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Friday, January 29, 2010

Poetry Friday - Erasers

I'm always on the lookout for new sources of poetry online. I was looking for a poem by Marie Ponsot when I came across the Poetry Series from Online NewsHour. As any good stumble on the Internet is bound to encourage, I spent an hour or so exploring all this site had to offer. You'll find audio, video, and a wealth of poems. Be sure to check it out.

While there I came across a terrific poem, which I am sharing today.

by Mary Jo Salter

As punishment, my father said, the nuns
        would send him and the others
out to the schoolyard with the day's erasers.

Punishment? The pounding symphony
        of padded cymbals clapped
together at arm's length overhead

(a snow of vanished alphabets and numbers
        powdering their noses
until they sneezed and laughed out loud at last)

Read the poem in it's entirety. You can also listen to the poet read this piece.
The round up is being hosted by Anastasia Suen at Picture Book of the Day. Do stop by and take in all the great poetry being shared. Before you go, be sure to check out this week's poetry stretch results. Happy poetry Friday all!

Poetry Stretch Results - Tritina

The challenge this week was to write a tritina, a 10-line poem composed of three, 3-line stanzas and a 1-line envoi. Like the sestina, a tritina uses an end-word scheme instead of a rhyme scheme. Here are the results.
by Steven Withrow of Crackles of Speech

That Sunday you wanted a drive,
So we drove south, you and I,
Singing alphabet songs, to the sea.

Some roads lead only to the sea.
We passed a sign for “Scenic Drive,”
You pointed out a lighthouse, which I

Saw was a mammoth lowercase “i”
Topped with a beacon, and the sea
Strove with its moon-driven drive

To drive us, home, beyond what my eye could see.

This poem was left by Lee Wind of I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell Do I Read?

Four days till the SCBWI Conference and I'm excited.

My first New York Conference so I'm scared.

Who knows what could happen? I don't, so I'm nervous.

Excited, Nervous, Scared... but mostly excited. That's me.

Jane Yolen left this poem in the comments.

To write a poem takes great heart ,
But do not leave behind the head.
Of course the other body part is the foot.

With poetic coin, the bill you foot,
But never neglect great (h)art.
Still, some poems begin in the head.

The poetic road that lies ahead?
You will need to go on foot.
Do not, my rhyming friend, lose heart

It takes all three to walk that road, to make a poem: heart, head, foot.

The Deluge
by Diane Mayr of Random Noodling

I imagine the deluge began
in the winter's darkest days
when the already bone-chilling rain

turned to relentless bone-breaking rain.
Beating, bashing, battering, it began
to obliterate nights and days.

No difference between the days
and nights--just pain--and rain--
and pain. Until the fortieth night began.

Forty days and nights lost to rain before forgiveness began.

by Kate Coombs of Book Aunt

Last week the sky was made of gray
and all the eyes reflected rain,
the kind of weather that asks why.

Like children tugging, asking why,
we waded through a sea of gray,
the only light in gleaming rain.

But there are those who read the rain,
who think its falling tells us why
the world's tenderness is gray.

Why, soft and gray as eiderdown is rain.

--Kate Coombs, 2010

by K. Thomas Slesarik

Pet shops seldom sell ‘em (those sneachers)
because they’ve a small cerebellum
but some sing karaoke by day.

They make little pay working each day
and many teachers are really sneachers
so please don’t stress their cerebellum.

And don’t speak of their cerebellum
‘cause it likely will ruin their day.
In fact, just run away from sneachers.

But celebrate their cerebellum each day. Go sneachers!

Stu Pidasso of Mudville Musings left this poem in the comments.

My temper makes me want to hit.
On me, it has such a firm hold.
Dealing with it daily can be a drag.

Stressed, I’m found in need of a drag;
or as it’s known, by some, a hit;
on this joint which I stand and hold.

I light it, breathe it in deep and hold;
before, to the car, my bag, I drag,
It preps me for a practice of rugby hits.

Tackling practice, where we learn to hit, hold and drag.

by Barbara J. Turner of Afternoons With Grammy

Strolling through the apple orchard, just you and I.
You don’t want to come, but I insist. So me and you
bask beneath plump red fruit, unseen by even him.

I feed you apples under the boughs, never thinking of him.
I see the man you were, the man you could be. I
see light in your eyes, feel your lovemaking change, and you -

you say you love me. The triad breaks. We become me and you,
no longer me, you, and him. You are the one I love. And him?
A memory. Now I cleave to you. Now there is only you and I.

We leave the garden, I unashamed, you, a whole man, neither of us caring a fig leaf for him.

Caroline left this poem in the comments.

In the damp, she peeled up moss
piecing the rugged squares
together again under the trees.

The wind shook the wet off the trees,
the soft bed of moss
squished in their cushioned squares.

Mud sealed and joined the squares,
little flowers fell from the trees,
decorating the moss.

A patchwork quilt of moss or what she considered squares of tiny trees.

These next two poems were written by Liz Korba.

My First Tritina
Oh how does one begin to find a way
To write three words repeating in ten lines
Four times - change ‘round the order ‘till the end
Where three words reflect what’s written at the end
Of the beginning lines (first three) (No way!)
Just how to make that happen in the lines
Complete with thoughts to read between the lines
I’ve no idea…but almost at the end
I think, “Who feels the need to write this way?!”
This way with lines, three words – four times… The End!!

Third Day Tritina
And so they build not shelters yet but time
Each second forged to make up one more day
And night - not thinking what some future days will hold
To breathe that’s all and putting hope on hold
Still waiting for life to return with time
Though no one can begin to see that day
Imagine something other than this day
Now that the earthquake came, left and took hold
Of lives that once built other things in time
Some time, one day, again, life will take hold.

Jone of Deo Writer shares a poem entitled Old Chair.
It's not too late if you still want to play. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll add it to the list.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Books for Elementary Science - Physical Science

Last week my preservice teachers posted their reviews of books for teaching process skills in science. This week they focused on physical science. This time around you'll find a wealth of nonfiction titles. Head on over to Open Wide, Look Inside this week to see what they're sharing.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Book Review - Looking Closely Around the Pond

I have always been a fan of the Games Magazine puzzles called "Eyeball Benders." These are a type of puzzle in which the reader must identify a common object pictured in a close-up and generally uncommon view. Here is an example from the July 2008 cover of the magazine.

Why do I mention these puzzles in a book review? Because books in the series Looking Closely from Kids Can Press uses this type of visual puzzle as an introduction to natural environments. Written and photographed by Frank Serafini, the books challenge readers to guess the identity of each close-up photo. The cropped images on the right hand page are framed in black. The small circle that is visible allows readers to focus on just one part of the larger image. The left hand page in each spread begins with "Look very closely. What do you see?" What appears next are two ideas designed to get readers thinking. The page ends with the words, "What could it be?" On the next page each object is shown in its habitat and accompanied by a description.

The first spread from Looking Closely Around the Pond is focused on the a portion of a turtle shell. The next page begins with the words "It's a Box Turtle." The text reads:

Box turtles are shy creatures. They creep slowly around the pond, eating snails, mushrooms and small berries. They stay close to shore because they are not very good swimmers. In winter, box turtles dig into the ground. There, they sleep, or hibernate, until spring.

The colorful designs on a box turtle's shell help it to blend in with grasses. When a box turtle gets scared, it pulls it legs and head inside its shell to protect itself.

Looking Closely Around the Pond highlights nine plants and animals that can be found in this environment. The last page features a double-page photograph of a pond. The book ends with the following photographer's note.

Photographers pay attention to things that most people overlook or take for granted. I can spend hours wandering along the shore, through the forest, across the desert or in my garden, looking for interesting things to photograph. My destination is not a place, but rather a new way of seeing.

It takes time to notice things. To be a photographer, you have to slow down and imagine in your "mind's eye" what the camera can capture. Ansel Adams said you could discover a whole life's worth of images in a six-square-foot patch of Earth. In order to do so, you have to look very closely.

By creating the images featured in this series of picture books, I hope to help people attend to nature, to things they might have normally passed by. I want people to pay attention to the world around them, to appreciated what nature has to offer, and to being to protect the fragile environment in which we live.

Dr. Serafini succeeds beautifully in getting readers to attend to the small details found in nature. His images will surely capture the imagination of children and adults alike. Readers will delight in the challenges provided by the close-up photographs and this welcome introduction to the pond environment. I know I did. Highly recommended.

Books: Looking Closely Around the Pond
Author/Illustrator: Frank Serafini
Kids Can Press
Publication Date:
40 pages
Source of Book: Review copy received from Raab Associates.

Fantastic Fiction Guest Post

William helped me put together a list of some of our favorite books on dogs. You can find our contribution to the Fantastic Fiction for Kids series over at the amazing blog Playing by the Book.

Thanks for having us, Zoe!

My Top Ten Middle Grade Books - Answering Betsy's Call

Following on the heels of last year's Top 100 Picture Book Poll, Fuse #8 (Betsy Bird) has created a new poll to discover our views on the Top 100 Children's Fictional Chapter Books. I thought I'd share my books with you here, though not in the rank order I submitted them. Hey, a girl's got to have some secrets, right?

Okay, first things first. Here's how the rules begin.
Vote for your top ten middle grade books of all time (not just this year or last year) by 11:59 Eastern on January 31, 2010.
See the your I highlighted. This means that what follows below is MY list. Mine, mine, mine! I can say without hesitation that this also means there are books you will love that will NOT be on my list. (I'm talking about you, Wilbur.)

So, how does one decide on the best middle grade books of all time? I made a list, pulled dog-eared copies of books off the shelf, made another list, reread some books, and then did the painful job of cutting titles and whittling favorites down to 10. It wasn't easy, but it was fun.

Somehow all the "animal" books fell off the list. I said goodbye to Charlotte's Web, The Mouse and His Child, Rabbit Hill, and The Cricket in Times Square fairly early in the process. I gave up Ann Frank: Diary of a Young Girl at the bitter end, but only because nonfiction is not allowed on this list. I also dumped The Hobbit because it seemed like it was right on the edge of YA and I didn't want to waste a vote.

Without further ado I present my selections, alpha by title. Kudos to you if you can guess which is number 1.
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo - I love Opal and the bond she forms with Winn-Dixie. I also love the crazy cast of characters. But most of all, I love how through the dog Opal finds friends and begins to understand that everyone carries some kind of baggage, and how this helps her to settle into her own place in the world.

Half Magic by Edward Eager - A magical coin--oops, make that a half magical coin, four precocious children (Jane, Katherine, Mark and Martha), and a slew of wishes, few of which turn out as planned, make this one a witty, entertaining read.

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh - Harriet made me want to write everything down, and once I did, I then fretted over who would find my notebook and how I might be tortured if my "real" feelings were discovered.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
by J.K. Rowling - Yes, I've read them all, MULTIPLE times. Book 3 is my favorite of the lot. (Yes, I know there would be no series without the first!) All I can say is, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

Holes by Louis Sachar - Stanley Yelnats is down on his luck, and after his latest misfortune is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention center. Camp Green Lake is neither green nor wet, but a dry, flat wasteland where boys dig holes for rehabilitation. Or is it something else? In telling the story of the present and the past, while introducing a host of memorable characters, Sachar has crafted a book that is quirky, mysterious, and a lot of fun.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster - I stole this one from my older brother's bookshelf and never gave it back. Oh how I wanted one of those tollbooths! As a lover of words and numbers I was thrilled with every new character and adventure Milo encountered.

Tom’s Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce - What's a curious boy to do when the clock in the hall strikes thirteen? Why investigate, of course! Tom goes to the first floor and opens the back door, only to find himself faced with a garden, and not the alleyway that exists there by day. In this new world Tom meets a girl names Hattie, but what's he to do when he faces leaving the home that houses the entry to this other world?

The Watson’s Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis - While plenty of folks may be choosing Bud, Not Buddy or Elijah of Buxton, I'm hanging with Kenny and his family. This book moves between laugh-out-loud funny and heartbreaking. It also oozes characters with strength who have a whole lot of love for one another, regardless of the circumstances they find themselves in.

The Willoughby’s by Lois Lowry - You have to love a book that by page 2 says, "The Willoughby parents frequently forgot that they had children and became quite irritable when they were reminded of it." While the Willoughby children plot to make themselves orphans, Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby are doing some plotting of their own, and it isn't good.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle - First there's Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. There's also a tesseract, the planet of Camazotz, and the power of love. And really, it begins with what must be one of the most famous line in children's literature--"It was a dark and stormy night."
It's not too late if you want to join in the fun. You have until 11:59 Eastern on January 31, 2010 to send Betsy your list.

Books for Elementary Social Studies - Geography

Did I mention I'm team teaching this semester? I am still teaching two sections of Integrated Curriculum Methods (pedagogical approaches to teaching science and social studies in the elementary classroom), though this time around I am thrilled to be working with a social studies consultant from a local school division. That means I get to teach all the science and she teaches all the social studies. While I do miss (just a little bit) the responsibility for the whole shootin' match, I get to focus on what I do best--math (my other class) and science.

So, one class has jumped into science while the other has begun with social studies. This means that new books suggestions coming out each week will be for two different areas of the curriculum!

This week the social studies folks have posted their reviews of books for teaching geography in the elementary classroom. They have selected some really wonderful books that span the globe, so head on over to Open Wide, Look Inside to see what they're sharing this week.

Books for Elementary Science - Process Skills

The semester is well underway (we're in week 3!) and my preservice teachers have already begun reading books and writing blog posts. Last week they tackled process skills. You'll find book suggestions, curriculum connections, and links to additional resources for topics like the senses, measurement, the nature of science, and more. I'm thrilled that they've included biographies of scientists as well. There are some surprising and creative choices here, including Amelia Bedelia and Science Fair Bunnies!

Head on over to Open Wide, Look Inside to see what they're sharing.

Female Teachers and Math Anxiety

This is NOT good news.
Girls have long embraced the stereotype that they're not supposed to be good at math. It seems they may be getting the idea from a surprising source -- their female elementary school teachers.

First- and second-graders whose teachers were anxious about mathematics were more likely to believe that boys are hard-wired for math and that girls are better at reading, a new study has found. What's more, the girls who bought into that notion scored significantly lower on math tests than their peers who didn't.

You can read more at the Los Angeles Times and Business Week.

All the more reason to prepare elementary teachers who are highly confident in their ability to know, do, and teach math.

School System Bans the Dictionary

In more book banning news, this time from southern California ...
Menifee Union School District officials decided to pull Merriam Webster's 10th edition from all school shelves earlier this week.

School officials will review the dictionary to decide if it should be permanently banned because of the "sexually graphic" entry, said district spokeswoman Betti Cadmus. The dictionaries were initially purchased a few years ago for fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms districtwide, according to a memo to the superintendent.

"It's just not age appropriate," said Cadmus, adding that this is the first time a book has been removed from classrooms throughout the district.

You can read more at The Press-Enterprise and the KCal9 web site.

I don't know about you, but I grew up in the day when looking up swear words in the dictionary was half the fun of getting to use the blasted thing. How else was I going to learn what all those words meant?

Monday, January 25, 2010

Monday Poetry Stretch - Tritina

I'm struggling with writing a poem right now (drat you roundeau redoublé!), but that doesn't mean I'm not willing to keep writing in different ways. So, I'm turning to something different today. The tritina is related to the sestina, though a bit easier to manage. Here are the nuts and bolts of the form.

10-line poem made of three, 3-line stanzas and a 1-line envoi

There is no rhyme scheme but rather an end word scheme. It is:

A, B, and C (all words used in the last line/envoi)
Generally the end words are unrhymed.
So, your challenge for the week is to write a tritina. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Poetry Friday - Drinking With My Father in London

I'm a big fan of the blog How a Poem Happens. Each week a poet shares a poem and answers questions about its construction. Each interview provides a peek into a writer's soul and speaks volumes about process. What have I learned? Inspiration can come from the strangest of places. No one writes in the same manner. Revision is the hallmark of a good poem. And more ...

This week I'm sharing a poem I read back in December that is still with me.
by Philip Pardi

With his mate, Wilfred, who was dying,
I discussed ornithology as best I could
given the circumstances, my father flushed
and silent, a second pint before me,
my fish and chips not yet in sight.
Condensation covered the windows
and in the corner a couple played
tic-tac-toe with their fingers.

Read the poem in its entirety. Don't miss Pardi's interview, as his answers are quite insightful and inspiring.
The round up is being hosted by the inimitable Liz Scanlon at Liz in Ink. Do stop by and take in all the great poetry being shared this week. Before you go, be sure to check out this week's poetry stretch results. Happy poetry Friday all!

Poetry Stretch Results - Winners and Losers

The challenge this week was to write about winners and losers. Here are the results.
by Steven Withrow of Crackles of Speech

Losing the Williams Junior High School
spelling bee, on “eleemosynary,”
was, I now see, an act of charity.
Knowing the Latin root for “alms”
(could you use it in a sentence?)
guarantees no one a varsity letter.

Although it burned me that I flubbed
the double e’s, entreating the floor
for the proper etymology
before retreating to my seat
to small applause, conciliatory
(c-o-n-c-i-l-i-a-t-o-r-y, conciliatory),

Worse by far would have been
the booming backlash in homeroom
next morning, hearing my name
among the roster of brainiacs,
“loo-zer” in any language, certain
I’d perish (part of speech?) a virgin.

by Kate Coombs of Book Aunt

There is no winning
now, no trophy with its rim
curved like a golden smile,
no tape to burst through,
no joy to shout, no hands
to bear you aloft, no song
to sing except a lullaby
as you turn gray
with pain and shoulder
your way swordless into
that dark, silent wood.

--Kate Coombs, 2010

Laura Salas shares a poem entitled R You Sure?

Massachusetts Mourning
by Jane Yolen

Yes, I voted, and would have voted twice.
But I am a good girl, moral, clean, and nice.
I always stop for red lights, I listen to advice.
But if I could have,
I really would have
Voted yesterday

©2010 Jane Yolen. All rights reserved.

Historical Fiction
by Liz Korba

They aim
The guns
Life lost
War won
It's not too late if you still want to play. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll add it to the list.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Book Review - Food Chains

The series Follow That Food Chain from Lerner Publishing uses the "choose your own adventure" format to provide readers with an exciting new way to learn about the food chain. The books in the series examine food chains by situating them in different ecosystems and then allowing readers to choose an animal to follow through the chain. Ecosystems explored include the Australian Outback, cloud forest, coral reef, desert, estuary, Galápagos Islands, mangrove forest, Nile River, rain forest, savanna, temperate forest, and tundra.

Each book begins with an introduction to the ecosystem or biome that is the focus of the book. The Rain Forest book focuses on rain forests of south America, while the Temperate Forest book focuses on the woods of North America. The next step is for readers to select a tertiary consumer to follow through the chain. In the case of the temperate forest, readers can select the American black bear, gray wolf, great horned owl, Canada lynx, or bald eagle. In the rain forest they can select the jaguar, anaconda, or harpy eagle.

From the outset, there are two things that work really well here. First, one page of text fully describes the members of the food chain (consumers, producers, and decomposers) and their role in it. Then readers are told how to use the book. Here's an excerpt.
Begin your journey through the temperate forest food web by choosing a tertiary consumer. These large carnivores, or meat eaters, as at the top of the food chain. That means, for the most part, they don't have any enemies in the woods (except for humans).

When it's time for the tertiary consumer to eat, pick its meal and flip to that page. As you go through the book, don't be surprised if you backtrack and end up where you never expected to be. That's how food webs work--they're complicated. And watch out for those dead ends! When you hit one of those, you have to go back to page 7 and start over with another tertiary consumer.
So, knowing the task at hand, I chose the gray wolf and turned to page 28 to begin my adventure. Ostensibly, these books are about the food chain, right? That's what the title says. But here's the second thing I really appreciate about these books. They're just as much about the ecosystem and animals as the food chain. The interdependence of all these things becomes apparent as you read. When I got to page 28 I learned a whole lot about gray wolves before I even got to the next phase of food chain investigation. Here are a few examples.
  • Wolves hunt over more space than any other land mammals, except humans.
  • Until the 1960s, rewards were offered for killing gray wolves.
  • Wolves can go up to two weeks without eating.
  • Wolves have been known to eat up to 22 pound in one feeding. (That's almost 1/3 their weight!)
After reading about wolves the text reads, "Last night for dinner, the pack tracked down ..." On the facing page are a series of choices. They include:
  • a pine marten caught scampering across the pine needles
  • a raccoon rubbing his food in a river
  • a panicked white-tailed deer that gave a good chase
  • burying beetles on their way to a new carcass
  • a northern flying squirrel that surprised the pack as he glided to the ground
  • an elk that's been sick all winter
  • an American beaver distracted by the fall of a large tree
I chose the poor elk and flipped to page 14 to read on. This is where I hit a dead end. DRAT! So, I went back to the beginning and chose a great horned owl. From here I followed the chain to a raccoon (the owl ate a baby left alone), then a Canada goose (the raccoon ate goose eggs hidden in the tall grass), then grass and plants near the water (a goose's preferred food), and finally to the earthworms decomposing materials in the soil (which eventually served as nutrients for the plants). PHEW!

The rain forest food chain was just as interesting. I started with the anaconda and was surprised to see the sentence stem read, "Last year for dinner, the anaconda swallowed ..." Last year! The anaconda ate a capybara swimming in the river, which ate leaves from a kapok tree. Once you get to the producers, the cycles takes you to decomposers and you start again. My second trip through the text took me from jaguar to green iguana to rhinoceros beetle (accompanied by the word crunchy!) to fungus growing on a tree trunk. That particular decomposer allowed me to choose from a host of carcasses, including the jaguar, giant armadillo, giant anteater, harpy eagle, anaconda, army ants, bromeliad flower, and nuts from a cacao tree.

I had a great deal of fun reading through these books and learned a lot in the process. Readers will learn about much more than food chains as they work their way through these texts. The two books in this series that I reviewed were thoughtfully planned and dense with information. Students in the upper elementary grades are sure to be intrigued and excited about this interactive format. Highly recommended.

Source of Books: Review copies received from publisher.

Book Review - Life Cycle Series

For young readers there are some exciting new series books that explore animal life cycles. Both are small in dimension (7" x 6") and fit nicely into little hands.

From Lerner Publishing comes the series First Step Nonfiction - Animal Life Cycles. Books in this series introduce readers to deer, dragonflies, grasshoppers, robins, salamanders, and worms. Written with emerging readers in mind, the books use short, simple sentences and glossy, full-color photographs. At 24 pages they're just the right length to hold interest and provide information.

The text contains a number of highlighted words that appear in the book's glossary. Here's an example.
A robin is a bird, like a duck or an owl.
In the glossary readers will find a picture of a bird (the robin) with this definition.
bird - an animal that lays eggs and has wings and feathers
The final pages of the book contain an illustrated diagrams of a robin highlighting major body parts. Also included are robin facts and and index.

From Capstone Press comes the series Watch It Grow. Books in this series introduce readers to goldfish, mealworms, milkweed bugs, painted lady butterflies, pillbugs, silkworms, and snails. Also designed with emerging readers in mind, the books combine simple, easy to read sentences with color photographs, many of them labeled to highlight features described in the text. The books in this series contain an important note for parents and teachers. Here's the one from the Snails book.
The Watch it Grow set supports national science standards related to life science. This book describes and illustrated apple snails. The images support early readers in understanding the text. The repetition of words and phrases helps early readers learn new words. This book also introduces early readers to subject-specific vocabulary words, where are defined in the Glossary section. Early readers may need assistance to read some words and to use the Table of Contents, Glossary, Read More, Internet Sites, and Index sections of the book.
There is a lot of information packed into the 24 pages of the books in this series. Unlike the Lerner series which contains a photo on and text on every page, these books contain a full-page photograph on the left side of every spread with accompanying text on the right. Here is how the snail book begins.
What Are Snails?
Snails are invertebrates.
They have a soft body
and a hard shell.
Apple snails live in water.
They change as they grow.
The phases of the life cycle are divided into sections in the book, so readers move from the introduction to snails to From Egg to Hatchling and then to From Hatchling to Adult.

The Goldfish book is just as interesting, though divided differently because of the stages in the life cycle of a goldfish. This one contains the sections Metamorphosis, From Egg to Larva, From Larva to Fry, and From Fry to Adult. The pictures of the goldfish larvae are fascinating, and made me wonder how the photographer managed to capture the tiny creatures. The photo on page 12 is a bit blurry, but otherwise the images all standout and do a fine job of supporting the text.

Both of these series would be fine additions to nonfiction collections and are excellent resources for young readers.

Source of Books: Review copies received from publisher.

Book Review - Follow That Map!

Follow That Map!: A First Look at Mapping Skills, written and illustrated by Scot Ritchie, provides readers with an introduction to map skills while whisking them off on an adventure to find some missing pets.

The Table of Contents identifies the 14 double-page spreads that take kids through this problem-solving adventure. The book opens with a Getting Started spread. It begins this way.

Do you know how to find a hidden treasure? Do you know how far your house is from the candy store? Do you know the way to your favorite ride at the amusement park? It's easy! Join the friends below and follow that map!
This text is accompanied by a simple definition and a drawing of a map that contains a number of features that are highlighted and defined, including a compass rose, landmark, symbol, legend, routes, and a scale bar.

The next double-page spread presents the problem that begins the map-reading adventure.
Sally and her friends are playing in her backyard. Pedro notices that Sally's dog, Max, and her cat, Ollie, are missing.

Where have Max and Ollie gone? The five friends decide to find out!
Each stop along the way presents a map, a question, and some helpful information. Here is an example from the spread "In the City."
No luck on the trail. Yulee suggest going to the city zoo. Maybe Max and Ollie are visiting the animals.

Martin is getting close to the zoo. Which direction is he running?

The compass rose on a map shows you directs such as north, south, east and west.
I'm not sure what the motivation for answering the questions will be, but as a part of lesson on mapping these will be helpful tools for teachers.

Readers are introduced to 10 sights and a variety of maps along the way, including a weather map, treasure map, physical map, world map, and more. The maps are colorful, interesting, well captioned, and will be interesting for kids to explore. I did have one area of concern and that is in regards to the physical map. On the page it is called a topographical map and accompanied by this definition.
A topographical map shows the natural features of a landscape. You can use this kind of map to find rolling hills, low-lying lakes or high mountains.
The map that accompanies this text is the one on the cover of the book. My problem is not with the definition, but with the map itself and the title of the map. True topographic maps use contour lines to show the shape and elevation of the earth's surface. This map does not have these lines. That's why I referred to this map as a physical map. To avoid confusion later a teacher would likely need to explain this distinction and perhaps show examples of both topographic and physical maps of an area.

The book wraps up with the kids returning home to find the missing pets asleep under a tree. The final spread leads readers through the process of creating their own maps. Teachers will find the learning resource material (pdf) for this book to a source of useful ideas and classroom activities.

I generally liked this book, though I thought the inclusion of the map of the planets to be a bit over the top, though young readers will find it fun to look at and think about. the introductory pages alone make this one worthwhile for the clear and concise way maps are presented.

Book: Follow That Map!: A First Book of Mapping Skills
Author/Illustrator: Scot Ritchie
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: K-3
Source of Book: Review copy received from Raab Associates.

Book Review - Who Lives Here? Savanna Animals

The Who Lives Here? series, written by Deborah Hodge and illustrated by Pat Stephens, examines animals in their natural environments and explains how those animals are uniquely adapted to their habitats. The books are organized by habitat and include titles on Desert Animals, Forest Animals, Polar Animals, Rain Forest Animals, Savanna Animals and Wetland Animals.

Who Lives Here? Savanna Animals opens with a Table of Contents that begins with a page that defines that habitat (What is a Savanna?) and ends with a page containing animals words (pictorial index) and information for parents and teachers. In between are 9 double-page spreads, each introducing a different animal.

The opening page that asks the question "What is a __?" provides a good basic introduction to the habitat. Here is how the What is a Savanna? page begins.
A savanna is a huge area of grassy land, dotted by trees and bushes. Savannas are found in hot parts of the world. Most have a long dry season and a shorter rainy season.

The savanna is home to many exciting animals. Their bodies and habits are suited for living on the warm grassy plain.
The facing page briefly describes the savanna after it rains, a bit about what happens when the rainy season ends, the importance of grass to the animals that live here.

Once the background information has been covered, this book all about the animals. Readers will find information on these savanna inhabitants.
  • Elephant
  • Wildebeest
  • Giraffe
  • Meerkat
  • Zebra
  • Black Mamba
  • Lion
  • Ostrich
  • Rhinoceros
Each set of animal pages includes a description of the animal and a sidebar with facts about the animal and its adaptations, as well as an illustration that covers a full one and a third of the double-page spread. Here is an example.
(Main Spread, p.10)
The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. Some big males are as tall as two-story buildings.

Giraffes stay near acacia trees that grow on the savanna. A calf drinks its mother's milk, but soon it will eat acacia leaves, too. Delicious!

(Sidebar, p.11)
A giraffe nibbles high in the treetops. It picks leaves with a tongue that is as long as your arm.

Male giraffes wrestle with their powerful necks to see who is the strongest.

Long, strong legs help the giraffe run fast. Hooves, as big as dinner plates, give a fierce kick.
Here's a sample spread of these animal pages.
Each of these animal entries is packed with information. The text is easy to read and the illustrations in the sidebar support the text by providing close-up views of the adaptations described. The animal words section on the last page of each book provides a search-and-find opportunity for readers. Six close-up views of a body part are accompanied by a name, page number, and the question "Can you find pictures of these body parts in the book?" The idea here is for students to revisit the pages and think about how the body part helps the animal adapt to its environment.

This is a strong entry in the series that will be a useful resources for students studying how a variety of animals adapt to their environments. The accessibility of the language and detailed illustrations make them helpful texts for young readers. The fact that this book contains elephants, giraffes, and other "exotic" animals makes this one particularly appealing. Recommended.

Book: Who Lives Here? Savanna Animals
Author: Deborah Hodge
Illustrator: Pat Stephens
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 24 pages
Grades: K-3
Source of Book: Review copy received from Raab Associates.

Monday, January 18, 2010

How Poetry Fared

Here's how poetry titles fared in the awards this year.
Caldecott Honor Book
written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
(Cybils poetry finalist)

Coretta Scott King Honor Book for Illustrator
The Negro Speaks of Rivers
written by Langston Hughes and illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Gorgeous illustrations breathe new life into Hughes' poem. Each line of the poem is paired with a watercolor illustration that highlights water as a source of life and sorrow in the lives of black people.

Coretta Scott King Medal for Illustrator
My People
written by Langston Hughes and illustrated by Charles R. Smith

Hughes familiar poem that begins "The night is beautiful/So the faces of my people" is brilliantly illustrated in sepia-toned photos. Though only 33-words in length, the poem is brought vibrantly to life in a series of double-page spreads containing only 2 or 3 words each.

Pura Belpré Author and Illustrator Honor Book
Diego: Bigger Than Life
written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand and illustrated by David Diaz

Pura Belpré Author Honor Book
Federico Garcia Lorca (Cuando Los Grandes Eran Pequenos/ When the Grown-Ups Were Children)
written by Georgina Lazaro and illustrated by Enrique S. Moreiro
Congratulations to the winners.

Sibert Medal Winners

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year. Here are this year's winners.
Honor Books
The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors
written by Chris Barton and illustrated by Tony Persiani
(Cybils nonfiction picture/information books finalist)

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
written and illustrated by Brian Floca
(Cybils nonfiction picture/information books finalist)

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
written by Phillip M Hoose
(Cybils nonfiction middle grade & young adult books finalist)

Medal Winner
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
written by Tanya Lee Stone

Congratulations to all the winners.

Where's That Shiny New Sticker Going to Go?!

Congrats to Tanita Davis for her Coretta Scott King honor award for Mare's War. Here's a summary.
Alternating between present and past, the story of Marey Lee Boylen's service in the African American unit of the Women’s Army Corp (WAC) unfolds against the backdrop of a roadtrip with her bickering granddaughters. Mare's story is told as she experienced life in the 40's, and as such is filled details about day-to-day life during the war, the humiliations of segregation (even in the army), and the role of WACs in World War II.
Where do you think they'll put that shiny new sticker?

Monday Poetry Stretch - Winners and Losers

Everyone in the world of children's literature is thinking about winners this morning. Who will they be? I hesitate to say that there are winners and losers here, as anyone who has walked the long road to publication is surely a winner.

I am thinking now of occasions when I have won and lost things, when others have won grand victories, and yet others have felt the sting of defeat. So, while many winners will be celebrated in the days to come, let's write about winners and/or losers.

Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Poetry Friday - Nocturnal

This week I'm sharing a poem by Stephen Edgar. I simply haven't been able to get it out of my mind. Maybe once you read it you'll feel the same as I do.
by Stephen Edgar

It's midnight now and sounds like midnight then,
The words like distant stars that faintly grace
               The all-pervading dark of space,
               But not meant for the world of men.
                              It's not what we forget
But what was never known we most regret
Discovery of. Checking one last cassette
Among my old unlabelled discards, few
Of which reward the playing, I find you.

Read the poem in its entirety.
The round up is being hosted by Mary Ann at Great Kid Books. Do stop by and take in all the great poetry being shared this week. Before you go, be sure to check out this week's poetry stretch results. Happy poetry Friday all!

Poetry Stretch Results - Firsts

The challenge this week was to write a poem about a first. Here are the results.
by Jane Yolen

My first kiss was a revelation,
not because it was deep, soulful,
full of tongue,
but rather hesitant
or perhaps respectful,
hard to know at the moment
of such new, sweet heat
or even years later, trying to recall.
A quick peck on the lips,
a butterfly not a wasp,
and yet I was stung
there under the Vermont trees.
That boy, I think his name was Paul.
The trees, I think they might have been birches.
The place, by the main house at summer camp.
I remember that name at least:
or Indian Brook,
now Farm & Wilderness,
because Quakers are wary of misnomers.
But names fall away fifty-five years later
and only that first young kiss,
Whether Paul or the birches do as well,
well, it little matters
when the matter is not reality
but memory.

©2010 Jane Yolen All Rights Reserved

My First Poem this Week
by Ken Slesarik

Can you fix this poem?
For Jane Yolen I am not.
It’s not a sonnet or an ode
with a complicated plot.
It’s closer to a limerick,
a basic, simple jaunt.
The best parts of my poem
are the paper and the font.
The meter it is woeful.
The cadence clearly weak.
My grammar needs some work
so go on and take a peek.
Please do your best to fix this.
I’m certain you won’t fail.
And if you know a publisher
this poem, it’s for sale.

©2010 by K. Thomas Slesarik

First Time Roasting a Turkey
by Diane Mayr of Random Noodling

Come to think of it
I'm now sixty and I
have yet to roast a turkey,
or even to cook a roast
beef. I've got endless
"firsts" possibilities--
making the aforementioned
roasts, knitting--anything,
writing a sonnet, welcoming
a grandchild, traveling
west of Pennsylvania,
getting a pedicure, taking
tap dance lessons, going
up in a hot air balloon,
seeing a Broadway musical--
on Broadway, winning a Newbury
(actually any award would do),
growing clematis, wearing
high heels (nah, I'll never
do that), running a mile,
eating a hot fudge sundae
with three scoops of ice
cream, nuts, a cherry, and
real whipped cream without
feeling guilty. Hey, I'm
sixty--that doesn't make
me old--only I can do that.

for Lesley
by Steven Withrow of Crackles of Speech

February night, stuck inside
a stuffy, dim-lit dorm room,
people talking nonsense.

I say to no one, anyone,
"I'm going for a walk,"
hoping it won't draw a crowd.

I've got your attention.
You ask, "Can I come too?"
We grab our warm coats

slip out the door to the hall.
Multiple musics surround us:
Frankie Valli's "Oh, What a Night"

mixes with Pearl Jam's "Black."
The corridor reeks of popcorn.
Outside, cold air blows

swirls of snow on the road
that goes from Cedar Hall
up toward the frog pond

by the auditorium.
It's well below freezing --
maybe fifteen degrees --

but I don't notice.
In fact, I'm flushed in the face.
We're both eighteen.

The heat between us
is palpable,
like a delicate shape

of glass in soul-space.
I start to speak, stop,
awake to something new

in your sidelong smile,
a kiss of dark, dark eyes,
an inner shift I cannot name

and know how loved
I am in love, how we'll never
be separate, or the same.

Shirley Klock shared this modified tanka.

Creek gurgles, out there.
Trout sizzles, in here.
My first time to crunch down whole,
Head-first, a bony small fry,
While outside, fish rise to feed.

Liz left this poem in the comments.

The End

First Child
How I waited
Prayed and yearned
For you
To be
To see
The you
Of you
Alone – with a small part of me
And he – the one I love the most
(He waited
Wanted too)
But you
Of all we thought should be
Will never be
No part of him
No part of me
No dream
No hope
No faith not dark
No first born
Beloved one…

Greg K. of GottaBook shares a poem entitled Getting Ready.

First Sentence
by Kate Coombs of Book Aunt

It was a dark and—
no. She ran, shrieking—
no. The breath of dawn,
the pink breath of dawn?
No. No. I couldn't believe—
If an octopus would only—
maybe. Tilly had flown
just once. Not bad. But if—
okay. His fangs dripped—
no. Absolutely NO vampires!
The hydrocephalic earwig—
yuck. Or maybe...
I wanted to tell a story.
But nothing worked.

That works.

--Kate Coombs, 2010

I wonder if anyone had a first love like mine?
by Carol Weis

it was his lack of
respect for
that I fell for
his (parentheses)
out of nowhere
his words
swaggering down
the lines
luring me in
with mouth
my blossoming body
could only dream of
ee(first love)

© Carol Weis

by Barbara Turner of Afternoons With Grammy

a month or more
in chysalis,
limbs sore
and stiff at this
moment of awakening.

surging wings
antennae strings
pop, unflex.
A butterfly’s first breath.

Susan Taylor Brown shares a poem entitled First Kiss.

Taking the Years Away
by Rachel Green

i gave you a piece of my mind
and you took it away; kept it with
my heart (which i gave you the day we met)
in an old Liquorice Allsorts tin
you bought at an antiques fair.
i lost my mind when you left
but you stayed in touch
and over the years came to love me
like a well-remembered aunt
and you gave me back that first piece,
dried and withered as it was.
i remembered our youth
and the old quarry where we fell in love
over a fossilised snail shell.

Jone of DeoWriter shares two poems about firsts.
It's not too late if you still want to play. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll add it to the list.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Thematic Book List - Earthquakes

While the world watches events unfold in Haiti, many children will have questions about earthquakes and the damage they do, as well as this place called Haiti. Mitali Perkins has Haiti covered with a terrific short list of children's and YA books set in Haiti. For my part I've put together a short list of books about earthquakes.

Given the devastation that follows in the wake of a powerful earthquake, it's hard to see them as constructive, but geologically speaking, that's exactly what they are--constructive forces of nature. Constructive forces (earthquakes, volcanoes, deposition) are forces that build up the earth's surface. Destructive forces (weathering and erosion) are forces that tear it down.

The list that follows explains the science behind earthquakes. You'll find some nonfiction titles, some poetry, and a bit of history, both true and imagined.

Earthshake: Poems From the Ground Up, written by Lisa Westberg Peters and illustrated by Cathie Felstead - This collection of twenty-two poems introduces geologic concepts through metaphor and word play in a variety of poetic forms.

Earthquakes, written by Michael Woods and Mary Woods - Did you know that there is an earthquake somewhere on earth every day? This book in the Disasters Up Close series includes dramatic images and stories of survivors while examining the facts and figures related to some of the world’s biggest earthquake disasters.

Earthquakes: Earth's Mightiest Moments, written by David Harrison and illustrated by Cheryl Nathan - A good choice for younger readers, this book provides a nice introduction to earthquakes. Readers will learn about the layers of the earth, plate tectonics, the scientists that study earthquakes, and more.

Earthquakes, written by Franklyn Branley and illustrated by Megan Lloyd - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series explains why earthquakes happen, where they occur most often, and what to do if one happens near you.

How Mountains Are Made, written by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld and illustrated by James Graham Hale - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series explains the constructive forces behind mountain building.

Jump Into Science: Earthquakes, written by Ellen Prager and illustrated by Susan Greenstein - This series from the National Geographic Society explains the causes and effects of earthquakes.

Time for Kids: Earthquakes!, written by the Editors of Time for Kids - Using simple language, this book is divided into short chapters and includes the topics of The Earth Rocks, Measuring Movement, Monster Quakes, and Stay Safe. A glossary is included.

Earthquakes by Seymour Simon - Full color photographs on every page enhance this clear and concise text that introduces the cause of earthquakes and their effects. Historic information on earthquake events is also included.

Witness to Disaster: Earthquakes, written by Judy Fradin - This book delves into the science of earthquakes and focuses on the more deadly aspects of earthquake disasters, including building collapse, fire, landslides, avalanches, and tsunamis. Also included is a good deal of information on notable earthquakes in history.

The Earth-Shaking Facts About Earthquakes with Max Axiom, written by Katherine Krohn and illustrated by Tod Smith and Al Milgrom - Max Axiom, super-cool scientist and teacher, explains the science behind earthquakes in graphic novel format.

Janice VanCleave's Earthquakes: Mind-boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects, written by Janice VanCleave and illustrated by Ray Burns - This book contains numerous hands-on activities that will help students better understand earthquakes. The science is good and the explanations are particularly clear and accessible to readers.

If You Lived at the Time of the Great San Francisco Earthquake, written by Ellen Devine and illustrated by Pat Grant Porter - This book takes readers to San Francisco before, during and after the 1906 earthquake.

The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, written by Marc Tyler Nobleman - This title in the We The People series uses photographs and illustrations to describe the events of the San Francisco earthquake. (See a sample at Google Books.)

The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, written by Laurence Yep - Told in the alternating voices of two young boys, Yep tells a gripping story about the events surrounding the San Francisco earthquake. Also included are real-life anecdotes and information about earthquakes.

Earthquake in the Early Morning (Magic Tree House #24), written by Mary Pope Osbourne and illustrated by Sal Murdocca - Annie and Jack find themselves in San Francisco shortly before the 1906 earthquake strikes.

Earthquake, written by Milly Lee and illustrated by Yangsook Choi - Milly Lee based this story of a child and her family on the memories of her mother, who was eight years old when the 1906 earthquake devastated San Francisco. When the earthquake hits the family must leave their home in Chinatown and make their way to the safety of Golden Gate Park. Includes an author's note that provides more details about the earthquake and describes what happened to Lee's family.
If you are interested in additional titles about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, see the annotated list put together at Through The Looking Glass.

In addition to the titles listed above, here are a number of useful sites for teachers and kids.
If I've missed a useful title, please let me know and I will add it to the list.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Books on Haiti

This morning after watching the coverage of the earthquake in Haiti I thought it would be nice to put a thematic list together. However, the ever-amazing Mitali Perkins was way ahead of me. Click on over to Mitali's Fire Escape and check out her list of children's and YA books set in Haiti. Thanks, Mitali!

Karen Lynn Williams has written a number of books that are set in Haiti. If you visit her web site you'll find teacher's guides for Circles of Hope, Painted Dreams, and Tap-Tap.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

McSweeney's Take on Children's Songs

Yes, I know I have a strange sense of humor, but you must read this. Take a look at Sarah Schmelling's post entitled Mom Takes Children's Songs Literally. I dare you not to laugh.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Monday Poetry Stretch - Firsts

Today is the first day of the spring semester. As I prepare, I've started thinking a lot about firsts--first day of school, first kiss, first time on a plane, first time jumping out of one, etc. I've had a lot of firsts in my life, so this seems like a fine time to write about them. What first do you remember fondly? Or with great horror? Let's write about firsts.

Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

Friday, January 08, 2010

National Puzzle Month - Great Reads

January is National Puzzle Month. In our house we do a lot of jigsaw puzzles (usually one a week), but we also like logic puzzles and "thinking" games (sudoku, Mastermind, chess, etc.). As big readers we're quite fond of fiction with challenging puzzles to solve. Here are some books and/or series that will encourage readers put on their thinking caps. Also included are links to related puzzling resources.

The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin - Winston sees puzzles everywhere. Imagine his dismay when he gives his sister a box for her birthday, only to learn that it has a secret compartment containing four wood sticks with puzzle clues. Readers will solve puzzles right along with Winston and his sister Katie as they try to solve the mystery. The sequel to this book, The Potato Chip Puzzles, is also highly entertaining.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart - Eleven year-old Reynie Muldoon is intrigued by an ad in the paper that asks “Are You a Gifted Child looking for Special Opportunities?” Reynie and dozens of other children show up to answer the ad and take a mind-boggling series of tests, but only Reynie and three others are left at the end. Puzzles and mysteries abound in this adventurous tale. Sequels include The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma.
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett - Petra and Calder are preoccupied with Vermeer. When a Vermeer painting is stolen in transit from the National Gallery in Washington D.C. to the Chicago Institute of Art, they become intent on finding the painting and solving the mystery. Clues and mysteries abound.
The Origami Master by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer, Lissy's Friends by Grace Lin (picture books), and Fold Me a Poem by Kristine O'Connell George (poetry) are all books about origami. Paper folding is a great visual and spatial puzzler for kids and adults. It's also fun!
Do you have a favorite book that offers something to puzzle over? If so, please share. I would love to add your ideas to this list.


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ST. CLOUD – St. Cloud is commemorating the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

The “Day To Remember” ceremony will be on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at the St. Cloud Police Station.

Everyone is invited to the event, and you’re asked to gather at the front entrance.

Mayor Dave Kleis, representatives of the police and fire departments, military members, and veterans will participate in the program.

RICE - Also, The Rice American Legion is hosting an event at the Memorial Monument in Rice at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The 30 minute program will include clergy from area churches, representatives from police, fire, and military.

It’s suggested you bring a lawn chair.

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Category Archives: Mount Marathon News

Announcing Altra as the Official Footwear Sponsor of the 2018 Mount Marathon Race

We’re proud to welcome Altra Footwear as our new Platinum Partner and the Official Footwear Sponsor of the 2018 Mount Marathon Race!

Altra Footwear was started and inspired by the mountains of Utah, so it’s no surprise the brand has a rich history of mountain and trail running. Altra’s shoes have won countless awards; their FootshapeTM toebox, ZeroDropTM midsole and Fit4HerTM gender-specific fit make Altra shoes the perfect choice for comfortable, natural and performance-minded running.

Altra’s preferred shoe to tackle Mount Marathon is the King MT 1.5. This trail shoe features a Vibram® MegaGrip™ outsole with deep 6 mm lugs for lateral breaking, medial gripping and excellent traction. Above this is a lightweight, responsive Altra EGOTM midsole with a reinforced mesh upper and durable FootLock™ descent strap. Pair that with the Altra Trail Gaiter, and you’ll be ready to conquer both the uphill scramble and downhill controlled fall of our unique course without thinking once about your feet.

The King MT retails for $140 and the gaiters retail for $20. Both are available at or at your local specialty running retailer.

Although this will be the 91st running of the Mount Marathon Race, Altra will be our first-ever footwear sponsor. We’re thrilled to connect our community of mountain runners with this innovative trail running brand!

Learn more about our Altra and their footwear at

About Altra

While working at a running store, Altra founder Golden Harper was frustrated that modern running shoe technology caused poor running form and had not decreased running injuries. His passion to create a shoe that followed the science produced Altra’s FootShape™ toe box and Zero Drop™ platform. Since its founding in 2011, Harper and co-founder Brian Beckstead have grown Altra from one to 25 shoe styles, winning multiple Editor’s Choice awards and distribution in more than 60 countries. Join the conversation @AltraRunning and #ZeroLimits on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Media Contact: Colleen Logan, VP Marketing,

Train Smarter with Advanced Physical Therapy

Stay Healthy on Your Path to Race Day

Happy Spring, runners! Despite the unpredictable weather here in Alaska, it won’t be long until the long and sunnier days of summer return.

To help you prepare for race day, we’re excited to share a 10-week Mount Marathon training plan developed by Collin Atkinson, PT. Collin is a Seward-based physical therapist at Advanced Physical Therapy, one of our leading race partners.

In conjunction with the training plan, Collin will be providing race clinics and recovery talks in Seward. For more information about these events, follow APT–Seward’s Facebook page and join the “Advanced Physical Therapy Mount Marathon” group on Strava.

Click here for a PDF of the week-by-week training plan.

General Training Principles:

You should be running easy on your non-workout days. There is such a thing as running too fast on your easy days. Easy running days are designed to build up your body’s resilience to repetitive load. In addition, most runners will find that speed and competitive running improves dramatically with a focus on running slower on easy days.

Change is OK. A plan is not a rigid structure, but it is designed to be a framework. Listen to your body. If you are feeling sluggish, or don’t have the urge to run, it is ok to change workouts or take the day off. Change the plan to meet your life—not the other way around.

It is more important to reach the start line healthy than it is to stick to a training plan. Hill running requires significant leg strength and coordination (neuromuscular control). Rest can make the difference between running in this year’s race and watching on Fourth Avenue.

If you do find yourself dealing with a nagging injury, schedule an evaluation with your local physical therapists at APT. You may not even need a referral to have your visit covered by insurance.

Final words of wisdom: If you find that you like some workouts more than others, it is ok to modify the sample program to reflect your preferences. Keep it fun!

Advanced Physical Therapy is proud to be a platinum sponsor of the Mount Marathon Race for the third consecutive year. APT offers injury-prevention, training, and rehabilitation strategies for optimal athletic performance at five clinics throughout Alaska. Learn more at

Off-Season Conditioning Tips from Advanced Physical Therapy

It’s Never Too Soon to Start Preparing for a Healthy Race

Advanced Physical Therapy is excited to continue to support the Mount Marathon Race, and more specifically, YOU—the racers! Leading up to the race, we will be providing advice and information to help with training, staying healthy, and injury management advice.

Here are some of our favorite tips for staying in racing shape throughout the off-season.

Tip #1: Don’t let your ankles take a vacation

Many Alaskan winter activities and sports keep the ankle in a higher boot, which means the muscles in the lower leg and ankle take a break from participating in stability and balance. Yet come spring, activities like mountain running demand ankle control and proprioception (the body’s ability to sense position). There are several ways to get your ankles back up to par to keep you sprain-free on race day!

Single-leg balancing: One tip to help improve this skill is to practice single leg balancing. Ensure you have ample space around you and consider starting with hand support onto a counter or chair if needed. To make this more challenging, adding a soft or unstable surface can increase the reaction time for controlling subtle corrections for balance. Start with standing still, then add a small arm and other leg motion to progress the level of difficulty. For a real challenge, close your eyes.

Ankle support: Do you have an existing ankle injury? Have you worn ankle braces or had your ankles taped for a race? Providing appropriate support to a joint or injured area at the right time through a healing progression is recommended. If you train with support (braces or tape) then use those on race day. On the reverse, if you don’t train with either, keep race day consistent and skip the taping. Seek medical and movement advice ahead of time in the pre-season to help know what is best for you.

Tip #2: Put your back into it

Getting to the top of the mountain creates a lot of demand to the buttock muscles. Activating and controlling the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius through the full range of the hip joint is very important.  One exercise to help with recruiting these muscles is a dynamic hip “running man”.

Start by balancing on one leg with the opposite leg brought forward and the other arm up (If standing on the left leg, raise the left arm and right leg). Move slowly through a running-like motion into a long stride lunge with the raised leg moving backward. Controlling this motion with good balance can help strengthen the glute muscles on the leg you are standing on.

Tip #3: Sometimes it’s good to tiptoe around

Strengthening and endurance training through the “posterior chain” (muscles on the back side of the body, generally used for extension) should also include the lower leg muscles. The calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) can be strengthened through heel raises, as well as tip-toe walking. Getting into the full range of motion (the full movement) will ensure you maximize every step to get up 3,022 feet.

Tip #5: Don’t forget your core

Another common area of weakness that can be easily addressed is trunk or core strength. Core conditioning is a vital aspect for strength and performance, particularly for mountain running.

A plank exercise is a good skill to incorporate the upper body, trunk, and lower body by integrating alignment, coordination, and strength.

Correct form in this exercise is of utmost importance. Keep your chin and head looking down, shoulder blades pulled away from your ears, elbows pulled toward the hips, abdominals engaged, glutes and quads active. Avoid collapse of the low back. Hold as long as you can maintain all aspects listed above.

Tip #6: Save stretching for the end of your workout

There is a common misunderstanding about stretching prior to activity. Several studies and research show that static stretching (place and hold a position for a period of time such as 30 seconds) can actually hinder muscle performance and neuromuscular control, the communication between the brain, nerves, and muscles. Keep this activity at the end of your training for the day, not before.

Instead of stretching, consider repetitive, dynamic movement in your warm-up. A walking lunge, brisk walk, or even skipping can warm up muscles and move through joint ranges to help prepare the body for long strides and muscle recruitment.

Looking ahead

As the sun returns and you start training on the dirt versus snow, we encourage you to maintain safe and effective training. Advanced Physical Therapy understands your investment in and passion for mountain running. Optimizing movement and catching an injury before it happens can ensure you stay healthy leading up to race day.

We are excited to offer exclusive clinics for race participants leading up to the 2018 Mount Marathon Race. We plan to provide Functional Movement Screens to help catch any weak areas you may have and offer advice for corrective strategies and exercises. Stay tuned for more information!

Advanced Physical Therapy (APT) provides research-based care and respectful service at their five locations across Southcentral Alaska. You’ll find their skilled physical therapists in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Seward, Soldotna, and Wasilla. APT is proud to be a leading partner of the 2018 Mount Marathon Race.

Visit Advanced Physical Therapy online to learn more or schedule an appointment.

Your Emergency Contact Information

Your emergency contact name and number is very important information for the Mt. Marathon Race Committee.

In recent years we have found it necessary to contact an emergency contact person for racers, not only in the event of injury or distress, but for confirmation when a runner does not appear at the starting line, finish line or other checkpoints in the race.

Every Fourth of July in Seward, as we host many thousands of visitors, we find that our cell phone towers are overwhelmed and cannot handle the volume. It is difficult to place calls to or from cells phones during that day, and we find that sending a text (which is a much smaller piece of electronic information) is more likely to be received in a timely manner, while at the same time providing a record of the contact.

Therefore, emergency contact names and numbers listed on your Mt. Marathon Race Application, should ideally be for people with cell phones that can receive text messages during races times!

2018 Race Registration

2018 Race Registration will open
March 1 and close March 31, 2018

If you’re a Priority Racer with 10-Year Status and over the age of 70 – please learn more about the Golden Racer option – your feedback is crucial to the Race Committee’s decision making process!


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Mystery Manor Unofficial Fan Forum

    Green energy

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    Green energy

    Post  Klg273 on Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:37 am

    Today I noticed green energy symbols when I find items in rooms. Has anyone else had this, and if so what is it??

    Last edited by Klg273 on Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:58 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : Corrected description)

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    Re: Green energy

    Post  Chickenchick111 on Wed Aug 29, 2012 2:43 pm

    Hello Smile the first five items you find in room always give coins, xp and energy, it's nothing,like 5 energy I think, maybe only 1 energy I'm not sure, but it's nothing to worry about and nothing exciting lol, it's just always been a graphic that comes up with the first five items, when you've found five you just go back to coins and xp stars

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How To Access Android Market With Barnes & Noble Nook Color

How To Access Android Market With Barnes & Noble Nook Color

Although I consider the products coming from Barnes & Noble among the best there are some things that could prove very annoying sometimes. Like for example when having a Barnes & Noble Nook Color and when wanting to access the Android Market you will hit a wall. And this is done mainly because of the Barnes & Noble Nook Color operating system, a system that doesn’t allow the user to access a market build for Android devices.

But you are in luck because for some time now you are also able to run on this device the Android HoneyComb tablet operating system. I think there is no need to say this is the way to download things from the market. The boot protocol on HoneyComb requires you to sign in to or create a Google Account. That means you will automatically register with your device to Android Market. Here are the steps needed to be followed in order to get all you nice apps and games free of charge:

  1. You begin by inserting your Nook Color’s SD card in your computer’s SD card slot. Also be sure you are mounting your storage device.

  2. 2nd of all open any browser that you consider is fitting your needs. In there, in the address field type rbrune.de/nookhoney04.img.zip. In most cases the file will automatically download. I recommend to be saved on the desktop in order to be easy to found later.

  3. Now simply navigate to launchpad.net/win32-image-writer/+download and click on the win32diskimager-Release-0.3-r27-binary.zip. In there simply run the file when prompted by the popup windows. If everything is done properly a disk imager application window appears.

  4. Notice there is a folder icon. Click on that in the disk imager windows and from all the options chose the HoneyComb virtual image you downloaded. Make a save on the desktop and then click on the “Ok” button.

  5. Make a selection of your SD card in the menu and then click on the “Write” option. As you already probably guessed this will begin writing the HoneyComb virtual image to your SD card.

  6. After the process is complete remove the SD card from your computer. Now be sure to turn off your NookColor 1st and then insert the SD card inside it.

  7. Now turn it back and wait a few seconds until the new OS loads. You should notice the changes right from the beginning and also all the benefits offered by Android HoneyComb OS.

  8. Last but not least tap on the Android icon and login with the right username and password in the corresponding text fields. This will allow you to access with your NookColor the applications and games from Android Market.

Here are a few things that you might find useful. Like for example if there is no Google Account that you can access there is the option to create one right from the new operating system. Tap on the Android icon and then tap on “Create New”. In all the fields insert the right information and then tap on the “Ok” button. Also keep in mind that making major modifications inside any device is in most cases a violation of the warranty. But that is another story.

For now make sure you enjoy all the apps and possibilities offered by Android Market and try not to spend too much time there. Remember there are hundreds of apps appearing every day.

Tags: android, there, market, card, access, honeycomb, also, nook, click, right, system, barnes, noble, device, operating, make, apps, things, color, icon, create, inside, begin, offered, virtual, account, order, google, games, desktop


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News Home

Ukraine crisis: deadly gun attack in eastern city of Slaviansk shakes fragile truce

A pro-Russian separatist lets a local boy hold a machine gun outside the mayor's office in the disputed city of Slaviansk.

Reuters: Gleb Garanich

At least two people have been killed in a gunfight near a Ukrainian city controlled by pro-Russian separatists, shaking an already fragile international accord that was designed to avert a wider conflict.

After the deaths, Russia questioned whether Ukraine's Western-backed government was complying with the agreement, brokered last week in Geneva, to end a crisis that has made Russia's ties with the West more fraught than at any time since the Cold War.

The separatists said gunmen from Ukraine's Right Sector nationalist group had attacked them in Slaviansk. The Right Sector denied any role, saying Russian special forces were behind the clash.

Failure of the Geneva agreement could bring more bloodshed to eastern Ukraine, but may also prompt the United States to impose tougher sanctions on the Kremlin - with far-reaching potential consequences for many economies and for importers of Russian energy.

The deal signed by the European Union, Russia, Ukraine and the United States agreed that illegal armed groups would go home.

So far, the pro-Russian militants have shown no signs of budging, though there was some hope of progress after Kiev said it would not move against the separatists over Easter, and international mediators headed to eastern Ukraine to try to persuade them to disarm.

But the shootings near Slaviansk - already a flashpoint for tensions between Ukraine's rival camps - are likely to make that task even harder, hardening the view of pro-Russian sections of society that they cannot trust Kiev.

"The Easter truce has been violated," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

"This provocation ... testifies to the lack of will on the part of the Kiev authorities to rein in and disarm nationalists and extremists."

Right Sector spokesman Artem Skoropadsky said it was a "blasphemous provocation from Russia: blasphemous because it took place on a holy night for Christians, on Easter night. This was clearly carried out by Russian special forces".

Separatist militiamen near Slaviansk told Reuters news agency a convoy of four vehicles had approached their checkpoint around 2:00am on Sunday (local time) and opened fire.

"We had three dead, four wounded," one of the separatist fighters, called Vladimir, said at the checkpoint, where there were two burned-out jeeps.

He said the separatists returned fire and killed two of the attackers, who he said were members of the nationalist movement which has its power base in the Ukrainian-speaking west of the country and is reviled by many in the Russian-speaking east.

A cameraman at the scene said he saw the bodies of two people, one with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the head and face, loaded into the back of a truck.

One of the dead was dressed in camouflage fatigues, the other, identified by several bystanders as a local man, was in civilian clothes.

In Kiev, the interior ministry said one person had been killed and three injured in an armed clash. It said police were trying to establish more details surrounding the incident.

The deaths were the first armed clashes in eastern Ukraine since the Geneva accord was signed last Thursday.

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Monday, October 20, 2014

Know the Mocs Opponents: Kennesaw State

This will be the Mocs sixth out of conference game against a D1 opponent. The Mocs will play on Wednesday and Thursday in Chattanooga in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Then, they will go to Kennesaw State and play on Saturday, just two days after Thanksgiving. This is a very difficult set up for the Mocs as they take on the Owls. These two teams have played some very interesting games in recent years, with the last four all going to the road team.

The Owls should be much improved this year. Jimmy Lallathin is the Owls new head coach and has the team up and ready to go. Seven of their top nine players from a year ago return, including their five leading scorers. This team finished dead last in the Atlantic Sun last year, but appear to be a team on the rise this year. An early home game against the Mocs will go a long way to determining just how good this team can be.

Delbert Love may be the Owls best player, averaging 12.6 points per game a season ago. Love was named to the preseason all Atlantic Sun team. He is one of the best players in the history of the program. But the most exciting news for the Owls was the recent news that Damien Wilson will be immediately eligible. He is transferring from Memphis and petitioned to be allowed to play right away, and it was granted. Wilson may be a stud in the making for this program.

Willy Kouassi was named the preseason Defensive Player of the Year for the Atlantic Sun. He had 35 blocks last year, while averaging 4.6 points and five rebounds per game. He will be one of the Owls expected to make an impact on that end of the floor.

The Owls will have played two SoCon teams before playing the Mocs. They will have gone to Mercer to play on November 19. They will host Samford on November 26. They will have played Syracuse, California, North Dakota State, the two SoCon schools and either Alcorn State or Hampton. This is a tough schedule for the Owls. This game will be a big test to find out just how good they are at this point in the year.

The Mocs will be in a somewhat similar position. Playing their third game in four days will be very difficult for this team. If the Mocs perform well in the Battle 4 Atlantis in Chattanooga, this will be a great test to see how they handle success. If they have struggled, this will be a way to find out how they respond to adversity. The Mocs are in the middle of an interesting stretch of four games in eight days against mid-major schools that can really show us how good the Mocs are at this point in the year. This is the final game for the Mocs. We'll see what happens here. This is a very interesting contest for the Mocs. It's important for the Mocs to come up with the win.

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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Goodreads Loot

I consider myself a bibliophile.

When I'm too lazy to stay at home (read: do household chores) or in a so-so mood, I always rush to a bookstore. My lazy or so-so day won't be complete without scanning the bookshelves, picking up a book, reading the summary at the back (if there's any) and scanning to check whether the text and font are friendly to my peepers. Yes, I'm that picky. But I can always adjust to the genre or writing style of the author. Weird eh? :) I even influenced fiance with this by hanging out at Booksale every now and then.

So when I saw a white card on our mailbox  telling me to claim a package at Window 37 from Q.C. Central Post Office, I was beyond happy. I went there immediately, paid Php 40 as customs inspection fee (not so happy about it) and got this. What a happy Holy Monday it was!

 From Arcata, California to Philippine Islands (sounds pre-war to me) with ♥

My first Goodreads loot. Hoping for more giveaways.

 Hmmm... must be one of the reasons why the author picked me.

Short & simple

I'm addicted to you, Goodreads. I vow to update and post my own book reviews soon. I swear by placing my hand in my own copy of Mostly Rapscallions. So help me God.

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Franchise this

Five new business opportunities that are ahead of the curve.

(Business 2.0 Magazine) -- The living is richer when you're the boss. But you don't need to spend years climbing the corporate ladder if you start your own business. We've taken the first steps for you, talking to entrepreneurs and experts to find new business and franchise opportunities poised to capitalize on trends that will pay off now and in your golden years.

Pet insurance

With pricey medical procedures like kidney transplants and hip replacements now available for pets, the demand for health insurance for animals is booming. Analysts expect the market, which topped $200 million in 2006, to grow by 25 percent this year.

Cannine coverage: The pet insurance market is expected to grow 25 percent in 2007.
Live Rich, Retire Richer
It just may be possible to have it all. Our investment guide shows you how to live large now and bankroll your future.
Buy real estate in exotic locales.
Snap up rights to wind and solar sites.
Invest in unknown artists.
Cash in on these crops.
Be your own boss.
A creative look at ways to invest for your retirement beyond the usual 401k strategy.

Laura Bennett launched Ohio-based Embrace Pet Insurance with about $1 million raised from angel investors. You'll need to partner with a large insurance company to get policies into consumers' hands. Start now - the number of big insurers targeting our furry friends is growing.

Organic fast food

Restaurants serving organic food - fast- are popping up all over the country. Loyola Marymount University professor David Choi notes that in 2005, consumers spent $15 billion on organic food. He says the initial capital investment in a new restaurant ranges from $500,000 to $750,000. A typical franchise can be had for about $400,000. Tim Gargiulo opened V.G. Burgers in Boulder, Colo., in November and says he's received more than 100 phone calls from people interested in buying a vegan burger franchise.

Luxury rental shops

In our status-obsessed world, everyone wants the bling but not everyone has the bucks. Enter the luxury rental shop, where a customer can time-share that Louis Vuitton bag she's had her eye on. "Luxury rentals are definitely a growth business," says Michael Silverstein of the Boston Consulting Group. Seattle-based Bag Borrow or Steal offers designer handbags and jewelry online for weekly or monthly rates. CEO Michael Smith says his average return on investment per bag is well into double digits.

Cooking schools for kids

The proliferation of pint-size foodies is creating a market for children's cooking schools. Barbara Beery, for instance, offers up to four classes a day at her Batter Up Kids Culinary Center in Austin, with franchises opening soon across the country. Buying into a Batter Up business costs between $178,000 and $256,000, but the projected return on investment based on the Austin location is $365,000 per year. "The growth rate of highly specialized early-education franchises has been nothing short of spectacular," says Mark Siebert, CEO of the iFranchise Group.

Upscale retirement communities

What gets better with age? Investments in retirement communities, of course. Consider this: By 2025, Americans ages 65 and older will make up more than 18 percent of the U.S. population, and they'll all need a place to live. Get in now and you'll likely capitalize on the 21 million baby boomers nearing retirement age, half of whom will consider living in "age-restricted" communities, according to a recent survey.

Forget about old-style old-folks homes, however. Cashed-up boomers want gourmet restaurants, health spas, and ocean views. "There's growth in active adult retirement communities everywhere," says Margaret Wylde, CEO of research firm ProMatura.  Top of page

To send a letter to the editor about this story, click here.


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Fox News picks Tucker Carlson to take over for Megyn Kelly

tucker carlson

Tucker Carlson will take over for Megyn Kelly on Fox News next week, the network announced Thursday.

Carlson, a conservative commentator and founder of The Daily Caller web site, is well-known to Fox fans. His two-month-old show "Tucker Carlson Tonight," an out-of-the-box ratings success at 7 p.m., will move to the 9 p.m. hour.

The shift leaves Fox with an all-white-male prime time lineup for the first time in its twenty-year history. Some cable news observers had speculated Fox would replace Kelly with one of the four women who had filled in for her at 9 p.m.

Instead, one of those fill-ins, Martha MacCallum, will take over Carlson's 7 p.m. time slot for at least a few months.

Fox said in a press release that MacCallum's new show, "The First 100 Days," will "chronicle the beginning of the new administration and run through President-elect Trump's first 100 days in office."

In the spring, MacCallum could become the permanent host of the 7 p.m. hour. Fox said that she recently signed a new multi-year deal with the network.

As for the 9 p.m. hour, "Tucker Carlson Tonight" has many of the qualities that make a compelling Fox News show, making the move a logical decision by Rupert Murdoch and the executives who run the cable news channel.

Ever since the show debuted on November 14, Carlson has shown a knack for selecting topics of interest to conservative viewers; hosting fiery debates with liberals; and criticizing Fox's rivals in the mainstream media.

At the end of every show, Carlson says his broadcast is "the sworn enemy of lying, pomposity, smugness, and groupthink."

Many of his segments and fights have gone viral. A sampling of recent headlines from the show: "How liberals are slowly killing colleges," "Journalists exposed by WikiLeaks to cover Trump White House," and "Tucker vs. student who says Trump shouldn't be given chance."

Murdoch said in a statement that "Tucker has taken cable news by storm with his spirited interviews and consistently strong performance."

Donald Trump's election has contributed to a ratings surge at Fox News, and Carlson has been able to capitalize on it. At 7 p.m., he has averaged about 2.8 million viewers, and more than 500,000 in the advertiser-friendly 25- to 54-year-old demographic.

Unlike Fox's 8 p.m. host Bill O'Reilly and 10 p.m. host Sean Hannity, Carlson does not have a friendly relationship with Trump dating back decades. He said in a January 2016 column that "Trump might not be my first choice for president."

But he is open-minded about Trump and doesn't have the antagonistic relationship that Kelly had with him.

Online comments and emails to Fox showed that some Fox loyalists turned against Kelly after Trump publicly ridiculed her in late 2015 and early 2016. Kelly's ratings remained high, but the anger was palpable.

The Drudge Report broke the news of Carlson's promotion Thursday morning. The announcement came two days after Kelly declined Fox's offers for a new contract and decided to move to NBC News.

Kelly's last day on Fox will be Friday.

She tweeted about her successor on Thursday morning, saying "This is a great decision by FNC & I will be cheering him on!"

She also said MacCallum is "amazing" and will "shine at any hour."

Carlson's promotion may also be viewed through the prism of generational change at Fox. Carlson is 47 years old, just a year older than Kelly. Carlson's prime time companions, O'Reilly and Hannity, are 67 and 55 respectively.

Fox is promoting someone who could conceivably be a part of the prime time lineup for decades, the way O'Reilly and Hannity have been.

Carlson's competitors at 9 p.m. will include Rachel Maddow, MSNBC's top-rated host.

In a twist of fate, it was Carlson who brought Maddow into the MSNBC fold more than a decade ago.

Carlson has worked at all three major cable news channels. His first stop was CNN, where he co-hosted "Crossfire." When "Crossfire" was cancelled in 2005, MSNBC hired him to host an early evening program. Carlson's producers sought guests for him to spar with, and one of them was Maddow, who was a liberal radio host on Air America.

Now the two of them will present competing views of the world on competing channels.

Carlson moved from MSNBC to Fox in 2009. By then, Maddow had become a prime time host. He said the increasingly liberal-minded MSNBC "didn't have a role for me" anymore.

Fox News made Carlson a paid contributor and then a co-host of its weekend morning show.

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Saturday, October 12, 2013

Heavy chain chokers

Photos: // Fashionising

  1. what a standout! in a good way.

  2. I'm LOVING this trend right now! I saw one girl with a big gold choker at Lincoln Center during nyfw and I wanted to yank it off and run! haha

  3. Awesome fashion! I love this blog so much! By the way, maybe we could follow each other on Bloglovin and/or GFC, Facebook?

    Please leave me a comment on my blog and follow by blog!

    You can also like my Facebook page.

    I will follow you back! :)

    Korean Fashion


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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

so i feel like i feed cole the same ol things all the time.

yogurt, cheese, leftovers..

anyone have any idea what i can feed him that will kinda spice of his meals!! haha

thanks! :)

Lena Gilbert said...

well I can tell you some things isak likes....boca burgers, chicken nuggets, eggs, pancakes, taco meat, peas, pears, peaches, grapes,oranges, enchiladas, cut up pizza. I use to make a batch of pasta and then mix it with a canned pasta sauce and heat it up when he was ready to eat it. The pasta lasted for a good week in a ziploc bag in my fridge. Hopefully it helps! I know its hard!

Lindsey and Micah said...

Kids get in a food rut and will eat the same things over and over again. I say stick with what he likes but throw in a couple of curve balls every now and then. Brode loves pasta. Roman Noodles, penne or spaghetti. Also pizza. Sometimes we do granola in his yogurt. He loves cereal.

One of my favorite Magazines that also has an amazing internet site is, Parents Magazine. They always have great spin on foods and give suggestions of ways to add nutrition to the old tried and true.
Good luck, but don't stress over it too much.

Heather said...

This is what I do with the girls: feed them what I'm eating. If I need to, I cut it smaller, cool it down, or whatever they need to make it work for them.

For snacks I use a lot of raisins, graham crackers, peas, corn, applesauce/apples, other fruit & vegetables, bread with peanut butter or jam.

I've learned that if from early in their lives if I expect them to eat what I'm eating, they will (with obvious exception to personal preferences). :)

Good luck!!

Suzie Koskella said...

You are doing a great job!! Feed him what he likes! I tried the little chefboyardee cups and he loved to put his fork in the noodles! kids are silly!!

Robert and Sireena said...

fondue... it's our favorite and you can put some in a little bowl for your little one and then have a fun dinner for you and your hubby too!


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Exceeding Your Expectations

Farmers Union Oil Company has been serving you with your fertilizer, fuel, LP, and heating needs for over 80 years. We have a wide variety of automotive services available at multiple locations in Montevideo and Granite Falls. Our decades in business have allowed us to build personal and professional relationships with our patrons while the concern for success always remains the same.


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• Superkids Reading Program~

    The students will begin with reading readiness skills and move toward rigorous phonics, spelling and writing activities that increases their foundational reading skills.  The program uses a mixture of authentic fictional and non-fictional stories that integrate social studies and science topics throughout the year.

    Guest access: Superkids- Reading/Language Arts/HandwritingSelf enrollment: Superkids- Reading/Language Arts/Handwriting
  • Mrs. R's News Flash

    Guest access: Classroom NewsSelf enrollment: Classroom News


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Comic 87 - Issue #4 Page #18

12th May 2014, 12:10 AM in Issue #4
Issue #4 Page #18
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