tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15117734995695979232024-02-20T17:08:49.251-08:00NotebooknookNotes about books, writing for children and life stories. A Nook is "a small space or corner that is inside something. : a part of a room (such as a corner) that is used for a specific purpose. : a quiet place that is sheltered by a tree, rock,". Welcome to my corner of the world!
MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-25439452122250669522017-11-03T09:26:00.000-07:002017-11-03T09:26:04.798-07:00Nov. 2017 update on Julie's Cancer Journey This month it will be two years since our oldest daughter, Julie, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Leiomyosarcoma, or LMS. The initial diagnosis left us reeling, not knowing what that meant for her and for us as a family. Since that time she has undergone four different surgical procedures. As I write this, she is recovering from the last surgery that took place on Oct. 12. Thankfully, she is doing as well as can be, but also waiting for the results of a recent MRI to determine her current situation. Next week I will be flying with her and her family to a retreat in Maui for people with LMS. Since her type of cancer is so rare, there aren't the usual local support groups like there are for more common types of cancer, so we are thankful for the support she has received from a Facebook group for people with LMS. We look forward to meeting other members from the group and also hearing from various physicians who specialize in treating this type of cancer. Thank you to everyone who has supported us on this journey. Your thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated as we embark on this trip next week and connect with fellow cancer survivors.MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-62652033417743141382017-01-02T09:02:00.001-08:002017-01-02T09:02:55.809-08:002016 ABC's of Gratitude<ul>
<li>A - Appointments: Planned and Divine </li>
<li>B - Beauty in unexpected places </li>
<li>C - Community </li>
<li>D - Dear Friends </li>
<li>E - Encouragers </li>
<li>F - Freedom </li>
<li>G - Grand Kids: Brody, Jacob, Dekker, Max, Spencer, Felix, Zoe, Naomi and Milo </li>
<li>H - Husband: Garry, my life's partner </li>
<li>I - Inspiration from unlikely sources </li>
<li>J - Jesus, my Saviour </li>
<li>K - Kind people </li>
<li>L - Libraries </li>
<li>M - Mochas </li>
<li>N - New Mercies every day! </li>
<li>O - Opportunities </li>
<li>P - Precious children: Julie, Heidi, Marcie, Jeremy, their spouses: David, Dustin, Carmen, Roanne </li>
<li>Q - Qualified medical professionals who detected and removed cancerous tumors in Julie and my mom in this past year</li>
<li>R - Reunions </li>
<li>S - Sabbath rests </li>
<li>T - Traveled to Alaska, Atlantic Canada, New England, Boston, New York City, Phoenix, and Kelowna </li>
<li>U - Unconditional love </li>
<li>V - Verse </li>
<li>W - Webinars </li>
<li>X - Exits </li>
<li>Y - Year-end reviews </li>
<li>Z - Zoe: for life itself and being able to live it abundantly!
</li>
</ul>
MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-64417799403147315042016-12-30T17:59:00.000-08:002016-12-30T17:59:03.003-08:002016 Learning from my Reflections 1. Writing regularly and routinely is better than ‘when I feel like it’.
2. Being in a critique group is a great opportunity to receive feedback from my peers and I need to trust my inner voice to be able to provide honest critique to my peers, as much as I want them to do the same for me.
3. I need to sow more seed ideas in order to reap the benefits of having ideas to work on.
4. Broadening my horizons by participating in a variety of activities and interests fosters new ideas & relationships
5. At the same time, I need to give uninterrupted time to working on projects for extended time periods.
MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-10563110631650099762016-12-28T17:35:00.001-08:002016-12-28T17:35:07.291-08:002016 Year in Review - Reflections on a Picture Book Writers Journey *I joined the http://12x12challenge.com/
*Wrote 3 drafts of manuscripts
*Submitted 2 manuscripts
*Attended a writer's workshop and a conference
*Participated in an online critique group
*Joined a local critique group
*Read 150 picture books through my participation with http://www.reforemo.com/
*Participated in http://picturebooksummit.com/
*Reorganized my office/writing space
*Tried my best to do something everyday that related to kidlitMARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-70328238458656594022016-04-01T18:15:00.000-07:002016-04-01T18:15:19.840-07:00March reviewThis past month I participated in a challenge called ReFoReMo, Read For Research Month. This has given me the opportunity to read, learn, and share with an online community as we all participated together in the challenge to read from a list of 100 Picture Books. I managed to read and write notes on more than 80 titles. Most of them have been published in the last few years, and some are classics that were written years ago. Along with the notes, I have started a system of tracking the books under a variety of categories, so that I can refer back and continue to add titles in the weeks and months to come. MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-80053928143299907662016-02-09T12:41:00.000-08:002016-02-09T19:37:04.449-08:00New Direction: February 2016 updateAfter about four years of no posts, I am writing an update. During these last years I was working as the library lady at a local K - 9 school, managing the library for around 700 students and 50 staff on a part time basis. During that time I did fundraising (over $30,000), hosted authors, helped staff find resources, students find books, shelved books, ordered books (over 2000), got rid of a lot of old outdated books, reorganized shelves, went from running the Follett system to learning and implementing the new system called Symphony (Syrsidynix) which meant rebarcoding all the books in the library. At the same time, I was also dealing with various family issues that needed my time and attention. I am now on a new journey towards writing for children. I now post my book reviews on Goodreads,and I recently signed up for the 12 X 12 Challenge and joined some critiquing groups for writers. I am continuing to enjoy the journey and look forward to what the future holds.
<a href="http://http://12x12challenge.com/membership/?mc_cid=74e9b04617&mc_eid=d18f11b34e"></a>MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-80214185189060847602012-04-18T13:32:00.002-07:002012-04-18T13:52:40.970-07:00Theodore Boone kid lawyer by John GrishamAs an avid John Grisham reader I was excited to receive a copy of "Theodore Boone kid lawyer". The book did not disappoint; written in Grisham's usual fast paced style, it was hard to put down. As usual, it features a lawyer as the main character, but in this case the lawyer is an ordinary kid who goes to school. His parents are both lawyers so it makes sense that Theodore would be immersed in a legal world. He becomes involved in a high profile murder trial in his town. The book would be most appropriate for students in grade 4 and higher and serves as an introduction to the field of law for children. There is another book in the series called "The Abduction"; I look forward to reading it and any other additions to this collection in the future.MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-66445639370783790262011-12-30T11:00:00.000-08:002011-12-30T11:11:20.493-08:00My Favorite Bible: The Best Loved Stories of the Bible<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DtA8pBz5Xi8/Tv4KlJClVCI/AAAAAAAAABM/c-hzqzwTvLo/s1600/My%2BFavorite%2BBible.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 64px; height: 80px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DtA8pBz5Xi8/Tv4KlJClVCI/AAAAAAAAABM/c-hzqzwTvLo/s320/My%2BFavorite%2BBible.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691998612241077282" /></a><br /><br />Rondi DeBoer and Christine Tangvald<br /> Illustrator:<br />Illustrated by Ariel Pang<br />Price: $16.99<br />ISBN: 978-0-8007-1956-2<br />ISBN-10: 0-8007-1956-5<br />Dimensions: 6 x 7.5<br />Number of pages: 384<br />Carton Quantity: 24<br />Publication Date: Aug. 11<br />Formats: Hardcover<br /> <br /><br />This beautifully illustrated version of Bible stories is written as a guide for parents of young children to introduce the truths of scripture to children at an early age. As the subtitle suggests, the book is a compilation of various stories from the Old and New Testament. Along with a “Faith Foundation”, a “Key Verse” and “Family Fun” suggestions; this delightful book would appeal to children from ages 3 – 8. Early readers will enjoy reading the words in the larger font, while a parent or older sibling could read the rest of the story. One example of the writing style used in this book can be found on pages 234 and 235. In the story called “Lazarus Lives”; a simple picture of Jesus looking up into a mauve and white sky with tears streaming down his face with the words “Jesus wept.” in a large font, followed by “His tears fell like raindrops in a dark storm.” in a smaller font. Ariel Pang illustrates the stories in simple, colorful and appealing ways. <br />The Family Talk section following this story depicts the concept of “Jesus has power over Death” as the Faith Foundation, and gives John 11:25-26 as the Key Verse. (Scripture is taken from GOD’S WORD®, © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations.) This version of the Bible is simple and readable; appropriate for younger readers. The authors, mother and daughter team; Randi DeBoer and Christine Tangvald suggest in the Note to Adults, that parents consider making a Bible Story Binder to go along with the reading of this book as a place to save artwork that the child creates as they progress through the book. Another example of how children can be engaged in the reading of this book is the Seek and Find Fun; there are 77 butterflies illustrated throughout the book for children to discover as they look at the illustrations. <br />Finally, the authors encourage not only the reading of this book with children, but they point to the importance of praying with them. I look forward to sharing this book with my grandchildren and a valuable resource for the children I teach in Children’s Church. <br /><br />"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. <br />Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-18096600061010292332011-10-02T19:45:00.000-07:002011-10-02T19:47:21.196-07:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8564644-little-princes" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1279553857m/8564644.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8564644-little-princes">Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4113892.Conor_Grennan">Conor Grennan</a><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/218204622">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />In the book "Little Princes", Conor Grennan, shares his journey from volunteering at an orphanage in Nepal for three months to returning after a year to spend more time with the children and eventually take huge personal risks to return them to their home villages and reuniting many with families that didn't even know that their family members were still alive. This book was personally interesting to me as my daughter and her husband have also volunteered with a children's home in Nepal and have returned to start another home for children in Nepal. I found the book to be a great read; sometimes very funny, other times very sad and above all written from a humble and unpretentious point of view.<br /><br/><br/><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5253362-marlene-rohr">View all my reviews</a>MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-28427386719039999142011-08-15T19:53:00.000-07:002011-08-15T19:57:10.831-07:00Book Review of “Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door” By Josh McDowell and Bob HostetlerJosh McDowell, a well known Christian author and apologist and Bob Hostetler, also an author, editor and pastor have partnered together to examine 42 popular myths regarding God, Jesus, the Bible, the resurrection, religion, Christianity, life and happiness. The authors have co-authored 11 books altogether. McDowell, originally an agnostic who set out “to refute Christianity and prove it to be a joke”, could not do that based on the evidences that he discovered.
<br />Each brief chapter is followed by a study guide called “Brain Food” to give the reader an opportunity to do their own study of scriptures relating to the myth just exposed. While written for a wide age and reading range; “Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door” is clearly geared for youth ages 12 and up. Adults will also find much food for thought even if they consider themselves to be well grounded in their beliefs about Christianity. Reading this book has challenged me to reexamine what my beliefs are, why I started believing in Jesus in my early childhood and what I believe now after approximately 40 years of following Christ.
<br />While “Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door” is well researched and the various myths are exposed for their misconceptions, the aspect I appreciated most was the author’s ability to communicate truth. As the Bible says “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”, anyone reading this book will learn that there is more to the Christian life than do’s and don’ts; that adhering to a belief in the Bible and accepting what is written is not a sign of a weak person who is gullible and brainwashed.
<br />As a result of reading this book I am more concerned about growing in my knowledge of God and in my daily walk as a believer. I truly desire to “be still and know” the God I serve. My spiritual growth continues to be challenged by the trials of life, but instead of diminishing my beliefs, I have been strengthened by the faith that has sustained me through the storms of life. I received this complementary book from BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program and was not required to post a positive review. I would recommend this book to anyone who is searching for more information or evidence regarding the Christian faith.
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<br />http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400317202
<br />
<br />http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=9781400317202
<br />MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-6991496326055432702009-06-29T21:00:00.000-07:002009-06-29T21:24:48.171-07:00The Influence of a BookThis spring I was packing up some books to take to the thrift store. When my daughter Marcie returned from her travels in Asia, and was getting ready to leave for Vancouver, I showed her two books I was going to dispose of. Her objection caught me off guard.<br />"Mom, those are books I read when I was young that made me think about traveling to the countries I just came from; you can't get rid of those books!"<br />One was a set of two books called "Families of the World", and the other was a coffee table picture book about planet earth, with very vivid photos of our beautiful planet. As I was thinking about this incident, it made me realize that these books had planted signifant seeds of wonder and curiousity in my child's heart that eventually took her to some of the places she had once discovered in a book that was in our house. <br />As she set off for life in Vancouver, those books were packed with her belongings. I am glad that I wasn't hasty in my quest to get the books out of my way. This was a reminder to me that we should never underestimate the influence of the literature that we bring into our homes.MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-3557164649223199552009-05-30T20:06:00.000-07:002009-06-25T17:53:39.712-07:00The Old and the NewTis the season...for yard and garage sales! Some of the best children's books I have came from sales such as these. When I scan through the myriad of books at a sale, I look for books by familiar authors that I don't already have, or are no longer in print in the local book stores.<br />One classic I would recommend for kids of all ages is "Puzzle Island". This engaging tale has hidden pictures that need to be found by the missing letters in the alphabet border around each page.<br />I used this book with a small group of "reluctant readers" and the story, puzzle element and pictures kept them turning the pages. "Puzzle Island" by Paul Adshead, Child's Play (International) Limited. This would be great book for grandparents to share with grandkids, because it is suitable for a wide range of ages and reading levels. I purchased my latest copy at the Teacher's Book Depository in Edmonton. This is a wonderful local resource that is open to the public <a href="http://www.teachersbookdepository.com/">http://www.teachersbookdepository.com/</a> My previous copy was worn out by my own children when they were growing up!<br />This month I had the opportunity to attend an inservice that Edmonton Public Schools presents annually called "The Best of the Best", a panel of teachers/librarians/library techs read an assortment of many of the new books and spend an afternoon giving reviews of the latest greatest! While the list is too long to repeat here and I prefer to comment on books I have personally read, what I appreciated about the presentation was the number of new non-fiction books that have great kid-appeal. There are books on many topics of interest to a wide range of reading levels. One book that I am looking forward to reading is "Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg & Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth. This book is suitable for grades 2 -6 and raises awareness of other cultures. My daughter Marcie read the "adult version" and recommended it. She spent the last seven months travelling in various Asian countries and has seen some of what the author of this book writes about first hand. It includes an interview with his 12 year -old daughter Amira Mortenson. (Puffin Books, 2009)<br />Another one I would like to include on my summer reading list is "The Trouble Begins at 8: A life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West". Recommended for grades 6 -12, the reviewer found it to be "extremely entertaining " and a great read aloud. (Greenwillow Books, 2008)<br />Finally, the book I am currently reading is "Autumn Street" by Lois Lowry, a book that as she shared at Kaleidoscope 9 Children's Literature Conference in Calgary last November, is an autobiography. I recently had the opportunity to spend a weekend at the lake with my daughter, Julie, who is 26 and I read a couple of chapters aloud to her; I don't think a child is ever too old to be read aloud to! (Yearling 1980)MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-73401439934903805152009-04-03T15:50:00.000-07:002009-04-04T12:43:53.763-07:00International Children's Book Day, April 2I celebrated International Children's Book Day on Thursday, April 2 by reading to my one and only favorite almost 5 year old step granddaughter, Brody, and by giving her a copy of Barbara Cooney's delightful book "Miss Rumphius". "Miss Rumphius" was given to me as a baby gift by a high school friend when one of my daughters was born and over the years this copy has been read and reread until it is almost falling apart. For more information on Barbara Cooney and her other books, see <a href="http://www.carolhurst.com/authors/bcooney.html">http://www.carolhurst.com/authors/bcooney.html</a> . This looks like a great website about Children's literature.<br />Miss Rumphius is a lady who was known by different names, according to the various stages in her life. This wonderfully self illustrated book starts when she is a little girl named Alice, who decides at an early age that she will go to faraway places and live by the sea when she is old. Her grandfather wisely advises her that there is one more thing she must do, and that is to do something to make the world more beautiful. I won't spoil the ending, but she does find a way to make the world more beautiful. This picture book would appeal to all ages, but would be at a reading level for approximately grade 3 and older. Scholastic Inc., 1982, Winner of the American Book Award.MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-2628961894202186452009-03-09T12:23:00.000-07:002009-03-09T13:52:54.503-07:00Peer Pressure and BullyingAs an educator in an elementary school,who has experienced bullying by students and regularly witnesses the negative effects of peer pressure, I have recently read three very diverse books on the topic of bullying and peer pressure. Two were novels, and one a tragic true account that has turned into a positive effort to promote compassion and kindness in schools.<br />The first book I will review is a novel suitable for pre-teens - Grade 5-7 called "<em>The Mother Daughter Book Club" by Heather Vogel Frederick, published by Aladdin Paperbacks, 2007.</em> If anyone has read Amy Tan's "<em>The Joy Luck Club"</em>, it is written in a similar format; the voices of four girls comprise the chapters. The Mother Daughter Book Club is the brainchild of one of the mothers, a librarian who launches a book club for her three friends and their daughters. At first, not all the daughters are interested in the concept for various reasons. The book they choose to read is Little Women; this book is also a delightful review of a classic that happens to take place in the author, Louisa May Alcott's hometown of Concord, Massachusetts. This was also the hometown of author Heather Vogel Frederick when she was a young girl.<br />As the girls in the group become more acquainted they develop deeper bonds. All the girls have "issues"; there are no perfect girls here, but examples of girls that are doing their best to cope in a variety of challenging personal and family situations. The existence of a rival group of girls led by a meanspirited "friend" who dictates what is cool for the rest of her followers to do or not to do is quite common in the hallways of our schools.<br />Overall I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to the next book in the series: <em>" The Mother Daughter Book Club: Chapter Two" </em>- the club members read "Anne of Green Gables". Finally, there is a list of discussion questions at the end of the book that would be suitable for a book club to use.<br /><br />The next book, "<em>The Isabel Factor" by Gayle Friesen, Kid's Can Press, 2005</em> is written for a high school age level audience. The main character, Anna, tells her story in her own voice, telling the story of her experience at summer camp as a Counselor in Training. This is the first time she is at the camp without her best friend, Zoe, which results in her having to adjust to a new cabin mate, Isabel, who is very different from her. After her friend Zoe arrives at the camp Anna realizes that she has to make some hard choices. I won't give away the ending, but Friesen has written a book that teenage girls will be able to relate to.<br /><br />The final book, based on the true account of the Columbine Tragedy <em>"Rachel's Tears" by Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott ( Rachel's parents) with Steve Rabey, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2008 </em>is a reprint of the original book written in 2000 with new interviews.<br />As the authors write, this is definately a book that they would have preferred never to have written, but along with the truth of the tragedy they have chosen to bring attention to their daughter's life before she was gunned down in the library of her high school on April 20, 1999. Along with a detailed account of the tragedy, most of the book is a compilation of Rachel's own writings from her journals, up until a few days before her death.<br />Her writings reveal a young lady who had found significance and security in her relationship with Jesus Christ. As her mother Beth writes (pg.98) "I knew something of Rachel's commitment even before her death and before I read her journals. She was very matter-of-fact about her faith and the demands it placed on her life. That was just who she was. She talked to people about God when she worked at Subway. She reached out to strangers who needed help".<br />Rachel practiced her faith by "continually finding creative ways to show people the compassion of Christ".<br />In the account of the tragedy, the truth of what happened is revealed in the chapter "Anatomy of Tragedy"; some of the most disturbing aspects are highlighted by the reference to the contents of the website and videos that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the killers, produced before their deadly rampage that resulted in the deaths of 13 victims and themselves. As Rachel's father Darrell writes (pg. 151)... it seems that Dylan Klebold was powerfully affected by peer pressure... (pg.152) Eric showed off much of his arsenal on some of the videotapes he and Dylan had made in the months before the killings... (pg. 153) In the end, I believe the most crucial factor leading to the Columbine tragedy was that many young people today have been raised in a culture where there is a complete lack of moral or spiritual exposure."<br />This book is a wake call for parents, educators and teens alike. The positive outcome of this tragedy is that Rachel's parents have dedicated their lives to promoting kindness and compassion in schools. Darrell makes school visits and both maintain seperate websites updating readers on the resources that are available to parents, educators and students.<br />See the Thomas Nelson Website for more information about this book: <a href="http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1400313473">http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1400313473</a>MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-3743262244017719272009-02-11T15:03:00.000-08:002009-02-11T15:18:46.227-08:00The Several Lives of Orphan Jack<strong>The Several Lives of Orphan Jack</strong> by Sarah Ellis, Illustrated by Bruno St.-Aubin Groundwood Books 2003 <em>Historical Fiction</em><br />This delightful tale for middle readers is a great read from start to finish. Written in a last century style with rich language about the adventures of twelve year old Jack who is trying to stay out of trouble, but trouble always seems to find him.<br />Author Sarah Ellis has also written a very interesting and helpful guide for parents and educators called "From Reader to Writer", a guideline for what books to introduce to children to teach them specific writing skills.MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1511773499569597923.post-34866633977066424932009-02-01T15:13:00.000-08:002009-02-01T15:49:06.235-08:00Kids, Books and Me<span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >This blog is being created to share with my friends and family members the joys of children's literature. Some of my earliest fondest memories include the books that were read to me and the books I read when I was in school. Authors like Lucy M. Montgomery, Lois Lensky and Louisa May Alcott were all favourites. Then there were the books I read to my children, the books I read with students at school and now the journey begins again with introducing books to my grandchildren! In the last year I have become even more familiar with local, national, newly published and some forgotten, but newly reacquainted authors. My personal preferences are books for children that are inspirational, provide positive character building examples and are edifying. I will be exploring various genres, books for a variety of age and developmental levels, and make suggestions for books for struggling and gifted readers. If you have any questions or suggestions for me, please let me know and I will address those issues as they arise. I am also interested in seeing posts of what your favorite kids books were and what your current favorite books are. I will also be doing book reviews of books I read, so check in from time to time to see what is new! </span>MARohrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208976679049110347noreply@blogger.com0