river tales and gave explanations of canyon geology. The teen-age rafters grew bold enough to nap on the raft's pontoons. Hour after hour on the raft, I contemplated rocks and river and concentrated on storing some of that profound serenity deep inside my head.
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\f0\fs26 By afternoon, the canyon was so hot that a breeze felt like the blast from a hair dryer. We welcomed any creek or waterfall where we could wet down and cool off. Dehydration was a major medical concern. Although I drank quarts of water and wore wet clothes and shoes, I still felt parched.
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\f0\fs26 Between 4 and 6 p.m., our crew chose a campsite for the night. Passengers and crew formed "fire lines" to unload the gear. Volunteers helped the crew set up the kitchen. While the crew fixed dinner, we unpacked our "dry bags" and rolled out our sleeping bags. The truly heroic souls armed themselves with their biodegradable peppermint soap and bathed in the icy water at the river's edge.
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\f0\fs26 Dinners featured steak, chicken, stir fry, fish with fresh vegetables, huge salads, real mashed potatoes and desserts like cherry cobbler cooked in a pot. Dishwashing was do-your-own. Some nights the guides told stories. Most nights we were too sleepy to listen. On our last night, the guides arranged a special appearance by The Long Distance Spitting Champion of the World. After seven days on the river, we were easy to amuse.
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\f0\fs26 On the last morning, we were quietly floating on the river at 6:30, waiting to meet the jet boat that would speed us from Separation Canyon to Pierce's Ferry. I felt nostalgic even before we disembarked from the raft. The Grand Canyon is not Disney World. The cacti have thorns. The red ants bite. The chasms are deep. Everything is real.
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\f0\fs26 The challenge is to transport some of that reality - and serenity - back to the rafter's place of origin. When work is hectic, I check the clock and remember what we'd be doing at that exact time in the canyon. Thinking about that trip gives me perspective and peace. From me, that's the ultimate recommendation.
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\f0\fs26 (Fran Hawk is a former member of the Charleston County School Board. She and her husband have four children.)
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\f2\b\fs26 LOAD-DATE: 
\f0\b0 September 13, 1995
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\f2\b\fs26 LANGUAGE: 
\f0\b0 ENGLISH
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\f2\b\fs26 GRAPHIC: 
\f0\b0 PHOTO; B&W photo /photo courtesy of Fran Hawk
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Copyright 1995 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)}