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Superbowl Monday is Focus of Autistic Teen's Awareness Campaign

2011-01-27T16:26:00Z

Autistic West Virginia teen, William Brown, 16, has started his own awareness campaign... with a twist.

Brown said, "I do a lot of research for my high school debate team, and recently I found some research compiled by Kronos.com that indicated that 4.4 million American workers show up late for work on the day after the Superbowl. Similarly 1.5 million American workers don't bother to show up at all on Superbowl Monday."

Brown said he imagined that there would be some guilt associated with missing work, and perhaps aligning the missing work hours with a worthy cause would be a good fit for everyone.

He said, "I've done Jump Rope for Heart and March of Dimes walks and all kinds of awareness campaigns, but this is a no-brainer. Seriously, how hard is it to sleep in? I'd pay five bucks for that."

Because Brown is not interested in collecting the money himself, he encourages folks to donate to their local autism charities. Several autism charities have jumped aboard, including autism groups in Rhode Island, Texas, Illinois and West Virginia. National groups have also endorsed Brown's awareness campaign, including NARPAA.

"Awareness starts with me. People who know me, know I have autism. It doesn't 'have' me. I'm stepping out and using my voice, because I have one. A lot of other people with autism can't speak out. One in every 100 kids knows what it means to be autistic. That means that the other 99 have a lot to learn."

More information about Sleep-In for Autism is available on Facebook at "Sleep-In for Autism." William Brown's CNN interview about changes to diagnostic criteria for autism is available at http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-11/health/aspergers.autism.dsm.v_1_asperger-autism-diagnoses-autism-spectrum-disorders?_s=PM:HEALTH.

Artwork by Elementary Student from Ohio

2010-12-22T15:39:00Z

A special "thank you" goes out to Emma McClendon for sending me some of her original artwork. Emma is a student at Fairland West Elementary School in Rome Ohio.

More on West Virginia Book Festival

2010-10-19T19:48:00Z

I just ran across this article in our local paper:

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/briefs/x983707081/Authors-to-appear-at-West-Virginia-Book-Festival-in-Charleston

There Are No Words has won a total of NINE literary awards.

2010-10-19T17:29:00Z

Award count up to NINE!!
There Are No Words has now earned nine literary awards.

They are:

Mom's Choice Award (Gold)
Moonbeam Children's Book Award (Bronze)
Creative Child Magazine's Seal of Approval
Parent-Tested, Parent-Approved Media Award
Eric Hoffer Award
International Book Award
IBBY's "Outstanding Book for Young People with Disabilities"
Hollywood Book Festival Honorable Mention
Nashville Book Festival Runner-up

West Virginia Book Festival was loads of fun.

2010-10-19T17:20:00Z

The West Virginia Book Festival

Signing at the West Virginia Book Festival.

I DO love me some Dr. Seuss!

A blast from the past. Valorie and Monica stopped by to say hello.

Did teacher handle this situation with autistic student in the best way?

2010-08-24T16:41:49Z

This week I received a very interesting question about forcing an autistic child to participate in art class. I'd love to hear your take on it.

Mary

Q:
I'm new to this. I was shadowing a 11 yr severely autistic
student for the second time, the teacher was using fruit in
art class. The student didn't want to participate. He kept
shaking his head no, and turning around. I didn't see the
point of forcing him to partake in the lesson. I said, why
force, this is for fun. The teacher said, "He never wants
to do anything." She then proceeded to force him. He was so
sad, shaking his head, saying no. I shadowed him before, and
he cooperated with me.
My take on it is, why couldn't he just sit there. I now
students have to learn daily routines, and it's great for
them to participate, but sometimes it's just more important,
to let the child be happy. Am I wrong?

A:
One of the women I most respect with regard to education of students on the Autism spectrum is Paula Kluth. She maintains that autistic behavior is human behavior. The issues that bother a child with Autism, bother many of us to a lesser extent. The difference is... we have the social skills to make light of our OCD or our interest in collecting spoons or whatever.

Here's how I see the situation you observed. The Autistic student may have had an issue with fruit in general. The color yellow may grate on his eyes the same way fingernails on a chalk board can grate on our ears. Just looking at the texture of the skin of a pear may gross him out in the same way that watching someone throw up may cause a neurotypical. Apples may remind him that he has to take medicine in a spoonful of applesauce every morning or maybe kids throw fallen apples at him on his way to school.

What's my point?

If the Autistic student is balking at the choice of objects for a still life, what's the harm in setting up a separate still life?

Perhaps the class is working with charcoal... something I don't like to have on my hands... and he is reluctant to get his hands dirty... isn't the concept to learn to love art and to create something out of nothing? Give the kid a pencil or a pen to do the drawing.

Or you know what? This student may need to use the restroom very badly. He can't "go" in between classes because other kids make fun of him in there. It sounds like he's included in the classroom, so he doesn't have an aide to help him.

The bottom line is this... we absolutely need to treat Autistic behavior as human behavior. Whatever was troubling this young man was real. His needs are real, and no matter how we wish he were like the other kids in the class (trust me... his mother wishes this more than anyone else), he was born differently.

Let's treat him with respect.

Using cell phones and other tech n the classroom

2010-08-23T19:46:00Z

Here is the link to a recent guest blog post I created for Iste Connects:

http://www.isteconnects.org/2010/08/23/keeping-students-engaged-using-cell-phones-and-other-tech-in-the-classroom/

Here is the text of the blog:

Student Engagement: Using Cell Phones and Other Tech in Classrooms

Last night I sat in the auditorium of my sons’ high school for orientation. The students had been dismissed to a scavenger hunt to learn their way around the building, and parents were left behind to visit with the principal. After a long day at work, my mind was beginning to wander, and every time I blinked my eyes, they opened a little more reluctantly. I was in one of those situations where folks asked questions that you couldn’t hear, and the principal gave an answer that no one really cares about except the asker.

Then, I heard him say this, “Each class has a textbook, but if a teacher is only working from the text, she’s not doing it right. The text should be considered a resource, but the teacher is there to engage the students, use technology and even cell phones to teach the students.”

I sat up straight and considered the possibilities.

As educators, we are reluctant to change our ways. Honestly, if you’ve been teaching the same subject for 15 years, why would you rock the boat? But if we stop learning and trying new things, we become stagnant and obsolete. The children we teach today are fundamentally better at understanding technology than we are. They’ve been immersed in electronics every day of their lives. They eat it up. How can a textbook possibly compete with Youtube? And how can you and your chalkboard possibly compete with the text message buzzing wordlessly in their pocket?

We must embrace the technology that excites our students. The Tomorrow Group has recently conducted some research that may surprise you.

98% of high school students have a cell phone.
83% of middle school students have a cell phone
43% of 3rd through 5th graders have a cell phone
28% of K-2nd graders have a cell phone.

More than one-fourth of middle and high school students have mobile internet on their cell phones, but what can teachers DO with this technology in the classroom? Do your students have trouble with organization? They can begin to use a calendar to remind them of projects and assignments due, organize their school work, be reminded of school activities, communicate with the teacher, create and share documents, take notes, look up information on the internet, access classroom blogs, create their own blog about the work they are doing, work together with other students on projects, coordinate calendars with other students, share favorite web sites with you and other students and even take videos for class presentations.

Teachers can also use cell phone technology to better communicate with parents. There’s a really cool site called SendGM that lets you send out group messages to cell phones and email all at once. Teachers can sign up for a free account and include all your parents’ and students’ contact information…. there will be no escape from your reminders!

Aside from using cellphones, today’s teacher needs to be sure to integrate technology in their classrooms in other ways, as well. There is simply no excuse for today’s educator to not have a web cam and a free Skype account. There are professionals, like me, who visit classrooms AT NO CHARGE on a daily basis using Skype. How would your students benefit from asking questions of an expert or having an author teach them techniques for better creative writing? Skype with me and find out. There is no way I could possibly go into all the uses for web cams in the classroom. If you don’t have one, go to Walmart right now and shell out $20 to get one. You won’t regret it.
Another unusual technology for the classroom is the I-Pod. Most of your students study with music. It helps them focus and can help calm test anxiety. Allowing students to listen to I-Pods during tests or using them for audio books or podcasts can be effective strategies to meet your goals.

This blog is just the tip of the iceberg. The number of uses for technology in the classroom is only limited by your imagination. Below are a few web sites that might help. Good luck!

www.techsavvyed.net
www.ateachersguidetohappiness.com
www.edutopia.org
www.cellphonesinlearning.com

Read more from Mary Calhoun Brown at her blog: http://blog.marycalhounbrown.com

Also, check out her recent book, there are no words, available at http://www.amazon.com:

There Are No Words Book Trailer

2010-08-19T17:25:00Z

There Are No Words book trailer

The story behind There Are No Words is now up on fReado

2010-08-10T20:03:00Z

How does a mom of three boys... one of them autistic... end up writing an award-winning book? The story behind the story is now featured on fReado at this link: http://www.freado.com/featured.php

The photo above is my son, William, outside his dorm at Harvard University. He is 15 and a constant source of inspiration.

An easier way to teach multiplication tables to your students

2010-08-10T19:28:00Z

Recently some friends of mine on Teachers.net asked me to share the songs I used to teach my autistic son his multiplication tables. After some arm twisting, my 11 year old agreed to sing the songs for a Youtube video. Then he showed up dressed like a gangster with his shorts hanging low and a Memphis Grizzlies t-shirt on that he had slept in. When I asked him to please go change shirts, he politely told me I could sing the songs myself. Below please find a link to my public singing debut. Don't laugh!! I hope it helps you teach your students their multiplication tables in a different kind of way.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig8OiIXqEBo href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig8OiIXqEBo">

Book Trailer for There Are No Words will be up this month

2010-08-03T19:04:00Z

Another school year is about to begin. I'm so excited to make new friends and meet young writers from all across America.

There Are No Words won "Honorable Mention" at the Hollywood Book Festival. Here are some other awards it has won:

- Eric Hoffer Award
- International Book Award
- Outstanding Book for Young People with Disabilities (IBBY)
- Nashville Book Festival
and
Later this month, I will be able to announce an award that I was personally hoping for all along! I can't let the news slip until after August. 24th.

The book trailer for "There Are No Words" will be posted probably the first of next week. I had a fabulous time shooting the video with some very talented young people. A huge "thanks" and shout-out goes to Marquis Brown, who played "Oliver Pack," Courtney Powers who played "Sarah Hale," Constantine Svingos who played "Dewey MacKenzie" and the perfectly wonderful Isabella Mayes who played "Jaxon."

Book Blog for Teachers and Parents

2010-08-03T18:58:00Z

<a href="http://www.blogskinny.com/?Education" title="Board Education"><img src="http://blogskinny.com/Score/?u=12889_23140e8f0d2e" border="0" alt="Continuing Education, Continuing Education"></a> <a href="http://blogskinny.com/?Education" Title="Career Education, Board Education"><cinclude template="act_array_random.cfm">Board Education</a><a href="Bloggershttp://blogskinny.com">Bloggers</a>

This blog will be featured on Weblogalot.com

2010-08-03T18:16:00Z

<a href="http://www.weblogalot.com/" target="_blank" title="WebLog Directory">WebLog Directory</a>

Blogrankings.com listing

2010-08-03T18:11:00Z

My blog will be featured on Blogrankings.com.

<a href="http://www.blogrankings.com/literature/"><img style="border:none" src="http://www.blogrankings.com/img_37885.gif" alt="Books & Literature Blogs - Blog Rankings" /></a>

Creative Writing Workshops

2010-08-03T17:30:00Z

This summer I have had so very many requests about my creative writing workshops that I've had to send out my responses in bulk. I apologize for the impersonal replies. I thought I should post the workshop information on my blog so I can refer folks to the blog if they need general information and field specific questions via email.

Here's how it works:

First of all, I recognize that teachers and school districts are tight with their budgets. As a former teacher, I understand that all too well. My husband used to ask me how much I had to pay Enslow Park to teach there year after year. (His idea of a joke since I spent nearly all my paycheck on my classroom each year the first couple of years.) Therefore, I set up my fee schedule in two ways.

The first option is a straight up $65 an hour for services. Many schools have grant money or a budget for technology that allows for this. Others don't. The other option is to send out an order form to your students or to the whole school. I have the form all ready. Schools need to sell 12 copies of my book "There Are No Words" (which usually isn't too difficult), and that pays for a classroom visit. Books cost $9.95 and meet content standards and objectives for 4th through 8th grades across the United States. The book is a multiple award winner, and more information about it is available at www.marycalhounbrown.com.

Okay, now to the presentations.

There are two options. The first is a straight "Meet the Author" presentation. I visit your classroom using Skype (a free service). If you are not familiar with Skype, I can help you set it up. It's very easy, and every classroom in America should be using it to bring experts in every area to students without cost. More about using Skype in the classroom is available on previous blog entries or on my youtube video blogs.

The "Meet the Author" visits are nice for classrooms or schools that have read my book or intend to read it as a class. It works especially well when students prepare questions for me in advance and then read them. I can't tell you how many times I'll have a student stare at me, the questions he was about to ask having temporarily escaped his mind. Better if they write them down. I spend about 45 minutes in this type of visit.

The second option for school visits are the "Writing Workshops." Again, I Skype into your classroom and present a 45 minute writing workshop to students. It's the exact same writing workshop I offer to local schools, and I can share my computer screen with the class to avoid any technology hassles for the teacher. I promise that after 45 minutes with my sensory approach to writing, your students will be better writers.

I have a handful of videos from both Youtube and Google Images that I use to slow down the writing process, encouraging students to begin the descriptive process one step at a time. I show them how to use Youtube and similar sites to enrich their writing, allowing them to describe places they've never been and people they've never met.

It's all very fun for the class. I ask some students to send me their work, and I post it on my blog sites for others to see. I also post drawings, especially from Asperger's or autism classrooms I visit.

I hope this answers some of your questions. I do offer a once-a-month free visit on a first come/first serve basis, and I am scheduling for the 2010-2011 school year now. September, November and March are still open. Please feel free to email me at email@marycalhounbrown.com with additional questions or to schedule a visit. I can also be reached during office hours (east coast) at 304-638-4922.

All my best,

Mary Calhoun Brown

Answer to student's question about getting published

2010-08-03T17:19:00Z

Of course I love it when students write to me. Here's a letter I received over the summer and my response.

Dear Mrs. Brown,

It's me Lauren! I am working on the manuscript of my book. I was just wondering if you had any helpful writing tips. Could you recommend any good publishers? I was looking online and I found a publishing company called Publishers America. They quite good but, I wanted a professional opinion on a good publisher.

From,

Lauren Parsons

Dear Lauren,

It is so wonderful to hear from you! I DO have some publishing advice for you. First of all, before you submit your manuscript to anyone, you need to find a really good editor. Often a high school level or higher English teacher is the best because they won't charge you for their work. Be sure to thank your editor in the final version of your book.

The next advice I would give you is NOT to self-publish or publish using Publish America or similar companies. The reason is this: many awards and distributors will not even look at anything that resembles self-published work. There's a wonderful resource called "Writers Market" that gives the names and addresses of publishers and literary agents. You can find it free at your local library, but it's better if you can subscribe online because then you can search for publishers who are looking for books just like yours. It increases your chances of getting published if you send to publishers who want what you've written.

After your book is finished and edited, you need to start writing a query letter. You can find sample query letters online, but basically, it's a one-page letter telling about your work. The first paragraph is an attention getter. The second is a very brief summary of your book. The third paragraph is about you as a writer, your experience and whatnot. Don't be afraid to say you are a first time author, and be sure to include your age. I think it will help you. The last paragraph is information as to how the publisher can reach you.

You begin the publishing process by sending out hundreds of these query letters. For every one company that wants to see your manuscript, there will be at least 20 who reject you, but don't worry about that. It happens to us all. I tried to make a little game out of my rejections. Every "no" brings you one step closer to a "yes," so be excited when you get a "no." When a publisher responds to your query letter, that means they want to read your manuscript. So, send out a completed, bound manuscript to every publisher who has accepted you. This leads you down another road... The actual acceptance process from the publisher. They will either accept or reject you AGAIN.

Keep in mind the math behind all of this. If you send out 100 query letters, chances are, you'll get about 5 acceptances. Out of those 5 acceptances, you might not receive a single contract offer. The more query letters you send out in your genre, the more options you will have when you have to decide which company to sign with.

You don't need a literary agent at this point. When you use Writers' Market, be sure to query publishers who take "first time authors" and "unagented authors." The publishing business is changing very quickly, and it's harder to become published now than it ever has been. The good news for new authors is.... the publishers want to eliminate the middle man in many cases. They want to discover their own talent and not have to negotiate with agents. I have published friends who love their agents and say they're worth every penny, and honestly, I'm looking for an agent at this point in my career. But with your first book, you're fine on your own.

I hope this has answered some of your questions. If you have others, don't hesitate to contact me again. I am so proud of you! I can't wait to read your book!

All my best,

Mary Calhoun Brown

My blog will soon be listed on BlogCataglog

2010-07-23T18:26:00Z

Here's the link:

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/education-and-learning/

Video Conferencing in the Classroom

2010-07-22T19:23:00Z

Awesome video showing the power of video conferencing in the classroom. (Best content begins after the talking head guy stops and the video goes into the schools.)

http://dotsub.com/view/f5530d69-424b-4fa3-a609-2fd733f2e545

More reasons to Skype in the classroom.

2010-07-22T18:59:00Z

Oh my goodness! Here's a guy who loves Skype as much as I do.

http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/02/15/the-many-roles-of-skype-in-the-classroom/comment-page-1/

Top 10 Back-to-School Reads for Middle School English Teachers

2010-07-22T18:49:00Z

Top 10 Back-to-School Reads for Middle School

Brennan, Sarah Rees. Demon’s Lexicon. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Margaret K. McElderry. 2009.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 9 Up–In this riveting debut novel, 16-year-old Nick and his older brother, Alan, are accustomed to life on the run. Since their father was murdered, the boys have been forced to slay demons set on them by magicians seeking the powerful charm stolen by the boys’ mother. Nick is furious when Alan receives a first-tier demon mark while saving a neighborhood boy. While seeking to remove it, Nick begins to suspect that his brother is lying to him about the reason for the magicians’ attempts to kill them and about why their mother screams whenever Nick touches her. Fans of the Supernatural television series will be hooked from the novel’s opening lines (The pipe under the sink was leaking again. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except that Nick kept his favorite sword under the sink.). Even teens who don’t consider themselves genre buffs will appreciate the solid writing, fast-paced plot, and sense of authenticity that Brennan gives to the shadowy world between ordinary, modern-day London and the otherworld of demons and magicians. Though Nick and Alan’s story is mostly resolved with Nick discovering the truth behind his father’s death and his mother’s fear of him, readers will no doubt clamor for the next book in this planned urban fantasy trilogy.–Leah J. Sparks, formerly at Bowie Public Library, MD

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Brown, Mary Calhoun. There Are No Words. Lucky Press. 2010

From Midwest Book Review

The most terrifying future is a future you cannot change. “There Are No Words” tells the story of a mute girl who finds herself with a voice, but sent back decades ago. With the knowledge of a train wreck that will kill one of her grandfather’s friends, Jaxon MacKenzie finds herself in a time before said accident. But a twelve year old girl can’t do much to stop a government train…can she? “There Are No Words” is a charming story of determination and friendship, highly recommended.

From Feathered Quill: 5 Stars

There Are No Words is narrated by Jaxon, a 12-year-old girl with autism who lives with her grandparents. Though she shares with the reader that she cannot speak and describes her intense reactions to sound and touch, this is not really a book about autism. It is an adventure whose protagonist happens to be autistic.

Jaxon also proves to be a strong, quick-thinking girl with a crush on a black boy and a friend who, in 1918, likes to wear boys’ pants and shoes under her dresses. Author Mary Calhoun Brown defies many stereotypes. Teachers and parents looking for a book with strong female characters or gentle, nurturing men will find them here. The book also promotes awareness of autism without presenting it as a problem to be overcome. In fact the main problem from Jaxon’s point of view is that other people do not understand autism and treat her as though she is stupid or, to use her word, unworthy.

We see the world through the eyes of someone who is extremely sensitive to touch and to sounds. Jaxon also pays close attention to details and colors. The descriptions of the world around her– the feel of the carpet, the sounds of the rain– are peaceful and poetic. Jaxon, who has much difficulty communicating with others, including her own mother, is still able to paint for us beautiful images of the world as she sees it.

When Jaxon is magically transported through a painting and back in time, she finds that she is able to speak. In fact she seems to have no trouble communicating whatsoever and to be unusually good at intuiting the feelings of others. In Tennessee in 1918 Jaxon’s autism is not a problem, but she soon discovers that racism, an issue that she had been unaware of before her time-travel adventure, is a huge one.

There Are No Words is a quick read with thoroughly likable characters. The relationships between the characters are sweet while still being very real. Readers will be inspired by the patience of Jaxon’s grandparents and the kindness of her friends.

Quill says: A dream-like adventure that reads like poetry while challenging stereotypes

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Griffin, Paul. The Orange Houses. Penguin/Dian Books. 2009.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Much like Rita Williams-Garcia’s Jumped (2009), this story follows three kids through the pressure cooker of inner-city teenage life as it moves toward its crushing conclusion. Whereas that book mined the minor humiliations and overblown dramas that swirl during a single school day, this has a much more diffuse scope. The three characters couldn’t be any more different: Tamika Sykes is a partially deaf student agonizing over whether she really wants to hear all the noise surrounding her; Fatima Espérer is a 16-year-old refugee who fled the violence and poverty of her unspecified African country to live in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty; and depending on who you ask, Jimmy Sixes, already a disturbed veteran at age 18, is either a street poet or a junkie. The three form an unusual friendship, connecting both artistically and emotionally. All this is set in a city that has become a powder keg of anti-immigration sentiment (thanks to a recently passed law that rewards citizens for reporting illegals) and is perilously close to the ever-present spark of gang violence. Griffin clearly knows teens, especially the way they speak. In another writer’s hands, this story of three outcasts might have turned into a sentimental mess, but he keeps the depth of emotion honest as his characters battle alienation and find strength in sacrifice. Although readers will be prepared for an unnerving journey from the opening scene, they will nevertheless be floored by some of the turns in this swift, tense, and powerful book. Grades 10-12. –Ian Chipman

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Reisman, Michael. Simon Bloom and the Octopus Effect. Dutton Juvenile. 2009.

From AudioFile

Nicholas Hormann narrates Simon Bloom’s third fantastical adventure as the 12-year-old explores the Order of Biology, an undersea world of strange creatures. Hormann meets the challenge of a large cast of characters and multiple settings with an abundance of accents that differentiate and add color. He characterizes the story’s omniscient narrator with crisp British enunciation that matches his detached view and depicts a sea creature with gurgles. He portrays the passionate director of the underwater realm with drama. When Simon and friends are enriched with octopus DNA, they develop special powers that are especially helpful when they confront their archenemy, Sirabetta. Hormann embraces the story’s inventive spirit, leading listeners through adventure and intrigue.

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Herlong, M.H. The Great Wide Sea. Penguin/Viking. 2008.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Soon after their mother’s death, 15-year-old Ben and his two younger brothers are stunned when their father sells their home, buys a sailboat, and announces that they will live on board and cruise the Bahamas for the next year. Wrenched from everything he knows and forced to obey his father-captain’s orders, Ben starts out angry and finds no escape. As he says, “We were always together.” When their father sets a course for Bermuda and disappears overboard one night, the boys have little time to wonder if he jumped or fell before they’re struggling to stay afloat in a fierce Atlantic storm. Lost at sea in a damaged boat, they find their way to an island where they are stranded with little food, little water, and little hope of rescue. Herlong’s first book is a great survival story and a fine portrayal of family relationships in a time of crisis. Justifiably angry, yet logical, reflective, and at times compassionate, Ben makes a sympathetic protagonist, and his brothers are no less appealing. With enough detail to make the settings real and a minimum of metaphor, the first-person narrative is clean and direct. This page-turner of an adventure story is also a convincing, compelling, and ultimately moving novel. Grades 6-10. –Carolyn Phelan

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Berryhill, Shane. Chance Fortune in the Shadow Zone. Starscape. 2009

From Publishers Weekly

Readers weary of Potter-esque fantasy but hungry for another semi-humorous / semi-serious school setting, and lovers of superhero stories in general, will delight in this first volume in the Adventures of Chance Fortune series, ideally structured for many further adventures.

From VOYA

Berryhill’s debut novel kicks off an engrossing series, The Adventures of Chance Fortune, that takes formulas both old and new and gives them a zippy twist…. A lively and engrossing tale that neither takes itself too seriously nor underestimates its readers….Here’s hoping Berryhill has several series entries ready to go.

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Ecton, Emily. Night of the Living Lawn Ornaments. Aladdin. 2009

From TeensReadToo.com

When Arlie woke up that morning, she had no idea that her life would be turned upside down in a matter of minutes. Arlie’s mom had given some of her toys to their neighbor, Cookie. When Arlie stepped outside, she saw Cookie removing the inner workings of her old orange kangaroo Fred’s head. Arlie snatched it from her and ran, only to run over Tina’s friend, Bethany Burgess, ruining her new white capris.

She couldn’t stop, so she ran past a very surprised Ty and ended up in a tree near Mrs. Wombat’s house. Ty showed up a few minutes later and ends up in the tree with Arlie.
While in the tree, Arlie finds a black dragonfly pendant and that’s when the craziness really takes off. The pendant turns out to have an odd power – it turns inanimate objects into living, breathing things. Pretty soon lawn ornaments and other objects all over town are awake and wandering around. Arlie, Ty, and Mr. Boots have their work cut out for them trying to get everything back to normal.

I found NIGHT OF THE LIVING LAWN ORNAMENTS to be even funnier than her last book, BOOTS AND PIECES. The characters were engaging and hilarious. Kids, teens, and even adults will laugh out loud while reading this book. -Reviewed by: Breia “The Brain” Brickey

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Napoli, Donna Jo. Alligator Bayou. Random House / Knopf. 2009

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up—Building on her extensive research conducted after reading a newspaper article about the lynching of Sicilian grocers in Tallulah, LA, in 1899, Napoli presents a moving, sobering story about an aspect of American immigration that is probably unknown to most readers. After his mother’s death, 14-year-old Calogero leaves his bustling Sicilian home for the sleepy southern town to help his uncles and younger cousin run their grocery store. White customers expect to be served before blacks and make their displeasure angrily apparent when the Sicilians fail to do so. Barred from the white school and unaware that he can attend the black school, Calogero learns English from a tutor who also tries to help him comprehend Southern American behavior. The cousins meet some African American boys who take them on a terrifying alligator hunt that firmly cements their friendship. Calogero is attracted to Patricia, a African American girl, but fails to fully understand the danger behind her fear of being seen in public with him. Although he has heard his uncles’ stories of the recent lynching of Sicilians in New Orleans, he is unprepared for the horrifying tragedy that befalls his family when a local white doctor kills Uncle Francesco’s goats and then convinces an angry mob that the Sicilians plan to retaliate violently. Historical events are smoothly integrated with vivid everyday details, strong characterizations, and genuine-sounding dialogue. Ultimately, the author expands her themes beyond the story’s specifics, encouraging readers to reconsider the motivations behind this calamity and other manifestations of racism.—Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA

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Tubb, Kristin O’Donnell. Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different. Yearling. 2010.

From Booklist

In1934, spunky 11-year-old Autumn Winifred Oliver lives in picaresque Cades Cove, deep in the Great Smoky Mountains. Her crusty Grandpa is involved in a federal plan to convert the surrounding land into a national park, which would allow the locals to cash in on the anticipated tourism. But after Autumn realizes that the government is actually plotting to level Cades Cove, she tries everything in her power to stop the destruction. She writes a letter to Mr. John D. Rockefeller, requesting that he withdraw his funding, and she even turns her flatulent bloodhound loose on a group of park builders. While the eventual compromise is not entirely pleasing to either side, Autumn is satisfied that she did her best to keep her precious holler “as durn near perfect as possible.” Tubb’s inventive heroine comes across as a female version of familiar characters, such as Gary Paulsen’s Harris or Robert Newton Peck’s Soup. This homespun tale, full of folksy humor and based on historical fact, will appeal to young fans of Deborah Wiles’ and Ruth White’s books. Grades 4-6. –Jennifer Hubert

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Small, David. Stitches: A Memoir. W.W. Norton & Co. 2009.

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. In this profound and moving memoir, Small, an award-winning children’s book illustrator, uses his drawings to depict the consciousness of a young boy. The story starts when the narrator is six years old and follows him into adulthood, with most of the story spent during his early adolescence. The youngest member of a silent and unhappy family, David is subjected to repeated x-rays to monitor sinus problems. When he develops cancer as a result of this procedure, he is operated on without being told what is wrong with him. The operation results in the loss of his voice, cutting him off even further from the world around him. Small’s black and white pen and ink drawings are endlessly perceptive as they portray the layering of dream and imagination onto the real-life experiences of the young boy. Small’s intuitive morphing of images, as with the terrible postsurgery scar on the main character’s throat that becomes a dark staircase climbed by his mother, provide deep emotional echoes. Some understanding is gained as family secrets are unearthed, but for the most part David fends for himself in a family that is uncommunicative to a truly ghastly degree. Small tells his story with haunting subtlety and power.