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By: Chuck Dillon,
on 3/20/2013
By: Beth Kephart ,
on 3/16/2013
Beth Kephart has done something extraordinary with this huge and messy thing called memoir—roping it into submission with her typically beautifully writing. There is authority here, scholarship, challenge. In this well-organized book, every example is a precious stone to turn over and to learn from, particularly in terms of crafting a voice and finding one's way in. Too many students think memoir just happens. Nothing ever just happens. Memoir is an academic field. This should become the seminal text.For more about Handling the Truth, please visit this page.
Buzz Bissinger, author of Father's Day, A Prayer for the City, and Friday Night Lights
By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 6/17/2012
By: Kristin,
on 6/10/2012
By Nicki Richesin, The Children’s Book Review
Published: June 7, 2012
Father’s Day is almost upon us. Why not celebrate by reading a few books about the proud papas who brighten our days? So snuggle up with your little ones and thank your lucky stars for the doting fathers in their lives.
Surfer Chick By Kristy Dempsey; illustrated by Henry Cole
This book is radical, dude. Seriously, Kristy Dempsey delivers a tidal wave of fun with this tale of a young would-be surfer chick yearning to rip the tides like her righteous dad. When she wipes out, she becomes more determined than ever. Cole’s sunny funny painted illustrations add humor yet a mellow yellow vibe.
Ages 3-7 | Publisher: Abrams, Harry N., Inc. | May 1, 2012
Darth Vader and Son If “Luke, I am your father,” is a familiar phrase and let’s face it, who hasn’t heard it, then you’ll love this hilarious sendup to single fathers trying desperately to be nurturing dads. The book poses the question if Darth Vader had been a real pop to Luke, what might have happened? Told in a comic way with light-hearted illustrations, you’ll laugh until you cry.
All Ages | Publisher: Chronicle Books | April 18, 2012
The Night Before Father’s Day By Natasha Wing; illustrated by Amy Wummer
Wing employs “’twas the night before” as a clever convention in this rhyming story of a family working together to surprise Dad on Father’s Day. I especially appreciated the handy mom who could check the oil while leading her kids as they clean up the garage and wash the car. You should check out the other “night before” books from this bestselling series.
Ages 3-5 | Publisher: Penguin Group | May 10, 2012
The Barefoot Book of Father and Daughter Tales 
By: Rochee Jeffrey,
on 6/5/2012
Are you looking for a great Father’s Day gift? How about a gift that gives back?
Golf champion Phil Mickelson has joined forces with our friends at the financial firm KPMG to launch ‘Blue for Books,’ a nationwide campaign designed to put thousands of books into the hands of children in need through the sale of KPMG blue golf hats, just like the one that Phil wears on tour.
All proceeds from sales of the hat, as well as some special gift packs, will go to benefit First Book. In addition, our friends at Random House have pledged to match all donations with more new books. So for every hat sold, First Book will be able to put six brand-new books into the hands of kids in need.
Visit Phil’s microsite to learn more about the hat and the program, and see a video featuring Phil and a surprise cameo appearance by a special guest star. (Hint: It’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt.)
Reading level: All Ages
Add this book to your collection: Darth Vader and Son (Star Wars (Chronicle))
Video courtesy of ChronicleBooks: What if Darth Vader took an active role in raising his son? In this hilarious and sweet comic reimagining, Darth Vader is a dad like any other—except with all the baggage of being the Dark Lord of the Sith. Celebrated artist Jeffrey Brown’s delightful illustrations give classic Star Wars® moments a fresh twist, presenting the trials and joys of parenting through the lens of a galaxy far, far away. Life lessons include lightsaber batting practice, using the Force to raid the cookie jar, Take Your Child to Work Day on the Death Star (“Er, he looks just like you, Lord Vader!”), and the special bond shared between any father and son.
Jeffrey Brown is the author of numerous graphic novels and comics, including Cat Getting Out of a Bag and Cats Are Weird. A lifelong Star Wars fan, he lives in Chicago with his wife and five-year-old son.
©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.
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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: June 4, 2012
Alan Lawrence Sitomer is a nationally renowned speaker and was California’s Teacher of the Year in 2007. He is also the author of multiple works for young readers, including Nerd Girls, the Hoopster trilogy, The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez, Cinder-Smella, and The Alan Sitomer BookJam. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughters. Just in time for Father’s Day, Alan talks to TCBR about his newest picture book Daddies Do it Different (Hyperion, 2012).
TCBR: Daddies Do it Different. How so? And why do you think they do do it differently?
Alan Lawrence Sitomer: As daddies, we live in a new era. Look around at how amazingly involved the dads of today are in their young children’s lives. I mean back when I was a kid, they didn’t even have daddies—all we had were “fathers” who doled out gruff chores and did things like take us to baseball games in order to metaphorically teach us the nuances of life from the bleacher seats.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t quite that bad but still, these days, no matter where you look you see it: dads are taking a more active, involved role in their children’s lives than ever before. Dads know how to swaddle, dads go to Saturday morning children’s fitness classes, dads far and wide change diapers without blinking an eye.
What I really see is that dads have embraced the joy of being a parent in the way that moms have done for thousands of years. And truly, it is filling our collective hearts with delight. (I really do believe that dads of yore have no idea all the good stuff they’ve been missing.)
Having said all that, daddies aren’t mommies; we have our own style. Our own flair. Thus, the phrase Daddies Do It Different. One way is not necessarily more “right” than another way . . . it’s just different.
From a birthday party to bathtime, you’ve created an entertaining book on how father’s put their own spin on day-to-day events (and special occasions) in a child’s life. Inspired by your own experiences as a father, which experience in the book would you consider a personal highlight?
A great many scenes from Daddies Do It Different come straight from my own life. Jamming a banana up my nose in the middle of the supermarket just to get a smile out of my daughter? I’ve done it. Pigging out on a little kid’s birthday cake by having two or three slices while all the children at the event (i.e. the invited guests) are limited to “just one piece?” I’ve done it. Turning the entire bathroom into a swimming pool while using ¾ of a bottle of bubble bath in a troubled attempt to get my dirty little honey-bunch clean? Done that, too. Indeed, fatherhood has brought ou
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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: June 4, 2012
Enter to win an autographed copy of Alan Lawrence Sitomer’s Daddies Do it Different.
Perfect for a family read this Father’s Day … or any day, for that matter!
Giveaway begins June 4, 2012, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends July 1, 2012, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Reading level: Ages 3-7
Hardcover: 40 pages
Overview: Just in time for Father’s Day, this hilarious picture book takes a high-spirited look at the way dads put their own spin on different parts of a child’s life–from going to a birthday party to bathtime. Alan Sitomer’s debut picture book is pulled from his own experiences as a father and winningly complemented with delightful art by Abby Carter.
About the author: Alan Lawrence Sitomer is a nationally renowned speaker and was California’s Teacher of the Year in 2007. He is also the author of multiple works for young readers, including Nerd Girls, the Hoopster trilogy, The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez, Cinder-Smella, and The Alan Sitomer BookJam. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughters. For more information, visit Alan’s website: http://www.alanlawrencesitomer.com/
Prizing courtesy of Hyperion Disney.
©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.
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By: Beth Kephart ,
on 5/14/2012
By: Beth Kephart ,
on 4/10/2012
By: Beth Kephart ,
on 1/28/2012
Buzz Bissinger's twin sons were born three and a half months premature in 1983. Gerry weighed one pound and fourteen ounces, Zachary one pound and eleven ounces. They were the youngest male twins ever to survive at that time at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, the nation's oldest. They were a medical miracle, but there are no medical miracles without eternal scars.
They entered life three minutes--and a world--apart. Gerry, the older one, is a graduate student at Penn, preparing to become a teacher. His brother Zach has spent his life attending special schools and self-contained classrooms. He is able to work menial jobs such as stocking supplies. But he'll never drive a car, or kiss a girl, or live by himself. He is a savant, challenged by serious intellectual deficits but also blessed with rare talents: an astonishing memory, a dazzling knack for navigation, and a reflexive honesty which can make him both socially awkward and surprisingly wise.
One summer night, Buzz and Zach hit the road to revisit all the places they have lived together during Zach's 24 years. Zach revels in his memories, and Buzz hopes this journey into their shared past will bring them closer and reveal to him the mysterious workings of his son's mind and heart. He also hopes it will help him to better come to grips with the radical differences in his beloved twin boys, inverted mirrors of one another when defined by the usual barometers of what we think it means to be successful.
As father and son follow a pinball's path from Philadelphia to LA, they see the best and worst of America and each other. Ultimately, their trip bestows a new and uplifting wisdom on Buzz, as he comes to realize that Zach's worldview, as exotic as it is, has a sturdy logic of its own, a logic that deserves the greatest respect. And with the help of Zach's twin, Gerry, Buzz learns an even more vital lesson about Zach: character transcends intellect. We come to see Zach as he truly is—patient, fearless, perceptive, kind, a sixth sense for sincerity. It takes 3,500 miles, but Buzz learns the most valuable lesson he has ever learned.
His son Zach is not a man-child as he so often thought, but the man he admires most in his life.
Image via Wikipedia
What story do you have to tell about Father’s Day?
By: Chris Singer,
on 6/20/2011
Reading Through Chaos
As I read a Curious George book aloud to my sons, I was struck by the example of the little monkey. Almost without exception, George willfully disregards the instruction of his father figure, the Man with the Yellow Hat, and gets into trouble. Yet the story is always brought to a happy ending by George somehow redeeming himself in a serendipitous way – had he not snuck into the penguin tank, he wouldn’t have been able to save the baby penguin.
Obviously, George doesn’t have a mind of his own; his is a manifestation of H.A. Rey, the creator of George and his curiosity. Does the author believe the ends always justify the means? Was the author trying to force a pragmatic worldview upon his impressionable readers? I cannot speak to Rey’s motivation, but, as a father, I can point out the error in George’s behavior and teach my boys about George’s disobedience, even if he did save the baby penguin.
When we teach our kids to read, we give them the keys to the most exhilarating mode of transportation ever created. They can go anywhere, be anyone, and do anything. But, just as it would be foolish to give our kids the keys to a Ferrari without teaching them to drive, we shouldn’t teach our kids to read without also teaching them to discern.
Why is a child susceptible to a goon in a black van offering them candy? Because they innocently trust; they’ve no reason to doubt. They assume the act of benevolence is a revelation of the giver’s nature, and gratefully accept the bait. Perhaps not so calculated, authors possess the same power of influence over readers, especially readers without discernment. That influence is one of the reasons I write. Were it not for the potential to influence I would leave my words bound in a diary.
The Golden Compass is the first volume in the “His Dark Materials” trilogy, written by Philip Pullman. The book came under the intense scrutiny of the Christian church for its apparent anti-God, anti-church message. J.R.R. Tolkien was accused of writing “The Lord of The Rings” trilogy as a mere allegory with a pro-God message. Both authors rejected the claims their novels were anything more than works of fiction, but neither denied the influence of their personal beliefs on their writing.
When asked about the influence of his faith on “The Lord of the Rings,” Tolkien said, “The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like ‘religion’, to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism.”(1) Frankly, I don’t see how it could be any other way. If you read any of my writing, you won’t find the use of obscene words. I strive to avoid them in my speech, I don’t want my kids to use them, and I don’t like to read them, therefore I don’t include them in my text. My personal belief influences my written content. But, particular words are the least of our concern; the real issues are themes
By: Kelly Butcher,
on 6/19/2011
By: Bill Kirk,
on 6/19/2011
“Dad, Can I Help?”
By Bill Kirk
The long weekend beckoned--
I’d written my list.
And I was quite sure
There was nothing I’d missed.
No yard work distractions,
No carpools to do.
The weekend was mine
Until I was through.
I had all my hardware
And lumber galore.
I’d work on the deck;
Replace an old door.
I set up my saw
And tested my drill.
With anticipation
I felt quite a thrill.
“No holding me back,”
I thought, a bit smug.
Then all of a sudden,
I felt a slight tug.
Stopping my work,
I turned with a glance
To see my small son
Grab the leg of my pants.
What could I do?
Did I have any choice,
When my little son asked
In his little boy voice?
“Dad, can I help?
I just need some glue
And maybe a nail,
Some wood and a screw.”
“I’ll be very careful
And do what you say.
I promise, I’ll try
To stay out of your way.”
I felt the deck slipping
Right out of my grasp.
The door would remain
On its very last gasp.
We built a small boat
With a deck and a sail
Out of two bits of wood,
Some string and a nail;
Then battled some pirates
And found chests of gold.
With each new adventure
A story was told.
We sawed and we hammered
Until we were done
With all of our work—
Like father, like son.
I never did finish
My list on that day,
Instead I spent time
With my son, just to play.
And those weekend projects?
They just had to wait.
For some life appointments,
A Dad can’t be late.
By: Julie Fortenberry,
on 6/19/2011
By: Roberta Baird,
on 6/15/2011
Here’s a sweet one for Fathers Day! It was done for a poem called Wiggle Time by Evelyn B. Christensen and is available in the June issue of Stories for Children Magazine.
By: Chris Singer,
on 6/14/2011
At Book Dads, we believe strongly in the powerful role dads play in helping their children develop a lifelong love of reading. While this month at Book Dads has been a celebration of fatherhood and reading, we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge how fortunate many of us are to be able to provide books and a healthy and safe reading environment for our children.
Throughout much of the world, this is not something that can be taken for granted. Last month, I was saddened to read the following tweet from LitWorld: “47% of Detroit’s adult population is functionally illiterate. This is unacceptable. Everyone deserves the right to read!” If you’re like me, you’re going to be stuck trying to grasp that 47% for a few minutes. My first question after reading that tweet was, “How many vulnerable children are affected by that 47%?” I then began to wonder about the probability that this may continue through the next two or three generations unless something is done to break the cycle.
On a visit to Detroit last week, I saw first hand the dramatic effects a 47% illiteracy rate has on a city. It’s not pretty and I left that night extremely saddened by what I saw in one of my favorite cities.
At Book Dads, we also feel very strongly about the second part of the tweet: “Everyone deserves the right to read!” Like LitWorld, we also believe in this and for that reason we have helped spread their powerful message of literacy for all. We’re honored to include our friends from LitWorld as part of our Father’s Day Celebration.
LitWorld is undertaking two important projects this summer as they will work to bring the power of story to hundreds of young people from Kenya to Harlem. However, in order to accomplish these projects, they need OUR help! LitWorld is calling out to the community to help by donating books and school supplies:
KENYA:
On July 8, 2011, members of the LitWorld team are headed to Kenya to visit our partners at the Children of Kibera Foundation. LitWorld works very closely with the Children of Kibera Foundation’s Red Rose School, where we run programs such as the Girls Clubs for Literacy Project. The Red Rose School is a beacon of hope for the children of Kibera, and is a positive learning environment providing education for children who are HIV/AIDS orphans.
HARLEM:
Starting this summer, LitWorld will set up the Story Power Camp project, a summer reading enrichment program for the youth of the Children’s Village, Polo Grounds Community Center. The Story Power Camp aims to engage young people in reading and writing through fun, interactive activities, while encouraging each participant to boldly share their personal stories. The Children’s Village works in partnership with families to help society’s most vulnerable children so that they become educationally proficient, economically productive and socially responsible members of their communities.
By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: June 14, 2010
Its time to celebrate dads! Here are four new books that we think daddies everywhere will find lots of fun …
By Beth Raisner Glass (Author), Margie Moore (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 3-7
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers (May 1, 2011)
Me and My Dad
By Alison Ritchie (Author), Alison Edgson (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 3-7
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Good Books (May 2011)
A Father’s Day Thank You
By Janet Nolan (Author), Kathi Ember (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 5-7
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (March 1, 2011)
Tyrannosaurus Dad
By Liz Rosenberg (Author), Matthew Myers (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-6
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (May 10, 2011)
©2011 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.
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By: Chris Singer,
on 6/13/2011
When my wife told me she was pregnant with our baby, one of the first things I did (after I finally stopped freaking out and started eating again) was start taking mental notes on exactly which books from my childhood I couldn’t wait to introduce to my child. The Rainbow Goblins by Ul De Rico, Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, and Wynken, Blynken & Nod by Eugene Field. They all flew right to the top of the list. Keep in mind that I had zero clue what sex our baby would be, whether the little kiddo would even like books, or if she’d sit still long enough for me to turn past page one. It didn’t matter. Those were books that I cherished as a kid and those were the first books I’d have on hand when Baby Neumyer came into the world.
About nine months later, our little Wiggle Bear (which has effectively become her name at this point) was born and for the next three weeks or so, I don’t remember thinking of any books at all. I didn’t think about what I’d like to read, what I’d like to read to her, or what she might like to read when she’s five, ten, fifteen, or thirty-five. The only thing I thought about was how to get a few precious minutes of sleep.
You see, what everyone tells you when your wife first gets pregnant is that having kids is hard work. Rewarding, of course, but hard work. What all these people fail to tell you, however, is how insanely hard having kids actually is. They couldn’t. There’s no possible way to form sentences that could actually convey just how difficult child-rearing (especially those vital first three weeks) is on your physical, mental, and emotional state. There are times that you and your wife begin to resemble something out of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead. In the end, however, none of this matters. Those first three weeks pass, you find your way, and your little bundle of awesome grows to be an even more amazing bundle of awesome. Mark my words.
And when those three weeks or so finally do pass, one of the first things you do is start piling up all the books you bought (or received as gifts at the baby shower) for the little one. You make meticulous lists about which book you’ll read Baby Awesome first (Wynken, Blynken & Nod. It’s always Wynken, Blynken & Nod.), which books you’ll read to Baby Awesome over and over again, and which books you’ll only read to Baby Awesome if they specifically ask to hear them (yes, there are some books even I can’t s
By: Chris Singer,
on 6/13/2011
“What do most Nobel Laureates, innovative entrepreneurs, artists and performers, well-adjusted children, happy couples and families, and the most successfully adapted mammals have in common? They play enthusiastically throughout their lives.”
~ Stuart Brown, MD, Institute of Play
I love the image of a mother reading to her child. But a sight that is just as charming to me is a father reading to his little one.
Men are traditionally encouraged to be stoic and focus on the day-to-day struggles of providing for their families – certainly noble and vital pursuits. Taking time for something as frivolous as reading fairy tales to a child, well, that’s just silly.
Sometimes, however, silly can be the most important thing in the world.
When a father escapes with his child into a world of fantasy, his worries – at least for a moment – dissolve. His brain pulls off its necktie, kicks off its shoes and runs barefoot through a grassy field. It frolics in the world of imagination.
If we forget to push the “play” button in our brains every once in a while, though, it becomes harder and harder to escape into that magical land. We risk losing altogether the map that leads us back to the treasures of childhood.
Sharing a book with a child is a wonderful way for a father to stay connected to the world of fantasy and imagination. I love to watch a friend of mine, who is a lawyer, read to his 5-year-old son. This very serious man who conducts very important business drops all his inhibitions and throws himself into his performance. He turns his voice into a flirty soprano when he read the words of a princess, makes it shaky and low when he intones the words of a king. He croaks like a toad; he roars like a tiger; he howls like the wind. And when he finally reads the words “The End,” he is exhausted but happy.
And even though my friend is reading bedtime stories, his audience has never fallen asleep during a performance – which I think is a great compliment from a very tough critic.
I feel honored and blessed that so many parents, teachers, librarians and babysitters let me read to their kids from my website, via downloads and in person. It’s one of the great joys of my life. But I feel guilty keeping all the fun to myself, so give it a try sometime, Dads. I guarantee you’ll be glad you did!
About me:
TV star Kathy Kinney (“The Drew Carey Show”), portrays Mrs. P and is also one of the creators of the website. The website endeavors to expose young people to great books and stories through a celebrity storyteller, Mrs. P. MrsP.com has no advertising and is completely free, making it a fun and educational online destination for teachers, parents and children. The site also contains interactive games, coloring sheets to download, and activity guides to accompany chapter books like “Alice in Wonderland”. Every story also offers read along options so children can see the words, which is helpful to early readers, and ESL students. Mrs. P is the recipient of The National Parenting Center 2009 Seal of Approval and the American Library Association distinction of “Gre
By: Chris Singer,
on 6/11/2011
The Reading Parent
For most of last year I served as “The Reading Parent” for my stepdaughter’s first grade class. One would think that, at it’s utterance, such an official sounding title commanded the same instantaneous respect from school children that similar positions like say, The President or Caesar do in silencing boisterous audiences.
“Boys and girls, The Reading Parent …of the United States!” I imagined the teacher saying in a thick, formal tone as she announced my entrance into the classroom. Not so. I completed three terms as The Reading Parent, and during each stint, this teacher did little more than smile while letting me know that they were just finishing up their art projects.
“Class, let’s clean up. It’s time for The Reading Parent,” she’d then say, causing a dozen glue-smeared faces to snap in my direction and squint with an unnerving gaze, a mix of leering and ravenous. And there I’d stand, like a crippled fawn wearing a suit made from the same fried batter that coats a Chicken McNugget. Noticing how they would glance at the safety scissors clenched inside their chubby paws and then back at me, I could tell what was going through their minds. “Do you think there’s a toy surprise inside?”
It’s at this moment that I usually took my seat at the head of the classroom. As I’d walk towards the undersized folding chair reserved for me, the natives mimicked the cadence of my stride by pounding on their tables and chanting “fresh meat, fresh meat” until their voices reached a frenzied crescendo of unintelligible whooping and howling.
Intimidating as this may sound, I learned to ignore it. They can smell fear—drives ‘em wild. Even the slightest quiver in your voice while recounting the exploits of Little Red Riding Hood and they will go all Big Bad Wolf on you in a Hans Christian Anderson second.
Yet for all the wildness, I relished being The Reading Parent. It‘s one of the few thing I get to do that’s overtly “parent-y.” Due to certain circumstances, my wife and I aren’t able to be as involved in the kids’ activities as much as we would like. Were things different, we’d certainly attend every PTA meeting, throwing in our two cents as to whether or not only gluten-free brownies should be sold at the next fundraiser.
Believe me, I would love to shout, “one thousand dollars!” in front of the entire assembly to make the winning bid for the “Prized Parent” parking space being auctioned off at the Fall Festival. Not only would I come off as the greatest dad since time began, but it would also ensure that my children finally receive speaking parts in the upcoming Christmas Musical. Until then, however, I’ll have to endure another performance where the same kids wearing more custom-made costumes slur their lines into a microphone like drunken celebrities at an awards show.
For now, The Reading Parent is all I’ve got. That’s why when my stepdaughters’ biological father stepped in to be The Reading Parent after moving back to town, I felt as if I had been replaced overnight in a quiet bloodless coup. The morning he was to take on the mantle, my one stepdaughter practically danced in the streets to celebrate as she picked out titles for her dad to read.
“Do you think he’ll like this one?” she asked holding up an I Spy book.
“Uh, maybe. How ‘bout this one?” It was a story about anim
By: Donna J. Shepherd,
on 5/29/2011
Liz Ball shares a hidden picture puzzle and coloring page for Father's Day. To order books with her hidden picture puzzles or other books (like Topsy Turvy Land) from Hidden Pictures Publishing, click HERE. Enjoy! *Click on the picture, then print! It will print out full size ready to be colored. If that doesn't work with your printer, right click on the picture, and then 'save picture as...'
Let the blurbing begin! Congratulations, Beth! Well said, Buzz!
Oh wow! Beautiful words for what I'm certain is a beautiful book. Congrats Beth : )
Congratulations!
YOU DID IT, GIRL!! xo
Thanks, Buzz, for shouting out the Praise!!!
Whoo Hoo! What an endorsement :)
So happy for you and can't wait to read the book.