Take the 30x30 Challenge

A tweet from Ecowatch led me to this great project - David Suzuki Foundation's 30x30 Challenge, which is to spend at least 30 minutes in nature for the next 30 days (aka each day in the month of June). This 90 second video details the benefits:



Unless you live in Canada, you can't officially sign up but this is one Thomas and I will enjoy. June 1st is the first day of summer vacation here and we plan to start it bright and early at the park playing disc golf. Maybe we'll even share some photos!

For my reading friends, DSF has a book club that looks really interesting. Learn more about it here or check out this month's selection Your Brain on Nature: The Science of Nature's Influence on Your Health, Happiness, and Vitality by Eva M. Selhub, MD and Alan Logan, ND.

7th Grade Summer Reading

These are the five options for rising seventh graders to choose from for their summer reading assignment (all descriptions courtesy of amazon):

Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings

Brady loves life on the Chesapeake Bay with his friends J.T. and Digger. But developers and rich families are moving into the area, and while Brady befriends some of them, like the DiAngelos, his parents and friends are bitter about the changes. Tragedy strikes when the DiAngelos’ kayak overturns in the bay, and Brady wonders if it was more than an accident. Soon, Brady discovers the terrible truth behind the kayak’s sinking, and it will change the lives of those he loves forever. Priscilla Cummings deftly weaves a suspenseful tale of three teenagers caught in a wicked web of deception.

Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian James Williams

The New York Times Bestseller! The story of an outcast boy, his eccentric dad, and the scary underground world they discover through secret TUNNELS.

14-year-old Will Burrows has little in common with his strange, dysfunctional family. In fact, the only bond he shares with his eccentric father is a passion for archaeological excavation. So when Dad mysteriously vanishes, Will is compelled to dig up the truth behind his disappearance. He unearths the unbelievable: a secret subterranean society. "The Colony" has existed unchanged for a century, but it's no benign time capsule of a bygone era--because the Colony is ruled by a cultlike overclass, the Styx. Before long--before he can find his father--Will is their prisoner.... [first in a series of five (so far).]

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

A Newbery Honor Book author has written a powerful and gripping novel about a youth in Nazi Germany who tells the truth about Hitler.

Bartoletti has taken one episode from her Newbery Honor Book, HITLER YOUTH, and fleshed it out into thought-provoking novel. When 16-year-old Helmut Hubner listens to the BBC news on an illegal short-wave radio, he quickly discovers Germany is lying to the people. But when he tries to expose the truth with leaflets, he's tried for treason. Sentenced to death and waiting in a jail cell, Helmut's story emerges in a series of flashbacks that show his growth from a naive child caught up in the patriotism of the times , to a sensitive and mature young man who thinks for himself.

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever breaks out. [Yellow Fever took the lives of 10% of Philadelphia's population - 5,000 people - in 1793.]

Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie's world upside down. At her feverish mother's insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and Mattie must learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease.

Runaway by Wendelin Van Draanen

"It's a cold, hard, cruel fact that my mother loved heroin more than she loved me."

Holly is in her fifth foster home in two years and she's had enough. She's run away before and always been caught quickly. But she's older and wiser now--she's twelve--and this time she gets away clean. 

Through tough and tender and angry and funny journal entries, Holly spills out her story. We travel with her across the country--hopping trains, scamming food, sleeping in parks or homeless encampments. And we also travel with her across the gaping holes in her heart--as she finally comes to terms with her mother's addiction and death.

Runaway is a remarkably uplifting portrait of a girl still young and stubborn and naive enough to hold out hope for finding a better place in the world, and within herself, to be.

6th Grade Reading

T has to pick one of these books for his rising 6th grader summer reading:

Rules by Cynthia Lord

From amazon.com: School Library Journal synopsis: Grade 4-7-Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents. In an effort to keep life on an even keel, Catherine creates rules for him (It's okay to hug Mom but not the clerk at the video store). Each chapter title is also a rule, and lots more are interspersed throughout the book. When Kristi moves in next door, Catherine hopes that the girl will become a friend, but is anxious about her reaction to David. Then Catherine meets and befriends Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic who uses a book of pictures to communicate, she begins to understand that normal is difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, to define. Rules of behavior are less important than acceptance of others. Catherine is an endearing narrator who tells her story with both humor and heartbreak. Her love for her brother is as real as are her frustrations with him. Lord has candidly captured the delicate dynamics in a family that revolves around a child's disability. Set in coastal Maine, this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME

Wing Nut by M.J. Auch

From Booklist via amazon: Gr. 4-7. Since his father died, 12-year-old Grady and his mom, Lila, have lived in a lot of dead-end places, none of them worth being called "home." But maybe Charlie Fernwald's Pennsylvania farm, where Lila has been hired to cook for the 85-year-old farmer, mechanic, and purple martin enthusiast, will be different. Maybe. But Grady makes a terrible mistake. Auch's story of the slowly developing friendship between a lonely boy and an elderly man whose passion for birds has sustained him through the death of his wife is engaging, though a tad predictable. What will attract readers like martins to a gourd nest is the author's careful integration of bird lore and the unusual challenges of creating and maintaining a purple martin colony. A good book for reluctant boy readers. Michael Cart

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

From amazon.com: School Library Journal Grade 5-7–An elaborately locked wooden box requiring four separate but missing keys holds the treasure in this modern-day quest. Jeremy's father lived his life preparing for an early death, as foretold by a fortune-teller. He did, in fact, die when Jeremy was eight, but a package from him containing the locked box arrives one month before Jeremy's 13th birthday, the day on which the box is to be opened. With his friend Lizzy, Jeremy searches for the keys while contemplating the words engraved on the box, The Meaning of Life: For Jeremy Fink. 13th Birthday. The search for the keys takes the friends around and about New York City, where they meet a large and increasingly convenient range of supporting characters, from members of a spiritualist congregation to a prominent astronomer, all of whom point them toward their own takes on the meaning of life. Mystery and adventure fans will be pulled in by the locked box, and, as a bonus, will get to know quirky, scientific Jeremy and impulsive Lizzy. Some readers might become impatient as the metaphysical quest lengthens, but those who stick with the story will find a warm picture of parental love and wisdom and of a boy growing into his own understanding and acceptance of life.–Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL

Gabriel's Horses by Alison Hart

 From School Library Journal (via amazon.com) Grade 5–8—A story set in Kentucky horse country during the Civil War. Gabriel, 12, is a slave but dreams of becoming a famous jockey. His father, a free man married to a slave, is a trainer for Master Giles's stable of Thoroughbreds. When the man enlists in the Union Army to earn the money to buy his wife's freedom, Gabriel must adjust to a cruel new trainer. Although the war's impact in Kentucky is less dire than in other Southern states, marauding bands of Confederate raiders terrorize residents, seeking horses, food, and anything else they can steal. One Arm Dan's bunch raids Master Giles's farm, not for food, but for the horses that Gabriel is determined to protect. Outnumbered, his only choice is to take eight of the animals and run. Master Giles, a kind man, rewards the boy's cunning and bravery by granting him his freedom and a paid job as his top jockey. Characters talk about the many faces of freedom, from actual emancipation, to being allowed to learn reading and writing, to realizing the dream of working at what you love. More subtle signs of liberation are seen in the black freemen who call Giles "Mister" and the slaves who address him as "Master." The author grounds this fast-paced tale in historical fact by providing a nonfiction epilogue. Readers will find this wonderful blend of history and horses appealing.—Ann Robinson, Moultonborough Academy Library.

Every Soul A Star by Wendy Mass

 From Booklist: Three young teens witness a total solar eclipse and are changed forever in this novel, told in alternating narratives, that weaves exciting astronomy facts into the teens’ personal lives. Ally, 13, is fascinated by the scientific event, as are 1,000 other people from all over the world who come to view the Great Eclipse at her family’s wilderness site. Glamorous teen Bree has an opposite view and is appalled that her parents, both physics scholars, want to move to the site: how can she manage without the mall? Then there is Jack, who loves art and science fiction but is a failure at science and is brought to the site by his teacher. The anticipation building up to the great event brings thrilling changes in all three young lives. Bree’s hilarious account of her experience as a glamour queen in the wilderness is right-on, but she moves beyond total stereotype and allows herself to release her inner geek, at least for a while, while Ally and Jack bond and also break their rigid character roles. The contemporary voices ring true, and readers will want to read more about the science surrounding eclipses. Grades 5-8. --Hazel Rochman

Which would you choose? We already own Rules (it was a Sunshine State Young Readers Award book). Of the others, only Wendy Mass' titles are available for the kindle.

Summer Reading Recap Part 2

I didn't do that much reading on my own this summer, but here are a few I enjoyed.
















I already shared how much I enjoyed Pat Benatar's autobiography Between a Heart and a Rock Place here.

The cover of Meredith Duran's Written on Your Skin makes it look like just another romance novel but this vivid historical novel is an adventure across India during the Rebellion of the mid-1800s. It's filled with strong emotions, with plenty of grief and melancholy. (If you don't like violence, skip this book. There are battles and let's just say they aren't pretty.) After returning safely (but not unscathed) to London, the heroine expresses her pain through art that is moving, ahead of her time, and holds secrets that endanger her. This book kept me up turning pages under the covers with my flashlight!

I can't resist any book that explains why it pays to be nice, so even though The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness is short, it is a sweet little read, with lots of concrete examples that prove that nice guys don't really finish last. If you want to get ahead without stepping over other people to do it, give this book a read.

Summer Reading Recap

With school starting today it seemed like a good time to recap the summer reading T and I did this year. I blogged about our summer reading plans here (and got so many great recommendations from friends here, here  and here, thank you!).

As is tradition, T and I started the summer by reading The Trumpet of the Swan together. E.B. White's classic is one of our favorite books of all time. T likes it so much, he's started talking about going to Montana to visit the Red Rock Lakes so we can see a trumpeter swan in person! If you haven't read it, it's the story of a boy, Sam Beaver, who loves the outdoors and animals, and of a trumpeter swan born with a speech defect - he can't make a noise at all - so, with Sam's help, he learns to play the trumpet and has quite an adventure.

We had a big stack of books to chose from when we finished The Trumpet but was still excited when T chose to start the Harry Potter series. We finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and have only 2 chapters left in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. T has already gotten the third book The Prisoner of Azkaban off the shelf so we'll be ready to go this week when we finish book 2!

Have you read any good books this summer? I'll share some of my favorite grown-up books from this summer in another post soon!

Thanks for the Summer Reading with Kids Recommendations! Part 3!

My CWRU Alpha Chi Omega twitter friend Audrey was nice enough to ask her children for their favorite books. See her tweet here (because seriously I am in love with her background!!). Her daughter chose Peter and the Starcatchers

and her son recommends Redwall (Redwall, Book 1)

I love having a big list of great books ready - so when we're ready for our next book, we have lots of options!

Thanks for the Summer Reading with Kids Recommendations! Part 2!!

I'm so grateful to everyone for their suggestions! Love this message Jennifer forwarded me from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP):

TALLAHASSEE – Summer has arrived and the Florida Department of Education (DOE) and DEP are encouraging students to head outdoors with a book from DOE’s 2010 recommended summer reading list. The annual reading list, part of DOE’s Just Read, Florida! mission, is designed to promote nature-based literature while fostering in students an appreciation for the both reading and the outdoors.

“Reading outdoors is a great way to foster environmental stewardship in Florida’s students,” said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. “By promoting literature focused on Florida’s diverse natural resources, we hope to harness students’ interest in academic success as well as environmental protection.”

One of the suggested summer reads for 2010 is Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ Pulitzer prize-winning novel, The Yearling. The Yearling (Aladdin Classics) This story takes readers back in time to Rawlings 1930s farm life. A visit to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park offers a glimpse into the setting that inspired the book. Florida’s 160 state parks, which cover more than 700,000 acres of Florida’s natural environment, also make a perfect backdrop for reading.

Other examples of Florida State Parks and nature-based selections on the 2010 summer reading list include:

• Grades K-3: Pancakes for Breakfast, Tommie DePaola. Pancakes for Breakfast Visit De Leon Springs State Park in De Leon Springs where you can make your own pancakes at the table.
• Grades 4-5: The Birchbark House, Louise Erdrich. The Birchbark House Visit Collier-Seminole State Park in Naples on the edge of the Everglades rich with Native American history.  
• Grades 6-8: Forever Forest, Kristin Joy-Pratt Serafini. The Forever Forest: Kids Save a Tropical Treasure (Sharing Nature with Children Books) Visit Homossassa Springs Wildlife State Park to learn about protection and conservation of Florida wildlife.
• Grades 9-12: Southern Comforts: Rooted in a Florida Place, Sudye Cauthen. Southern Comforts: Rooted in a Florida Place (Center for American Places) (Center Books on the American South) Visit Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Florida´s first state preserve and a National Natural Landmark.

“Promoting summer reading to students has always been a primary mission of ours, but now the opportunities are right at their fingertips,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith. “Our recently launched book search offers ease and accessibility in finding that perfect read for a beautiful summer day.”

Research shows that children who continue to read during the summer months are more likely to retain progress made throughout the school year. In addition to theJust Read, Florida! summer reading list, DOE also recently partnered with the Department of State (DOS) and MetaMetrics, Inc. to launch ‘Find a Book,’ a search tool that identifies the appropriate books for each student’s reading level. This technology allows students and their families to personalize their book list according to preference and reading level.

To view all of DOE’s summer reading suggestions, visitwww.justreadfamilies.org/SummerReadingList.pdf. To learn more about ’Find a Book,’ visit www.lexile.com/findabook. For more about Florida State Parks, go towww.FloridaStateParks.org or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FLStateParks.

Thanks for the Summer Reading with Kids Recommendations!

A shout out to Audrey and Leslie for their suggestions for our summer reading:

Where the Red Fern Grows

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)

The City of Ember (Books of Ember)

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (this is a favorite of mine, too!)

What books would you recommend for a young almost-12-year-old and his book-addicted mom?