Birthdays Books

There are so few books for kids of incarcerated parents in this, the country which imprisons the highest per capita percentage in the world, that this stands out as a great resource. The gift that mother gives her child is the gift of stories, which every prison literacy program ought to take to heart as the basis for a writing program that actually helps the inmates. The age rating on the book says 4-8 but it really has a much wider reach, probably four to 13. It would probably be helpful to teachers and caregivers of kids whose parent is in prison to connect to the Center for Children of Incarerated parents, which offers national correspondence courses, as well as educational services of all kinds. They can be reached at [...] For those teaching in prison programs this story would provide a good impetus to begin a writing program for women with children left behind to help heal the wounds of separation and disappointment. Pat Brisson, who volunteers in a literacy program in a correctional facility, has captured many of the details in her text and obviously passed along information to the illustrator. Never is the mother's crime or sentence mentioned. It is a fine book to begin parents thinking about how help their children on the outside and foster family storytelling, not just in writing but on video, in art and on tape.

My daughter loves this book! Her dad was incarcerated recently, and I have been looking for books like this, to make her feel that she is not alone, that there are other children like her, who can understand her pain. Like Sugar and her mom, my daughter and husband are strongly attached, and they struggle to find new ways to do the special things they've always done together. This book is a little dose of sweetness and inspiration in a very, very tough situation. I am grateful that it was written.

Incarceration is tough for parents, traumatic for their kids.

Mothers of dependent children, mostly single nonviolent drug felons, currently are the fastest-growing segment of the burgeoning United States prison population, according to About Children: An Authoritative Resource on the State of Childhood Today, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Their vulnerable children are a growing population as well whose emotional and physical lives can get pretty rugged. Generally, children sink further into poverty, have tenuous care arrangements, face unhealthful levels of uncertainty, and deal not only with loss and separation, but also with an anxious mix of shame, guilt, anger and fear. They feel abandoned and hopeless. Behavior deteriorates.

When an adult is arrested and sentence passed, intervention on behalf of the offender's young offspring is necessary. Relatives or friends, social agency professionals and foster care providers do try to help. Still, the challenge is gigantic, the need is growing, kids are losing out.

Although no bibliotherapy approach can address the problems remotely, much less remedy any part of these children's real-life situations, representation of parental incarceration in decent books for children seems important. Satisfying stories of substance in which children may recognize plights similar to their own, or with which unaffected children might be able to empathize with families in such situations, may be beneficial.

Only a few picture books are presently available, two of which are attractive, and one of which nicely portrays an elementary aged daughter of a mother in prison and their strong, somewhat idealized, relationship.

Author Pat Brisson's familiarity with incarcerated mothers, through her volunteer work with a prison book-recording program, lends Mama Loves Me From Away, verisimilitude and thoughtful details. Without specifying the crime or mentioning the sentencing, she concentrates on the experience, in the first person voice, of daughter Sugar whose close, loving mom "went away and everything changed."

On Sundays, if Grammy's knees aren't acting up, she takes Sugar to visit Mama in prison. The illustrations show a relatively grim atmosphere with barbed wire fence, guards at the visiting cage, and expressive faces. The rest of the week, Sugar is sustained by remembering stories of their lives she and her mom shared which incidentally reveal a realistic profile of teenaged pregnancy, partying, friends, single parenthood and low level employment. Sugar is in a stable living situation but misses her mom terribly.

The story pivots on their shared birthday. Sugar creates a fine card for her mother while sadly trying to overcome her anticipated disappointment that her mom won't be able to give her a birthday present this year. At their visit, Mama presents Sugar with a notebook in which she's written the family stories Sugar loves.

Perhaps Brisson and the illustrator present too comfortable an impression of Sugar's life, and too wonderful a mother-daughter bond, but the story is respectful, palatable and meaningful. It captures longing and attachment movingly. Children separated from their own incarcerated parents might feel strengthened to have some of their feelings acknowledged, and children who know little of such a life may gain understanding through this appealing book.

A very funny story, great rhyming, and a delightful denouement. A well-planned birthday party goes awry when an incompetent magician turns half the party guests and family into various animals or objects. The magician has to call for help, his little nephew, to solve the problem. Or is it all part of the act? Anyway, this tale is great fun.

This is a 'read aloud' favorite! The rhythm and the beat really fly. A great birthday gift!

On Louise's seventh birthday the hired entertainer calls in sick and her parents have to find a last minute replacement. Unfortunately they hire Maxwell the Magician, who shows up and in short order turns the birthday girl into a rock, her father into a broom, and the guests into all sorts of animals. Fortunately Alex, the nephew of Maxwell the Magician, shows up on the scene to put everything to rights.

"Maxwell's Magic Mix-Up"is written in witty quatrains by Linda Ashman, who has attended many birthday parties without anybody ever being turned into a rock. The mixed media illustrations are by amateur magician Regan Dunnick working on his first children's book. Young readers will enjoy the utter chaos of Maxwell the Magician's magic show and will like the fact that it is young Alex who saves the day.

Funny book by our favorite Australia author, Mem Fox. And yet there is a deeper message about loyalty (her dog) and family. Anyone with an elderly relative can really relate!

Mem Fox's story about the evening adventure of an older lady is told with dignity and joy. As Lily dozes by the fire, she dreams of her life and how it has changed. What an excellent way to introduce children to the concept that as they grow and change, the important things stay the same, such as love and family. It is also a delightful way to assure young children that though family members and neighbors may be old and seem very different, they have lived a life very similar. In our society, often the elderly are portrayed as a burden and not a blessing. Instead of focusing upon the contributions that these people have made, and continue to make, we discuss the burden of "caring for them." This book is a great way to show young children what older people may really be like. Most importantly, it is a sweet book about a delightful old lady and her adorable dog. Children and adults alike will be enthralled by the fabulous illustrations and the mystery of the "Night Noises." This is a book I highly recommend to all readers of quality children's literature. If you have never enjoyed a Mem Fox story before, this is a fabulous way to find a new favorite author.

This is a cute story about one wild winter night. Lily Laceby, a very old lady, is busy sitting and dreaming by the fire, oblivious to all the noises going on around her. The noises are made by a group of people massing outside her front door. When she is woken up by their knock on the door, she finds all her friends and family there, wishing her a happy birthday.

The story loses a lot of charm in the description above, partly because the author does such a good job telling the tale. Also, the sounds made are emphasized by the font, and style choices of the words, another part of this book's charm.
The illustrations are not exactly my favorite, but they suit the book very well. They are colorful, but not bold nor clearly defined. Other than a slight dislike of the illustrations though, it is a good book.

Loggie-log-log-log

Our daughter is 18 months old. This has been one of her favorite books for the last few months. She likes all of the books in the Otto series. The Otto books are filled with bright colors, silliness and a message at the end. The books generally start out with things not going Otto's way, but as Otto keeps trying, eventually things work out in the end. Anytime I find a book that captivates my daughter, I have to give it five stars.

Our 20 month old daughter loves her Otto books. They are filled with cute illustrations and easy to follow stories, with good messages.

My 2 1/2 year old daughter loves this book. She laughs at all of the strange things (two shoes, a cootie bug) that Otto puts in his birthday cake. Lately, I've been buying her mostly books with longer stories than this so I would probably recommend this for a 2 year old or older chiildren who don't like long books.

PARTY GAMES
WHITNEY LYLES
YA Romance

Rating: 3.5 Enchantments

Sara Sullivan is always finding herself at the coolest parties. That's because she works as the assistant for her mother's hugely successful party planning business. She may only be fifteen-going-on-sixteen, but she's well on her way to becoming like her mom. She doesn't even mind much that she'll be spending most of her summer planning other people's parties instead of having fun with her best friend Allie - that is, until she meets Ian.

Ian is a talented guitarist for an upcoming band called On the Verge. On top of that, he's super hot and super sweet. Sara finds herself obsessing over her new crush, constantly wondering if he's as interested in her as she is in him.

But Sara's daydreams will have to wait. She's gotten involved with planning the sweet-sixteen birthday bash for uber-spoiled and beautiful Dakota London. It's Sara's job to fulfill Dakota's every want and need regarding the party, no matter how ridiculous or impossible the task. Sara has just about had it with serving Dakota, especially when Dakota tells Sara to make sure Ian is Dakota's date. With Sara's feelings on the line, will she be able to pull off this party?

I am a big fan of the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies; however PARTY GAMES did not rank among my favorites. This was because in the first half of the book, the plot seemed to wander around with no real point. The story did pick up, though, especially towards the end. I was rooting for Sara to get the guy, but it was mildly annoying that Sara kept on putting the party business before her own love life, and I was glad when she finally learned her lesson in the end. I was a little disappointed that Ian's character wasn't as well-developed as Sara's. In the end, PARTY GAMES was slightly enjoyable but it didn't completely wow me.

PARTY GAMES is Whitney Lyles' first young adult novel, though she has written several novels for adults. You can visit her online at her website: www.whitneylyles.com or on MySpace: www.myspace.com/whitney_lyles .

Rachael Stein
Enchanting Reviews
August 2008

i loved this book! it was good to see that just because you're rich, beautiful, and "popular"...you don't always get what you want.
i didn't like the way the author put it in a third-person perspective. i would've loved to see what was going on in sara's mind.

Sara helps her mother run a party planning business. She's so good at it, her mother decides to give her one account - which happens to be the Sweet Sixteen party of the ultra-popular Dakota London.

Soon, Dakota is calling her 24/7 with demands. She even wants Sara to convince a boy to be her date for the party, but not just any boy - she wants the one that Sara's crushing over.

Torn, Sara doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to see Ian with Dakota, but she doesn't want to be fired, either. Sara's stuck between a rock and a hard place and agonizes over her decision.

PARTY GAMES takes responsibility to a new level, with a twist of fun and a dash of romance.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

This is a very good philosophy book that is guaranteed to get you to look at life on a higher level. The author Harold Nash talks about humility, and loyalty, and then covers the subject of karma as he enlightens you.

This is "Behind the door" page 62.

There's so much wisdom to be obtained,
intangibles that can't be claimed.
There's a day ahead for all, there's
this mystery behind this wall.

There's this wall that has this door,
once you exit, you are no more.
But others tend to disagree; they say
only then will you be free.

Whats behind this spooky door? An exit
we must all explore. You enter such
a mystery, your present life is history.

What's behind this spooky door? Did you
win - well, what's the score? Did you win
or did you lose? Hell or Heaven, what did
you choose?

Harold Nash's poetry transcend race and politics, and he is truly a word
mechanic. This book is a must read!!!

Harold Nash is a talented author with a lot of interesting life experience, and that shines through in his book "Shedding Light". His unique perspective makes this book an enjoyable read that will make you think about ordinary things in new ways. My favorite part of the book is the poetry, especially the poem "When Truth is Told".

Shedding Light is a compilation of philosophical insights by gifted poet Harold Nash. In it, he touches on a range of topics, including such issues as religion, personal development, interpersonal relations, and the ultimate purpose for human existence. Broken down into two separate sections, Shedding Light begins with a nine-chapter sequence in which Nash delves deeply into the mercurial nature of humanity. Many of his reflections are expressed in anecdotal form, and the insights that he shares with the reader often come in crisp, laconic passages, such as this one from "Chapter One: Maturity":

"As much as most
people tend to equate seriousness
with maturity, the truth and fact
is that they are not parallel with
each other. To assume that they
are the same, or have the same meaning,
is not only a misconcept [sic], but it also
confirms the lack of enlightenment
that one may have."


And this one from "Chapter Two: Humility":

"In order to be humble,
you first have to learn to give up a
priviledge [sic] that you have, for someone
else to have that privilege."


Profound insights from one who obviously doesn't just talk the talk, but has also walked the walked on many an occasion.

The second half of Shedding Light features seven poems by Nash that are equally as philosophic as the mini essays in the first half of the book, and anyone familiar with Nash's poetic style is already prepared for the types of straight-ahead insights that they espouse, such as, for example, this passage from "When Truth is Told":

"When truth is deep,
eyes will weep; the heart will sink,
and tears will leap, and what you sow,
is what you reap.

When lies are made,
They run for shade, when burning truth,
Throws its parade."


And this passage from the impressively insightful "An Ancient Chinese Secret," outlining the different types of people that one will meet over the course of a lifetime:

"He that knows - and knows not
that he knows
He is sleep - wake him.

He that knows - and knows that
he knows
He is wise - follow him."


As with his previous work, in Shedding Light Nash provides the reader with helpful insights borne of a need to inspire, educate, and enlighten others. Most of all, though, his desire to connect on a deeper level with those who are hurting, dejected, or confused sets Nash apart and highlights the courage of a true artist committed to using his gifts & talents for the benefit of the greater good.


Wendy Paulson
Apex Reviews

Saw it on Broadway and just love it on tape! Hearing it just brings me right back. Oh, Wendy, I miss you!

And even if you didn't see the play you should still listen to this! Then just close your eyes and imagine!

Reading a play by Wendy Wasserstien is always a delight, but even though all of her writings are to be savored, The Sisters Rosensweig exhibits an important mark in the author's maturing style. In spite of this maturation, however, the story line never grows stale and Ms. Wasserstein never fails to draw from her reader a smile and a laugh, and give to give us a refreshed sense of the type of person we want to be--it's self-help through fiction!

The Sisters Rosensweig follows the reunion of three Jewish sisters who come together for a visit in Queen Anne's Gate, London, and the joys and struggles they share concerning romance, careers, childhood, and family--joys and struggles with which we all identify, not only as women but as human beings. Thank you, Ms. Wasserstien, for another delightful treat!

The Sisters Rosensweig is a terrific, sweet and very humane play about a gathering of people, in particular three Jewish American sisters in London in 1991. Each of the sisters is stuck in some way, trapped by time in their mid-lives. They are joined at oldest sister Sara's London home by Sara's daughter, and several male suitors/friends.

Throughout Wasserstein keeps the tone light and the wit cracking. Everyone of these characters is intelligent and visible, knows the world yet remains perplexed by their own lives.

To me this is the type of affirming family bound play that warms, and though life remains elusive in many ways, the sisters know they have each other and use that love and charity to sweet degrees.

Recommended, smart and funny.

My grandma first read this book to me when I was four (many, many years ago). She died not long after, but the name of this favorite book always stayed with me and I searched high and low for it. Eventually, it came back into print -- just in time for me to share it with my niece and nephew. They love it -- and its message of the satisfaction derived from selfless acts -- as much as I did and do. I can almost hear my grandma's voice as I read...

Snipp, Snapp and Snurr, the three Swedish boys, want to get their mother a gift for her birthday. They do not know what to get her (all of their suggestions are really for kid's things). Then they find out that their mother would love a pair of red shoes lined in gold.

The boys decide their mother must have the shoes. They cannot get enough money out of their piggy bank so they must go out and earn more.

Each boy finds a job (painter, chimney sweep, miller) and together earn just enough to buy the shoes (as well as each getting dirty in a different way). Together they giver her the gift she never expected.

Each pair of pages has the story on the left and a painted illustration by the author on the right. A rather amusing and fun tale. Read all of the Snipp, Snapp and Snurr books.

55 years ago, when I was in first grade, I could hardly wait for the bookmobile to come every-other week, so that I could check out this book or others in the series. Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and Flicka, Ricka and Dicka had many wonderful adventures and the illustrations are beautiful. I was always happy after reading one of these books and thought of them often over the years when my children were growing up.

How thrilled I was to see them back in print! The stories are simple, yet each one sends a message of value to a child.

Grandparents, your little ones should have the joy of visiting with Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka.

This book comes right down to the very point you needed to read. Good job

Surviving Holidays, Birthdays & Anniversaries: A Guide For Grieving During Special Occasions is a simple bereavement guide, written by expert and creator of the www.griefsteps.com program Brook Noel, that especially focuses on coping with the particular challenges brought by special occassions. Holidays are normally a time of good cheer and laughter, but those experiencing profound grief or the loss of a loved one are beset by the opposite of these emotions, often at a magnified effect. Chapters offer advice on what to expect in plain and simple terms, such as learning to avoid additional stressors during the holiday season, never try to outspend grief, shop online, don't hide from life, beware of self-medicating, and more. Suggested strategies for coping include taking a moment of silence when needed, freewriting, taking a time out, specific exercises to calm oneself, and more. A strongly recommended guide for anyone struggling with memories of a loved one at difficult times.

Holidays, Christmas, birthdays, family gatherings--they will never be the same again. Having lost my 27 year old son, my "family occasions" have been changed forever. Brook Noel brings sensitivity and positive ideas to this agonizing fact. I'm glad I have this book to comfort and to guide me and my family.

I need give out much of the plot but its important to note that this is by far the one of the best plays i have ever read. It is the sentimentality that holds the entire play together and the love for the characters. I recomend this play to anyone as well as the movie.

I directed this show last year and it was to date the most enriching theatrical experience that I have ever had. The show is pure genius. Anyone who is not moved by it must reevaluate their emotional landscape.

nice and touching bk with lovely stor