Happy Labor Day!

 

Spotlight: New Graphic Novels For All Ages

For our Adult an YA readers we have these two titles in the Batman Universe:

Batman One Bad Day: The Riddler (#1) is by Tom King and Mitch Gerads. "The Dark Knight’s greatest villains get their greatest stories yet! The Riddler, Two-Face, the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman, Bane, Clayface, and Ra’s al Ghul-Batman’s most iconic villains all given 64-page prestige format specials that show why they are the greatest villains in all of comics, spearheaded by today’s top talent. We begin with Batman - One Bad Day: The Riddler! Tom King and Mitch Gerads, the Eisner Award-winning duo behind Mister Miracle, The Sheriff of Baghdad, and Strange Adventures reunite to dive deep into the mind of Batman’s most intellectual foe…the Riddler. The Riddler has killed a man in broad daylight for seemingly no reason, but…there’s always a reason. The Riddler is always playing a game, there are always rules. Batman will reach his wit’s end trying to figure out the Riddler’s true motivation in this epic psychological thriller; this is not to be missed!" (from Amazon.com)

Batman: Beyond the White Knight is by Sean Murphy. "A lot can change in 10 years, especially in Gotham! Batman, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, may be behind bars, but the real criminals are still out there. Gotham Motors CEO Derek Powers has seized control of the Wayne family’s assets and is using them to transform the GTO and the city they’ve sworn to protect. Crime is down, but at what cost? A new Batman has emerged in Powers’s city, and only Bruce is fully aware of the dangers to come. It’s time to destroy the mantle for good, but he’ll need one of his forgotten sons’ help to do so. Enter Jason Todd…the first Robin?! In this thrilling sequel to the blockbuster comic book hits Batman: White Knight and Batman: Curse of the White Knight, writer/artist Sean Murphy invites the audience to go beyond the Gotham they know to discover an engrossing new take on the city and its heroes. Welcome to Neo-Gotham and the world of Beyond the White Knight!" (from Amazon.com)

For our younger readers, we have the following titles:

"With clear explanations, fun illustrations, and expertly-presented information, Consent (for Kids!) by Rachel Brian is an empowering introduction to consent, bodily autonomy, and how to respect yourself and others. Consent is like being ruler of your own country...population: YOU. This is a smart, playful guide to consent and bodily autonomy, packed with bright and energetic illustrations. Readers will learn about boundaries and how to set them; ways to respect themselves and others; what to do if someone makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe; and much more. Along the way, they'll be encouraged to reflect on (and improve!) their own behavior and to practice consent in their daily lives. Whether you're looking for a consent primer to share with a friend or searching for a way to talk to your child about what it means to be in control of their own body and respect others', look no further! This humorous and insightful book from the co-creator of the viral "Tea Consent" video is the perfect teaching tool, conversation starter, and insightful, empowering resource for educators, kids, and families everywhere." (from Amazon.com)

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas is a "splashy, contemporary middle grade graphic novel from bestselling comics creator Johnnie Christmas! Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees—until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she’s forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help. With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. But that’s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake. Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap—for good?" (from Amazon.com)

Space Boy Volume 5 by Stephen McCranie is "a sci-fi drama of a high school aged girl who belongs in a different time, a boy possessed by emptiness as deep as space, an alien artifact, mysterious murder, and a love that crosses light years. To Amy, everyone has a flavor, and when that flavor begins to disappear, it spells trouble. After the crushing confrontation with Oliver, Amy is on the hunt for answers. This leads her to an old, moldy water containment facility, and leaves her with more questions than answers. At the same time, some of Amy's closest friends may be drifting apart." (from Amazon.com)

My Favorite Books

Each of the following books deeply effected me; each at a different point when I needed effecting. Some were read when I was younger and didn't know much and others as I got older and had a better understanding of this world. Many would criticize certain themes in one or more of these, or, perhaps the stilted and formal-sounding language, but I love them all and would highly recommend them to improve your empathy, vocabulary, and your mind.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte--Charlotte Brontë tells the story of orphaned Jane Eyre, who grows up in the home of her heartless aunt, enduring loneliness and cruelty. This troubled childhood strengthens Jane's natural independence and spirit - which prove necessary when she finds employment as a governess to the young ward of Byronic, brooding Mr. Rochester. As her feelings for Rochester develop, Jane gradually uncovers Thornfield Hall's terrible secret, forcing her to make a choice. Should she stay with Rochester and live with the consequences, or follow her convictions - even if it means leaving the man she loves? A novel of intense power and intrigue, Jane Eyre dazzled readers with its passionate depiction of a woman's search for equality and freedom.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee--The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it. Young Scout is on the front lines to see the effects of racism and the consequences of lies. She learns that monsters live in the real world and wear the masks of human beings, but she also learns that even the quietest of souls can effect change and protect the innocent. To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic. Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George--Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going--all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. In a spellbinding, touching, funny account, Sam learns to live off the land, and grows up a little in the process. Blizzards, hunters, loneliness, and fear all battle to drive Sam back to city life. But his desire for freedom, independence, and adventure is stronger. No reader will be immune to the compulsion to go right out and start whittling fishhooks and befriending raccoons.

The Silent Boy by Lois Lowry--Precocious Katy Thatcher always knew she wanted to be a doctor like her father. She joins him on his rounds and has a keen interest in the people around her. She's especially intrigued by Jacob, a gentle, silent boy who has a special sensitivity toward animals. While Jacob never speaks to or looks at Katy, they develop an unusual friendship and understanding. The townspeople dismiss Jacob as an imbecile. Katy just thinks of him as someone special who has a way of communicating with the animals through his sounds and movements. And only Katy comes to realize what the gentle, silent boy did for his family. He meant to help, not harm. It didn't turn out that way.

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck--First published in 1939, Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression chronicles the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and tells the story of one Oklahoma farm family, the Joads—driven from their homestead and forced to travel west to the promised land of California. Out of their trials and their repeated collisions against the hard realities of an America divided into Haves and Have-Nots evolves a drama that is intensely human yet majestic in its scale and moral vision, elemental yet plainspoken, tragic but ultimately stirring in its human dignity. A portrait of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless, of one man’s fierce reaction to injustice, and of one woman’s stoical strength, the novel captures the horrors of the Great Depression and probes into the very nature of equality and justice in America. 

P.S. I did not include the other volumes from Lois Lowry and Steinbeck that I love nor any of the wonderful stories of Edgar Allan Poe or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This list is just those novel titles that stick with me for one reason or another.

Success for Students & Parents

Jump-Starting Boys by Pam Withers and Cynthia Gill is the "first book on the market that empowers parents, helping them reclaim the duties and rewards of raising their children and navigate the influences of school and media. Filled with reassurance and support, the authors turn fear and guilt into can-do confidence. Through easy tips and action list sidebars, this is the most practical, readable book on the topic. Everyone knows that boys are falling behind in education. Largely left out of the discussion are parents of boys, who are most aware that their bright, eager sons hit an invisible wall somewhere near fourth grade, after which they become disengaged, discouraged, and disaffected. There are dozens of books on underachieving boys, but most parents brave enough to lift one off the shelf are instantly intimidated by the footnotes, graphs, case studies, and academic-speak addressed almost entirely to educators. What about the average guilt-ridden, frustrated mother or father of an underachieving boy?" (from Amazon.com)

With What the Rest of Us Can Learn from Homeschooling by Linda Dobson, traditionally schooled children can reap the same benefits as homeschooled children. This essential book for all parents and teachers offers practical ways to nurture individual growth, foster high self-esteem, and ensure academic success for every child, regardless of age, type of school, or religious background. Readers will discover what homeschoolers quickly find out—that life can be one big adventurous educational opportunity, even for kids who attend conventional schools. Inside, readers explore:

• The six principles of successful learning: curiosity, fun in learning, desire for success (not fear of failure), practice (not study), applying learned material to life, and intrinsic motivation
• How to put the "child" back into childhood by providing children with the opportunity to perform fun activities that enhance their abilities
• Why the community is a child's best classroom, and how to take advantage of it
• How to discover and honor a child's unique learning style and encourage his or her teacher to develop it

Homeschooling is changing the face of education, and now parents and teachers can effectively use its principles and techniques to develop brighter and happier children. (from Amazon.com)

Effective, Holistic Guide for Teaching Children in Any Educational Setting For the Children’s Sake imagines what education can be based on a Christian understanding of the meaning of life and what it means to be human―a child, a parent, a teacher. The central ideas have been proven over many years and in almost every kind of educational situation, including ideas that author Susan Schaeffer Macaulay and her husband, Ranald, have implemented in their own family and school experience. Includes a foreword by daughter and educator Fiona Fletcher. Every parent and teacher wants to give his or her children the best education possible. They hope that the teaching they provide is a joyful adventure, a celebration of life, and preparation for living. But sadly, most education today falls short of this goal.

• Simple and Practical: This user-friendly guide helps educators build a stable, enriching, and intellectually stimulating environment for children and also includes a list of additional resources 
• Immersive Teaching: Shows parents and teachers how children’s learning experiences can be extended to every aspect of life
• Proven Methodology: Used in school settings for 14 years, these easily applicable ideas will benefit parents and teachers in homeschooling, public school, or private school

Neil Postman suggests that the current crisis in our educational system derives from its failure to supply students with a translucent, unifying "narrative" like those that inspired earlier generations. Instead, today's schools promote the false "gods" of economic utility, consumerism, or ethnic separatism and resentment. What alternative strategies can we use to instill our children with a sense of global citizenship, healthy intellectual skepticism, respect of America's traditions, and appreciation of its diversity? In answering this question, The End of Education restores meaning and common sense to the arena in which they are most urgently needed. In this comprehensive response to the education crisis, the author of Teaching as a Subversive Activity returns to the subject that established his reputation as one of our most insightful social critics. Postman presents useful models with which schools can restore a sense of purpose, tolerance, and a respect for learning." (from Amazon.com)

Romance Awareness Month

 The following titles are newer relationship books you may have missed!

Codependent No More by Melody Beattie is "[t]he cultural phenomenon that has helped heal millions of readers, this modern classic holds the key to understanding codependency and unlocking its hold on your life. Melody Beattie’s compassionate and insightful look into codependency—the concept of losing oneself in the name of helping another—has guided millions of readers toward the understanding that they are powerless to change anyone but themselves and that caring for the self is where healing begins. Is someone else's problem your problem? If, like so many others, you've lost sight of your own life in the drama of tending to a loved one’s self-destructive behavior, you may be codependent––and you may find yourself in this book. With personal reflections, exercises, and instructive stories drawn from Beattie’s own life and the lives of those she’s counseled, Codependent No More helps you break old patterns and maintain healthy boundaries and offers a clear and achievable path to healing, hope, freedom, and happiness. This revised edition includes an all-new chapter on trauma and anxiety—subjects Beattie has long felt necessary to address within the context of codependency—making it even more relevant today than it was when it first entered the national conversation over 35 years ago." (from Amazon.com)

Love After 50: How to Find It, Enjoy It, and Keep It is by Francine Russo. "A comprehensive and intimate guide to finding, keeping, and enjoying love after fifty, the best kind of love there is. Studies keep showing that love after fifty is more satisfying than at any other stage in life, and it makes sense: at this stage, you are more emotionally stable and more focused on the present; you know what you absolutely have to have, but also what you can live without; partnering is no longer about building family and fortune—it’s about sharing intimacy as grounded individuals. And sex isn’t pass/fail anymore, but about becoming erotic friends. So, if this is the promised land, how do you get there? In Love After 50, journalist Francine Russo interviewed the best experts in the field and dozens of couples to help show the way. Her “practical, excellent guide” (John Gottman, author of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work) includes advice like:

• How to recover from the emotional damage of divorce, the grief of widowhood, or a history of unfulfilling relationships
• How to build realistic requirements for a partner
• What attitudes to bring to dating
• How to overcome the psychical challenges of sex and embrace your erotic selves
• How to evaluate the financial, emotional, and practical results of marrying, living together, or living apart
• How to deal with (hostile) adult kids to safeguard your relationship and family

Love After 50 is “essential reading” (Pauline Boss, PhD, author of The Myth of Closure) that is not only practical but also unassuming and candid. It is full of real people’s stories (including the author’s), with vivid examples of couples who have overcome their pasts to form healthy and nurturing partnerships. In other words, it’s as real as love after fifty can be." (from Amazon.com)

8 Rules of Love is from Jay Shetty, "[t]he author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Think Like a Monk offers a revelatory guide to every stage of romance, drawing on ancient wisdom and new science. Nobody sits us down and teaches us how to love. So we’re often thrown into relationships with nothing but romance movies and pop culture to help us muddle through. Until now. Instead of presenting love as an ethereal concept or a collection of cliches, Jay Shetty lays out specific, actionable steps to help you develop the skills to practice and nurture love better than ever before. He shares insights on how to win or lose together, how to define love, and why you don’t break in a break-up. Inspired by Vedic wisdom and modern science, he tackles the entire relationship cycle, from first dates to moving in together to breaking up and starting over. And he shows us how to avoid falling for false promises and unfulfilling partners. By living Jay Shetty’s eight rules, we can all love ourselves, our partner, and the world better than we ever thought possible." (from Amazon.com)