kids books that matter.

Zachor/Remembrance…In the News

05/04/11

It is amazing how many news stories focus on this month’s value: zachor/remembrance. Just today two got my attention:

• Mars Tribute Marks Memory of Shepard’s Flight
• Andre Ethier’s Streak Jolts Memories of DiMaggio’s Greatness

I will leave it to you to read the stories surrounding these newsworthy events. Of interest to me is that craters on Mars and 29 consecutive hits in baseball games are both cause for remembering significant moments in history.

Just this past Sunday, May 1 was Yom Hashoah/Holocaust Remembrance Day.  Events were organized all around the country and all over the world to remember the 6 million Jews and 5 million others individuals who were murdered by the Nazis during World War II. Even more than 65 years after the events of the war took place, memorials, museums and tributes are being created to honor the memories of individuals and groups who were part of that experience.

Whether it is the Holocaust, manned space flight or as-yet-unbroken baseball records, it is important that our children understand why we remember, and how we memorialize events 1 year, 5 years, or 40, 70, or even 1000s of years after they have taken place. This may seem like a large undertaking, but with the benefit of a few good books, a few helpful questions and some fun activities, the task is not so difficult at all.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were provided by my local public library.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon,

I may receive a very small commission on your purchase.

You will incur no additional cost, however.

I appreciate your support.

I will celebrate life

05/02/11

This morning I woke up to the news that Osama bin Laden was dead. I felt relief, “”Well that’s over.”  I felt fear, “What will happen in reaction to his death?” I felt sadness, “All those lives lost as a result of this man’s actions.”

I did not feel joy.

A man was killed, by the United States military, by individuals representing me. Justice may have been served, but I did not feel happy about it.

I did not want to dance in the street, wave flags or sing.

Yet, as I listened further to the news story, I heard that crowds of people had gathered in Washington, DC and Boston, MA (where I live) to dance and sing and rejoice. If memory serves me, we were horrified by scenes of just such celebrations taking place in some countries overseas on September 11^th 2001. What exactly makes our celebrations different from theirs? We are both celebrating death.

I will not celebrate death.

I celebrate life.

I celebrate the lives of the people, many of them heroes, who were lost in the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and on that Pennsylvania field on 9/11. I celebrate the lives of the firemen, police officers and emergency crews that were lost on that day trying to help others to live. I celebrate the lives of the service men and women who have been lost since that day protecting us from further harm.

I celebrate the safety we have experienced as a result of those individuals who give their lives to keep us all out of harm’s way every day.

I celebrate the life we are living now and try with all the power that is in me to see a brighter future.

I celebrate anyone who works toward a world of mutual respect, a world built on that simple principle: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I will try my hardest to be one of those people…one children’s book at a time.

L’Chaim/To Life,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.

Reading for the Joy of It – Simcha/Joy

03/05/11

We will soon be celebrating Purim (beginning the evening of March 19), probably Judaism’s most festive holiday. Because of all the fun, food and frivolity taking place during and around Purim, I have chosen Simcha/joy as this month’s value.

I read recently that the reason the Jewish people have survived in exile these thousands of years is because of the joy we discover in our life cycle events, in our holidays, in everything we do. I like that sentiment.

I take great joy in reading. As my website states:

“To say I am passionate about books would be somewhat of an understatement. Books are for me what shoes were for Imelda Marcos. There can never be too many. I can never read enough.

It isn’t about the books really. It is about reading. I do not remember a time in my life when I did not have a book in my hand. Plus an extra just in case I finished that one. And maybe another one in the car, just to be on the safe side.

I think it has to do with escape. Books take me far away from my current reality and that was often a wonderful relief for me.”

It still is a wonderful relief for me. Even today, when friends and family ask me for the title of a good book, my response is “I am not reading adult books, but here are a couple of great picture books and a YA novel that just knocked me off my feet.” Usually, I get a sympathetic pat on my hand or a shake of the head as they simply turn and walk away. Nevertheless, my choices for this month’s reading are books that made me laugh, made me cry or knocked me off my feet, but in the end filled me with joy. I hope they do the same for you:

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. Written and illustrated by Simms Taback. © 1999, Viking. Winner of the Caldecott Medal for Best Picture Book.  Joseph had a little overcoat, but when it got worn out he made it into something else, then something, then something else… Ages 3-8 years.

The Castle on Hester Street. By Linda Heller. Illustrated by Boris Kulikov. © 2007, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. The original edition of this story won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in 1982. This edition with its colorful illustrations is pure delight. As grandpa tells his young granddaughter about coming to America, he embellishes his story with flying goats, enormous buttons and grand castles. Her grandmother of course, insists on telling an accurate account of their travels and courtship. Both stories are filled with love. Ages 4-9 years.

The Bee Tree. Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco. © 1993,  Philomel. When Mary Ellen gets bored with studying, her grandfather takes her on a hunt for the bee tree. The wild chase ends with a neighborhood tea party and a very sweet lesson.  Ages 4-9 years.



When Jessie Came Across the Sea. By Amy Hest. Illustrated by P.J. Lynch. © 1997, Candlewick Press. When the rabbi of her small village decides to give 13-year-old Jessie his ticket to America, she is not sure how she can leave her grandmother behind.  However the entire town, including her grandmother, knows it is the right thing for her to leave. As Jessie sails to America, she encounters storms, young love, homesickness and hardship.  Upon her arrival in New York, however, her skills as a dressmaker enable her to get a job and make a home for herself. Soon she has raised enough money to bring her grandmother to America in time for her wedding to the young man she met aboard ship.

Wishing you a fun-filled Purim!

Happy reading,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were from my personal collection or  provided by my local public library.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon,

I may receive a very small commission on your purchase.

You will incur no additional cost, however.

I appreciate your support.

Still at it…

01/23/11

PEDRO!!!

Plan.   Edit. Develop.   Review.  Organize.

It is late, but I am still working hard at getting a few more mini-challenges under my belt. I reviewed my emails with Trish at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’? I never knew gmail had so much power. I do not think I will ever use Outlook again.

I just read “10 Things Bloggers Should Not Do,” which I thought was going to be a quick read, but turned out to be a very interesting and thorough review of what I am and am not doing on my site. Thanks to Hannah at Word Lily for that one.  I scored myself high on 5 points, very low on 4 points and just OK on 1 point. I have a lot of work to do.

I finished uploading all the Book Reviews I had written to date – 19 in all! I also purchased a new computer online while I was at it. Overall, I would say this was a pretty darn productive weekend.

I have so much more to do. I am wondering when the next Bloggiesta is…I already have a list ready to go.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were provided by my local public library.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon,

I may receive a very small commission on your purchase.

You will incur no additional cost, however.

I appreciate your support.