Superstorm Sandy may be gone, but her trail of physical and emotional wreckage remains. Many residents are still without power, and damage estimates are in the tens of billions.
If you're a book lover, here's a great opportunity to bid on a Kid Lit experience. You'll also be supporting a really good cause: The Red Cross Relief for Hurricane Sandy. Kid Lit Cares is an online auction, organized by authors Kate Messner and Joanne Levy. Writers, illustrators, and editors are auctioning off their talents to raise money for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Some items include a Skype or in-person visit from popular children's authors, or even naming rights to a character.
Put a bid together with other parents, or with your book club. You could be a hero to your child, your school, and to the victims of Hurricane Sandy!
Round Two is now live, and it's not too late to bid. Lots of cool items being added from the minds of creative children's writers.
Check out Kid Lit Care's FB page and Twitter for the latest updates.
Feel free to pass this message along to every teacher, librarian, and book lover you know.
It's for a great cause.
I confess. I had never read a James Patterson novel, nor am I a fan of mysteries. My 12-year-old daughter, on the other hand, has read a ton of murder-mystery books. So, in order to provide a more balanced review, we both read Confessions of a Murder Suspect.
My daughter liked the book way more than I did. After all, this is a book written for suspense-loving teens. All the ingredients of action, mystery, a touch of sci-fi, and a touch of teen angst and romance are present. Chapters are very short, which suits many busy teens.
The book opens with the murder of Maud and Malcolm Angel, Tandy's parents. Tandy is disturbed by her siblings' and her own inability to feel sorrow over her parents' death, but then again, the Angels were never a normal family. Intent on finding her parents' murderer—even if it is by herself—Tandy uncovers dark and disturbing family secrets that will change her life forever.
My problems with "Confessions" lie in the somewhat formulaic writing. Beginning with the family name "Angel" (ha ha, get it?) to the know-it-all cop, and the maid who knows too much. Almost all of the adult characters are one-dimensional evil people. Every short chapter has a cliffhanger, which got tired after a while. Dialogues reminded me of a CSI episode rather than real-life exchanges.
My daughter LOVED the suspense, and thought the plot was pretty inventive. Mr. and Mrs. Angel know how to manipulate their kids in sinister and interesting ways. Tandy uncovers many secrets about her past that lead her to question her whole childhood, and even her future.
If you're looking for a book that will have your teen hooked, then take my daughter's advice: Pick up Confessions of a Murder Suspect.
And Hachette Book Group is giving away **one copy of "Confessions of a Murder Suspect!" To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below. You have until **Nov. 26th, 2012** to enter. You must be a YMC member and please be sure you've registered your email address in our commenting system so we can contact you if you win.
Yummy Rules and Regs: You must be a YummyMummyClub.ca member to win. Click to sign up! It's free and filled with perks. One comment per member. Entries accepted until **Nov. 26th, 2012**. Contest open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec). Winners will be picked using www.random.org. See full contest rules.
First-term report cards are coming up, and that means stressful times ahead for parents and kids. With all those marks staring you in the face, it's hard not to feel the pressure rise.
Before jumping to questions of reward and punishment, keep in mind that report cards are not straightforward documents. Instead, they are filled with CLUES about your child's strengths and weaknesses—so far. You'll have to do some detective work to uncover: "What's REALLY behind my child's A or F?" Only then can you decide how best to handle the report card.
Below are four essential questions to ask yourself after viewing your child's report card:
Do I understand how each teacher assigns marks?
Your child was getting all "A"s in Language Arts last year, but now has a B. Maybe last year's teacher was lax, or maybe this year's teacher is super demanding. Communicate with teachers to understand expectations, and how grades are determined.
Are lower marks due to missed assignments?
Low marks don't always indicate academic weakness. If incomplete homework is the culprit, then tackle that issue with your child. Here's an example of where electronics (or other guilty parties) may need to be removed.
Are very high marks gained with much effort, or is my child bored?
Getting all As is not necessarily fabulous. Kids can become turned off if they're not challenged, so talk to teachers about providing enrichment if those As come too easily.
What are my child's specific academic strengths and weaknesses?
Every subject contains several components. Your child may do well with number skills, but has difficulty with problem solving. Unfortunately, several areas often get lumped together under one grade. Talk with teachers and with your child to help gauge specific weaknesses early on. You can then decide how to address trouble spots, whether at school, at home, or with outside help. Pinpointing academic strengths could help you encourage your child to deepen skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm.
Remember, report cards are not final statements about your child. It's easy to get hung up on marks, but it's kind of pointless unless we understand what those marks really mean.
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