Book Review: My Teenage Werewolf

When I was contacted by Viking Press, offering me a free review copy of My Teenage Werewolf (disclosure, disclosure, blah, blah, blah), I responded immediately with a "Yes!"  Probably because my then four year old daughter (she has since turned 12...I mean, five), had just slammed her bedroom door on me or rolled her eyes at me or told me:  "You don't know STUFF, MOM!" (Four...FOUR!), I thought to myself that even though I don't have a teenage werewolf right now, I can tell one day I will.

Then, though, as I waited for my copy, I began to regret my enthusiasm.  I had just finished two classes and had enough of behavior and classroom management with a twist of brain-based learning strategies.  Why oh why had I set myself up for another academic read, I thought?

Then I received the book and couldn't put it down.  True, author Lauren Kessler takes us along on her pre-book research ride, covering her delving into developmental stages and myelin-forming studies and theories, but really this is a memoir of the 18 months she followed her 12 year-old daughter, Lizzie.  It is also, of course (how could it not be) a self-reflective piece, the author motivated by her own cold relationship with her mother that she wishes not to repeat. This roller coaster ride of emotion ends on a high(er) note, and we almost wish for a "sequel" to see how Lizzie is getting along.  We are rooting for her (and mom) all along.

Because I have an older friend with whom I spent many a coffee date going over the hurt and heartbreak and small victories of mothering teenage girls, I knew that so much of what Lauren writes about is true.  And there were so many small moments in the book that I have meant to internalize and that I feel I can touch upon when loving my daughter at any age. 

One of these points had to do with power, and how giving your child some power, something to make them feel that they are not powerless all...day...long...is important in building their self-confidence and self-identity (these are my words, not hers, but this is what I took from the book).

Second, was something that has certainly stuck with me - an arm around the shoulder is more beneficial to a child than a finger in their face.  So true.

And finally, the third point that I remember from the book is that boys usually have a rite of passage, a passing of the torch if you will, with their fathers that involves something physical.  The day they beat their dad at hoops, or a race, or hit the ball farther.  Girls don't have these same rites of passage, and if they do, it usually involves beauty.  I intend, when the time comes, to provide a different sort of rite of passage for my daughter that involves strength and courage.

My Teenage Werewolf is a riveting read, made all the more poignant by the fact that someday, G-d willing, my daughter and I will be at this same threshold.  I hope we will cross it holding hands together...

Today is Chilly & A Couple Pictures from the Farm

The Kiss of the Sun for Pardon

My gosh, the temperature must have dropped at least 20 degrees.  It's overcast and rainy, which after days of sun, high temperatures, and humidity, I call cozy.

Could it be that summer is winding down?  Here are a few posts I have planned  for Gift of Green this week:

Checking in with SaltandChocolate.  She always has good ideas for transitioning to/from work between the seasons.

A review of My Teenage Werewolf by Lauren Kessler.  If you have daughters you'll want to read this, what I call, memoir of the author's daughter's middle school years.

Do you have any Teenage Werewolves at your house?

A Welcoming Path

Where Am I?

Ah!  Good question!  I ask myself that on nearly a daily basis.  The fact that I am off work for the summer contributes to my confusion.  Is it Monday or Thursday?  The end of July or the beginning of August.  It's nice to lose track of time.

So this fall I start my third year as an elementary school librarian.  Hard to believe.  I still pinch myself to see if I've really landed that dream job. 

In two more weeks I will be done, done, done with the seven classes I've been taking (didn't I make it seem so simple?) that I needed to get my full teaching license.  No.  More.  Classes.  (After one more large project - grrr).

And what will I do with all this "spare" time?  It's so easy to over commit when you are starting the next phase, but I intend to concentrate on Pip and Sprout.  They'll both be in elementary school together - ah, bliss.  I will concentrate on that aforementioned dream job.  There are so many FUN things to do and plan.  Speaking of...do you have a question about books for children?  Ask the Librarian (that's me).  Leave a comment and I will answer your question in a future post.

And finally, oh Joanie save me, I'm about to craft again!  (I did make it on Crafty Crow, you know).  I'm starting here... 

And what about Green Husband you ask?  He's about to embark on his on little landscape design business and try his hand at being Stay-At-Home-Dad.  Yes, with the economy there's been a ripple effect, so there are some changes afoot.  "You have to throw a stone to get the pool to ripple."

And finally, finally, oh joy!  I finished Summer's Lease by John Mortimer.  It took me five. FIVE summers to finish it, but I did it and I've now netflixed the movie.  I urge you to try it.  It won't take you five summers to finish.

Seasonal SAHM Summer Reading

EC asked what was on my reading list this this summer.  Summer reading...Ah!  Summer is the time when I catch up with my students.  I read a mix of oldies and newbies and hope that a few of my newbies are ones that my students will have read when I return to school.  Usually they return to school more read than myself.  This summer my oldies will include "The Westing Game", "Toys Go Out", "Ralph S. Mouse", "Gregor the Overlander", "Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth", book one of the "Warriors" series,  and "Viking It and Liking It."  Newbies on tap include "Adam Canfield of the Slash", "The Name of This Book is Secret", "Every Soul a Star", "Operation Yes", "Crash", "Lincoln and His Boys", "Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little".  To be continued...

But for adults, EC, et al., "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is brutal but riveting.  "The Girl Who Played with Fire" was just as easy to read, but lacked some of the suspense and detail of the first.  "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" is currently winging its way to my doorstep along with "The Elegance of Hedgehogs" which comes highly recommended to me.  "The Help" is also a book that I hear deserves all the hype it has received, so that may be on my list as well.

I really enjoy reading non-fiction too.  Currently on top of my non-fiction to-be-read pile is "Eating Animals".  What non-fiction books are on the top of your pile, er, list this summer?

Just Giddy

There are about five weeks left 'til the end of the school year around these parts and although I love my job, oh yes I do, I am giddy, just positively giddy at the thought of Summer and Its Possibilities. I have emailed Mary Beth at saltandchocolate, privately (oops, not anymore! Sorry Mary Beth!), cajoling her, er...coaxing her..., er, politely asking her to whip up a post (in all her spare time) about her plans for the summer. I'm sure we're all looking forward to reading about her plans and then copying them, er, adapting them to my, er, ONES situation. : )

So yes, I am a librarian and so yes, how does this benefit you in any way, shape or form? Well...no way, really. Although I must say that I do read some darn good books that are of interest to children from about age five to about age 12. My current read is the most clever and most touching little gem (also a Newbery Honor book --Newbery Medal/Honor --> award(s) given annually to the most distinguished work of literature for children published by a U.S. citizen or resident--): The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate written by Jacqueline Tate: a doctor, lawyer, and now novelist {see *spare time* above}.

It is 1899, it is Texas, it is hot and Calpurnia Tate has become an apprentice of sorts to her naturalist grandfather. This is a wonderful work of observation and study of the natural world, folded together with an 11 year-old's view of life at the turn of the century.  If you liked the feel and tone of The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs, Love, Ruby Lavender or A Year Down Yonder, I do believe that you will thoroughly enjoy this book as well. 

Luck of the Irish

I was in my local grocery store, of all places, when I saw a display of new books.  You know, the ones near the magazines and across from the toys.  A very attractive green cover caught my eye and before I could even get to the title, the author's name jumped out at me: 

Having read and reviewed her previous book, The Middle Place, I was kind of surprised to see this book on the shelf, nestled there with such little fanfare.  Perhaps I've been living under a rock.  In any case, call it luck of the Irish as we near St. Patrick's Day, that this little gem will be next on my reading list.

Back from the Beach

A little tanner but not burnt.

There were a lot of quotable quotes from the trip, but my favorite was from the trip home. Sprout saw a car towing a boat and said, "Mommy, I just saw a boat! And it was pushing a car!"

Now that August is upon us I suppose it's time for taking it reeeeeeal easy as the new school year will be here quicker than we think.

I'm finishing up a P.D. James from the beach, "The Lighthouse". Not my usual fare, but I am enjoying it. How about yoooou?

Speaking, or writing, of books, I wanted to highlight a new find called Learning Parade that is all about teaching, crafting, exploring, whatever through stories and books. I am hoping for find some good ideas and inspiration for my students this fall. Check it out!

The Power to De-Sour?

Wendy asked, "Waaah, I want to participate, but we have a humidity problem I don't know how to deal with. Sometimes I hang the clothes out and instead of drying, they SOUR!! Does anyone have that problem?? I assume it's the humidity, but I have no idea!"

I did not know the answer, so I promised her I'd ask the masses: YOU! :)

On a related note, please check back under comments if you leave me a note. I read all of your messages (thank you, thank you!) but sometimes Blogger does not allow me to reply directly to you.

As for summer reading, run, do not walk, to your nearest bookstore or library and read the beautifully sweet, funny, and all around peach pie delectable "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty Birney. I'm only half-way done and it's my favorite book yet. See what happens when you listen to third graders? You can find some marvelous books that way!

Clotheslines and Automatons

I may be a year or so behind the times, but if I told you that The Invention of Hugo Cabret was worth the wait, I wouldn't be lying. The book has been checkout of my library continuously since September and I finally got my hands on it - I read it in one night.

And don't forget to sign on to our 2009 Clothesline Challenge! You have plenty of time to prepare as we count down to May 1st.

Spring Reveal

Pip, my older, turns five this month. Five years ago we brought all four pounds, seven ounces of him home from the hospital. As the melting snow has slowly revealed the crocuses and daffodils, time has slowly revealed what Pip is able to do this Spring that he was never able to do before.

:: We went to the park yesterday and for the first time he was high up in the air on the big boy swing. How did he get there? He pumped, of course. Sniff.

:: He asked me if his Spiderman mask was washed yet, and when I told him that it just needed a few minutes in the dryer...he went upstairs and transferred the darned thing to the dryer. I only knew because he couldn't figure out how to start it. He still needs me. Barely.

:: The tree in the backyard...you know, the one where Pip needs a leg up to get to the lowest branch? No more.

:: We always called him Felix Unger and today confirmed it. He drew labels for each of his toy bins and taped them to the exterior: Transformers, Playmobils, Art Supplies. So organized.

And for some reason memories of this just bubbled up in my thoughts today. If you've read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", you must give this one a try.



"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Psalm 30:5

{And don't forget to try your luck at yesterday's giveaway!}

Garden Themes and Summer Dreams

Well, dear friends, thank you so much for all of your fabulous suggestions on what to plant in my little garden patch. Since I so nicely "volunteered" my fellow "volunteers", I decided I had better come up with a theme and quick. So here it is: A Garden of Gourds (Catchy. Not so much).

I got my inspiration from several places, linking both literacy and art. Know any other children's books that feature gourds as a story element? And by the way...now that I've chosen my garden theme...um...HELP!!! Anyone adept at growing gourds?

While we are on the subject of seeds, I wanted to share a project that I almost overlooked. SusieJ has a smart little badge that reminds us of the importance of sharing any bumper crops that might come our way (I know anything "bumper" other than snow is hard to imagine at this time of year!). And she is even offering a little contest to win your own very cool packet of Burpee's Money Garden seeds (I mean, aren't the graphics on the seed package adorable!). And while I'm over at Burpee...I mean, how fun is this!?

And by the way...remember my little post about "Garbage Can Gardening"? Voila! :) These are my peppers seeds, rescued straight from the trash can:

Banned Books? It's a Bit Different from What Might You Think

So, the question boils down to: does the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, scheduled to go into effect on February 10th, include children's books?

Garbage Can Gardening, etc.

I saw this post on the National Gardening Association's website. Looks like a good project to get us through these chilly days.

Sprout is watching Mary Poppins (my favorite line: "Never confuse efficiency with a liver complaint.") and I can't help but notice that Mrs. Banks gives up her sufferagist activities in the name of household harmony. Do I have that right?

Inspiration, Determination, Celebration, A New Nation

Things are pretty dang exciting in my neck of the woods. I haven't set foot in DC since Wednesday, but the energy is palpable every where you go.

I am not the only one who has been inspired by Nie Nie, but her home is so full of light and family - she has some wonderful ideas featured here.

I am reading "The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963" and it just seems like everything is coming together: MLK, Jr.'s, birthday, Black History month, the inauguration of our new president. What a fitting way to remember those four little girls...

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Inauguration and other Fevers

As some of you may be able to tell from my posts, I live very close to the District of Columbia. Very close. Very, very close. Work has been canceled for the 20th, the bridges out of Virginia and Maryland are getting ready to close, and Metro officials, I'm sure, are having a few sleepless nights. Think rush hour...times 20? What am I doing? Since school and work is closed, I will be watching the festivities from the Virginia side with Pip and Sprout. Not sure where yet, but it seems to me that it should be a rather festive occasion. Anyone want to come over?

I am reading a number of books all for work. Poor me. I've had to laugh over Frindle, sit engrossed over A View from Saturday, and I am currently suffering through (NOT!) my first Artemis Fowl. Poor me. :)

As for the nature side of things, I must confess that I have turned my family into a bunch of slug-a-bugs. Sidelined by minor, but couch and fever-ridden, illnesses and the weather have severely affected our time outdoors. Now that we're on the mend I think some heartier clothing might be just what the doctor ordered. You there. You, in the really cold climate, how do you bundle up your little ones and what do you do outdoors in the cold?

Out of the Fog

Not so much the fog, really, but the excitement and stress of a new job, the holiday season, new routines and other "stressors" that I've created for myself.

Today I am at home with a week of vacation stretching out before me (thanks to my new job in the public schools), which is a good thing because both of my bambinos are sick. "Robots" and "Ice Age": if I didn't know the dialogue to these movies by heart before, I certainly know it now.

In between this and that, I've been reading at a feverish pace to keep up with the voracious readers that are my students. I am currently reading "Frindle", a quick little book that appeals mainly to my third graders and I've just finished reading the first non-picture book read-aloud to my children "My Father's Dragon" - a book that held their interest chapter after chapter even with minimal illustrations.

As for the blog, while I have not outgrown Blogger, I think I've definitely outgrown my drab template. Any suggestions?

Just Be...

Every once in a while I write a post about how I get into Keeping Up With The Joneses mode. With so many blogs featuring so many great ideas posted by so many Moms it's easy to feel like you're doing well, nothing. Last week it finally occurred to me (I'm a tad slow on the uptake) that whatever you do, you do. Your activities don't have to match the Jones' activities. Some families take road trips. You don't have to. Some Moms knit beautiful sweaters or create cozy quilts. You don't have to (that's what Etsy is for!). Some Moms maintain the sweetest blogs (with eh hem, regular updates). You don't have to. But last week, we had an fall picnic in our own backyard followed by Pip and Sprout making homemade Halloween decorations in front of a roaring fire. We did that. You don't have to. Life is not really a checklist. Sometimes it's just better to go with the flow.

We are reading a number of page-turners at our house. Green Husband cannot put down Devil in the White City which details "murder and mayhem" during the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. This book came highly recommended from Green Nana, Green Husband's MIL.

Green Husband so kindly and so thoughtfully picked up Donald Hall's Unpacking the Boxes. I am just now realizing that I have quite the large collection of works by Donald Hall and his wife, Jane Kenyon, including their wonderful interview on PBS with Bill Moyers.

For those of you in the mood for an extremely moving and beautiful book meant for the tween and teen set, Sharon Creech's Walk Two Moons is one of my new all time favorites.

The Wednesday Wars and Other Musings

Today, in between the raindrops and my children building precarious bridges between pieces of furniture, I finished my new favorite book, "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary Schmidt. What a beautiful, lyrical work of fiction that certainly cannot be pigeon-holed as "children's literature".

Speaking of books, I braved the Book Festival with Sprout and Pip today. The rain kept up (so it didn't come down) but was replaced by some rather muggy weather for which we were completely overdressed. For my two the Festival was more of an exercise in waiting in long lines to have a picture taken with a PBS character that they were rather frightened of, so a better time was had by all in the cool, darkened dinosaur wing of the Natural History Museum.

Congratulations Clothesline Challengers!

You did it!

You were non-dryer dryers for some, all, or none (that's okay) for May, June, and July.

Some of you started at intermediate and quickly climbed to advanced.

Some of you, like me, may have had illusions of grandeur and fell from advanced to...well...lower. Tornados not withstanding.

Kelli is enjoying her peg bag courtesy of Joanie at Nini Makes.

Blue Speckled Eggs kept a very impressive running tally of her loads as did Dayna.

Green and Thrifty Mama did not make the 50% as she had hoped, but she did use her clothesline more than she had been. Congratulations!

Some lovely pictures were posted here, here (hee, hee) and here.

A few found the cure for those crunchy towels.

Did I miss a recent clothesline-related post of yours? Let me know and I will be sure to share them in my next post...

As a thanks and congratulations to you, I have a giveaway: Leslie Evans has just released her sequel to Leaf Jumpers and I can tell you that it's a beauty. Winter Trees is also authored by Carole Gerber and her talent for explaining the complexity and individuality of each tree in rhyme is really amazing. Nothing is forced and, did I mention, the illustrations are Evans-As-Usual beautiful?

All challengers are automatically entered as I promised, but if you would like to up the ante, comment on this post, after visiting Leslie's site...tell me which children's book of hers you would also like, and, if you're the lucky winner you will also receive that book along with Winter Trees. Please comment by midnight U.S. Eastern time Wednesday, August 6th. And yes, I will ship internationally. Please remember - Blogger does not automatically tell me what email address you are writing from, so please, if your post does not reveal who you are, leave some notion of how I can contact you.

***Update: Please let me clarify as my instructions seem now rather murky. If you are listed on the sidebar you do not need to comment to enter. You only need to comment if you desire a second book from Sea Dog Press. If you are not listed on the sidebar, you may enter by commenting on this post - if you please, tell me how you are saving energy in your home - you may also put yourself in the running for a second bok by, again, visiting Sea Dog Press and letting me know which children's book is your favorite. Signed, -The Management***

Congratulations! You should be very proud of yourselves!

Uh...like...hellloooooo?

Yes, dear readers, I am still here - just enjoying the past week and a half of frantically getting up to speed at my new place of employment. I promise to post more later, but my latest job-related read was Because of Winn-Dixie which I read last night in just a couple of hours. If you saw the movie and did not care for it (I haven't seen the movie, so I don't know how true it is to the book), please read this gem of a book by Kate DiCamillo. It's wonderful.