Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The Ending That Must Not Be Named
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Photo of Amy and Ron Buying HP7 at the Mendocino Book Company in Ukiah, California
It is July 21, 2007. At 12:01 this morning, I paid the Mendocino Book Company in Ukiah, California $37.70 for my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Read subsequent post on Aug. 1 to find out more.)
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Harry Potter in 100 Words or Less
What fun!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Cure for the End of Harry Potter Blues
The Call to Shakabaz is a new fantasy adventure of a different color. Winner of an iParenting Media Award 2007 and a Finalist in the 2007 Indie Excellence Book Awards Children’s Fiction Category, The Call to Shakabaz is a rollicking good read for the whole family. Linda Rosengarten of Cheshire Books in Fort Bragg, California reports: “This is one of those rare children’s books with cross-generational appeal. Readers of all ages will not be able to put this novel down, right through to the unexpected, magical climax. The Call to Shakabaz provides a completely satisfying read, with a refreshing approach to the fantasy genre.” The book has received rave reviews from Heartland Reviews, The Midwest Book Review, Reader Views, Teens Read Too, Wands and Worlds, and Just One More Book. Reviewers say that if you like Harry Potter and you like the Narnia books, you’ll love this one.
The book is unusual for the children’s and young adult fantasy adventure genre because it is set in an African American cultural context and it features all Black characters. There are few books with Black characters in this genre. Also, rather than using a gory violent battle scene to resolve the central conflict, the book demonstrates the fundamental principles of nonviolence as practiced by Dr. King and Gandhi. According to author Amy Wachspress, “The opposite of violence is imagination. Violence occurs when we lack the creativity to come up with a viable solution to a problem or conflict.” Consequently, the young protagonists outsmart or transform their enemies instead of using violence against them. When nationally syndicated Black Talk Radio Host Bev Smith featured the book on her show she told listeners: “This is a children’s book that is important for everyone to know about. I suggest you buy it and read it together with the whole family.”
GIVE IT A TRY! What have you got to lose? Maybe the End of Harry Blues.
Visit www.wozabooks.com to find out more.
Friday, July 13, 2007
The Bookaneer July 2007
THE BOOKANEER
July 1, 2007
On my adventure as the author of The Call to Shakabaz, I continue to meet terrific people who are working to make a difference in the world through the promotion of children’s literature. Let me share a few of the wonderful things I have discovered this month. And please send me your stories, resources, jokes, internet treasures, and more.
NEWS ABOUT THE CALL TO SHAKABAZ
We had a terrific time at the library in Ewing, New Jersey last month. I read aloud from the book, we talked about the “Everyday Practices for Young People Who Want to Help Save the World” (visit the Woza Books website to download the Practices), and then we made fold-out books with the Everyday Practices printed on them. I will be doing a reading and this same book making activity at the Solar Institute’s annual SolFest in Hopland, California on August 19th at 1:00 PM. If you are in the area, please join us!
I have enjoyed several wonderful reviews of The Call to Shakabaz to appear online this past month. You can read some of them on the Amazon page for the book. My favorite is from nine-year-old Brianne Plach who writes reviews for Reader Views. Brianne writes “I will definitely read this book again! I liked how there weren’t violent scenes in the book like a lot of books out there. This book is terrific reading… It is fun to see that kids our age can do something important too.” Carrie Spellman, at Teens Read Too, wrote “This is a book about finding personal strength, in all different forms, and appreciating the talents of others, and the strength in uniting different people, and so much more! I want to buy a copy for everyone I know…. It’s part fantasy, part history lesson, part real life -- I can’t even describe it!” With reviews like these, I could learn to love literary critics.
Please encourage children to email me with their ideas for the sequel to The Call to Shakabaz. I am especially interested in their thoughts about how the Four can ultimately make Faracadar safe from Sissrath without killing him.
ANNIVERSARY OF THE LITTLE ROCK NINE:
It’s not Black History Month, but Black History happens all year around. In September we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock Nine. Craig Wiesner at Reach and Teach has placed a lovely page about the Little Rock Nine on the Reach and Teach website, and he has most wonderfully connected the lessons in The Call to Shakabaz with lessons young people learn from this historical event. His account begins as follows:
“On September 4, 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus ordered National Guard troops to surround Central High School in Little Rock, to keep nine black teenagers from entering. His action was in direct defiance of the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which said black students had a right to attend integrated schools. That same afternoon, a federal judge ordered Faubus to let the black students attend the white school. The next day, when 15-year-old Elizabeth Eckford set out for class, she was mobbed, spit upon and cursed by angry Whites. When she finally made her way to the front steps of Central High, National Guard soldiers turned her away.” For more about the Little Rock Nine, teaching materials for peace and social justice, and to access further resources from Reach and Teach click on this link:
http://www.reachandteach.com/content/article.php\?story=20070620132823353
HOW MANY FANTASY CHARACTERS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB?
By Luna writers Robin Owens and Laura Anne Gilman:
Epic Fantasy Writer: How many you got?
Traditional Fantasy Writer: One. There can be only one Chosen One.
Quest Fantasy Writer: One, but s/he must form a party of adventurers to retrieve the magic pliers first.
Romantic Fantasy Writer: Two, but they must do it while sharing a passionate kiss.
Erotic Fantasy Writer: Three, but they must do it naked while sharing a passionate kiss.
Dark Fantasy Writer: One, as long as it’s done with a tentacle slithering from the bottomless pit.
Urban fantasy writer: Three. A werewolf, a vampire, and a chick in leather with a gun.
Literary Fantasy Writer: One, but it will take me four pages to describe it.
Slipstream Fantasy Writer: Is the light bulb an allegory for birth or death?
SciFi Writer: Who uses light bulbs? Honestly...
And I can add to their list the following:
Children’s Fantasy Writer: Three, two to slow down the monsters while the other one hacks into the computer to accomplish the task.
Young Adult Fantasy Writer: Three, two to scream in terror while the other one drives a car surprisingly well without a license (until it crashes into something). Has nothing to do with changing the light bulb and everything to do with driving the car.
§ § § §
In the future, I hope The Bookaneer will become an actual newsletter, but for now it’s just a message sent from me to you once a month. If you do not want to remain on my list for The Bookaneer, please send me an email at this address and put in it the exact email address I used to send The Bookaneer to you. I will remove you from the list. I don’t want to be spamming anyone!
The Bookaneer is produced by Amy Wachspress (© 2007). Feel free to reuse any part of this e-zine, but give credit either to Amy or to the original source for all material used. Visit www.wozabooks.com for more information.
The Bookaneer June 2007
THE BOOKANEER
June 1, 2007
On my adventure as the author of The Call to Shakabaz, I continue to meet terrific people who are working to make a difference in the world through the promotion of children’s literature. Let me share a few of the wonderful things I have discovered this month. And please send me your stories, resources, jokes, internet treasures, and more.
“If you want to be a millionaire publisher, start out with $2 million.” –anonymous
NEWS ABOUT THE CALL TO SHAKABAZ
According to the folks at Black Oak Books in Berkeley, California, The Call to Shakabaz was one of the top 10 children’s books sold during the month of April. It has been picked up by Follett Library Services, which will make it easier for educators to purchase copies for their schools. Legacy Audio Books in Cincinnati has approached us about making it into an audio book. Check out the wonderful voice (and African American literature offerings on audio) of Legacy owner (and opera singer) Andrew L. Barnes at www.legacyaudiobooks.com.
I will be at Carol’s Books in Sacramento as part of “Second Saturday” in June (June 9th) and I will be visiting the public library in Ewing, New Jersey and Alphabet Soup Bookstore in Lawrenceville, New Jersey in June while on vacation. Visit www.wozabooks.com and click on Author Events for details.
Please encourage children to email me with their ideas for the sequel to The Call to Shakabaz. I am especially interested in their thoughts about how the Four can ultimately make Faracadar safe from Sissrath without killing him.
VIDEO CONTEST TO COUNTERACT DEGRADING MEDIA MESSAGES ABOUT BLACK WOMEN:
B. David Hardy at SYW Productions (www.seeyourworth.com) asked me to put the word out about their video contest to “define winning visions of inspiring Sistas” (African American women). Submissions will be accepted until July 1, 2007. For more information go to www.supersistas.com/Contest2007.aspx
RESOURCES FOR WORKING WITH RELUCTANT YOUNG READERS
Tomorrow I am moderating a discussion at Mendocino LitFest on the topic of motivating reluctant young readers to love books and to engage in reading. I have compiled a list of resources and tips to share at the discussion and am printing it below for those of you who will find it helpful for your librarianship, teaching, parenting, and reference.
Resources:
The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
Connecting with Reluctant Teen Readers by Patrick Jones, Maureen L. Hartman, Patricia Taylor
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) – a division of the ALA
Website: http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/yalsa.htm
(They sponsor a listserv that you can join for free.)
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers (quick pick books listed for each year):
http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/quickpicks/quickpicksreluctant.htm
Assembly for Literature on Adolescents (ALAN): http://www.alan-ya.org/
Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA): http://www.voya.com/
(for instance, the April 2007 issue lists sci-fi and fantasy picks for teen readers)
Bob Spear at Heartland Reviews just started an online reluctant readers blog and listing of
reviews: http://www.grreatbooks.blogspot.com/
Go to the San Francisco Public Library website at www.sfpl.org and click on Teens, then follow the link to their recommended reading list.
Tips:
Ø “Speed-dating” style book discussions
Ø Book talks in stores, libraries, and classrooms and at book groups
Ø Building a binder with suggested books (what we are reading lists) to leave out in the library for students to browse
Ø Students and staff do brief book reviews to post on the school/library website
Ø Podcast reviews (check out www.justonemorebook.com)
Ø Remember nonfiction – not everyone is a fiction reader
Ø Remember that magazines build reading competence too
Ø Create an engaging reading space
Ø Talk about books with teens, ask teens what books they like and why
Ø Book reading clubs (read and discuss together) – consider mother/daughter clubs and father/son clubs
Ø For bookstores and libraries: Put the YA books section alongside sci-fi and graphic novels. (Many bookstores report having more success selling books to teens when they have moved the teen books section away from the children’s books section.)
Ø Link fun activities with books (e.g., go to the cemetery and read spooky stories for Halloween)
Ø Pair nonfiction selections with fiction selections and read both as part of a “package”
Ø Have authors visit schools
Ø Read-alouds
Ø Poetry slams
Ø Hire teens to work in bookstores and to intern in libraries – they will suggest books to their peers
§ § § §
In the future, I hope The Bookaneer will become an actual newsletter, but for now it’s just a message sent from me to you once a month. If you do not want to remain on my list for The Bookaneer, please send me an email at this address and put in it the exact email address I used to send The Bookaneer to you. I will remove you from the list. I don’t want to be spamming anyone!
The Bookaneer is produced by Amy Wachspress (© 2007). Feel free to reuse any part of this e-zine, but give credit either to Amy or to the original source for all material used. Visit www.wozabooks.com for more information.
The Bookaneer May 2007
THE BOOKANEER
May 1, 2007
On my adventure as the author of The Call to Shakabaz, I continue to meet terrific people who are working to make a difference in the world through the promotion of children’s literature. Let me share a few of the wonderful things I have discovered this month. And please send me your stories, resources, jokes, internet treasures, and more.
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” –George Eliot
NEWS ABOUT THE CALL TO SHAKABAZ
Announced today: The Call to Shakabaz is a winning Finalist in the Children’s Fiction Category of the National 2007 Indie Excellence Book Awards! This is the second national award the book has won since January. The Indie Excellence Book Awards will be formally announced at Book Expo America in New York during the first weekend in June. I won’t be there because on June 2nd I will be moderating a discussion at the Mendocino LitFest here in Ukiah on the topic of hooking reluctant young readers on books. I welcome your thoughts and suggestions as I am still developing resources, materials, and ideas on this topic. (If you live in the area, please join us. Admission to LitFest is free.)
I will be at Carol’s Books in Sacramento as part of “Second Saturday” in June and I will be visiting the public library in Ewing, New Jersey and Alphabet Soup Bookstore in Lawrenceville, New Jersey in June while on vacation. Visit www.wozabooks.com and click on Author Events for details.
Please encourage children to email me with their ideas for the sequel to The Call to Shakabaz. I am especially interested in their thoughts about how the Four can ultimately make Faracadar safe from Sissrath without killing him.
GOOD BOOK ABOUT AUTISM
David Mazor at Reader to Reader brought my attention to a book about autism in his May newsletter (visit www.readertoreader.org). The book is called "My Brother's Keeper, A Kindergartner's View of Autism." Self-published by Donna Richards, it tells the story of her autistic five-year-old, Justin, from the point of view of her six-year-old (Justin’s brother), Jace. (Visit Donna’s autism resources website at: http://www.mybrotherskeeper.biz/index.html.)
MONDAY COFFEE
I know this is not exactly children’s book-related, more universal coping-with-Monday-morning related, and just a lot of fun. My husband and co-publisher, Ron Reed (A.K.A. the computer tech for our local school district), sent me the following email early one bright morning. Enjoy.
Knowing I had to fake my way through a web presentation this morning, and considering I was too far gone to make myself the mandatory cup-of-Joe before leaving the house, I thought I’d better stop at the Coffee Critic. The glaze from my eyes caught the ultra-alert clerk as she observed me struggling to coordinate my body movements with the door. The door was winning.
“Incoming! A triple Eye Opener! STAT!!!” she shouted at the stunned crew. “Straight! No cream!” Bodies flew into motion, showing the potential of a future ER staff.
“And get that man a GURNEY!!!” she screamed.
“Perhaps a scone?” asked a mousy assistant.
“Exactly! And smother it with marmalade!”
I weakly pointed toward my mouth. She opened a packet of sugar and poured it in. The Eye Opener was slammed on the counter. Waves of coffee lapped over the top as if there was a power boat pulling a skier across the surface of the liquid. The mousy assistant grabbed me by the chin, effortlessly sat me in a chair, and tipped my head back. The clerk took an eye dropper and sucked in two drops of the black stuff and dabbed it into my eyes. That felt good. Then she put one end of a straw into the cup, and the other end in my mouth, and calmly instructed me to sip. Life began to return to my limbs, and ultimately my face.
I managed to pull out my debit card from my pocket, but it fell on the honey-stained carpet. The mousy clerk picked it up and dashed to the cash register.
“Thanks,” I mustered. “The PIN is 7279. I'll get it from you later.”
“You bet, Cap’n. Any time,” she smiled.
I decided I had better not drive in this condition, so I left the rig there and jogged back to the office, with a new glow on my face, and some hi-test pumping through my veins. Bring on the meeting!
RESOURCES
Cheerios has teamed with Eric Carle to launch "Give a Child a Book Week," a program to encourage summer reading. General Mills is extending its five-year-old Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories program, through which it distributes free books to children, into the spring for the first time. A focus of the new initiative is an online children's book trivia contest and donation challenge in conjunction with First Book. "Give a Child a Book Week" will run June 10-16. From now through mid-June, families can go to the First Book Web site and answer a series of trivia questions about children's books. For each correct answer, they can vote for the state they think should receive copies of Carle's The Tiny Seed. The five states with the most votes will each receive 20,000 copies of the book, which will be distributed to children in need through nonprofit groups. Over the past five years, Cheerios has distributed more than 25 million free books, as well as donating over $2 million to First Book
§ § § §
In the future, I hope The Bookaneer will become an actual newsletter, but for now it’s just a message sent from me to you once a month. If you do not want to remain on my list for The Bookaneer, please send me an email at this address and put in it the exact email address I used to send The Bookaneer to you. I will remove you from the list. I don’t want to be spamming anyone!
The Bookaneer is produced by Amy Wachspress (© 2007). Feel free to reuse any part of this e-zine, but give credit either to Amy or to the original source for all material used. Visit www.wozabooks.com for more information.
The Bookaneer April 2007
THE BOOKANEER
April 1, 2007
On my adventure as the author of The Call to Shakabaz, I continue to meet terrific people who are working to make a difference in the world through the promotion of children’s literature. Let me share a few of the wonderful things I have discovered this month. And please send me your stories, jokes, internet treasures, and more.
GREAT RESOURCES
SUPPORT TEEN LITERATURE DAY
The Young Adult Library Services Association is celebrating the first ever Support Teen Literature Day on April 19, 2007. Librarians are encouraged to participate in Support Teen Literature Day by hosting events in their library. YALSA has compiled a list of activities, display ideas, and contests to help librarians and Teen Advisory Groups celebrate Support Teen Literature Day. For more information use this link to YALSA:
http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/supportyalit.htm
FREE I CAN READ CLASSROOM KIT
HarperCollins Children’s Books is giving away an “I Can Read Classroom Kit” for free to any takers. To get your kit write to:
HarperCollins Children’s Books
Department MO-ICR
1350 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
FROM YOUNG READERS
When I read aloud from The Call to Shakabaz at Storybook Lane Bookshop in San Carlos, I met a young fellow who didn’t quite grasp the concept of an author reading. He was about five years old and arrived a bit late with his older sister. After the reading, when I asked if anyone had any questions, this boy raised his hand. With a look of wonder that I continue to cherish, he asked me, “Who wrote this book?” The awe in his voice and amazement in his face were one of the highest compliments I have received.
Please encourage children to email me with their ideas for the sequel to The Call to Shakabaz. I am especially interested in their thoughts about how the Four can ultimately make Faracadar safe from Sissrath without killing him.
MORE CAT IN THE HAT
One of my emailing friends sent me the following poem. I can’t credit it because it came with no name on it, so if anyone knows who wrote it, please let me know. This is an alternative ending to Green Eggs and Ham for children who keep kosher.
Will you never see?
They are not kosher, so let me be!
I will not eat green eggs and ham.
I will not eat them, Sam-I-am.
But I’ll eat green eggs with a biscuit!
Or I will try them with some brisket.
I’ll eat green eggs in a box.
If you serve them with some lox.
And those green eggs are worth a try
Scrambled up in matzo brie!
And in a boat upon the river,
I’ll eat green eggs with chopped liver!
So if you’re a Jewish Dr. Seuss fan,
But troubled by green eggs and ham,
Let your friends in on the scoop:
Green eggs taste best with chicken soup!
NEWS ABOUT THE CALL TO SHAKABAZ
I’m pleased to announce that we have passed the 1,000 mark in book sales. My interview on the Bev Smith Show was a terrific success and sparked a spike in sales. The book was listed as a recommended read in the most recent issue of the Brady Campaign’s newsletter, Marching Orders. I have had some lovely book events in the past month and am looking forward to my appearance in my old hometown of Berkeley, California on April 29th at Black Oak Books. In June I will be moderating a discussion at the Mendocino LitFest in Ukiah on the topic of hooking reluctant young readers on books. I welcome your thoughts and suggestions as I am still developing resources, materials, and ideas on this topic.
§ § § §
In the future, I hope The Bookaneer will become an actual newsletter, but for now it’s just a message sent from me to you once a month. If you do not want to remain on my list for The Bookaneer, please send me an email at this address and put in it the exact email address I used to send The Bookaneer to you. I will remove you from the list. I don’t want to be spamming anyone!
The Bookaneer is produced by Amy Wachspress (© 2007). Feel free to reuse any part of this e-zine, but give credit either to Amy or to the original source for all material used. Visit www.wozabooks.com for more information.
The Bookaneer E-zine March 2007
THE BOOKANEER
On my adventure as the author of The Call to Shakabaz, I continue to meet terrific people who are working to make a difference in the world through the promotion of children’s literature. Let me share a few of the wonderful things I have discovered this month. And please send me your stories, jokes, internet treasures, and more.
GREAT RESOURCES
At the Reading the World Conference on Multicultural Children’s Literature at the University of San Francisco last weekend I met Craig Wiesner, co-owner of Reach and Teach, a company that promotes educational and parenting materials that inspire young people to work for a better world. Their toys, games, books, and many other resources and products support efforts to advance peace and social justice. Check them out at www.reachandteach.com. Lots of great resources for teachers and school librarians!
FROM YOUNG READERS
I spent a wonderful day this month with the sixth-graders at Tierra Linda Middle School in San Carlos, California. I asked the children for suggestions about how to fight an evil enchanter, who will stop at nothing to destroy you, without using violence against him. One boy suggested “What if it turns out that he’s under a magic spell and all he needs is a hug and then he won’t be evil anymore?” Sometimes I think we should just let children rule the world. No war. Ice cream for supper. Could it get any better?
After I read aloud and talked with the Tierra Linda sixth-graders, one young lady came up to me and said, “I want to be a writer when I grow up.” I asked her, “Do you write?” She replied, “Yes.” So I said, “Then you are already a writer, you don’t have to wait until you grow up.” And then I gave her my standard line, “The only difference between writers and everyone else is that writers write.” A few days later I received an email from her telling me that she went home that night and started writing a book!
Please encourage your children to email me with their ideas for the sequel to The Call to Shakabaz. I am especially interested in their thoughts about how the Four can ultimately make Faracadar safe from Sissrath without killing him.
CELEBRATING THE 50TH BIRTHDAY OF THE CAT IN THE HAT
READ ON to support childhood literacy!!!
For every Cat in the Hat Birthday Card received by mail or online, Random House Children's Books will donate one book to First Book (up to 1,000,000 books). Official Cat in the Hat Birthday Cards can be found in the first printing of The Cat in the Hat Party Edition (on sale 1/9/2007), at participating retailers hosting an NEA Read Across America Event, or online at www.catinthehat.com. Hand-made cards will be accepted and need to include each child's name, age and state information on the card. Mail cards to The Cat in the Hat / PO Box 6891 / Stacy, MN 55078-9934. Birthday Cards must be received by Random House between January 9, 2007 and May 1, 2007 at midnight. Random House will continue to receive birthday cards until midnight December 30, 2007—but only those received by May 1, 2007 will be included towards a First Book donation. Here is the weblink for the details: http://www.seussville.com/CITH_50th/rules.html#little
NEWS ABOUT THE CALL TO SHAKABAZ
Please check the Author Events page on the Woza Books website for listings of author events coming up in the next few months. I will be at Books Inc. in San Francisco, Black Oak Books in Berkeley, Book Passage in Corte Madera, and more. I am pasting below a press release about my upcoming interview on The Bev Smith Show on Thursday March 1st at about 8:30 PM EST. Bev Smith is amazing and I am really looking forward to talking with her on the show. I hope you will tune in. To listen to the show live use the following link to WAOK in Atlanta: http://waok.com/pages/14530.php?
The Call to Shakabaz Author Amy Wachspress to Be
Interviewed by Bev Smith, the Queen of Black Talk Radio
On March 1, 2007, award-winning radio talk show host Bev Smith will interview author Amy Wachspress about her new children’s fantasy adventure The Call to Shakabaz, which is set in an African American cultural context and features Black characters. Broadcast out of Pittsburgh weekdays from 7 to 10 PM (EST) and syndicated nationwide to radio stations with a large African American listener base, Bev Smith has a reputation for tackling tough issues.
The Call to Shakabaz (which recently won an iParenting Media Award) is one of those rare books with cross-generational appeal. Readers of all ages will not be able to put this novel down, right through to the unexpected, magical climax. For those looking for the prefect book while waiting for that final Harry Potter fantasy, The Call to Shakabaz provides a completely satisfying read, with a refreshing approach to the fantasy genre.
According to Ms. Wachspress, “The opposite of violence is imagination. Violence occurs when we lack the creativity to come up with a solution to a problem or conflict.” Consequently, her young protagonists in The Call to Shakabaz, along with their pesky parrot, outsmart or transform their enemies rather than using violence to vanquish them.
Amy Wachspress has a master’s degree in English Language and Literature. This is her first novel. For more about the book visit the Woza Books website: www.wozabooks.com. For more about Bev Smith (and to listen to the show live at 8:30PM EST on March 1st) use the following link to WAOK in Atlanta: http://waok.com/pages/14530.php?
§ § § §
In the future, I hope The Bookaneer will become an actual newsletter, but for now it’s just a message sent from me to you once a month. If you do not want to remain on my list for The Bookaneer, please send me an email at this address and put in it the exact email address I used to send The Bookaneer to you. I will remove you from the list. I don’t want to be spamming anyone!
The Bookaneer is produced by Amy Wachspress. Feel free to reuse any part of this e-zine, but give credit either to Amy or to the original source for all material used. Visit www.wozabooks.com for more information.
Bookaneer E-Zine February 2007
WELCOME TO THE BOOKANEER
As part of my adventure as the author of “The Call to Shakabaz,” every day I meet terrific people who love reading, love books, love children’s books. I receive emails with such great stuff. I want to share! So I’m launching a monthly “e-zine.” THE BOOKANEER will include brief stories, amusing tidbits, resources, and the latest news about “The Call to Shakabaz” and Woza Books. Feel free to send me your stories, jokes, internet treasures found, etc., to include in “The Bookaneer.”
WINDOW INTO A CHILD’S MIND
I recently found myself relating the story of a read-aloud incident with my son when he was four years old that reminded me of how deeply children become engaged in the worlds created in books. While reading “James and the Giant Peach” to him and his sister, I would make up tunes and sing the caterpillar’s little ditties. Let’s just say I’m not what you would call a vocalist. One night my son commented, “That caterpillar is a really bad singer, isn’t he, Mom?”
FROM MY READERS
My favorite email from an avid reader was from the lady who chewed me out for keeping her up past her bedtime three nights in a row reading. I love the messages from parents who say their children can’t put the book down and it kept them off their video games for days. Picture me rubbing my hands in glee. Please encourage your children to send me an email with their ideas for the sequel. I am especially interested in their thoughts about how the Four can ultimately rid Faracadar of Sissrath without killing him. Because, you know, he (and Compost) will be back!
The most often asked question I get from readers is “When will there be a sequel?” My answer is: As soon as I sell enough books to make the money I need to stop working so I can write the sequel. So tell everyone you know about “The Call to Shakabaz”!
NEWS ABOUT THE CALL TO SHAKABAZ
“The Call to Shakabaz” was launched on January 15th at the Mendocino Book Company in Ukiah to a standing-room-only crowd. Ron and I both read aloud from the book and then we had delicious spice cake baked by some of our friends. The book did very well in pre-publications sales and we have sold about 20% of the first printing. I have a multi-city author tour shaping up. Check the Author Events page on the website for details.
The hot up-to-the-minute news about “The Call to Shakabaz” is that it has won an iParenting Media Award 2007 as one of a short list of best books selected as excellent products to support good parenting. The book was reviewed by parents and children who read the book together and voted in favor of selecting it to receive one of this year’s IPMA book awards.
GREAT WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT
Resources for young adult readers, teachers, and parents about great young adult books at Teens Read Too: www.teensreadtoo.com
David Mazor at Reader to Reader collects children’s and young adult books from all over the world (send him your used books) and sends them on to libraries in need as a result of under funding or damage caused by natural disasters (has so far donated thousands of books to libraries in New Orleans): http://www.readertoreader.org/
Tired of negative news? “Today's Drum” is an online journal that focuses on positive and inspirational news in the African-American Community: http://www.todaysdrum.com/
Mark and Andrea, two working parents in Ontario, take time out from their busy life to discuss and recommend books they have read with their daughters at Just One More Book – podcasts developed several times a week plus featured author interviews and more: http://www.justonemorebook.com/
EVERYDAY PRACTICES
At the end of this message please find the short version of my Everyday Practices for Young People Who Want to Help Save the World. This broadsheet was developed as a springboard for discussion with young people about what we can each do to make the world a better place and to safeguard the future of the planet. I find that parents and teachers are enthusiastic about the Everyday Practices and can think of many ways to use them. They are also posted on our website (you can find the long version there as well).
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In the future, I hope “The Bookaneer” will become an actual newsletter, but for now it’s just a message sent from me to you once a month. I hope you will find my adventures in Bookaneering entertaining and useful. If you do not want to remain on my list for “The Bookaneer,” please send me an email at this address and put in it the exact email address I used to send “The Bookaneer” to you. I will remove you from the list. No need to provide ANY explanation, excuse, or reason for removal, I understand completely, we are all so bombarded by information and our time is limited. I don’t want to be spamming anyone! (If you know someone who you think would like to receive “The Bookaneer,” send me the email address.)
“The Bookaneer” is produced by Amy Wachspress. Feel free to reuse any part of this e-zine, but give credit either to Amy or to the original source for all material used. Visit www.wozabooks.com for more information.
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Everyday Practices for Young People
Who Want to Help Save the World
© 2007 Amy Wachspress (visit www.wozabooks.com)
1. Pursue your passion.
This is the most important thing a young person can do each day to make the world a better place. When you do what you love, then you send your love out into the world. Discover your personal gifts and talents and pursue them with passion. Grow yourself. Find good teachers.
2. Take care of yourself.
Exercise, eat nutritional food, get enough sleep, and stay healthy. Slow down. Laugh. If you are often depressed, in pain, constantly tired, or don’t feel well, talk to a trusted adult and get professional help. If you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, take a step toward recovering your life. You are not alone.
3. Practice and teach peace and nonviolence.
Use your imagination and develop your creativity. The opposite of violence is imagination. Violence occurs when people are unable to imagine another way to resolve a situation or conflict. Imagination is powerful. Imagination can cause change. Imagination is a muscle and it needs exercise. Spend time every day in creative activity. Study the science of nonviolence. Actively practice and teach peace.
4. Feed your spirit.
Participate in a faith community. If you don’t belong to a faith community already then consider joining one or starting a spiritual group with like-minded friends. Make room in your life to do those things that inspire and energize you. Make time to spend with the people you love.
5. Listen and learn from others.
Listen to other people with focused attention and an open heart. When speaking with someone who is very different from you, take the opportunity to expand your understanding of the world. Hearing someone does not necessarily mean you agree with them. Try a new perspective.
6. Think for yourself and take control of incoming information.
Question the facts. Research where news and information comes from and get your news from reliable sources. Think for yourself. Limit your exposure to negative news and violent images from TV, movies, and electronic games. Although it is important to educate yourself about what is happening in the world, it is equally important for you to remove yourself from the bombardment of violence presented in the media. Violence is not the only news happening. And resist advertising. Who is the boss of you? Alright then, think for yourself. Turn off your TV. Have a real experience instead of a virtual one. Get a life!
7. Promote positive energy.
Life is hard. We need to be kind to one another. Respect others. Treat other people the way you want them to treat you. If you witness an act of disrespect, speak up. Interrupt acts of humiliation and discrimination. Interrupt bullying. Interrupt racism. But remember to interrupt respectfully. Accept apologies graciously and find it in your heart to forgive those who don’t apologize. Be compassionate. You don’t know what someone else has been through. Use your anger or frustration to motivate you to do something positive. Transform negative energy into positive energy. Be grateful. Count your blessings every night. Put more positive energy into the world’s energy field in every way you can. All energy goes somewhere. It doesn’t just disappear. You may never see the difference it makes, but it will make a difference. We want to live in a soup of good energy. Put wonderful ingredients into that soup.
