Children's Literature Workshop

In October 2010, I had the privilege of attending a Children's Literature Workshop run by the Highlights Foundation.

About fifteen writers from all over the United States assembled together to hear from executives, editors, and authors that work with Highlights for Kids Magazine or with the Boyds Mills Press.  It was a busy weekend full of encouragement and specific knowledge on how to thrive in children's literature within today's unique environment.

A special thanks to editors Kim Griswell, Larry Rosler, and Joelle DuJardin; and to the President of Boyds Mills Press, Clay Winters; and also a very special thank you to authors Lindsay Barrett George and Jan Cheripko.

Highlights Foundation Workshop

I Love New York!

New York - such a vibrant, exciting city!  After being away for over 10 years, I took a week long trip there last month.

For pictures of my trip, please see my mystery blog at:  C. T. Martin's Trip to NY City

Great Non-Fiction From the Discovery Kids Series

Last week, we broached the importance of including good non-fiction books in your child's monthly reading routine at home.  Doing so can help foster a love of learning in your child about such topics, apart from the classroom.  Now, let's highlight two non-fiction books from the Discovery Kids Series.  

The book, The Human Body (2009), is divided into seven parts.  It covers skin, bones, lungs, the heart, food and digestion, the brain, and the senses.  The sentence structure is simple, the explanations are brief and clear.  As you would expect, the book has plenty of pictures that should capture a child's interest, but they are well chosen and pertinent to each topic.

An effective feature in the book is the Discovery Facts box.  It contains facts that even adults may not be aware of.  Here's an example under the section on Bones, "There are about 5 1/2 pounds of marrow in an adult's body.  The bone marrow produces more than 3 million new blood cells every second!"

In Ocean World (2008), a similar format is followed.  The topics include beaches and shores, coral reefs, open oceans, and polar waters.  The pictures in this book are spectacular, not only within the pages of the book, but also on the stickers inside.  There are many breathtaking images of various ocean life.  You can really make things fun with your child by having them draw pictures of the sea life and posting them on the refrigerator or your own blog!

Sea Butterfly

If you think that this book covers only the ordinary sea life that you are accustomed to, think again.  It goes far beyond seals, orcas, and polar bears.  One fascinating creature discussed is the Sea Butterfly - ever heard of it?  Me neither.  They are beautiful and is just one of the very exotic creatures discussed in Ocean World.

An interesting tidbit from one of the Did you know? boxes in this book is about the walrus.  When it becomes overheated it turns pink in color.  This is because its hot blood flows close to the surface of the skin so as to cool the body down.

Other very useful features in both books are a full color pull out poster, a set of stickers, several short quizzes, and an easy to use index for kids too.  Even in our 21st century world of electronics and video, stickers are still fun for kids and a great way to validate your child's success in learning.  As a reward for finishing all of the activities in this book, you could take your child to visit your local aquarium.

Do yourself a favor and place these two books on your shelf or check them out from your library.  I promise, they will fire your child's imagination and yours too!

From Odds and Ends...

A Poem


This year my parents celebrated 32 years of marriage.  I wrote a simple, short poem in honor of those two beautiful people.  I hope that you enjoy the poem as much as they did.

Love


is passionate and much more than romance,


it is a treasure when you stick loyally together,


surrounded by your loving family,


that will never forget your importance.


Love repairs you when you break down,


and makes your heart whole.


It will be especially beautiful when blessings overtake you,


and your love lasts forever.

Balancing Fiction With Non-Fiction

There's nothing like a good fiction story to stir a child's imagination.  When a child discovers the joy of reading, it's often by way of a story that is introduced by the words, "once upon a time..." or another clever hook.  I still remember with great fondness one of the first stories that I read as a child - The Little Engine That Could.  Today's list of famous fiction for kids (and us adults too) seems endless, from The 39 Clues, to Harry Potter, to the Diary of a Whimpy Kid.

However, in all of the excitement to expose our kids to the wonder of fairy tales and myths, we sometimes forget just how wonderful well written non-fiction can be for our children.  Since they get plenty of non-fiction in school, we might be inclined to neglect that part of our children's reading repertoire.  I believe that if we leave all of the discussions of science, biology, and the like, solely to those times when a child is in school, they may associate such learning only with the challenge of making a grade, instead of appreciating the beauty of such information in of itself.

Therefore, I suggest that we commit to exposing our kids to more animals, oceans, stars, planets, math, art, music, and creativity.  This will help them to contemplate the wonders of what they can see and accomplish in the real world.  Next month I'll review a few such recommended books for children.

Coming in 2011...A New Young Adult Novel by C. T. Martin

No One Said Anything is a story about seventeen year old Jonathan who is trying to make sense of all the advice he’s been getting from adults during his senior year in high school. He struggles with the conflicting messages of kindness, giving, and helping others, while at the same time observing hypocrisy and an epidemic of indifference plaguing the attitudes of his community.

While dealing with these issues, Jonathan and other students at Covina High School observes how deeply depressed their Math Instructor Bill Lopardo, has become since his divorce. The students express their concerns to parents and counselors at the school, but everyone keeps using the excuse that Mr. Lopardo’s family problems was none of their business. Although Mr. Lopardo has many friends, most of them do not put enough effort into preventing a tragedy that will shatter the lives of many others on that fateful Christmas day. The lessons that the community learns come at a high price, but are not fully realized until Jonathan comes to grips with his own journey into adulthood and responsibility.

A New Book for Young Readers!

Why The Mouse Chose The House by C. T. Martin

Mike's parents don't know about his new little friend - a mouse named Seb! Read their hilarious story of how mice came to choose people's homes as a place to live.

Children's fiction. Ages 7 and older. 36 pages. Full color glossy softcover, with black and white original illustrations inside.

To purchase Why The Mouse Chose The House click here!